BJU expulsion

[genericJname]

Has anyone heard about this incident? I guess this guy, Christopher Peterman, started a protest fb page because the pastor who had covered up the Tina Anderson rape case was still on the board of trustees for BJU. He pissed off enough people and got the powers that be to scrutinize his every move. Some demerits from watching Glee pushed him over the limit.

http://www.elizabethesther.com/2012/04/ ... -rape.html

[RR88]

In my opinion, demerits for watching Glee are totally warranted. ;)

Other than that, though, this is an awful situation. I hope it makes national news.

[SamuraiKatz]

Good for this young man! He has the character that others in the fundie movement just talk about. BJU board members need to take a long hard look at themselves and their alleged values.

I hope he is awarded his degree or receives a refund for his education.

[lilwriter85]

I applaud Peterman for standing up for Tina. The Glee thing isn't surprising, BJU and other strict Christian colleges have gone crazy in the past when they find out about students watching shows that feature premartial sex or gay characters. Over the years, BJU has expelled students for a long different harmless things over the years. Chris Sligh who was an American Idol contestant back in 2007, was expelled from BJU for attending a Christian rock concert. Sligh transferred to a less conservative Christian college after that and I believe he spoke out against some of BJU's rules.

[darareaksmey]

Male and female students should guard their testimonies and are not to be alone together in a classroom, rehearsal studio or other room.

p.22, BJU Student Handook

100% OT, but I was reading the BJU handbook, to which Esther Elizabeth provides a link. What on earth does it mean to guard your testimony?

[2xx1xy1JD]

So, let me see if I've got this straight.....

The "biblical position", according to Phelps defenders at BJU, is to avoid attacking Phelps (a BROTHER) in public and extend grace and do some sort of private little investigation to see how he failed Tina Anderson (although most of it would seem to be a matter of public record).

At the same time, Phelps himself seems to have thought that the "biblical position" when it comes to a 15 yr old GIRL is to force her to stand in front of the congregation while announcing that she's pregnant and conveniently omitting the fact that she was raped, even though she had reported to him that she was.

To repeat:

Grown man gets presumption of innocence, even though this isn't a criminal trial but a position of trust and no one is disputing what he did

15 yr old girl gets presumption that she's a whore that needs to be shamed in public, even though she reported that she was raped

[nolongerIFBx]

p.22, BJU Student Handook

100% OT, but I was reading the BJU handbook, to which Esther Elizabeth provides a link. What on earth does it mean to guard your testimony?

It means you need to be "on" 100% of the time. You are at all times an ambassador of Christ so you "avoid the appearance of evil".

While I agree with that, our definitions of "evil" would vary greatly as would our definitions of "avoiding the appearance of evil". Does it mean do not be where evil happens or to go out of your way to not even be suspected of not being perfect?

[treemom]

I went to Liberty in the mid-nineties. I can assure you that Glee would not have been approved there back then. Not sure about now, they have loosened up a bit. I received their demerit equivalent for listening to Madonna in the debate lab.

[grateful1230]

I'd heard about this before reading it here, only because I have siblings that live near BJU. We all grew up around there, and I've heard crazy stories about BJ since I was a child. There's also a BJ school by the way, from K5 to 12th. Heartwarming, isn't it?

Anyway, I don't believe the story has been in the local papers. I live hours away, as I'm a smart sandlapper that got the HELL OUT as soon as possible. Chris is standing up for what he believes in, which is great. Unfortunately I think he's going to be screwed on the last 4 years of work to get that degree. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if BJ won't release his transcripts to let him graduate elsewhere..

[darareaksmey]

It means you need to be "on" 100% of the time. You are at all times an ambassador of Christ so you "avoid the appearance of evil".

While I agree with that, our definitions of "evil" would vary greatly as would our definitions of "avoiding the appearance of evil". Does it mean do not be where evil happens or to go out of your way to not even be suspected of not being perfect?

Thanks for the info. I imagine that for BJU "evil" means all of the above and more.

[darareaksmey]

I'd heard about this before reading it here, only because I have siblings that live near BJU. We all grew up around there, and I've heard crazy stories about BJ since I was a child. There's also a BJ school by the way, from K5 to 12th. Heartwarming, isn't it?

Anyway, I don't believe the story has been in the local papers. I live hours away, as I'm a smart sandlapper that got the HELL OUT as soon as possible. Chris is standing up for what he believes in, which is great. Unfortunately I think he's going to be screwed on the last 4 years of work to get that degree. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if BJ won't release his transcripts to let him graduate elsewhere..

The SC upstate is definitely Krayzeetown for fundies. I went to college in Greenville, though definitely not BJU. Thankfully the closer to the coast you get, the Baptists, though still numerous, are less Bible-thumpin'. I don't know how it is now, but BJU definitely had influence in Greenville when I was there. A whole section of town had restaurants without liquor or even beer and wine licenses, because BJ forbade its students to frequent such establishments, and its student body and staff was big enough to have an economic impact.

Back to this guy--I find it amusing that he is wearing a Hollister shirt in light of the stricture in the Student Handbook that says Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch are decidedly unholy and apparel bearing their names is not to be worn. I guess this is his big fuck you to BJ.

[BravaAmica]

Did Phelps ever get arrested for raping Tina?

[grateful1230]

In my opinion, BJU has just as much influence as they've always had. The difference now is that some of the blue laws are gone, and restaurants within Greenville city limits can serve alcohol on Sundays, after 1pm. I think you can even buy beer in the gas station after 1pm now!

[dairyfreelife]

I'd heard about this before reading it here, only because I have siblings that live near BJU. We all grew up around there, and I've heard crazy stories about BJ since I was a child. There's also a BJ school by the way, from K5 to 12th. Heartwarming, isn't it?

Anyway, I don't believe the story has been in the local papers. I live hours away, as I'm a smart sandlapper that got the HELL OUT as soon as possible. Chris is standing up for what he believes in, which is great. Unfortunately I think he's going to be screwed on the last 4 years of work to get that degree. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if BJ won't release his transcripts to let him graduate elsewhere..

My high school English teacher had children in BJU schools. He used to teach there (at the uni) before he and his ex-wife divorced. I remember him mentioning the strict rules at that school. His daughter used to work to finish her morning problems first so she could sit with her friend at lunch. Apparently sitting with friends is a priviledge and they had assigned seats at lunch. There were other things too, mundane and ridiculous that he mentioned.

[ladidah]

There's also a BJ school by the way, from K5 to 12th. Heartwarming, isn't it?

Yup. :x I once talked to a girl who was in high school there at the time, and she parroted the then-BJU-president's position on why interracial dating was supposed to be "wrong." This was several years after BJU technically reversed its long-time ban on interracial dating and allowed interracial dating on campus, BTW. After I'd laid into each of her arguments one by one, she asserted that, anyway, interracial couples' kids "look funny." :evil:

[SamuraiKatz]

I don't know how to imbed. Here is the young man in question in his own words. Put on your face book and let it go viral.

Bob Jones University is a vile, vile place.

[Spider Burps]

I'd heard about this before reading it here, only because I have siblings that live near BJU. We all grew up around there, and I've heard crazy stories about BJ since I was a child. There's also a BJ school by the way, from K5 to 12th. Heartwarming, isn't it?

Anyway, I don't believe the story has been in the local papers. I live hours away, as I'm a smart sandlapper that got the HELL OUT as soon as possible. Chris is standing up for what he believes in, which is great. Unfortunately I think he's going to be screwed on the last 4 years of work to get that degree. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if BJ won't release his transcripts to let him graduate elsewhere..

This is somewhat related story: My little brother went to a school for students with learning disabilities (before they realized he was schizophrenic, not ADHD) and something like 3/4 of his teachers went to BJU. When I drove him home from school each and every day he would gleefully inform me of the eternity I was going to spend in hell for "being a hippie" (his teachers told him so!) :think:

ETA: I totally forgot the BEST thing about this school! The headmaster/whatever was a man. Everyone else, from teachers to receptionists, were women. The students were the janitors, of course (frsrsly)

[formerlegalist]

Yup. :x I once talked to a girl who was in high school there at the time, and she parroted the then-BJU-president's position on why interracial dating was supposed to be "wrong." This was several years after BJU technically reversed its long-time ban on interracial dating and allowed interracial dating on campus, BTW. After I'd laid into each of her arguments one by one, she asserted that, anyway, interracial couples' kids "look funny." :evil:

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the way BJU approached doing away with the long-time ban on interracial dating was to just ban all dating altogether.

Knowing all the fundie influence in the area (and remembering how many things growing up fundamentalist came from Greenville, Greer, or Taylors), I was pleasantly surprised by downtown Greenville on a trip there last year, and especially by the food and drinks at Blue Ridge Brewing Company. A nice refuge from fundie-land.

[ladidah]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the way BJU approached doing away with the long-time ban on interracial dating was to just ban all dating altogether.

Dating was still very much done at BJU when this conversation took place (somewhere around 2000). In some ways, though, it was probably as strict as certain versions of courtship. I don't know all the rules, but I definitely heard several BJU students emphasize that you were not allowed to touch a member of the opposite sex intentionally. There was room for lenience if you accidentally brushed against someone. :D

[Kitten]

Guard your testimonies

Another fabulous t-shirt logo! :lol:

[Maggie Mae]

I can't even imagine what it must be like to be a member of the student body at BJU. Uni is supposed to be a time to be independent and part of that is learning where your limits are. If all the students are cases of arrested development, HOW are they getting any sort of education? If they can't read books that aren't approved or talk to members of the opposite sex, watch tv, drink, party, dance, wear pjs to class what do they do besides study religion? It sounds awful and I bet the students are all immature and boring. Especially if they have to get approval do just about anything.

[Stickers]

How do they know he watched Glee? Do they track the websites you go to? Or did he post about it on Facebook I wonder? However they found out getting 50 points for watching a tv show is crazy (even for them) isn't it?

[apple1]

Did Phelps ever get arrested for raping Tina?

It was Ernie Willis (one of the deacons) who raped Tina, and he is now, many years later, serving time. He was convicted and sentenced in 2011 for what happened in 1997 or so.

Chuck Phelps was the church pastor who forced Tina to "confess" and arranged to send her away (NH to Colorado IIRC) for the duration of the pregnancy, where she had the baby and gave the baby up for adoption.

[genericJname]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the way BJU approached doing away with the long-time ban on interracial dating was to just ban all dating altogether.

Dating is allowed. I read in the rules somewhere that you are allowed to "date" one of the HS kids as long as you are a student in good standing. :shock:

[godlytomatosoup]

Is it BJU where interracial dating is now allowed, but only with signed parental permission? Or am I thinking of Pensacola?