10 Strictest College Campuses: 10 Unbelievably Strict College Campuses
Every college and university around the world expects its students to uphold certain standards. Honesty, refraining from causing harm to others, community, and staying within the laws of the home country all remain relatively reasonable and universal codes that give students structure while still preserving their individuality and bolstering their character. But some schools, most especially those affiliated with the evangelical Christian movement in the United States, raise a number of extremely difficult questions with their adherence to a highly restrictive code of values. While it usually remains the students’ choice to partake of such environments, many outside the affiliated fundamentalist organizations may look over their rules and find their jaws dropping. For these schools, leeching beyond the academic and school-related extracurricular functions and into the private lives of their students remains a high priority, with handbooks dictating very clearly how all of them must behave regardless of whether or not they live or play on campus. Are they genuinely pushing their students towards the path of Christ? Or are they treating free-willed adults as if petulant children incapable of forging their own individual perceptions, decisions, and behaviors without being fed someone else’s interpretations of Christian dogma? There are as many answers as there are people to consider the questions, because the world exists in shades of grey. Perhaps they are harmful. Perhaps they are harmless. But the following schools nonetheless play host to a number of regulations that seem rather appalling to mainstream society, and this article takes an admittedly irreverent peek at a little of what they have to say.
All resident and commuter students at Oral Roberts University are required to attend church at least twice a week and find themselves to a highly restrictive dress code. All men and women are expected to dress modestly, stay well-groomed, and avoid tattoos and body piercings. The former may not wear makeup, because breaking archaic gender tropes will rip the very foundations of society asunder. Alcohol is held up as equally detrimental as illegal substances regardless of whether or not a student partakes responsibly and remains at or above the drinking age – and the University does not discriminate on whether or not consumption or possession takes place on- or off-campus, either. Raffles are not even allowed as fundraiser due to their association with gambling, which is also banned. Obviously, dishonest or disruptive remains heavily discouraged as it does even in public schools. But premarital sex, homosexuality, aligning oneself with occult religions (though the handbook never actually specifies which belief systems they consider “occult”), using expletives, tobacco possession or use, dancing, and working at any establishment that encourages or involves any such things apparently constitute impropriety and stand as offenses worthy of expulsion.
2. Pensacola Christian College
While most schools understandably discourage nationally illegal activities involving drugs or underage drinking, Pensacola Christian College outlaws perfectly legal ones such as gambling, possession of pornography, dancing, swearing, smoking tobacco, and even patronizing movie theatres. They completely reach into the personal lives and convictions of their students, demanding that they refrain from such so-called “perversions” such as premarital sex, extramarital sex (even if both parties agree to an open relationship), and homosexuality. Anyone caught in such a position faces discipline or dismissal. In addition, all students enrolled in 12 or more hours are required to attend at least one chapel event a week. Part-timers or those with special circumstances must do so on days when their classes do not begin until after noon. All of these policies supposedly honor the wishes of Jesus Christ and facilitate participation in the encouraged weekend activities of door-to-door and child evangelism, working in churches, and volunteering at nursing homes.
Bob Jones University requires all students to attend regular church, Sunday school, society, Bible conferences, artist series programs, and vespers services on campus, though not necessarily in a single week. They understandably discourage illegal and discourteous behaviors such as excessive drunkenness, but generally harmless actions like possessing legal pornography, moderate drinking, disciplined gambling, dancing, sensuality, premarital sex, and homosexuality all remain condemned and held up as just as harmful to young, educated minds. All mixed groups of men and women – both on and off campus – require the presence of a chaperone to intercede on any behaviors they deem offensive to their conservative sensibilities. The school even governs how students are to go about their off-campus employment as well. Serving alcohol at bars or restaurants, keeping hours past 10:30 PM on weekdays and midnight on weekends, and door-to-door sales without expressed permission from the dean or a retail license are all forbidden by Bob Jones University. Any and all work must not interfere with weekday prayer sessions, either. In addition, all freshmen with jobs must consent to being chaperoned by a prayer captain or one of their assistants or an upperclassman while working. Neither freshmen nor sophomores are permitted to drive cars to work, either.
As with many Christian colleges and universities, Liberty extends its behavioral guidelines to students who live off campus as well as on. They do not require church service, but Convocations on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are compulsory for the entire student body. Political or social demonstrations – including harmless picketing – are completely banned on campus, and the University heavily discourages participating in any held off-campus as well. They reserve the right to discipline any student who does so, most especially in cases when the politics and ideals expressed in the protests go against the school’s extremely conservative beliefs. Commuter students cannot cohabitate with significant others or any peers of the opposite sex, either, and anyone hoping to get married before the age of 21 is highly encouraged to seek counseling and receive parental permission. In addition, anyone considering dating a classmate or other attendee must refrain from any sign of affection beyond handholding. After dusk, mixed groups are not allowed to fraternize without chaperones because having a group of friends including males and females alike is not normal psychosocial behavior – it is “improper” and apparently leads to premarital sex and dancing and other alleged affronts to Jesus.
The official “Honor Code” of BYU strictly outlaws camping trips with members of the opposite sex, though instances with separate accommodations for males and females will at least receive a modicum of consideration and reduced discipline if unauthorized. Most of the punishment is reserved for any involving “impropriety,” however. In accordance with their Mormon faith, students must also refrain from the expected and reasonable discourteous and illegal behavior – but coffee, tea, responsible alcohol consumption, and tobacco are also disallowed as well. All women are required to keep their skirts at knee-length or longer and receive no piercings beyond one in the earlobe. Men may not grow their sideburns past their earlobes, have hair covering their ears, or keep moustaches beyond the corners of their mouths. Beards are completely banned without explicit permission from the school, and neither gender may color their hair or wear any form-fitting apparel. Openly homosexual students are allowed to attend classes, but they must commit themselves to the same standards of staunch chastity as their heterosexual peers. In addition, they must refrain from participating in any pro-gay demonstrations or distribute literature involving equal marital and legal rights for their community. While BYU does accept students who do not belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, they are still required to participate in the community as if they were.
Demanding a “radical commitment to Jesus Christ” of all students involves not only the usual abstinence from illegal substances and behaving courteously, but a number of other legal but forbidden or discouraged behaviors frowned upon by the religious right as well. Possessing legal pornography, light to moderate drinking (even non-alcoholic versions of beer or cocktails), gambling, premarital or extramarital sex (regardless of whether or not the latter take place within an open relationship), dressing immodestly, supporting or practicing religious beliefs in line with the “occult” (with the lines of what constitutes such practices never explicitly stated), using profanity, tobacco, engaging in or supporting homosexuality, and having or supporting abortions are also very much in violation of the school’s strict moral guidelines. Allowing dancing at any school-related function – on or off campus – is strictly prohibited, though students are allowed to bust a few chaste, pre-approved moves at “weddings, military balls, graduation exercises, church, and family occasions” provided they refrain from attending clubs, bars, or parties that allegedly lead to temptation no matter what. Attending chapel is mandatory, and it is heavily suggested that not participating in other Christian ceremonies or functions is highly frowned upon. Any movies to be shown on campus must receive approval from Asbury College faculty and staff if it involves a rating of PG or PG-13, with all R’s and NC-17’s banned except in extreme circumstances (Passion of the Christ, by the way, was considered violent and intense enough to warrant an R by the MPAA). Students hoping to visit any friends of the opposite sex must receive permission from their families and keep it on file with the school as well.
Dallas Christian College directly addresses individuals who feel their extremely staunch policies are either too slack or too restrictive, stating that such measures strike a balance between freedom and Christian piety. In addition to outright banning the expected illegal and discourteous behaviors, premarital sex and homosexuality are “considered as absolute” in their alleged offense to God and society as stealing and lying. Any freshmen taking less than 24 hours of coursework must be in their dorm rooms by midnight on Monday through Wednesday and 12:30 AM on Friday through Sunday. Other academic levels are not stringently held to these policies, but they must sign out if they want to return after curfew. Thursday nights require a 10:00 PM return time because of devotionals. All students with a course load of 6 hours or more are required to contribute at least 6 hours of volunteer work in a Christian-related field per month, and they are heavily discouraged from taking jobs that distract from the school’s staunch moral guidelines. Students caught engaging in premarital, extramarital, and homosexual behavior face the risk of being expelled completely from Dallas Christian College as well. Dancing, too, falls under extremely restrictive guidelines as well, with the school outright refusing to allow it on campus or any official functions held offsite. Social and dance clubs as well face quite a bit of consternation.
Most schools understandably want their students to stay away from breaking the law or acting inconsiderately towards others – but Ozark Christian College also places tight regulations on legal activities as well. Alcohol and tobacco are forbidden even for those of age for purchase and consumption, and media intake is restricted to whatever the faculty and staff deems inoffensive. This, of course, means any movie above a PG-rating or below a -1 score on Previewonline.org (though there exists the very rare acquiescing from the school). In addition, attendance at parties, clubs, casinos, restaurants, and bars is expressly prohibited except when no alcohol is present. Mixed groups of males and females must agree to confer in the presence of a chaperone. Public displays of affection beyond handholding are highly discouraged, as is fraternizing with those of the opposite sex on co-ed camping trips. Dyed hair and “faddish or extreme styles” are out, as are any piercings beyond the ears or a nose stud – presumably allowed for cultural reasons. Save for the dress code and media violations, most of these infractions can lead to disciplinary actions or even outright dismissal from the school.
9. Clearwater Christian College
This Florida institution takes its “honor court” very, very seriously – going so far as to issue demerits for a number of completely legal offenses. Some are grounds for immediate expulsion, while others build up over time before a student can be dismissed. Arrests, convictions, and firearms understandably lead to suspension or termination, but so can purchasing and consuming alcohol (even when of age), attending a bar or a club, involvement with a cult, Satanism, or witchcraft, or engaging in sexual activity. Because the nude human body is just as detrimental to society as a sawed-off shotgun. Major infractions largely accepted by mainstream society and allowed under American law include “dating violation[s],” owning potentially offensive media (which will get confiscated), swimming with the opposite sex, patronizing a movie theatre, attending a concert, receiving a tattoo or piercing, gambling, possessing pornography, or purchasing and using tobacco (even when of age). Some of the dating offenses include displays of affection beyond hand-holding both on- and off-campus, seeing one another in swimming or sunbathing attire, not exiting a car at the same time immediately upon turning off the engine, being caught alone together while at school, and going on single dates while a freshman. Minor infractions include borrowing and not attending chapel and group devotions on a regular basis. All students are also required to adhere to a stringent dress code lest they find themselves facing a few more fines along the way.
The veritably Orwellian Florida Christian College combs through its students’ media collections, banning any books, movies, music, magazines, or video games it deems detrimental to Christianity. No video games may possess an M rating, nor are students allowed to own movies above the PG-13 rating. They can’t dance, can’t gamble, and can’t even lightly use alcohol or tobacco even if of legal age. They have to cover tattoos, remove piercings, and maintain hairstyles approved by the dean – and all without any unnatural colors, of course. Employment must not mainly involve the sale of alcohol (so no bars or liquor stores), anything even remotely sexual, gambling, or anything un-Christian. Sexual abuse and incest are very understandably considered a violation due to their illegality and penchant for psychological damage, but legal activities like abortion, premarital and extramarital sex (even within the confines of an open marriage), and homosexuality are held up as just as appalling.
In their quest to encourage their students to live like Christ – or, more accurately, their interpretations of how Christ lived – these schools push upon them a series of heavy restrictions involving their behaviors on and off campus. Going far beyond the usual, generally accepted standards of not breaking the law, acting in a disruptive or discourteous manner, and remaining honest in word, deed, and homework, they raise a number of fascinating moral and ethical questions regarding personal freedom. While this article certainly peers into their doings from the perspective of an outsider, it admits that the real answers remain entirely subjective and highly nebulous. Everyone should look at the evidence presented and formulate their own personal opinion of the matter.
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I can tell from what you wrote, you were definitely enrolled at the wrong college. So sorry for everyone you had contact with.
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Asbury College/University.
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You make it out to seem way worse than it is. Of course, the handbook does too. But let me clear up a few things as I attend college there myself.
“Possessing legal pornography, light to moderate drinking (even non-alcoholic versions of beer or cocktails), gambling, premarital or extramarital sex (regardless of whether or not the latter take place within an open relationship), dressing immodestly, supporting or practicing religious beliefs in line with the “occult” (with the lines of what constitutes such practices never explicitly stated), using profanity, tobacco, engaging in or supporting homosexuality, and having or supporting abortions are also very much in violation of the school’s strict moral guidelines.”
-Pornography– duh.
-Drinking, also duh, they just actually monitor it here.
-Underage gambling is also against the law (and also gives into the sin of greed)
-Sex (do I really need to explain?)
-Dressing immodestly (oh no, you’re not allowed to dress like a slut and show off your “assets” to the entire student body)
-Supporting or practicing religious beliefs in line with “occult” (This is not entirely true. The college actually will accept you no matter whatever religion you are, even if you are atheist. The only won’t allow it if you practice satanism (for obvious reasons) or anything with sacrificing, pretty much.)
-Using Profanity, really, it isn’t allowed in any K-12 school, and they don’t want people cussing their heads off here. But honestly, the teachers and student body are just as lenient about the rule as they are in K-12 schools.
-Tobacco, it’s a smoke free campus, just like NKU is now. No more needs to be said.
-Engaging in or Supporting Homosexuality, this one is tricky. No, they do not allow engaging in it, and I honestly think that’s not something good. BUT, if you are homosexual, they won’t kick you off campus. They also will not do anything to you for supporting it– as they follow Christ’s example in loving everyone and not judging others for their beliefs. Same reason why you’re allowed to practice pretty much any religion and go here.
-Having or Supporting Abortions, similar to the last one. You’re not supposed to be having sex in the first place, for one…. and the campus is primarily pro-life, yes. But once again, if you believe in supporting them or neutral, they won’t do anything to you or criticize you. It’s your belief.
Now on to the next part. As for dancing– it is entirely allowed. The handbook gives the wrong message in this part; dancing is not allowed in groups if it is /suggestive or sultry./ They try to limit large dancing gatherings because they, of course, cannot monitor everyone to make sure they are following that rule. But people can dance randomly if they want at any time of course– as long as you’re not grinding your boyfriend or getting “down low,” you’re good.
As for chapel, yeah, it’s mandatory. It’s part of the college’s curriculum, just like a class, due to the college aiming for both academic AND spiritual growth. And if you have to miss– which many do at one point or another– you get 8 free chapel skips. It is NOT frowned upon if you do not attend other Christian things like church– simply suggested. They’re not going to hunt you down or anything. I don’t even go to church anywhere around campus.
Movies– again, the handbook gave the wrong message. That rule only applies to PUBLIC showings of movies, like if a student run organization wanted to have a movie night on the green for the student body. They just don’t want you showing /Friday the 13th/ or anything, due to the content. BUT, they do not have any rules against you watching them on your own, or even on things like violent video games. Tons of guys here have Call of Duty and Halo, Skyrim and Gears of War, heck, many have Mortal Kombat and Devil May Cry. That rule ONLY applies to publicly shown movies.
And finally…
“Students hoping to visit any friends of the opposite sex must receive permission from their families and keep it on file with the school as well.”
This is EXTREMELY uninformed. It should be “Students hoping to visit any friends of the opposite sex IN THEIR DORM ROOMS can visit on Fridays.” You don’t have to get permission from families, no files kept. Students are allowed in each others’ hall lobbies at any time during the week until midnight, and students of the opposite sex are allowed in each others rooms on Fridays, again until midnight. This rule is just so that, again, we don’t have students doing the dirty on campus. And of course, students can meet ANYWHERE else on or off campus whenever they want.
I accumulated more than 100 demerits during my first year and because of this, they did not allow to me to return the following year. The demerits for infractions such as not wearing hose to dinner, being late to church, being late to class, staying up after 11 pm lights out to work on my art homework projects, etc.
The main thing I learned from my year there was how to be sneaky. That’s what you have to do in order to survive there.
Even if you are a staunch conservative fundamentalist christian, I would not recommend attending Pensacola Christian College.
I went to PCC in the early 80’s. I barely made it through a semester. An upper classman lied and told the dean that I had “looked at a male student in a sexual manner” while walking home from chapel and was campused w/in the first weeks there. It was absolute bullshit, but because I had short hair( girl) I guess I wasn’t godly enough They are doing more damage to the kids that have no idea what they’re getting into. Like that other poster, we weren’t able to read the handbook until the day we arrived. Ugh. Still having nightmares.
What a way to treat women like children incapable of making their own decisions!
College is not supposed to be your babysitter, it is a learning experience meant to prepare you for the way the world is. Society may indeed be corrupt, but Christianity is no better. The Catholic Church, for example… If you think that sheltering yourself in colleges such as these is a good way to prepare for the world, then you’re absolutely wrong. No one is going to forbid interracial or homosexual relationships, no one is going to forbid occult religions, no one is going to forbid fornication, and you won’t be able to handle that.
I am not a follower of Christianity nor do I have a problem with that, but these establishments are making the entire religion look crazed and judgmental… Just sayin’.
These places really need to get it together, damn.
Jesus drank wine. He turned water into wine.
He let a known to be unclean woman wash his feet with perfume.
He let people reach out and touch him because to touch him was to touch life and forgiveness, no matter their past or present.
God created dance.
God created sex.
God created happiness and laughter.
God created the creativity within human beings.
When you look at little children laughing, or animals playing, or men and women gathering together to talk and experience the presence of others, you’re witnessing God at work. We’re MADE in God’s image, and so the things we feel and do were felt by God first!
Now of course in the Bible he warns against sins, things that weren’t made by his own creation, but by the fall of mankind and free will. But people need to remember that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and casting people out of a school because they don’t meet excessive regulations aren’t bringing them any closer to God. If anything, it’s pushing them further away because they feel even more separated from God.
I know a boy who went to a very hypocritical high school. They claimed to preach the message of God, but in his hour of need, while he struggled with substance abuse and depression, they kicked him out of the school. He transferred to public school where he had no friends and even less support and encouragement from faculty/students, and two months later he shot himself.
God didn’t make us to reject each other. He made us to love each other and him.
So quit whining about some article some guy wrote on the internet 3 years ago about the strict standards set forth by some colleges and start asking yourself- do these standards actually bring people closer to God or are they pushing us further away?
Because some might say that the strict rules only serve to lead people away.
Some food for thought…
Regardless of popular opinion, political correctness, or the ideas of major theologians, truth is always truth. It always has been, and always will be. If the truth is found in the Bible, abide in it, and depart not from it. Choose this day whom you will serve, and if you will serve the Lord, beware, lest you make the grace of our God into Lasciviousness.(see Joshua 24:15, Jude 1:4, Romans 16:17)
If a disciple of Christ becomes odious to others because of the radical measures that Christ calls us to, he will have followed the footsteps of his master; indeed, what else could be expected of him? If an institution dedicated to the service of Christ becomes abhorred by those who don’t serve Christ, this might suggest that it is doing something right – not always, just sometimes.
their own standards, and this writer makes fun of them as hopelessly pathetic.
While some rules are debatable, yet this writer seems to think
that these colleges should countenance clearly un-Biblical behaviors,
such as premarital sex, pornography, etc. because
they are legal. There are many things that are legal that are morally wrong, and
I am glad that the author is not in charge of a Christian college because
he would allow an environment that would dishonor the name of Christ.
Thankfully, Christian colleges provide a better environment than secular campuses.
They help stem the tide of STD’s, date rape, the dangers of substance abuse, etc.,
and I would rather put up with some questionably strict rules if that meant that
my child would be at a place which is much safer and God-honoring. No college is perfect,
and everyone is a sinner, but it is much better to have standards (standing for something morally
right), rather than having anything go and reaping the consequences of debauchery,
both in this life and in the next.
If you want to be a Christian, go to a Christian school if possible. If you want to have a Christian school, make it conform to Biblical principles as much as possible. If you make it conform to Biblical principles, it will be considered politically incorrect, and will be shut down as soon as possible.
Just my humble, unbiased opinion.
Jerry, I’m sorry you and your wife had problems at Asbury. You might want to take a closer look at everything that was going on at the time. From my own experience, when you walk away from God it usually has to do with decisions you have made and not lack of motivation or dedication. I walked away 15 years ago and still have not come back but there were many factors involved. It might be time for a look at the past before blaming a school for your wife’s lack of faith Just saying.
Honestly, this is lazy journalism. You aren’t writing truth, you are writing opinion.
It’s similarly interesting how people choose which laws & pieces of the Bible they will follow. They rally behind the 10 Commandments, but when asked about their own practices, they quickly throw up the New Testament. Of course, Jesus advocated The Commandments, not hip, redesigned for 2012, laws. When so-called Christians give up murder & pork; & they begin smoting doves, I might start believing them.
2nd – Just because something is legal doesn’t make it good for you. Smoking is legal, but people die from it. It is for our own health and safety that these rules are in place: rules which we WILLINGLY submit to.
So next time you choose to attack our schools (speaking more to some of the comments than the actual article), check your sources. You heard about how bad these schools are from people who got kicked out? Oh, I’m sorry, you must know so much more than the current students and those who have graduated and are leading great lives…
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Guess what these colleges are wrong to force students to suppress their governing rights that were written long before most of these colleges where even developed.
DO you know what these strict colleges are invoking by making these kinds of religious standards? let me spell it out for you PROSELYTISM. Look it up.
Whether you are the religion these campuses represent or not. IT IS WRONG. Religion is a choice not a punishment and certainly it is not a requirement if I am not mistaken by my own logic as well as using the bible as a reference would God really want you to be FORCED and REQUIRED to worship him in the ways others want you too? Or would he rather you come to him of your own free will and respect him because you want to not because you have to.
Just food for thought. I’ll leave you with a quote to ponder.
” Those who speak and act to offend may be “jackasses” etc. but those who curtail their rights are guilty of stupidities.” This was in Roger Rosenblatt in his essay “We are Free to Be You, Me, Stupid and Dead”
(If you do not understand that quote.) That basically means being a jackass and expressing your self is better than being idiotic enough to try to stop them because of the First Amendment.
Just my humble, unbiased opinion; take it or leave it.
I would strongly caution you to know he whom you so boldly challenge, and if you charge a holy God with unrighteousness, take note that it shall be accounted of in the day of your calamity. Please, be wise!
Premarital sex is wrong,the bible clearly states so amongst other things. Homosexuality is also wrong,because it upset God to the extent of destroying sodom and gomorah. I laud these schools and urge them to bring moral decadence to the beareßt minimum. God bless
Since, as was noted in the introduction, “it usually remains the students’ choice to partake of such environments”, I don’t think that we can disapprove of these schools on ethical or legal grounds. I think that the questions that we really need to ask are (a) whether students are better off if they attend these schools, and (b) whether we ought to encourage students to attend these schools. Clearly, the answer to (b) will depend on the answer to (a).
I don’t think that students are better off if they attend these schools. First, living under such strict rules has detrimental consequences. Outright banning everything that can be dangerous to someone’s health and character leaves much less room for students to learn moderation. I imagine that most people know about the tendency of people who live in extremely sheltered and restrictive environments to ‘go wild’ as soon as these restrictions are removed and they realise how much freedom they have, because they never learnt self-control. If students go from a strict household (as I suppose most of these students do) to a strict school, they will have no chance to learn true self-control. Rather, they will be dependant on their belief in God to serve as a sort of eternal chaperone, which I think is unhealthy.
On a related note, outright banning things often just makes them more appealing. If you tell your kids what smoking does to their lungs, they won’t even *want* to smoke. If you give your kids a firm understanding of probability, they won’t even *want* to gamble. If you tell them honestly what excessive use of alcohol does to people, they won’t *want* to get wasted. If, however, you only ensure that they grow up in an environment where these are banned, this only serves to increase their allure should they ever break free from the strict and dogmatic rules that you place to limit their actions.
By banning both entirely harmless things (eg violent movies) and more harmful things (eg smoking, alcohol without moderation) with the same strictness, these schools create an awful situation where students who have the intelligence and insight necessary to see that the ban on the harmless items is a load of rubbish may likewise think that the harmful things will be OK, too. Even if this situation only befalls a small proportion of the students who attend, it is bad enough that it is a significant threat. Incidentally, the D.A.R.E. program doesn’t work for precisely this reason – it doesn’t teach kids that cocaine is worse than beer.
Second, since only very strict Christians will be attending these schools, students won’t have as much exposure to other points of view unless they actively seek them out. Seeing (or participating in) vigorous debates where practically nothing is held as a common assumption between the opposing debaters is a great way to develop someone’s intellectual capabilities, especially critical thinking skills. Will students at uber-Chritstian universities have this? Probably not.
Third, many of these rules ban things that aren’t dangerous (eg dancing, scary or violent movies, and sex so long as the people involved know what they are doing and all proper precautions are used) and that are a lot of fun. Students at these schools are missing out.
In conclusion, I don’t think that students are better off if they go to these schools, and I would not encourage anyone to do so.
Lets see,,, marry a girl from a christian college who has conducted herself appropriately, has good manners, no baggage, no std`s, is modest and will make a good wife and mother. OR a girl from State college,, who has photos of herself posted , throwign up drunk in a men`s bathroom, has slept with numerous other men, a couple of abortions behind her, and had sex with strangers on spring break because she was drunk and had to take penecilin afterward, then had to lie to her future husband about it all… mmmm i`lll take the girl from the christian college,, thanks. go Michigan State!
I know it’s frustrating to have people object to aspects of your lifestyle and faith, but I don’t think responding with condescending bias is helpful. If your happy with your life, enjoy it… your clearly not hurting anyone and therefore absolutely entitled to that choice; and for many that way of life makes people better. But please don’t judge women by their sex life or their religion, as people like me will not judge you by the same nor by your faith. Giving into that division will never bring peace.
Stephen, I think the writers’ point about The Passion of the Christ is that we weren’t supposed to watch any R-rated movies, yet we were heavily encouraged to watch The Passion of the Christ. I was there when the movie came out, and I remember some other students calling me “unspiritual” because I chose not to watch the movie with them. Go figure.
Maybe this list should just be 10 Strict Christian Colleges? Oddly left out are West Point Academy, Air Force Academy and other military schools. Certainly they are more strict and arbitrary in their rules than some of the schools here.
No one is forcing anyone to attend those colleges/universities.
Except “he” isn’t the one setting it; it’s “man” claiming to speak for “him”.
Those who attend any religious school, on their own desire, will attend one in line with their personal religious beliefs. Not sure why you find prohibition of Occult practices to be a bad thing for those attending a Christian university.
God forbid someone busts into a Riverdance in the middle of the student union. There’s morality, and then there’s this.
How about… youth? Mature, responsible people are able to think for themselves and moderate their own behavior. Dictatorial societies (from countries to colleges) always invoke claims of protecting people from themselves or the protecting the society, but are always first and foremost about preserving the power structure of an elite and repressing any who might challenge the dogma they use to maintain that control. Like, in this example, students deciding it’s very unlikely that Oral Roberts raised the dead during his ministry, which would make their college named after a liar.
“ORU has a dress code which is in effect for classes, chapel and in all academic buildings. The dress can best be described as business casual. In addition, neat jeans and flip flops are allowed in class and chapel. The student body is also expected to maintain a standard of modesty at all times while on campus.” Church attendance is required once a week, but it is not monitored. Neither dancing nor tattoos are forbidden, although some forms of dancing would be inappropriate. And it’s true – men may not wear makeup. The point is, in my opinion, someone needs to establish guidelines for our youth. If you don’t stand for something – you’ll fall for anything.