The Honor Code
The world seems to want to have its cake and eat it too. Our leaders think they can spend their way into prosperity, and to not worry about the future. Sex without consequences is being sold as the norm. When the future hits us in the head we feel that it is unfair, that we don't deserve that. Maybe that is a little extreme, but is it really?
Sadly, no. It isn't. Too often in this world, we forget that actions have consequences. I am focusing on the Honor Code at the colleges of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but this applies to all aspects of life. For example, if you are skydiving and you jump without a parachute, you will find that no matter your sorrow at having forgotten the chute, the laws of gravity don't really care. As Ben Shapiro would say, "Facts don't care about your feelings".
The following is solely my opinion, and while I refer to certain policies of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I am not a spokesman for same, nor do I pretend to make official representation for the church. Got it?
There have been protests lately at both BYU (Brigham Young University for those that don't know) in Provo, and the BYU-I campus (in Rexburg, formally Ricks Jr. College). What are they protesting? First context.
For a student to attend either school (or the campuses of BYU in Hawaii, or the LDS Business College in Salt Lake City), whether on campus or on-line, that student must get an endorsement from a local ecclesiastical authority of the church. This applies equally to all, regardless if you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ or not. (And yes, there are a few that are not members that do attend) Part of that endorsement includes an affirmation that a student understands, AND agrees to follow what is known as the Honor Code. This code includes a set of rules regarding the law of chastity (no sexual relations between those unmarried), the Word of Wisdom (a health code which includes no alcohol, no coffee, tea, or tobacco) a code of dress and grooming, and other parts of life. (a curfew, etc).
Not your average college experience, would you agree? I would say that as it is voluntary (well, insomuch as you want to attend the school, you have to agree to it) there shouldn't be issues following it, or its existence, period. Students know what they are getting into when they apply to the school. Now, while I have said that, I do understand that people aren't perfect, and that they make mistakes. Okay? Some mistakes, if properly self reported, can lead not to expulsion, but to the opportunity to repent, and to not repeat. Even some moral issues may not automatically result in expulsion from the school and campus. Some events do result in expulsion, but the student is given a pathway to return, if they wish. This happened a few years ago in a very public event where BYU was in the hunt for the NCAA Men's basketball tournament, and a star player was actually expelled during the tournament season. I remember that because many on ESPN and other stations hailed the consistency of BYU in not burying the event while chasing the tournament. But what about the ordinary student?
This is why I am writing. It bothers me that students agree to the honor code, and go to school with no intention to take the Code seriously. They then become involved in activities that are direct violations themselves, but could lead to events that are more serious. The protests that occurred in Rexburg were led by two former students that had been expelled for several violations of the Honor Code, and did not appear to be repentant. Of course, you would not have known that from the interviews that the media did with them. You would have heard about the secrecy of the Honor Code office, and the process that is used to determine whether a violator should be allowed to stay in school or be expelled. You would have heard how students were expelled for being raped, with no mention to potential infractions that may have been key factors for the expulsion. Here is the problem.
As with all disciplinary actions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the process, including testimony and deliberation by the proper authority is confidential. The only times the church has ever elaborated at all on an action is when a recipient has gone public and has made significant statements about what happened to them. Even then, what is reported is limited to the bare minimum needed to explain the situation. The confidentiality is meant to protect the offender, and those that were involved, not to have some super secret tribunal. Could someone be expelled only because they were raped? I would hope not, but guess that it is possible. But what if that person...
Consistently broke curfew?
One of the things that I have observed on my visits to Rexburg is the miracle of McMidnight. What is that? It is Sunday night, at midnight, when both McDonald's in Rexburg become very busy with students who, while choosing to observe the Sabbath by not purchasing food on it, do choose to disobey the Honor Code by being out after midnight on Sunday night, either Dine In or Drive Thru. It is really interesting to see how many people do this.
Had gone to parties where alcohol was involved?
Had been in situations with the opposite sex that are directly spelled out to be violations of the code?
Frequently had Honor Code infractions?
Just like Satan does not tempt us to commit serious sins while walking on a covenant path, he prefers to lure us in with small baby steps, and binding us with threads so thin that we could break each one anytime we chose, but over time we find that we are bound to the point of being trapped, so too does an event such as rape seldom come out of the blue, with no previous violations of the honor code.
No matter how I write what comes next, it could be interpreted as me saying that rape doesn't occur on campus or elsewhere. It does. It has and will continue. Okay? But...
I would never say that a person "asked for it" in the way they dress or act. I start to get a little iffy when a person goes to a party where all are drinking alcohol. Most would say that one can't consent to sex if they are inebriated. I would disagree, unless they were slipped something, or if someone put a gun to their head and forced them to drink alcohol to the point that they could not say no. Is that harsh? Yes, but do you see that before the rape occurred, the person had probably been out past curfew, been alone with someone in a place that they shouldn't have been, perhaps drank alcohol, or imbibed in some other substance? A number of violations that culminate in a likely expulsion, even if no alleged intercourse had occurred, whether consented to or not.
So, many people on campus complain about the Honor Code being too hard. They complain about not even wanting to be at that school. That their parents made them go. Well, again, I would point out the fact that when they interview with their Bishop, they could have said that they weren't willing to abide by the code, and that would have ended their application. The parents would only have known the why, if their son or daughter told them. I also know that when one is repentant, the Honor Code is not hard core.
It makes me sad that at schools that cannot accept all applicants due to the shear volume of them, that some of those who are accepted seem to have so little respect for this very important aspect of the school that they seem to fight against it.
Sadly, no. It isn't. Too often in this world, we forget that actions have consequences. I am focusing on the Honor Code at the colleges of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but this applies to all aspects of life. For example, if you are skydiving and you jump without a parachute, you will find that no matter your sorrow at having forgotten the chute, the laws of gravity don't really care. As Ben Shapiro would say, "Facts don't care about your feelings".
The following is solely my opinion, and while I refer to certain policies of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I am not a spokesman for same, nor do I pretend to make official representation for the church. Got it?
There have been protests lately at both BYU (Brigham Young University for those that don't know) in Provo, and the BYU-I campus (in Rexburg, formally Ricks Jr. College). What are they protesting? First context.
For a student to attend either school (or the campuses of BYU in Hawaii, or the LDS Business College in Salt Lake City), whether on campus or on-line, that student must get an endorsement from a local ecclesiastical authority of the church. This applies equally to all, regardless if you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ or not. (And yes, there are a few that are not members that do attend) Part of that endorsement includes an affirmation that a student understands, AND agrees to follow what is known as the Honor Code. This code includes a set of rules regarding the law of chastity (no sexual relations between those unmarried), the Word of Wisdom (a health code which includes no alcohol, no coffee, tea, or tobacco) a code of dress and grooming, and other parts of life. (a curfew, etc).
Not your average college experience, would you agree? I would say that as it is voluntary (well, insomuch as you want to attend the school, you have to agree to it) there shouldn't be issues following it, or its existence, period. Students know what they are getting into when they apply to the school. Now, while I have said that, I do understand that people aren't perfect, and that they make mistakes. Okay? Some mistakes, if properly self reported, can lead not to expulsion, but to the opportunity to repent, and to not repeat. Even some moral issues may not automatically result in expulsion from the school and campus. Some events do result in expulsion, but the student is given a pathway to return, if they wish. This happened a few years ago in a very public event where BYU was in the hunt for the NCAA Men's basketball tournament, and a star player was actually expelled during the tournament season. I remember that because many on ESPN and other stations hailed the consistency of BYU in not burying the event while chasing the tournament. But what about the ordinary student?
This is why I am writing. It bothers me that students agree to the honor code, and go to school with no intention to take the Code seriously. They then become involved in activities that are direct violations themselves, but could lead to events that are more serious. The protests that occurred in Rexburg were led by two former students that had been expelled for several violations of the Honor Code, and did not appear to be repentant. Of course, you would not have known that from the interviews that the media did with them. You would have heard about the secrecy of the Honor Code office, and the process that is used to determine whether a violator should be allowed to stay in school or be expelled. You would have heard how students were expelled for being raped, with no mention to potential infractions that may have been key factors for the expulsion. Here is the problem.
As with all disciplinary actions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the process, including testimony and deliberation by the proper authority is confidential. The only times the church has ever elaborated at all on an action is when a recipient has gone public and has made significant statements about what happened to them. Even then, what is reported is limited to the bare minimum needed to explain the situation. The confidentiality is meant to protect the offender, and those that were involved, not to have some super secret tribunal. Could someone be expelled only because they were raped? I would hope not, but guess that it is possible. But what if that person...
Consistently broke curfew?
One of the things that I have observed on my visits to Rexburg is the miracle of McMidnight. What is that? It is Sunday night, at midnight, when both McDonald's in Rexburg become very busy with students who, while choosing to observe the Sabbath by not purchasing food on it, do choose to disobey the Honor Code by being out after midnight on Sunday night, either Dine In or Drive Thru. It is really interesting to see how many people do this.
Had gone to parties where alcohol was involved?
Had been in situations with the opposite sex that are directly spelled out to be violations of the code?
Frequently had Honor Code infractions?
Just like Satan does not tempt us to commit serious sins while walking on a covenant path, he prefers to lure us in with small baby steps, and binding us with threads so thin that we could break each one anytime we chose, but over time we find that we are bound to the point of being trapped, so too does an event such as rape seldom come out of the blue, with no previous violations of the honor code.
No matter how I write what comes next, it could be interpreted as me saying that rape doesn't occur on campus or elsewhere. It does. It has and will continue. Okay? But...
I would never say that a person "asked for it" in the way they dress or act. I start to get a little iffy when a person goes to a party where all are drinking alcohol. Most would say that one can't consent to sex if they are inebriated. I would disagree, unless they were slipped something, or if someone put a gun to their head and forced them to drink alcohol to the point that they could not say no. Is that harsh? Yes, but do you see that before the rape occurred, the person had probably been out past curfew, been alone with someone in a place that they shouldn't have been, perhaps drank alcohol, or imbibed in some other substance? A number of violations that culminate in a likely expulsion, even if no alleged intercourse had occurred, whether consented to or not.
So, many people on campus complain about the Honor Code being too hard. They complain about not even wanting to be at that school. That their parents made them go. Well, again, I would point out the fact that when they interview with their Bishop, they could have said that they weren't willing to abide by the code, and that would have ended their application. The parents would only have known the why, if their son or daughter told them. I also know that when one is repentant, the Honor Code is not hard core.
It makes me sad that at schools that cannot accept all applicants due to the shear volume of them, that some of those who are accepted seem to have so little respect for this very important aspect of the school that they seem to fight against it.
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