Bob Jones University

I was SO looking forward to learning about the natural world and life from a Scriptural perspective that celebrated God's wonder in all His creation. I had no idea that BJU was SO rigid about how to get there, and what's more that everyone there was so certain theirs was the only way.

I wanted to learn about evolution right along with creation so I could be clear about what was incorrect about evolution. Learning this was blaspehmous. My prayer captain found out (somehow, despite academic information like this being supposedly confidential) and told everyone on my floor. One woman said it figured from someone with short hair, another one said the socks I wore to bed being boys socks, clearly were clouding my thinking. I was confused, but BJU was inerrant, so I dug in and drank the Kool-aid.

By the end of my second year I was so miserable that I was suicidal. Learning was rote (plug and play, we used to call it). There was no chance to ask questions; curiosity was frowned upon as the devil's playground. I felt disconnected with the rest of the world, and the more disconnected I got, the less I saw of any opportunity to make any Christlike difference in anyone's life, including my own.It wasn't until I transferred to a secular liberal arts college that I began to awaken and learn that questioning doesn't weaken the subject, it strips away all that is superfluous and trivial, leaving only that which is indestructible behind. I began to make the distinction between the inerrant word of God and man's fallible interpretation of God's Word and its application. Rather than causing me confusion, I had to do what BJU SAID they wanted me to do all along but consistently prevented: thinking critically for myself, examining my core beliefs and my relationship with God. I am ashamed of how intolerant I was, and the divisiveness and strife I created through angry naivete.