Don’t think that there is even ONE person who has NEVER had a problem with ANY rules in their life. Even the word “rules” tends to have a bit of a negative connotation. Why? Well, ask yourself a question: Why did you dislike a certain rule established by American law, by a school system, by your parents in their household, or through the church?

A: Because it was “irrelevant” to whatever the core goal of the rule established was

B: Because it was “unfair” in that it created a double standard or an inequality in how people can live

C: Because it was “untimely” in that the rule was obsolete, not needing to be used in today’s world or time

D: Because it was “unethical,” just plain wrong

E: Because it was “all of the above”

Let’s look at the other side, though. Why are rules established? Rules serve a very specific and important function in society: THEY KEEP PEOPLE FROM ACTIN’ UP! (For those of you who are not familiar with the phrase “actin’ up,” think of like this: “actin’ a fool.”) I prefer a world where there are standards, enforcements, and punishments in place to keep people from behaving offensively, rudely, violently, immorally, unfairly, and unethically.

Next question: How do we define what is “offensive,” “rude,” “violent,” “immoral,” “unfair,” and “unethical,” in order to make rules against such offenses?

At private Christian or religiously-affiliated colleges and university, large portion of how the rules in their “Student Code of Conduct” are established is by defining what is “offensive,” “rude,” “violent,” “immoral,” “unfair,” and “unethical” in the Christian Bible. It only makes sense that a Christian college would want their students to, in some way, shape or form, follow a Christian lifestyle.

However, the problem is not that these schools want their students to “act up” as a child of God. The problem is that these schools establish rules against “homosexual behavior” or “cross-gender behavior,” that would be considered (A) “irrelevant,” (B) “unfair,” (C) “untimely,” (D) “unethical,” or (E) “all of the above.”

Anti-LGBT rules at Christian universities speak volumes about the intolerance and the lack of real understanding on the so-called “rules of the Bible” that call homosexuality “sexually immoral.”

Taylor University in Upland, Indiana:
“Prohibited Behaviors: Certain behaviors are expressly prohibited in Scripture and therefore are to be avoided by all members of the community. They include theft, lying, dishonesty, gossip, slander, backbiting, profanity, vulgarity, crude language, sexual immorality (including adultery, homosexual behavior, premarital sex and involvement with pornography in any form), drunkenness, immodesty of dress and occult practice. (Mark 7:20-23; Romans 13:12-14; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)” (Life Together Covenant, ¶ 17)

Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, IN:
“Those acts which are expressly forbidden in Scripture, including theft, lying, dishonesty,
gossip, slander, profanity, vulgarity, adultery, homosexual behavior, premarital sex,
drunkenness, gluttony, immodesty, and occult practice will not be practiced by members
of the Indiana Wesleyan University community, either on or off campus.” (Lifestyle Expectations, ¶ 6)

Anderson University in Anderson, IN:
“Sexual Misconduct: Violation of campus standards related to sexual behavior (i.e., premarital
sexual relations, adultery, actions of a homosexual nature, cohabitation, overnight visitation
in the residence of someone of the opposite sex, sexual conduct not believed to be
in keeping with university standards).” (Student Handbook [pdf])

Bethel College in Mishawaka, IN:
“All students must agree to abstain from the use of profane language, personal dishonesty, theft, slander, sexual promiscuity (including adultery, homosexual behavior, premarital sex), abortion, gluttony, intentional harm to self and occult practices. These types of behaviors will result in disciplinary action that may lead to dismissal from the college (see substance abuse policy and student conduct and procedures).” (Student Handbook [pdf])

Probably one of the biggest concerns with these policies is the vagueness of what they are trying to prohibit.

Is the action of two guys holding hands considered “homosexual behavior” or friends escorting friends?

If two girls must kiss as part of a historic scene in a play or as models for a painting, is that considered “actions of a
homosexual nature” or necessary for an accurate depiction of the scene?

Is it even allowed for one to make a public declaration of one’s homosexuality or transgendered nature, without the school condemning such behavior as “sexually immoral”?

When it comes to the Bible and rules, all of the rules seem to be pretty vague. Just look at Leviticus 18: 22...which says (NIV) “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.” Also, look at Leviticus 20: 13…which says (NIV) “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their heads.”

At face value, those rules say that gay sex is “detestable,” and anyone who participates in it should be killed. Obviously, our great nation does not have laws in place to allow people to kill gays. In fact, more and more, our great nation is doing its job in protecting the rights of gay individuals.

These Biblical rules are the basis of these anti-LGBT rules at Christian colleges. Well, let’s see why people need to raise concern about using these prohibitions as basis for Christian codes of conduct:

(A) Are these rules “irrelevant” to Christian codes of conduct?
Answer: No, these verses are from what’s known as “The Purity Laws (also called the Holiness Code or Mosaic Law),” which were a set of standards set by Moses and the Israelites to ensure their purity in the desert amongst disease and violent, immoral Canaanite tribes. To some measure, any Christian should at least consider these laws when trying to live a Christian code of conduct.

(B) Are these Biblical verses “unfair?”
Answer: Well, that brings up another divisive discussion…does the Bible treat certain individuals unequally? Yes, historically, Christian demagogues have used the Bible as a tool to subjugate women and to uphold the institution of slavery of dark-skinned people, citing their sources as the Fall of Man being caused by a female (Genesis 3: 1-16), the overall gender bias in the Bible, and the curse of Ham (Genesis 9: 20-26). Now, Christian colleges are trying to use the Bible to treat gays unfairly.

(C) Is the usage of these Biblical verses in today’s world “untimely?”
Answer: Yes, just look at all the other admonitions in the Book of Leviticus. Some of the other Purity Laws listed are strange, including laws that prohibit eating shrimp, crop co-mingling, eating rabbit, wear linen and wool at the same time, and eating raw meat. Yet, when these universities choose to base their code of conduct on laws in Leviticus, these strange laws are ignored, while the one referring homosexuality is not. Back then perhaps, these laws could have been more applicable. Since the Israelites were an endangered people, they believe that all sex had to be procreative, lest the men waste sperm. Nowadays, we have problems of overpopulation.

(D) Finally, is the usage of these Biblical verses in Christian codes of conduct at university “unethical?”
Answer: Yes, most of these schools also have nondiscrimination policies or multiculturalism policies which invite and value students of different cultures, as long as their individual values do not conflict with Christian principles. The fact is that being gay does not conflict with Christian principles. Jesus Christ made the Purity Laws irrelevant through his sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary. The Law of Christ does not abolish these old laws, but rather fulfills their purpose, which was to make people holy. Now, Christ is the only way for Christian to find purity and holiness, not in silly prohibitions against gay sex.

In short…these universities really need to check themselves.

A while ago, I watched a Robert Rodriguez Grindhouse-type movie called “Machete.” (Critic time: I liked it. Lots of gratuitous violence and unnecessary sex & nudity, but it touched on the topic of undocumented immigration right on.) In it, Jessica Alba’s latina character, a government agent working for an organization that monitors border patrol, speaks to crowd of angry Hispanic undocumented immigrants:

“Yes, I am a woman of the law, and there are a lot of laws, but, if they do not offer us justice, then they aren’t laws! They are just lines drawn in the sand by men who will stand on your back for power and glory.”

After that, an army of angry Hispanic undocumented workers kill bunch of racist border patrol officers. I’m not saying that what gays need to do at these schools, but we at least gotta speak up.

Think about this and how it applies this topic.

Think about this and how it applies this topic.