Not Your Modern-Day Leviticus
Did you know that it is illegal to wear cowboy boots in Blythe, CA unless you already own two cows? Did you know that LA does not allow you to hunt moths under street lights? As random and funny as these laws may sound, the sad thing is that there appears to be no purpose/meaning behind them. Unfortunately, Biola’s Community Standards are often viewed the same way. Rather than praising them, we tend to hear students complaining about Biola’s “legalistic” contract and how they plan to “get around” the rules (no one from the Bluff, of course!). But maybe, we’ve been viewing it all wrong…
While things like dancing, drinking, smoking, gambling, etc. may seem like personal decisions each student should make on their own, Biola asks that we refrain from these decisions. No, this isn’t a statement of biblical belief. Biola isn’t necessarily saying that these are biblically wrong. Nor are they saying that students are uncontrollable and cannot handle themselves. Contrary to the apparent popular belief, Biola’s standards do have a purpose behind them. Primarily, these standards are for our development as students. Biola wants us to have integrity and to be able to make honest decisions our entire lives, even after we leave the academic arena. In a way, we can view the Biola standards as tools now that can help us to continue making honest decisions later.
Moreover, Biola is interested in upholding and encouraging the student community as a whole. Since every decision we make inevitably impacts the decisions of those around us in one way or another, Biola wants to encourage students to take other people into consideration every time they make a choice. Biola isn’t denying our individual rights, but is asking us to submit to the community, to give certain things up in order to consider others, to demonstrate integrity, and to promote a Christ-centered environment for all students to experience.
Ultimately, Biola wants us to see that these community standards do have a purpose behind them. The more we recognize the heart behind the standards, the more we can make honest decisions, encourage others, and benefit the entire Biola community.
So maybe this Biola contract-thing isn’t just another legalistic attempt to knock after all. Maybe, instead, these Community Standards can actually be a source of Biola pride.
Your (no-longer-moth-hunting) Senator,
Lizzie Neely
*Check out Biola’s Community Standards online @ http://studentlife.biola.edu/campus-life/student-handbook/community-standards