The power of five words

It's ironic that this pertains to Elon University: the place where my real spiritual journey began while a student there almost thirty years ago.  At the time there was a considerable presence of evangelical Christians there.  There was InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and maybe a hundred people or more came together on Tuesday nights for that.  There were the small groups that met for Bible study and prayer throughout the campus during the week.  Associations like Baptist Student Union flourished.  And if you were a student who was looking for a place of earnest worship there was a church service called Elon Celebration that took place every Sunday morning at Whitley Auditorium.

It's been a long time since I've visited the Elon campus, but I've heard stories.  About how the Christian presence is gone.  Oh, there is some marginal representation, but nothing that gets official recognition from the administration.  For that to happen an organization has to agree to take stances that run fully counter to the traditional Judeo-Christian ethic.  The organizations have to be "affirming": code-talk for "you must be inclusive and endorse the homosexual lifestyle as being compatible with Christianity."

Which is something that no legitimate Christian could possibly ascribe to.

It's been that way at Elon for a long time.  The once-fertile ground for real vigor and diversity and conversation is now spent.  The weeds have chocked off the wheat from taking root.  Until now a school that had once been a place of vibrant exchange of ideas, where we could boldly share about our faiths with abandon, has become a den of radical thought that actively quashes traditional Christianity in every corner it is found on campus.

But I like to think that even in such places, God's word holds power.

Case in point: a little drama that has happened during the past few days on Facebook.  Elon News Network - the conglomeration of Elon's various media, like the newspaper The Pendulum that I wrote for while a student - posted something about a "pride event" honoring the school's commitment to apparently being first and foremost known for harboring fringe sexuality.

I saw the post and casually left a comment.  Five little words.  Verse 18 of chapter 16 of the Book of Proverbs, to be precise.  Here is what I shared:

"Pride goeth before the fall."

That's all that I did.  I merely quoted one of the smaller verses of scripture from the Bible.

That was probably forty hours ago, give or take.  And if I had known before that such a tiny verse would pack that much of a wallop, I would have employed it a long time ago.  As of this writing that verse has evoked almost a hundred comments, mostly from people who find it offensive.

Emboldened by the responses, I've shared other thoughts about the matter of "LGBTQwhatever pride".  Mainly, that it might be the most self-destructive behavior that a person can do to himself or herself.  The damage to mind, heart, soul and especially body are horrific.  As I have said at various times on the thread I have seen what that lifestyle does to men and women, whether as a healthcare professional or just someone trying to be a decent human being.  And it's something I never want to have to look at again.

The feedback generated would almost be hilarious, if it not for the fact that the people responding actually believe what they do.  One former classmate automatically posted that I'm a homophobe, racist, hate-spewing, etc.  He pretty much comes across as a parody of a parody of what a leftist homosexual whacko is supposed to be like.  Another person made a thinly-veiled threat of violence.

All of this and more, stemming from five words.

If only these people had any grasp whatsoever of the wisdom and validity of that verse.  They are demonstrating it well enough.

This past week at least two colleges went bankrupt and had to close down.  They were small-ish campuses, much like Elon.  They couldn't afford to remain in business as educational institutions.

Once upon a time, I wouldn't think that such a thing could possibly happen to my alma mater.  But that time is long past.  Elon has abandoned its intellectual and spiritual vibrancy and put something far more dark in its place.  There will come to be consequences of that.  Maybe not today or next year, but there will be a price to be paid for running off potential students whose consciences dictate that they cannot subscribe to a radical agenda.

My advice to any young Christian man or woman who is considering colleges: avoid Elon University.  And it absolutely breaks my heart to have to say that about a place that I made so many happy memories at.  You won't find your faith welcome there anymore.  You will be expected to yield your minds to fringe ideology.  It is the kind of place where any sincere faith in God will be sniffed out and put on display for public ridicule.

I only shared five words of scripture on a Facebook page.  Lord only knows what will happen when... not if, when... the spirit might move a sincere Christian to share more than that in a classroom discussion.

But as one who majored in history at Elon, and among other things represented the school at a national research conference, I have confidence.  The people who have been riled up against my quoting scripture aren't doing anything new.  Theirs is not "new wisdom" but old foolishness.  VERY old foolishness.  And the tide is turning against them.  This past election signified that.

They have a sick fantasy on their side.  I and enough others have reality.  I believe I know who will prevail.