A Concrete Effect of the Religious Mindset

[rickP]

So my fundy friend's 18yo daughter is graduating from HS this month as the Salutatorian. This is in Arkansas, so all jokes may now begin. Anyway, he informs us (at my alumni website) that despite her being the Salutatorian, he is upset that she has decided to get married this August. The reason...she and her boyfriend are gonig to Bible College in late August and they want to get married before going as they don't think they could fight "temptation".

Wow, just wow. Apparently, cohabitation is frowned upon at Bible College. Go figure. So, now this sheltered small town girl is getting married to some sheltered small town boy before going to college where they will meet new people. And...Bible College? What exactly is that. Did they have to take the SAT (Scriptural Acceptance Test) to get in? Of course it's not even Seminary. That's for liberal fake christians. Bible College is for Real True Christians (TM) who want to learn deep spiritual truths. The science curriculum will consist of basics like Intelligent Design and Flood Geology. I have to feel sorry for her.

What are the chances her marriage will last?

[Vampyroteuthis]

So my fundy friend's 18yo daughter is graduating from HS this month as the Salutatorian. This is in Arkansas, so all jokes may now begin. Anyway, he informs us (at my alumni website) that despite her being the Salutatorian, he is upset that she has decided to get married this August. The reason...she and her boyfriend are gonig to Bible College in late August and they want to get married before going as they don't think they could fight "temptation".

Wow, just wow. Apparently, cohabitation is frowned upon at Bible College. Go figure. So, now this sheltered small town girl is getting married to some sheltered small town boy before going to college where they will meet new people. And...Bible College? What exactly is that. Did they have to take the SAT (Scriptural Acceptance Test) to get in? Of course it's not even Seminary. That's for liberal fake christians. Bible College is for Real True Christians (TM) who want to learn deep spiritual truths. The science curriculum will consist of basics like Intelligent Design and Flood Geology. I have to feel sorry for her.

What are the chances her marriage will last?

50/50

[nogods4me]

Probably less than 50/50. IIRC divorce rates are higher in the Bible Belt...

on this page it shows Arkansas with the highest divorce rate (excluding Nevada) of any other state.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0923080.html

[Tom Sawyer]

They're high school sweethearts who are getting married so that they can have sex.

I would hope, for both their sakes and the sake of any children that might be spawned by this unholy union, that they end up getting divorced.

I mean ... seriously ... that's not a quality basis for a relationship.

Also, ya - Bible College? What the hell is that anyways? If my kids talk back to me, I can have the town elders stone them at the city gates without having some elitist college professor give me a class on how to do it.

[llamaluvr]

A question that's never before crossed my mind- why is it bad for two teenagers (who are no longer minors, BTW) to get married because they can't control themselves, but it's just fine to tell minors they can go to the school clinic, grab some rubbers, and go at it because they can't control themselves?

[redbus81]

the emotional and social effects of divorce are much more dire than those of a regular breakup. granted, i was pretty devastated when i broke up w/the first guy i had sex with, but it would have been so many times worse if i had married him. ugh, i shudder at the thought now.

not to mention lots of evangelical types believe that children are an integral part of marriage, and it seems that married or not, teenagers generally make poor parents.

[sy2502]

A question that's never before crossed my mind- why is it bad for two teenagers (who are no longer minors, BTW) to get married because they can't control themselves, but it's just fine to tell minors they can go to the school clinic, grab some rubbers, and go at it because they can't control themselves?
Because after going at it, especially if sex is the only thing that brought them together, they can politely go their own way, instead of being stuck together hating each other's guts while having to fake marital bliss in front of everybody else, and provide their unfortunate children a perfect example of failed marriage.

[KyleFromDenver]

This is what happens when it is taught that your sexuality is something that the devil scotch tapes to your crotch (borrowing a phrase from the Atheist Community of Austin blog) and is inherently dirty until some clergycritter states "I now pronounce you man and wife" whereby your partner's crotch now has the Jesus Christ Seal of Approval for you.

[rickP]

It gets better. Our young Salutatorian will be going off to a small town "college" run by a local church for (and I quote) "men who want to preach and women who want to be christian school educators". Apparently male teachers and female preachers need not apply.

At first, when Bible College was first mentioned, I thought maybe he meant College of the Ozarks, which is accredited and the students have to work on campus to earn their tuition. I know a very good programmer who came from there. However, that, apparently, is "a regular sort of school". This sounds like Fundy VoTech. They won't be wasting their time on any of that fancy college book learnin'. Oy veh.

[nogods4me]

A question that's never before crossed my mind- why is it bad for two teenagers (who are no longer minors, BTW) to get married because they can't control themselves, but it's just fine to tell minors they can go to the school clinic, grab some rubbers, and go at it because they can't control themselves?

Because I don't have to buy them a fucking Toaster Oven if all they do is sneak out to the barn and fuck.

[Tom Sawyer]

It gets better. Our young Salutatorian will be going off to a small town "college" run by a local church for (and I quote) "men who want to preach and women who want to be christian school educators". Apparently male teachers and female preachers need not apply.


So when these women get to the part of the Bible that says "Women shall not teach", what do they do then? Do they have to quit? Is this just a scam to get women to pay for a whole semester of school and then the teachers can all go on holiday after the first two weeks with their wallets full?

Something's fishy here. Not the good Jesus fish either, more like one of the fish from some minor tribal religion in the Amazon.

[rickP]

Try these mental gymnastics: http://baptisttobaptist.net/b2barticle.asp?ID=229
The place to begin in this, as in other biblical questions, is to ask, "What does the Bible say?" Even a cursory reading of the pertinent texts reveals three important observations: 1) there were no known women pastors in New Testament times; 2) none of the instructions regarding church order include instructions for women pastors; and 3) some texts on church order explicitly forbid women to occupy that role. Paul, in 1 Tim. 2:12, states, "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man" (NIV) . This verse is introduced by a statement that women should learn "in silence," and it is followed by the statement that "she must be silent." The word silence means being possessed by a calmness of spirit and peaceful disposition. It is set as the opposite to "teaching" and "having authority over a man." Paul does not expect that women will not or can not learn or teach (compare with Titus 2:3-5 and 2 Tim. 1:5; 3:14,15). He states that they cannot teach or have authority over men. Thus, they cannot have a pastoral position, or perform the pastoral function, for that puts them in authority over men.

Teaching kids is ok, but no apple eatin' woman ain't gonna tell me what to do from the pulpit.

[rickP]

Just figured out which "college" this is. Blessed Hope Baptist College (http://www.experiencevictory.net/bhbc/index.htm)in Benton, AR. A ministry of Victory Baptist Church.

What is that about something being so absurd, it's hard to tell a parody from truth? I'm just absolutely floored by this website. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Check out the curriculum (and I use the term very loosely) for the Christian Ed major. Wow, that's one tough academic trail. Two whole english classes, one math class and a short American History class. The rest for 4 years are pure church related courses. A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

The Standards of Conduct are downright Amish. No drinking, smoking, chewing, cussing, dancing, movie theaters, porn (ah, ther'll be some hot readings of Song of Solomon), and none of that so called "contemporary" christian music. No siree, it's Gospel all the way.

This is not a school, it's a compound. I could be wrong, but all the pictures seem to indicate they even segregate the men/women in class. Wouldn't want the wimmin hearing any of the secret leadership rituals.

I just...just...wow.

[Doddy]

Sounds like the locale for Jesus Camp: The University.
...chewing...
So, no mastication at all? Just have to suck their food into their mouths and swallow it whole?

[credoconsolans]

Sounds like the locale for Jesus Camp: The University.
...chewing...
So, no mastication at all? Just have to suck their food into their mouths and swallow it whole?:rolling::rolling::rolling:

Thanks, that made me LOL for the first time in weeks.

:notworthy:

I think if they spelled it "chawin..." people would have a better idea of what not to do. :D

[arkirk]

Concrete effect of religious mindset? You gotta be kidding! It is always the same...selfishness and narrowness. When trouble comes a calling the able bodied get out on the line and fill sand bags. The religious get on their knees...ready for bliss.

This young couple wants it as early as possible. Why don't they just skip this life altogether and commit suicide after highschool? Robotic functions can be performed by fundies quite well, but really consider anything complex...forget it. It is just too easy to start quaking and go into a rapture!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kharakov]

The Standards of Conduct are downright Amish. No drinking, smoking, chewing, cussing, dancing, movie theaters, porn (ah, ther'll be some hot readings of Song of Solomon), and none of that so called "contemporary" christian music. No siree, it's Gospel all the way.
Umm, you don't know the Amish then. Drugs, sex, orgies. Of course, they present the other face to the outside world and don't pay taxes because of it. I suppose turning the other cheek means more than one thing. Go walk through an Amish tobacco field. Look for plants that look different.

[Reason]

Sounds like the locale for Jesus Camp: The University.
...chewing...
So, no mastication at all? Just have to suck their food into their mouths and swallow it whole?

I have it on good authority and can prove that all christians are habitual masticators. They teach and encourage their children to do so--even at the dinner table.

I heard one Baptist preacher (who I know to be a masticator) brag one time that, despite his habitual mastication, he had never prevaricated--even with his wife.

Sick, sick people.

[Sabine Grant]

So my fundy friend's 18yo daughter is graduating from HS this month as the Salutatorian. This is in Arkansas, so all jokes may now begin. Anyway, he informs us (at my alumni website) that despite her being the Salutatorian, he is upset that she has decided to get married this August. The reason...she and her boyfriend are gonig to Bible College in late August and they want to get married before going as they don't think they could fight "temptation".

Wow, just wow. Apparently, cohabitation is frowned upon at Bible College. Go figure. So, now this sheltered small town girl is getting married to some sheltered small town boy before going to college where they will meet new people. And...Bible College? What exactly is that. Did they have to take the SAT (Scriptural Acceptance Test) to get in? Of course it's not even Seminary. That's for liberal fake christians. Bible College is for Real True Christians (TM) who want to learn deep spiritual truths. The science curriculum will consist of basics like Intelligent Design and Flood Geology. I have to feel sorry for her.

What are the chances her marriage will last? IMO, I do not know that any of us has any moral justifications in asserting as to whether such marriage will last. I am leery of "mind reading" deliberations based on such limited informations where we are expected to evaluate the duration of a human relationship and be critical of whichever decision those two consenting adults will make.

For myself I prefer to look at it from a non subjective angle rather than asserting all sorts of negative notions.

- in view of the info provided in the OP, the relationship concerns two young adults who have had time to evaluate their level of mental and emotional compatibility. Thus I will not assume that their decision to get married is solely based on "good, now we can have sex without ticking off our god".

The "temptation" factor : obviously they are both following their religious beliefs which forbids them to share sexual intimacy without a marital commitment to each other. Basically, they are both entangled into religious legalism and its obvious downfalls.

However, IMO, it would be more productive to be critical of such legalistic applications and how they conflict with human social constructs and general functional human relations than targeting the persons themselves.

[Civil1z@tion]

In regards to this "college" they have a class on praying...when did praying become complicated? I thought Christians didn't need hours of invocations and complex procedures for their prayer. Just close your eyes, clasp your hands, and ask the sky daddy to do stuff for you. What takes these guys a whole semester of their senior year took me like 5 minutes as a 3-4 year old to learn.

[llamaluvr]

A question that's never before crossed my mind- why is it bad for two teenagers (who are no longer minors, BTW) to get married because they can't control themselves, but it's just fine to tell minors they can go to the school clinic, grab some rubbers, and go at it because they can't control themselves?
Because after going at it, especially if sex is the only thing that brought them together, they can politely go their own way, instead of being stuck together hating each other's guts while having to fake marital bliss in front of everybody else, and provide their unfortunate children a perfect example of failed marriage.
The married folks can go their own way, too, without need of any reason, and the unmarried folks might end up more tethered than the originally expected if the sperm and the egg meet amid favorable conditions.

I don't agree with folks getting married just so they can have sex either- I'm of the opinion that folks should shake out their lust issues as a precondition for getting married- but at least they're putting themselves in a situation where they're statistically more likely to deal with the logical consequences of sexual intercourse in a successful manner. Seems like a strange double-standard to me...

[nogods4me]

Why don't other books have their own colleges? I mean who wouldn't want to go to Lady Chatterly's Lover College?

[arkirk]

Why don't other books have their own colleges? I mean who wouldn't want to go to Lady Chatterly's Lover College?

That would be especially good if you happened to like to garden. You could be the lover. Wow!:D