But I just couldn’t help it after I saw something on the University’s webpage. A link says, “It’s warming up. Do you know the code?” Following the link is information that we students already know (no shorts, sandals, etc.). http://www.byui.edu/studenthonor/knowthecode.htm
I found this little gem in the 2009 – 2010 BYU-Idaho catalog. President Kim B. Clark states:
It is true that flip-flops and an unshaven face are not big things. But it is just like the stories of pride and greed in the Book of Mormon; failure to do the small things can, in a short period of time, lead to failure on the big things. The principle is so very clear; obedience to the small things creates a spirit of obedience in all things, and thus protects against evil and invites the blessings of heaven. Following the rules about the small things establishes a great spirit of obedience on the campus. It creates a context of respect for learning and for the university that encourages a spirit of order and reverence. In that context of obedience and reverence and order, the Holy Ghost can minister on this campus. These blessings come to you individually and to us as a community.
How does not wearing sandals protect me and you from evil? Jesus wore sandals! Jesus had a beard! He probably still does! At least that’s what all the paintings and movies the Church puts out and promotes would have you believe. The only reason we Mormons keep our faces shaved and our hair neat is to avoid a stereotype that the Church is scared to death of: Bearded polygamist. Does anybody still associate beards with polygamy?
The link really should say, “It’s warming up. You know you’re going to be miserable in this damning, desolate heat, right? We have this butt-sex retarded thing called ‘The Honor Code’ that has all these nit-picky requirements for your dress and grooming or else you are not allowed on campus. The reason we do this is so that you learn obedience in the small things. Because in the Book of Mormon it was the small things that eventually led to apostasy. What we’re saying is that if you wear shorts, you just bought yourself a one-way ticket on the train to becoming a godless, spiritless, Christ-denying, homosexual, baby-killing heathen. We would prefer that you suffer in the heat than have you go through that.” … That’s what the link should say.
With that last statement many would argue that I am insinuating quite a bit. I am. But, isn’t saying that we will become disobedient to the gospel if we wear sandals–what President Clark said–insinuating so much more? Why does the University create its own “little things” for us to be obedient to just for the sake of being obedient to them, when there are plenty of real “little things” we should be more preoccupied with?
I can understand putting boundaries on some things. After all, shorts shouldn’t be too short. The Lord himself is plenty clear on many of these things. We shouldn’t be promiscuous or sexually suggestive. Nobody at this University is going to argue with that. But, there is quite a difference between capris and something a prostitute wears in the summer. There’s quite a difference between exposing your toes, and exposing your breasts. There’s a difference between showing you the hair on my face, and showing you the hair on other parts of my body. However, Brigham Young University-Idaho seems to think that there is no difference.
I hate complaining about this, because so many people already do. But it just gets under my skin sometimes.
Think you pretty much said what I was concluding from that too, I mean of all the things to get nit-picky about, comparing the ‘little things’ with. Flip-flops should not be associated with heathenism, but I’m really surprised how much they apparently are (in more places than one-they actually banned them when I was in jr high, I was sent home to ‘change’ on the Last day-the “half ‘no one cares’ day”). Seriously folks, there Are Worse things in this world!
I understand the whole thing about no shorts. I saw it at Girls Camp, at EFY, at high school–girls like to push the limits of how short they can wear their shorts before someone says anything. I doubt that the majority of girls would get to the point of wearing hooker-length shorts, but I can guarantee that if the student population was allowed to wear shorts starting tomorrow that many people would be wearing them too short. BYU-I just decided to do away with the problem completely, which, in this case, I can certainly get behind. Capris… well, I guess it’s just for the sake of gender equality, as men don’t wear capris. NO MAN OR WOMAN MAY SHOW THEIR ANKLES UNLESS THEY ARE A WOMAN WEARING A DRESS.
Flip flops on the other hand… eh. It’s certainly beyond me. They don’t condemn SANDALS in general, just flip flops and other “casual footwear,” whatever that means. Personally, I don’t feel like being able to wear flip flops would keep your feet any cooler in the summer than wearing sneakers, and you’re way more likely to injure your feet when wearing flip flops. I really don’t know the motivation behind the no flip flop rule, but it’s either a safety thing or a desire for everyone on campus to look put-together. Flip flops CAN look nice with the right outfits, but usually they just look cheap (more often with women, I think a lot of men can make flip flops look nice), in my opinion, so if that’s the reason behind it it makes a small amount of sense to me.
I don’t agree with your statement that the church discourages facial hair in order to disassociate itself with polygamy. I certainly don’t see a beard and immediately think, “Oh he’s a polygamist for sure,” and I think it’s, again, just a desire for people to look put-together.
I think President Clark does make a good point about the principle of obedience. I’m sure there are at least a couple commandments that every church member struggles with and thinks “Why can’t/must I do this? There’s no point,” but the point really lies in our own obedience. College is but a short time in our lives, and once we’re all done and can get the heck out of Rexburg, we can wear flip flops and grow out our facial hair (well, you can… I think I’ll refrain). Point is, everyone who attends BYU-I signs the honor code before starting, and they should follow it regardless of whether or not they agree with all of it.
Haha I hope this wasn’t annoying…
“I certainly don’t see a beard and immediately think, “Oh he’s a polygamist for sure.” ”
That’s exactly my point Rebekah. In this day and age nobody sees a Mormon with a beard and thinks “polygamist.” However, before the 1950s the stereotypical view of a Mormon was “bearded polygamist.” But the world’s view of a Mormon changed when David O. Mckay brought the church into the 20th century more than halfway through it. David O. Mckay was the first prophet without a beard. Thank you for proving my point.
Thanks for reverting to the “we signed the honor code” argument, but I think you missed the point entirely. I am pointing out double standards.
The University enforces a skirt length policy. Why couldn’t it enforce a short length policy? It’s the same thing. Why can we have mustaches and not a beard? What do people associate mustaches with? Answer: Adolf Hitler and out of work 1970s porn stars. Do you seriously think we’re not allowed to wear sandals because of a safety issue? The University book store sells sandals. Not to mention, I can wear sandals to institute and seminary if I want to. How “cheap” sandals look with certain “outfits” has nothing to do with anything and is all beside the point, because that is all subjective. I think pink ties look horendous and tasteless. Why can’t those be banned on campus?
President Clark does have a good point about obedience. However, he/the University has no point and a terrible foundation as to what we should be obedient to in the quote I provided. He is literally comparing wearing sandals to slaughtering newborn children. Literally.
College is but a short time in our lives, it is true. But it is without a doubt the most important time in our lives in terms of figuring out who we are. And frankly, it is irritating when I am being told who I should be, how I should talk, how I should dress, what I should like, and what time I should go to bed because of a few ambiguous rules that have absolutely no doctrinal foundation whatsoever.
In everyone of my classes that I’ve had here since Obama became president, people try and relate his reign of tyranny with a post-apocalyptic 1984 scenario. But it’s funny, because I have never lived in a society that’s more like 1984 than this campus. Walk like this. Talk like this. Think like this. Look like this. Disagree? Big Brother/the student body will finger you and you’ll go to the Ministry of Love/the dean’s office and have a talk with O’brien/President Clark.
This ‘society’ you mention in the last paragraph or two…welcome to Utah. *eye roll* (to put in my two cents worth – yes, I think the pink tie thing is quite tasteless & worth the banning – I don’t care how many ‘real men wear pink’ shirts i see – It’s Not impressive).
Thing I think is funny is with the ‘warm weather reminder talk’ you’d think shorts and shirts (don’t tell me with everything else shirt req. aren’t even mentioned) would come up first, as being top priority with the dress code – not sandals and facial hair. Whether or not you wear sandals doesn’t effect anyone, unless (if you don’t mind me saying) you have unusually smelly feet. And I think people would be more likely to shave any facial hair to keep cool, not instantaneously start growing out the longest beard they can. Hahaha. I agree, if they’re going to have a skirt length policy they should just do that with shorts too, let the people who probably wouldn’t wear shorter than knee length anything do as they please!