Posted on 11/29/2015 1:16:47 PM PST by digger48
This past week, I actually had a student come forward after a university chapel service and complain because he felt "victimized" by a sermon on the topic of 1 Corinthians 13. It appears that this young scholar felt offended because a homily on love made him feel bad for not showing love! In his mind, the speaker was wrong for making him, and his peers, feel uncomfortable.
I'm not making this up. Our culture has actually taught our kids to be this self-absorbed and narcissistic! Any time their feelings are hurt, they are the victims! Anyone who dares challenge them and, thus, makes them "feel bad" about themselves, is a "hater," a "bigot," an "oppressor," and a "victimizer."
I have a message for this young man and all others who care to listen. That feeling of discomfort you have after listening to a sermon is called a conscience! An altar call is supposed to make you feel bad! It is supposed to make you feel guilty! The goal of many a good sermon is to get you to confess your sins-not coddle you in your selfishness. The primary objective of the Church and the Christian faith is your confession, not your self-actualization!
So here's my advice:
If you want the chaplain to tell you you're a victim rather than tell you that you need virtue, this may not be the university you're looking for. If you want to complain about a sermon that makes you feel less than loving for not showing love, this might be the wrong place.
If you're more interested in playing the "hater" card than you are in confessing your own hate; if you want to arrogantly lecture, rather than humbly learn; if you don't want to feel guilt in your soul when you are guilty of sin; if you want to be enabled rather than confronted, there are many universities across the land (in Missouri and elsewhere) that will give you exactly what you want, but Oklahoma Wesleyan isn't one of them.
At OKWU, we teach you to be selfless rather than self-centered. We are more interested in you practicing personal forgiveness than political revenge. We want you to model interpersonal reconciliation rather than foment personal conflict. We believe the content of your character is more important than the color of your skin. We don't believe that you have been victimized every time you feel guilty and we don’t issue "trigger warnings" before altar calls.
Oklahoma Wesleyan is not a "safe place", but rather, a place to learn: to learn that life isn't about you, but about others; that the bad feeling you have while listening to a sermon is called guilt; that the way to address it is to repent of everything that's wrong with you rather than blame others for everything that's wrong with them. This is a place where you will quickly learn that you need to grow up!
This is not a day care. This is a university!
http://www.isthiswhy.com/demands
President Michael Roth, past presidents, and the bureaucracy of this institution have actively neglected to address issues that pertain to students of color and empower them with the same level of resources, consideration, and inclusion historically available to white students. Thus, we present the following demands:
WE DEMAND EQUITY & INCLUSION
We, members of the student of color community (SOC), demand to be holistically included as part of Wesleyan University’s student body, to have our demands heard on campus, and to be recognized and respected as individuals, not simply as numbers to fill the institution’s diversity quota.
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTABILITY
We demand a written statement addressed to the Wesleyan Community, within 48 hours, from the President of Wesleyan University, Michael Roth, and Vice President for Equity and Inclusion/Title IX Officer, Antonio Farias, to commit to these demands by the specified deadlines via an action plan that works towards a more equitable and inclusive campus environment. This statement should highlight the administration’s inaction and lack of dedication to adequately support students of color and acknowledge the ways that the senior administrators have failed the SOC community, including but not limited to: Perpetuating the vilification of students of color and their voices
Failing to reach out to the student of color community (Black and Brown students) when campus controversies that directly affect us occur:
Failing to reach out to the student of color community regarding the Argus’ article controversy Perpetuating the devaluation of Black and Brown lives by failing to address the Wesleyan community and express sympathy and compassion when international tragedies occur outside of Europe.
January 2015, Michael Roth, sent personal emails to French students, expressing condolences, in regards to the Charlie Hebdo shooting
April 2015, No campus update or email of condolence was sent in response to Kenyan tragedy at Garissa University November 2015, No message of condolence was sent in response to attacks in Beirut, Lebanon
November 2015, Michael Roth, sent a campus update expressing solace and confirming all students in Paris study abroad program are safe in regards to the attacks in Paris
For transparency, we also demand the creation of a website similar to the one implemented at the University of Missouri (https://transparency.missouri.edu/) for the administration to provide updates on the progress of these initiatives and demands.
HIRING OF AN EQUITY ADVOCATE
The Equity advocate will work under the Office of Student Affairs to engage with students regarding equity within the confines of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, age, religion, culture, gender-identity, and physical or mental disability*. This individual’s job description includes, but is not limited to:
Organizing co-curricular, intentional dialogue between students, faculty, staff, and administration regarding systemic injustices that students with marginalized identities face
Organizing workshops and programs to educate the larger community about privilege and identity
Providing daily office hours open to all students Hiring student intern(s) working with them for accountability
Hosting mandatory social justice workshops for administration, staff, faculty, and Public Safety officers in order to enrich their understanding of how to appropriately interact with students from marginalized backgrounds
Working as a resource for students to discuss and/or report their experiences of discrimination, harassment, or exclusion from administration, staff, faculty, or Public Safety officers on the grounds of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, age, religion, culture, gender-identity, and physical or mental disability*
The hiring of this equity advocate should involve a board primarily composed of underrepresented students, with full transparency and disclosure throughout the hiring process.
Within 48 hours: President’s Office commits to hiring the equity advocate to start in Fall, 2016.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A MULTICULTURAL CENTER & A DIRECTOR OF MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS
The Multicultural Center will exist as a non-residential space to garner community and support amongst students of color. This space would support all students who possess an interest in social programming, advocacy, education, and community engagement to expand the social awareness of current issues that affect historically marginalized students at Wesleyan. In addition, the center will provide administrative funding for multicultural programs, activities, and events proposed by students and approved by the Director.
The offices of the Director of Multicultural Affairs and the Equity Advocate will be located in this center. The Center for African-American Studies (CAAS) and the University Organizing Center (UOC), though essential, are not substitutes for a Multicultural Center. The UOC exists as a student run space and CAAS is specific to African American Studies and members of the African Diaspora. The multicultural center must be provided with institutional support and additional financial resources. Furthermore, it would be the location of an archive specifically for student activism around SOC - related issues and empowerment.
By January 20th, 2016: President’s office presents plan for the center including location, funding, and timeline for establishment of the multicultural center.
By May 14th, 2016: University updates on the progress of the center, what work will be done during the summer, and plans for the next full academic year
Fall 2018: Establishment of the Multicultural Center TRACKING OF FACULTY & STAFF BIAS & MICROAGGRESSIONS By November 30th, 2015: Report on how student input will be integrated into the formation of an anonymous student reporting system for cases of bias, including microaggressions, perpetrated by faculty and staff. By Spring, 2016: Revision of end of semester professor evaluations to include a section dedicated for reporting classroom biases, including microaggressions, perpetrated by instructors.
*wording change made to stop perpetuation of ableism
Their logo is a pacifier.
Oh man.
we demand, we demand, we demand...
You go Dr. Piper!
There may be yet be some hope for higher education in N. America (and, by extension, there may be a glimmer of hope for our civilization).
Give such students a pacifier and send them home to take a nap for a coupla years.
“Any time their feelings are hurt, they are the victims! Anyone who dares challenge them and, thus, makes them “feel bad” about themselves, is a “hater,” a “bigot,” an “oppressor,” and a “victimizer.””
Great generation for the anti-Christ to come into power with lies, lies, and more lies. They should be learning to put on the armor of God which is grounded in truth instead of worrying about their reactions to things.
Another special snowflake
Ya beat me to it. Yes, a “special” snowflake...
Was I discriminated against by this statement, or just microagressed?
[I’m not making this up. Our culture has actually taught our kids to be this self-absorbed and narcissistic! Any time their feelings are hurt, they are the victims! Anyone who dares challenge them and, thus, makes them “feel bad” about themselves, is a “hater,” a “bigot,” an “oppressor,” and a “victimizer.”]
Been going on for 20 years or so. Given everything since birth, a significant number function as if everything must be made to serve them. If not, scream ‘victim’.
Actually many young people who go to church do so where they can feel good. Its all about “me and my feelings”. “I need to be catered to and made to feel good”.
[Great generation for the anti-Christ to come into power with lies, lies, and more lies.]
You win the internet for the whole month. Given that half of America’s population would prefer to believe in lies makes you even more correct. Much of the world acts like they’re ready.
Add in the war on Christians with lies and untruths, islamic invasion of Europe facilitated by Bammy’s war in Syria, marginalizing of Israel, etc.....you’ve got some weird stuff going on. A good number of folks are un-churched these days, too. As if many churches even talk about the signs of the times.
God help us.
[we demand, we demand, we demand...]
I’m not surprised. Figured this was coming 30 years ago when I saw how much 60’s ‘protests’ were romanticized in college classes, on TV, etc.
Were I the Dean, I would expel every one of these “demanders”. Immediately and with prejudice.
I would refund them the remainder of their year’s tuition, but that would be it. Any scholarships from the school would be rescinded.
You young folks are here to LEARN, not change the workings of an institution that has been graduating intelligent productive citizens for decades using tried and proven methods. You don’t make demands, especially ones that are antithetical to a successful experience for the vast majority of your fellow students.
Good grief, these kids are full of themselves, aren’t they?
Good grief, these kids are full of themselves, aren’t they?
_______________________________________
Yes.
Poor thing.
I wonder what he'd think about one on 1 Corinthians 6:9-11?
As a longtime member of the Wesleyan Church; these folks sure do NOT represent the people I’ve associated with over the last 30 years.
Why should HE?
These 'kids' survived Holocaust II.
|
Are you still killing your unborn? -- GOD |
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.