A Moment of Unified Confusion

We, in the blogosphere have our disagreements, but sometimes something comes along that unites us and brings us together across lines of liberal and conservative, Republican and Democratic, fans of Frank Sinatra and fans of Barbara Streisand. In this case, at Pam’s House Blend (2005 Weblog Award Winner for Best LGBT blog), I found that we share an utter confusion over a young homosexual man in Arkansas who went to a Conservative Christian School and agreed to be bound by the following rules regarding his homosexuality:

* not to dress in women’s clothing
* not slap other players on the rear end if he played sports
* not hug or shake hands with other men for too long
* not “broadcast” his lifestyle
* not tell other students he was gay until he got to know them well.

Pam wrote:

Michael Guinn needs to wake up. Why did he go to this bible beating school in Arkansas?

Another Gay Blogger wrote:

I have trouble feeling any sympathy towards individuals in situations like Guinns. They put themselves in this position to begin with so why should the world heave and shift to one side over it? If JBU is a private university and therefore can set its own rules for how it wants its students to conduct themselves. It may seem victorian and stupid to us but as long as students are willing to adhere to it.

Well, it becomes apparent when you read the article, why the student did this:

Guinn said he became a Christian two years ago and chose to attend the university last fall because it’s in his hometown, and because he admired the unique bond the administration had with the student body and because, as the son of a faculty member, his tuition would be free.

Ka-ching. Free is hard to beat for all the benefits you get at a Christian College and John Brown actually looks like a darn good college as its been recognized by US News and World Report.

So, he was in and following the code of conduct, but what did him in was his Xanga, where he was quite open about being a homosexual. This lead to him getting expelled.

As you read the article, you have a sense the kid was trying to do the right thing. He’d decided he was going to be celibate and on campus kept to the code (from what he says) pretty strictly except perhaps for telling some people about his homosexuality and his blog that he really shouldn’t have.

Pam puzzled at the kid, I’ve got to puzzle at the way the School Administration handled it. The school new there was a problem with this guy’s homosexuality and they let him in anyway. They spent countless hours meeting with him time after time on this issue.

What was apparent is that they had an expectation that their students not be homosexual, not have that inclination, not be unrepentant about their involvement in that world. I don’t think that’s unreasonable. What was unreasonable was merely expecting him to pretend that was the case. I also think that while some of the rules such as those against wearing women’s clothing make sense, but others really present a problem.

If you want to help someone whose struggling with homosexuality, one key thing is to help them build healthy non-sexual relationships with other guys. Instead the school created a situation where you have this guy whose struggling with homosexuality wondering whether he’s shaking someone’s hand for too long.

From what I’m reading, it sounds like Guinn needed some friendship and discipleship, instead he got a warden and a bunch of jailkeepers, trying to balance protecting the purity of the student body AND allowing him in the college.

The truth is that he really wasn’t ready for this college and for the school to have admitted under these circumstances has done far more harm than good.

Also, I have to say something. Guinn was expelled because someone “anonymously” e-mailed the school about photos he posted on the blog. He also kept getting complaints sent about what he posted on his Xanga.

If whoever did this is reading this, I’d like to refer you to 1. Thessolonians 4:11:

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

Words to live by, particularly in the information age. It seems that there’s some malicious gossip, general griping, and gossiping. Mr. Guinn had the unfortunate habit of posting personal things on his blog. Yet, we all have our failings and temptations, most people are just better at hiding than Mr. Guinn was. By constantly tattling someone was being a busybody, sticking their nose where it didn’t belong in what amounts to little more than backbiting. The school has tried in its own imperfect way (and how else can we try) to show grace and mercy, yet what can I say for the person who was maliciously spreading this information with the idea of getting Mr. Guinn kicked out?

Was it a concern for Salvation that so moved them? Loving compassion? Or just pure anger and hatred? I leave that question to them. There is much to learn from the Michael Guinn case, the only question is whether people will be open to learn it.