Bradford to Bibles

OK - as most of you know, I am not a religious person. It isn't that I don't have faith, or believe in a higher being/power - I just don't understand some aspects of religion. I struggle with the minutiae that occupies some religious affiliations. I also struggle with anything that seems to completely envelope a person's life. For some, it appears to be an obsession that often doesn't allow for free thinking, free expression and focuses too much on conversion and placation.

Bradford College was a wonderful institution that praised individuality, spirit, creativity, knowledge and a service to community. Naturally, as a product of that system - those are things that I value and respect. Bradford's motto was "Surgo ut Prosim" - "I rise (so) that I may serve." At Bradford we were taught that service is not only for the faithful, or those like us - but that we could help, educate, entertain or find a common ground with any person, no matter their faith, orientation or life choice.

Based on my research and what I saw this past weekend at Bradford, this is not the intent of the Zion Bible College. While the president appeared to be a gentle, caring man - I couldn't help but feel very sad when he said that Denworth Hall - which housed our beautiful theater and dance studio - was going to be gutted. It did not seem to phase him in the slightest (other than the 3M it will cost) that they would be steamrolling such a beautiful place. He indicated that they will be turning it into a prayer center. Wow... I do not understand why they cannot just add on to/renovate the existing chapel. They could rent the theatre building or bring in a dance company in residence. They could make some money on it... funding for their missions.

Then I started to do some research - theater, dance and other means of expression are not always 'ok' in the evangelical faiths. Check out this site: http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Books,%20Tracts%20&%20Preaching/Printed%20Sermons/Billy%20Sunday/theater_cards_dance-billy_sunday.htm

It made me nauseous. Period.

With that said - I don't think that this school is exactly as extreme in belief as what is written in the link above, but I have yet to find anything that convinces me otherwise. Here's an excerpt from the ZBC student handbook:

"There is a dress code for class attendance, chapel attendance, and leisure time.[7] Class attire includes a collared shirt and slacks for males and conservative business casual attire for females. Female students may not wear pants that have back pockets with exterior stitching or flaps. On personal time, modest pants and shirts can be worn, but shorts and skirts must extend to below the knee. Students are also asked to refrain from wearing sweat pants, spandex pants, tank tops, muscle shirts, body rings, tattoos, form-fitting clothing, and sleeveless shirts. Males may not wear earrings and females may not wear multiple or dangling earrings. Hair is expected to be groomed and neat in appearance. Men’s haircuts must be trimmed and not longer than the top of a conventional shirt collar. The dress code is monitored daily by the faculty and staff for compliance. Any student who is found to be non-compliant is required to change their clothing before being allowed to attend class, chapel, or school functions and may be fined by the Resident Director or Resident Assistants."

This is what I mean by minutiae. I realize looking presentable is important, so the business casual look makes sense to me... But then it starts getting weird, no sweatpants (what do they sleep in then? what if they are forced out the building because of a fire alarm?); specifics about hairstyles and grooming (would my curly hair not be accepted? or need to be 'tamed'?); earrings vs. no earrings vs. multiple earrings vs. dangling earrings...

The way I see it - the higher being that one chooses to believe in probably doesn't give a crap about how many earrings you have and whether or not they dangle. I would like to believe that as long as I have faith and am a good person - that other stuff doesn't matter in the eyes of God, Allah or whoever the person 'worships'. As a side note, I would also like to believe that God wouldn't give us the ability to paint, or dance or make music - things that we all can find so beautiful - unless He or She also believed in it's beauty.

So - my beloved Bradford, now belongs to a religious community that I hope will grow to love the buildings and the beauty of the entire campus, they way I did (do?). From the crazy squirrels, to the cranky ghosts; the crunch of the leaves in fall or the snow in winter - it can truly be a wondrous place. I hope that THIS will become our common ground.

Always in my heart - the REAL Bradford, where Daring to be Different was praised and embraced.