straightshot

Honest thoughts on ministry,culture, and living in Utah

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Location: Logan, Utah, United States

I love diversity. I love studying the Bible. science (especially biology and astronomy),and history. I love music, the outdoors...and my family of course. They give me the greatest joy I have ever known!!

Friday, February 09, 2007

In the Belly of the Beast

I don't know what made me look over to the parked van as I walked up the hill toward campus. It was rather non-descript, nothing much to look at. But something on the dashboard caught my eye. There were two "Bobble-heads" placed next to each other: Jesus and Buddha, both staring straight ahead.

"What a great picture of the modern university!", I thought. Relativism, pluralism, humanism all encapsulated beneath a dirty windshield. As I continued walking, I thought more about this place where I work.

I doubt you could find a more hostile environment in regards to biblical Christianity. First, Utah State University is overwhelmingly Mormon, according to it's own figures (89%). Most of them are interested in just two things: getting a degree and getting married (not necessarily in that order.) The campus is known for student apathy-church activities and dating keep them pretty busy and the vast majority are uninterested in exploring their own "faith", let alone the beliefs of others.

Chances are they will go to class where the professor is an atheist, agnostic, or a fellow Latter
Day Saint. Plenty of them are unafraid to espouse their views and regularly blast traditional values and Christianity. At lunch in the "Hub" or dining area, they'll be treated to loud and frequent profanity from the tables of Greeks or atheletes that hang out there. The student across from me reading her Book of Mormon finally got up and left. As I walked down the hall to an appointment I noticed the" book of the semester" in the bookstore is the "The DaVinci Code", the famous historically absurd and feminist novel. Behind it are walls of books published by the LDS church ("Isaiah for Idiots" sounds interesting). Across the way is a table for the Gay and Transgender Alliance.

Later, as I walked back to my car, I was treated to the sight of a giant snow sculpture of the male sexual organ in front of one of the few remaining fraternities, as they blasted rap music about doing something illegal to lots of girls. Two Mormon missionaries walk by, heads down and looking grim.

Just another day at work in the belly of the beast.

It's a good thing we, who try to reach this lost sea of young people ,walk by faith.

Walking by sight would be pretty discouraging.