BJUnity

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” — I John 4:16-21

On Saturday, March 3, 2012, I spent a lovely afternoon with my fellow lgbt-BJU.org blogger Tim Johnson in Philadelphia’s Central City (my favorite part of that city). Tim and I met for lunch, shared our stories, and walked around town, adding a new personal dimension to an e-mail and Facebook friendship. As wonderful as that was, the reason for my trip down from New York City was today’s launch of SoulForce’s Equality Ride 2012. In case you aren’t aware, SoulForce is an organization “committed to relentless nonviolent resistance to bring freedom to lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, and queer people from religious & political oppression,” founded by the Rev. Dr. Mel White and his life partner Gary Nixon. Tim and I had the opportunity to meet and visit with this warm, charismatic man and all the courageous people who make up this year’s Equality Ride.

Long before many of us were even aware of each other or of SoulForce, the Equality Riders paid Bob Jones University a visit on April 4, 2007. In the days preceding that visit, BJU issued a press release claiming that “the University is making plans to demonstrate the love of Christ in tangible ways to the Soulforce team as opportunities arise.” Contrast that claim with this video filmed by the SoulForce riders themselves from outside the front gates of BJU. It is interesting to note that only one “official” from Bob Jones University seems to be present at the “Welcome Center” to “greet” the protestors. He is, as far as we can tell, not a member of the Administration, but a public relations man. It also appears that his sole function was to request that the protestor presenting a gift of artwork to the school be arrested for trespassing. This is “demonstrating the love of Christ?”

As we wished them godspeed on their journey to sow love where there is only fear and hatred, light where there is only darkness, and hope where there is only despair, Tim and I presented each of our new friends at SoulForce with a booklet we had compiled of anecdotes from students who were actually on campus that day in 2007. I am reproducing those reflections below as a poignant reminder that while the full impact of their protest might not be seen today, the consequences will be far-reaching tomorrow. If SoulForce had not insisted upon starting a conversation in the face of hatred and deceit — BJU has long officially claimed that there are no LGBT people on campus or among its student body — there might not be an lgbt-BJU.org. We are so very grateful for Mel White and SoulForce for their compassion and courage. May safety and health keep you throughout the trip.

Mel spoke to his team of meeting anger with calm, and violence and hate with quiet love as he rehearsed the very clear rules of engagement for non-violent protest with them. It was so clear that these methods involve confronting in love and modeling compassion, avoiding hostility: the very opposite approach to what I was taught in fundamentalism. I was reminded of the oft-quoted Proverb from my childhood at BJU, and I think I gained new insights as to its meaning:

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. — Proverbs 15: 1 (KJV)

Know that if you are gay, lesbian, trans, queer or just questioning at Bob Jones University, you do not have to go through this alone. We are here to help. E-mail us at lgbt.bju@gmail.com

Jeffrey Hoffman
provisional Executive Director
lgbt-BJU.org

Reflections on Soul Force’s 2007 Equality Ride to BJU in Greenville, South Carolina from the Other Side of the Fence

In 2007, SoulForce paid a visit to Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC. Here, in their own words, are testimonials from students who were actually there on the campus that day. Back then, there was no lgbt-BJU.org, but please know that your visit then made a difference to us today. Thank you for your courage and example.

I’m sure you’ve gathered from reading the “official statement” that they viewed SoulForce as a radical activist group. I’m not sure how much of my impression came directly from what they said from the pulpit and how much came from hearing it talked about by teachers and students (my guess is that they deliberately kept the pulpit vague so that they were accusation-safe, but encouraged “unofficial” discussion to scare the crap out of us), but I was convinced that the people of SoulForce were a potentially violent group that wanted to come and attack BJU for their “godly” stance. They warned students not to go outside, not to talk to the media, not to even go near the front gate if they didn’t have to. There was a combination of a hint that you might be in physical bodily danger if you went out and that you might have your words twisted by the “liberal media” and “radical activists” to the point that you would either accidentally say something bad or, worse yet, have your mind befuddled by Satan. I was aware that SoulForce were seeking a live forum, but I thought that was so they could ridicule and berate the weak-minded students dumb enough to engage them. The administration made it sound like the police presence was the only thing protecting the campus from invasion – even made the presentation of the artwork sound like some sort of attempted invasion by irate protesters. My day wasn’t all that unusual task-wise, but I was on pins and needles all day wondering if we would be attacked, angry that they couldn’t just leave us alone. I heard someone say that it made them sick what the gays were trying to do and they wished that they would all just die. I won’t name a name because that person has since shifted position (as have I, obviously), but the statement stuck out even in my homophobic mind because it was so hateful. I was actually mildly shocked at the words, but the attitude was similar all over campus. Fear and hatred were the two emotions the school fostered over that day. And of course, they played the martyr from the pulpit. Looking back at the reality of it, I’m rather appalled. But the fear-mongering and hate-mongering are common tactics for cults under threat.

– Diane

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When Soulforce visited the campus of Bob Jones University in 2007, it was treated as though a band of armed and dangerous criminals were launching some kind of attack on the school. In the days prior to the planned arrival, we were told to stay away from the front of the campus and use a side entrance. We were told there would likely be members of the press there and that we shouldn’t talk to any of them. That the protestors outside the gates weren’t endorsed by the University. And that if the members of Soulforce attempted to enter the campus, they would be arrested.

I just remember thinking – I hope no one gets hurt. I hope that this demonstration doesn’t result in someone getting injured or worse just so someone else could prove a point.

That day was tense for me. I wanted to see what these people looked like. I wanted to see what they did and how they acted. The closest I ventured to the front of campus was the Bridge of Nations across the front fountain. It was hard to see from there exactly what was going on, but I could see the protestors with their hateful signs. It was hard to watch.

Later, I went online and found some pictures from the local newspaper. Some Soulforce members had crossed the line and they were arrested. They wanted to bring some artwork to the BJU Museum & Gallery, but they weren’t allowed to do that.

I remember wanting to talk to someone about it, but I didn’t want to seem interested in it because I didn’t want anyone to suspect anything of me.

No one got hurt – physically, anyway. But I’ll never forget the heaviness I felt in my heart while I walked across the bridge, thinking – I should be out there with them.

– Tim

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Stephen Jones, president of BJU, announced several weeks beforehand in chapel that Soulforce was planning to come to BJU. He made it clear that they would not be allowed on campus, but that we would give them a “loving, Christian” response. In the mean time, following the announcement, the university would begin a campaign of false compassion and fear.

On the Soulforce website, the Equality Riders were listed along with photos and short biographies. The administration had these printed and distributed to faculty, staff, and students. Everyone on campus was ordered to pray for the individuals–that they would be cured of their sinful habits and recognize their need of salvation. Dormitory prayer groups were assigned specific individuals to pray for in their daily meetings.

In the days leading up to the visit, the scaremongering was ratcheted up. We, the students, were told that the members of Soulforce were planning to sneak into classes and sabotage them with their immoral message. The entire school was prepared to go on lockdown at any moment, via the electronic card access system. Instructions were given on what to do if a class were interrupted or if an individual were cornered on campus. Engaging in dialogue was strictly forbidden, even attempts to evangelize, as the members were specially trained to trap us in their deceitful rhetoric. We were advised to make special arrangements to avoid walking the sidewalks outside the campus walls, where we would be vulnerable to confrontation. In the event that one of us were accosted, a special security phone number was provided to us. Months of planning by the administration went into preparing for the Soulforce visit. The administration met with members of the Greenville County police force beforehand to coordinate a strategy. The day of the riders’ arrival, campus was under maximum security, swarming with both BJU Public Safety and local law enforcement. The atmosphere among the students was one of fear and paranoia.

The plan went off without a hitch. Soulforce members were arrested the moment they stepped foot on campus. In a self-aggrandizing display of the university’s compassion, they were all provided with boxed lunches and letters of concern printed on official gold-encrusted letterhead. Not a single incident was reported on campus. The next day in chapel, Stephen Jones declared victory. The Soulforce members were caught off-guard by the university’s loving response. “We took the wind out of their sails,” Jones proclaimed.

But that wasn’t the end. The following week, the student body was subjected to a series of anti-homosexual sermons in our daily, mandatory chapel sessions. These culminated in a message by Tony Miller, former Dean of Men, that included such gems as: 1) having mannerisms of the opposite sex is “a real problem” that can be “counseled and coached out” 2) the “reason” for homosexuality is a “distant father and a dominant, intimate mother” 3) 85% of lesbians were sexually abused by a male figure, causing them to hate all men 4) a citation of an anti-gay study by George Rekers, the man who in 2010 hired a gay escort from Rentboy.com for a ten-day European vacation …well, I’ll stop here. You can just listen for yourself.

From our perspective, the university came out looking like the heroes, and Soulforce as rueful intruders on our bastion of moral sanctity. Not until years later did I come to understand that the riders simply wanted to engage in honest, fair dialogue and to reach out with a message of hope to the LGBT students that were in shame and hiding on our campus.

– Blair