The Internet was ALWAYS preached against in the IFB sector I was in… They managed to squeeze it into almost every sermon, it seemed like. In fact, one of the schools I went to did not allow ANY internet access at the school until last year. The church also had no form of internet as well.

“Miss, you can’t go see movies, right?”

“That’s right.”

“How come?”

“Well [sigh], the idea is that since there are R-rated movies playing in the theater as well, I might actually go to one of those instead of the PG or PG-13 movie I was going to see. And if there’s something bad in the movie, I can’t turn it off like I could a DVD.”

“But you’re still allowed to rent movies from Blockbuster.”

“Yes, yes I am.”

usually there was a long pause here as the children processed.

“Miss, that’s a retarded rule.”

What could I say? They were right; it was retarded. I generally used this time as an opportunity to show them that sometimes we obey rules that don’t make any sense, but we obey them because God wants us to obey our authorities.

They never seemed to notice my authorities – i.e., bosses at work or pastors inchurch – don’t really have authority over what I do in my own free time.

It just so happens that BJU students are forbidden from watching movies have a rating above G. However, at the student orientation meeting at the beginning of each school year, the administration gets up and attempts to explain the philosophy behind the rules. This particular rule is used as a prime example. It goes something like this:

Rules are based on different principles–some are Biblical and some are merely practical. In this case, the biblical principle is (allegedly) “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes.” However, because the university cannot evaluate each movie individually, they have to pick an objective standard, and the G rating seems to be the best candidate for that purpose. It is fully understood that some G-rated movies may be unacceptable and that some PG-rated movies may be acceptable (by the Biblical principle). However, for the sake of institutional policy and enforcement, the rule is simply stated “G-rated movies only.”

See? Perfectly reasonable, right? Right?!

Unfortunately for them, most students see right through this smokescreen. The idea is that if they can portray the policy as being sound, practical, and reasonable, you’ll probably just forget the fact THAT YOU ARE STILL BANNED FROM WATCHING ANYTHING BUT G-RATED MOVIES.

Haha! So you’re pretty much screwed for the rest of the year anyway! But hey, at least you’ll sleep better at night knowing that someone has carefully thought out a rational explanation for your forced external holiness.