If anyone ever wants to complain about curfew, growing a beard or any other segment of the honor code like I will do from time to time, I would say to check out the school rules from Pensacola Christian College. A summary of these rules can be viewed at http://www.pensacolachristiancollege.com/rules.htm. Be glad you can leave campus, talk regularly and unchaperoned with members of the opposite sex and not get punished for falling asleep in church.
Quinn Cutler
Phoenix
When the German people elected Adolf Hitler in 1933, they, as well as many political and business leaders both in Germany and in her neighbors, firmly believed that he would modify his views and lead German to greatness and economic prosperity. We all know what happened instead. It will be interesting to watch how Hamas will lead its people out of the "desert" and prevent war with its neighbor.
Hans-Wilhelm Kelling
Professor of German
Although I felt that the movie "Brigham City" was one step forward for LDS film-making, the movie "States of Grace" seemed to take four leaps back. Overall, the film is overdone, predictable, sentimental, and unrealistic. Gang murders, fornication, homelessness, baptism, basketball, bathing suits, tattoos, suicide, nativity scenes, and the ecumenical movement are serious themes, but to pack them all into one missionary saga overwhelms one's ability to suspend disbelief. We were able to guess the script several lines in advance, and the dialogue was ponderously dogmatic, especially when the senior companion propounds the false dichotomy of breaking the rules to keep the commandments.
Cliché compassion is not a satisfactory response to violating the law of chastity. Fake forgiveness cannot justify a soap-opera rendezvous between a Priesthood-holder and the porn star next door. A stunning lack of research makes "mature" moments seem naïve.
Elders do not linger with their companions, mothers and mission presidents at apartments where covenant breaking has occurred, and people who have slit their wrists do not carry suitcases down the stairs. Yes, miracles happen, but this movie is not one of them. Not even a "second chance" can redeem it. It suffers from the same fatal flaws as many less-serious Mormon movies: stereotyping and sensationalism as substitutes for art and morality.
Cynthia L. Hallen
Pleasant Grove
I enjoyed the cartoon published Jan. 25, 2006 Joseph F. Smith's statement about evolution is certainly relevant to the current debate about teaching intelligent design in schools. As a historian, though, I would like to see the source and context of this quote. It seems odd that the current First Presidency would avoid making a direct statement if President Smith really did make such an emphatic denunciation regarding evolution. I'm sure I am not the only student who would like to see the source.
John E. Fahey
Blanding
BYU ought to be commended for hiring Dr. Jacoby as a Professor. However, he makes several false statements in his viewpoint about conservatism.
He states conservatives are not "winning the war of ideas" and are solely concerned with winning elections. Where are the liberal's ideas? All I hear is rhetoric like "President Bush is evil," "Impeachment," "pull out of Iraq," etc. The Republicans are implementing plans: defeat evil and liberate oppressed Iraqis. Liberals desire to kowtow to Gadianton robbers, negotiate with them and abandon helpless Iraqis. This will cause civil warfare. Is this winning the "war of ideas?"
Additionally, Dr. Jacoby questions the executive power in wartime. He asks how conservatives would act if President Bush were a Democrat. Examine how President Clinton used his power and how conservatives reacted. He lied under oath, pressured others to lie under oath, and bypassed the proper procedures for issuing pardons. This sounds like an unconstitutional expansion of power to me. Conservatives reacted constitutionally with impeachment. It is necessary to give the president more power in order to protect Americans. Or would it be better to return to an era when major national security decisions are only made after consulting the French?
Jeramy Ferguson
Stewartstown, Pa.
In response to Wednesday's letter on the immodesty of cheerleading uniforms, one thing I've taken away from my three years at BYU is the reasoning for these uniforms - it's easier for them to do their moves. At first, I was also against the uniforms, thinking that athletes should practice what our school preaches regarding modesty. But when I have looked at other universities' cheerleaders, I have felt proud of our school. Many other cheerleaders' uniforms deliberately flaunt certain parts of their bodies, while our men and women in no way present themselves in a suggestive manner, at least from what I have seen. I would argue that the drill/dance team, while they may cover more, do more scandalous gyrations than the cheerleaders. In addition, if we decided to add sleeves and lower hemlines for the cheerleaders, that would affect almost every other women's sport on campus. Why does the track team get to show midriffs? Why does the volleyball team get to wear hot pants? The basketball players wear tank tops! If we're going to make a point to complain, let's do it in a more non-discriminatory manner.
Elizabeth T. Bingert
Chicago
I wish every BYU student could have heard Jeffry Larson's talk at the Healthy Relationships Conference. I think the University should follow his suggestion to make marriage courses a requirement. All too often, we see freshman girls getting engaged to returned missionaries after few weeks of dating. In any other culture that's sick, but here in Utah it's a wonderful thing. I don't get it.
For a culture that supposedly takes marriage so seriously, I don't think we Mormons take it seriously enough. We're counseled not to delay marriage, but that doesn't mean you should go straight from high school graduation to the temple. Give it time.
As Larson said, "just because you're in love doesn't mean you should get married," and "having fun together doesn't indicate that you will have marriage satisfaction." It takes way more than two weeks to actually get to know the person you are really dating; it can take months and even years.
I'm all for marriage, but we should give it more time and effort if we really want to treat it as importantly as we say we do. As Larson says, "Slow the relationship down ... Remember, you're the one who is going to have to live with the other person for a long time."
Alan Peters
Oak Lawn, Ill.
It has been said that people can leave the church, but they can't leave it alone. Obviously, Mr. Halcrow (Jan. 25 "Former members denied") did not receive enough attention when he asked to have his name removed from the records of the church. After several years away from BYU he's come back in the form of a written request to ask all of us to care. Hopefully I'm the only one that noticed. And no, I don't care.
George Parker
Show Low, Ariz.
Copyright Brigham Young University 30 Jan 2006
