America's Campuses - Upside-Down

If you have been a reader of "Christianity for Today" over the past several years, you will know that I strongly believe that we live in a world that is upside-down.  We are a current illustration of the truth that the 8th century BC prophet Isaiah proclaimed, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter" (Isaiah 5:20).  In Isaiah's day morality was upside-down.  Truth was based, not on any foundational principles, but upon personal opinion.  Black became white; white became black.  What had been considered right was now considered wrong; what had been considered wrong was now considered right. 

Let me relate a story that Fox News reported on January 31, 2013.  The subject of the story was the treatment of an Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship chapter on the University of Michigan campus.  "The University is accused of kicking the IVCF chapter off the campus because that group requires its leaders to be Christians - an apparent violation of the university's non-discrimination policy."  Those who desire to be leaders in the IVCF chapter, that had been located on the campus, were required to sign a statement of faith, which the University said was a violation of the University's non-discrimination policy.  Sara Chang, an Inter-Varisty staff member at the University of Michigan, told Fox News, "For us, there's no other option than to hold to the tenets of our faith.  We want to model a lifestyle of integrity,  Holding the Bible as the inspired, divine word of God and seeing the commands for us to choose leaders who have a vibrant faith in Jesus - is obviously something very important that we want to continue to uphold." 

So, let's assume that the University's non-discrimination policy is the correct one.  I am a student at the University of Michigan and I, an evangelical Christian, would like to not just join but be a leader in the on-campus affiliate of CAIR, a Muslim-based organization.  What do you think my chances would be to included and obtain a leadership role?  You know the answer already!  There is a double standard today established with Christians.  Do you ever hear that Muslims are intolerant of other people's religious faiths?  No, but it is certainly said that Christians are intolerant. 

The Fox News article goes on the cite what happened a year ago on the campus of Vanderbilt University where 114 Christian groups were banned from campus because they refused to comply with Vanderbilt's non-discrimination policy concerning leaders within their organization.  Greg Jao, IVCF Field Director said of the Vanderbilt situation, "They prohibited all other registered student organizations from co-sponsoring events with our groups.  It's pretty punitive.  We're a little bit of a pariah. ... We feel that the religious voice on campus is being marginalized." 

Speaking of what is happening on America's campuses, The University of Minnesota plans to hold an event this spring to help its female undergraduate students achieve more and greater orgasms.   The article, posted at the campusreform.org website, continues, "Whether you want to learn how to have your first orgasm, how to have better ones, or how to help your girlfriend, Kate and Marshall cover it all."  And did you know that $3,406 from the taxpayers in Minnesota will pay for this seminar? 

Friends, I read news like this and I become increasingly more convinced that my role as a pastor is to help the Dads and Moms, the Grandmas and Grandpas, the Uncles and Aunts in my church pour Scriptural truth into the lives of their children, their grandchildren, their nephews and nieces.  This has to be our top priority.  It is time to quite playing games.  It is time to take Ephesians 6:10-18 more seriously.  We need to put on the whole armor of God because the war is heating up.  Dads, don't just drop off your kids at Church, go in with them.  Dads, that extra hour for a business call can wait until you have prayed with your children before sending them off to bed.  If we don't claim our own children and grandchildren for Christ, I truly wonder who will?