Michael Guinn: a massive round-up
The controversy of the gay student dismissed from JBU raged blue-flame hot for a while, but now has toned down to a moderate red-orange bake. The local/regional media has reported on it, and it has generated some scuffling in the far corners of the blogosphere. Most bloggers I've encountered so far range from mild opposition to Guinn's dismissal to outright anger and "I'll never send $$ as an alumnus ever!" What follows is a round-up of the story as it touches the mainstream media and bloggers.
For a roundup of the official media stories, go here.
JBU Press Release from the President, January 25, 2006
Keep track of blog posts with a Technorati search.
47 JBU Alumni signed a letter protesting the school's decision (txt file here)
Lucas Roebuck, former JBU student and now a columnist for the NW Arkansas Times, penned a phenomenal editorial defending the administration. Roebuck argues that, since we know little of what actually happened between Guinn and JBU, the best bet is to understand their policy of discipline--which focuses on redemption before punishment:
A JBU grad and former 3-Fold-Advocate staff member praises JBU's original decision to admit Guinn was "progressive," but laments that the school's discipline process needs revision.
Finally! A blogger (user katiebaskins) recognizes that 1) the facts she does know are hearsay only, and thus not fully reliable; 2) that JBU is well-within its legal bounds as a private institution, and 3) that JBU is not my any means a radical school (you'll have to scroll through the comments; idiotic Xanga doesn't provide links to individual comments).
The ringleader of the alumni letter, the one who was outraged enough to start compiling signatures and begin crafting the letter, is a JBU grad who I knew of but didn't know personally. She always struck me as sweet, and I believe she still is. But the way she has acted concerning the Guinn situation is abysmal. She feels like "JBU has been burnt down":
Positively, I do admire "the ringleader" for doing what she thinks is right, and agonizing over the pain she might cause the school.
Another JBU grad, former Advocate writer, and supporter of the alumni letter, has a wide range of comments spreading across multiple blogs. I admired her uncertaintly to judge the situation without knowing all the facts. Unfortunately, her treatment (scroll down) of Jason Hough is obnoxious: apparently, his letter in support of the administration's decision means that
Yet another JBU-er (semi-graphic picture alert) profanely and crudely rips the administration, showing his lack of understanding of the core issues involved (cross-dressing in goofiness=drag for real; or that drag was even the real issue at hand).
The common themes of most of the anti-administration responses are:
Trying to make a point about the relative unimportance of homosexuality to Christianity, an otherwise intelligent blogger and JBU grad asks:
UPDATES:
A.W. Griffin has some criticism. I respond here.
A JBU grad from Morocco reports that there is chatter at the University of Arkansas to ban JBU-ers from its graduate program.
This blogger supports Michael but feels little sympathy for him because he knowlingly put himself in the situation.
Blogger I Speak of Dreams has a solid round-up of the story so far.
3/9/06: Michael Guinn makes it to a USAToday cover story. My related post is here.
6/2/06: The ringleader of the alumni letter found this post, and she finds it "unflattering." The comments section is quite interesting.
9/9/06: Michael Guinn and another blogger discuss the matter.
Tags: Michael Guinn, JBU, John Brown University, homosexuality, gay, discipline, theology, blogging
For a roundup of the official media stories, go here.
JBU Press Release from the President, January 25, 2006
Keep track of blog posts with a Technorati search.
47 JBU Alumni signed a letter protesting the school's decision (txt file here)
Lucas Roebuck, former JBU student and now a columnist for the NW Arkansas Times, penned a phenomenal editorial defending the administration. Roebuck argues that, since we know little of what actually happened between Guinn and JBU, the best bet is to understand their policy of discipline--which focuses on redemption before punishment:
In my conversations with JBU student life staff (I am even married to a former residence hall director) and from my own observations as a student and as an occasional adjunct instructor, JBU has a policy of redemption. If a student gets caught, for example, smoking pot or viewing pornographic material, there is no automatic expulsion. There is no automatic punishment. Instead, the student life staff will confront the student and find out if that student has remorse for the violation. If a student is truly sorry, then they will work to reconcile the issue.Charles Sebold, a blogger and former JBU-er, also composes coherently on the subject. Sebold, while agreeing with the school's conservative (and correct) theology on homosexuality, questions whether JBU should have admitted an openly (militantly?) gay student in the first place. Matt Glum, another JBU grad, ponders the Guinn situation; his post also contains a nice round-up of media stories. A commenter at Glum's post, calling himself Bill McNeal, criticizes Roebuck's editorial (see above). Dean Ruesser (JBU '94), in addition to posting identical comments defending the administration here and here, emailed me his comment after reading the one I left at Slice 'O Life, another blog run by a JBU grad.
A JBU grad and former 3-Fold-Advocate staff member praises JBU's original decision to admit Guinn was "progressive," but laments that the school's discipline process needs revision.
Finally! A blogger (user katiebaskins) recognizes that 1) the facts she does know are hearsay only, and thus not fully reliable; 2) that JBU is well-within its legal bounds as a private institution, and 3) that JBU is not my any means a radical school (you'll have to scroll through the comments; idiotic Xanga doesn't provide links to individual comments).
The ringleader of the alumni letter, the one who was outraged enough to start compiling signatures and begin crafting the letter, is a JBU grad who I knew of but didn't know personally. She always struck me as sweet, and I believe she still is. But the way she has acted concerning the Guinn situation is abysmal. She feels like "JBU has been burnt down":
From my research [aka hearsay] I have gathered that Michael is a Christian who seeks a Christian education, and JBU has refused to give it to him based on his sinful nature, a nature that all humans, grace notwithstanding, share. As Christians we are called to forgive, to show compassion and mercy to one another, to build one another up in the name of Christ, to leave the judging up to God, and the administration at JBU has failed this calling in a big way.When a student is actively promoting a lifestyle/orientation that is undeniably unbiblical, and is not "struggling" with it but rather embracing it, the discipline necessary for that situation is different from the homosexual who has correct theology about his orientation and is actually striving to live right.
Positively, I do admire "the ringleader" for doing what she thinks is right, and agonizing over the pain she might cause the school.
Another JBU grad, former Advocate writer, and supporter of the alumni letter, has a wide range of comments spreading across multiple blogs. I admired her uncertaintly to judge the situation without knowing all the facts. Unfortunately, her treatment (scroll down) of Jason Hough is obnoxious: apparently, his letter in support of the administration's decision means that
He always panders to administration. I love the ol' slippery slope arguments. So silly... It bothers me that he is supposedly the authority on homosexuality.Understands it better than the rest of the world? Who knows. Understands it better than likely every single person at JBU? Most definitely. If the opinion of the recovering homosexual on campus--and a professor, no less--doesn't have any credibility or moral authority, what does?
I remember looking at the chapel schedule and seeing "Hot Topic: Homosexuality" and knowing Jason Hough would be speaking and making it a point not to go.
I like him fine, and I even managed to somewhat enjoy his classes, but this business about him being the only person who gives two shits about homosexuality and understands it better than the rest of the world is bullshit.
Yet another JBU-er (semi-graphic picture alert) profanely and crudely rips the administration, showing his lack of understanding of the core issues involved (cross-dressing in goofiness=drag for real; or that drag was even the real issue at hand).
The common themes of most of the anti-administration responses are:
- assuming a peripheral issue (such as a drag photo) is the central issue in Guinn's dismissal (which I believe to be his flagrant advocation of a lifestyle clearly unbiblical)
- setting up a straw man by simplifying the issue ("Guinn is gay, therefore JBU booted him"), and then tearing the straw man apart
- assuming they know all (or enough) of the details of a privately-dealt-with situation to properly judge it
- beginning from the assumption that the administration is likely to be in the wrong
Trying to make a point about the relative unimportance of homosexuality to Christianity, an otherwise intelligent blogger and JBU grad asks:
On a side note, did you know the Bible only mentions homosexuality like five times? What about poverty? That's mentioned hundreds of times.Here's one I came up with: How many times is the word Trinity used in the Bible? Zero. How important is the Trinity to orthodox Christian theology? Infinitely.
UPDATES:
A.W. Griffin has some criticism. I respond here.
A JBU grad from Morocco reports that there is chatter at the University of Arkansas to ban JBU-ers from its graduate program.
This blogger supports Michael but feels little sympathy for him because he knowlingly put himself in the situation.
Blogger I Speak of Dreams has a solid round-up of the story so far.
3/9/06: Michael Guinn makes it to a USAToday cover story. My related post is here.
6/2/06: The ringleader of the alumni letter found this post, and she finds it "unflattering." The comments section is quite interesting.
9/9/06: Michael Guinn and another blogger discuss the matter.
Tags: Michael Guinn, JBU, John Brown University, homosexuality, gay, discipline, theology, blogging
posted by Seth at 12:33 AM
5 Comments:
Now, if only he'd stuck to date-rape like a good hetero boy no one would get mad.
Heckuva roundup there, cowboy!
Just a thought: you really should let people know if you're going to quote them. It's only fair. If you're writing in a public forum such as a blog, it should be treated similarly to a newspaper article which would mean a) keeping in mind that your writing is public, and b) alerting potential sources that you will be quoting them.
P.S. You don't know all the facts either.
I am well aware that my blog posts are public--that is exactly why I posted what I did. I felt it was important to know what others were saying about this controversey (including those who know less than they think they do). In addition, I am in no way obligated to inform someone when I plan on quoting him or her; however, I do link (if possible) to every source I refer to.
Spring, I try my best to criticize the substance of peoples' comments/beliefs rather than resort to immature ad hominem attacks.
I freely admit I am not privy to all of the facts of this issue. As illustrated by my post, neither are a lot of other people. But I'm not the one who comes out looking stupid.
It's interesting to go back after all these years and read these blog posts. Funny how interestingly wrong a lot of your points are about what happened, what the "real issue at hand" even was back then... But oh well, nothing to gain from causing an argument now. I've made peace with my past, mistakes and all. God Bless!
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