Faith based life on campus?

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>Having been raised in a moral household and homeschooled my whole life, I'm a little nervous at the idea of starting college away from home. I'm from a very rural part of North Dakota, so everything is centered around our church and our belief in Jesus Christ. Most people here just go to the local community college, and I will be one of the first travelling outside the state for studies.</p>

<p>My question is regarding the quality of spiritual life on campus. If I attend a non-Christian college, will I be forced into a more sinful lifestyle? The country's moral decay has been a big topic of conversation in our family (we are very conservative), and my dad has warned me that liberals (notably atheists and other deviants) will be populating most of the major universities. If I attend a secular college, will there be chances for me to continue leading a righteous lifestyle? I know there will be faith based clubs and such, but I'm looking for a more complete spiritual experience where I won't be exposed to unacceptably liberal activies. Could you please recommend some colleges for me that you think would be a good fit? Somewhere that has strong academics but that will encourage me to keep living in His name and for Him.</p>

<p>Thank you so much!
God bless you! :)</p>

<p>XOXO
Mary Beth</p>

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<p>I go to a big university (UCSD) and I have seen a few religion-based clubs, so I think you can definitely find them if you look for them. I would advise looking at college websites, sometimes they list the clubs that they have, so maybe that can give you an idea.</p>

<p>Also, I don’t think that the presence of non-believers will push you into a “sinful” lifestyle if you don’t want to be pushed. If you have moral standards, you can certainly keep them regardless of what other people may do. I am an atheist myself (and a liberal), and I’m honestly appalled by the lack of respect I see from others (and many are religious, ironically) so I don’t think respect or moral standards have much to do with religion.</p>

<p>Good luck in your endeavors :)</p>

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<p>I would say that you will be pushed into those lifestyles only if you allow yourself to do so (though it might be easier than at a more conservative school). It seems that attending a Christian college would be a better fit for you, though.</p>

<p>Here are some examples of colleges you might want to investigate more:
<a href=“http://www.conservapedia.com/Conservative_colleges[/url]”>http://www.conservapedia.com/Conservative_colleges&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>“I would say that you will be pushed into those lifestyles only if you allow yourself to do so”
I am agree with this word. No one will force you for anything. Everybody having it’s own life and mostly they don’t interfere in others. So if you are not allow yourself to do so then nobody let you follow these things.</p>

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<p>From the other post I read by you, part of the reason you are thinking about going to a college out of state is to see a bit of the world. This is a great idea, there is a lot of fun, wholesome stuff to see and experience . What is important to remember as well, is that a big part of seeing the world is meeting and interacting with the many types of people in the world. Regardless of faith or political standing, you will find people who are friendly, sympathetic, open minded, and you will connect with them. It is also very important to keep an open mind about everyone you meet. Many of the people you meet are will be in different points in their life and will have their own personal views on faith and Christianity specifically. When meeting someone new its important to keep an open mind and get to know the person, not just their stance on a few political or religious issues.</p>

<p>I hope you see that while the news may make it appear as if the country (and the world) is divided into well defined regions of like-minded people (ie liberals, conservatives) the truth is everyone is a little different. The world is a patchwork of people and everywhere you go you will find great friends, people you see eye to eye on everything with, and you will meet people you disagree with and people you may think are wrong (I’m sure there are people in all of these categories and many other categories in your own community). But if we remember one of the best principles, “love your neighbor as your self”, it becomes possible to respect and interact with everyone we meet.</p>

<p>Now to answer your specific questions:
“If I attend a non-Christian college, will I be forced into a more sinful lifestyle?”
A non-Christian college simply means the college doesn’t focus on Christianity. If you take a course about Math, the course work will be focused on Math. It doesn’t mean the people who attend that college cannot be Christian, and it doesn’t mean that a professor cannot be Christian. No one will force you to change your lifestyle if you don’t want to change it. Many college (University) students I’ve found are open minded and respectful of other peoples views. </p>

<p>“If I attend a secular college, will there be chances for me to continue leading a righteous lifestyle?”
Very High, just remember that your lifestyle is a choice. A big part of college is learning to manage your time. If you want to lead righteous lifestyle, make a commitment to yourself and God, and then plan your time accordingly. With good planning and a strong work ethic you will find yourself with plenty of time to read the Bible and go to church and volunteer in your community. Every college will have a Christian group as you yourself have noted, take advantage of these kinds of groups to support you. Additionally, don’t forget about the other students on campus, make friends that support you and respect your views, regardless of whether they are Christian or not they will help you stay on top of your school work and keep to your schedule.</p>

<p>“I’m looking for a more complete spiritual experience where I won’t be exposed to unacceptably liberal activities.”
I think by continuing to lead your righteous lifestyle, volunteer with organizations that focus on helping people, and being kind and respectful towards the people you meet, you can definitely have a complete spiritual experience. Better than me or anyone else, YOU know what it means to have a spiritual experience for yourself, so pursue that. If you aren’t sure what having a complete spiritual experience means then stay open minded, think about your faith, and pray. </p>

<p>Now I have to answer the hardest part of your questions, “where I won’t be exposed to unacceptably liberal activities.”
The answer to this question really is more about what you mean by exposed to, and unacceptably liberal, but I will try to give my point of view.
Part of what makes college great is the fact that you get to meet, interact with, and befriend people with different points of views and ideas. The truth is some of these views and ideas you may find unacceptable or perhaps sinful, based on your own views and ideas and bringing up. Here is where it is again important to remember what I said above, get to know the individuals and their personalities, not just their views and ideas.</p>

<p>If you ask to not be exposed to unacceptably liberal activities, you fall in danger of becoming close minded and disrespectful of others. This is bad for several reasons. If one becomes close minded, it becomes very hard to accept new positive ideas. By trying to ignore or dismiss a section of the world, you take your first step toward walling yourself away from all new concepts and ideas and you restrict your own personal growth (spiritual, intellectual,…). If you do refuse to listen and learn about these “liberal” labeled activities that go on, you will not understand what they are about, why people think they are important, and why perhaps you as a Christian disagree with them. You should never be in opposition to something you don’t understand, because then you cannot explain to yourself or anyone else what it is you disagree with. It is important to question your faith everyday, to reaffirm why you believe what you believe. Don’t rely on just what you’ve been told, read the scripture that you’ve been given to verify it with. Build your house on a solid foundation. By letting yourself question and sometimes even change your views in light of new insight you will ensure your beliefs are based on a foundation you know and trust to be solid. Then it won’t be shaken even if others question or try to undermine your faith. </p>

<p>On the other hand there is no reason why you need to, or should participate in activities that you find immoral. I believe that with strong faith and supportive friends it is easy to find and stick to moral activities. </p>

<p>I apologize for running on like this, but I hope you will find some of it useful. I cannot give you school specific advice, but in general, life is made up of experiences and personal growth. I think moving to study at a college away from home can be a rewarding and exciting opportunity. I don’t want to lie and say that you will always be able to only meet with people who believe the same as you, but I am very confident in saying that if you put your faith in God you he will guide you on an exciting, God-fearing, love sharing, experience filled life.</p>

<p>Keep an open mind, question your faith, God Bless.</p>

<p>(Probably pretty clear from my thesis of a post, but I think of myself as a liberal Christian)</p>

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<p>I think CaptainSparkles’ post says it best, but depending on what type of faith-based experience you’re looking for, you may want to investigate Bob Jones University, Thomas Aquinas, Liberty (probably the biggest of the highly religions schools), Oral Roberts University, or Brigham Young University (Mormon)</p>

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<p>While our choice is to send our kids to a university with a diverse student body, I also raised my kids to be respectful of other people’s right to choose. I believe this young woman’s family has a right to raise her in her religion and it is not necessary to judge them as ignorant and intolerant. Some religious groups choose to stay in their own domain. In our country we have the freedom to choose.</p>

<p>As a strictly religious student, if you attend a secular university, you will probably find other students like you. However, you will also be exposed to a large group of students with varied beliefs. There is the possibility that your way of life will be challenged or questioned by your peers. The pros and cons of this have been discussed.</p>

<p>If you attend a religious college, you are more likely to have your views, faith, and lifestyle supported and meet like minded people. This may be important for you in dating, friendships and peers. Social life is an important part of college and you may be happier in a Christian college. Dormitory life is important, and you may want to live in a dorm that is less permissive than others.</p>

<p>The choice is yours, and while this kind of college is the wrong place for us, it is wonderful that we live in a nation where we are free to make these choices. It is also worth mentioning that the OP is posting here- indicating her own freedom to choose and to be open to advice from everyone here. This is not intolerance but genuine inquisitiveness and does not deserve criticism IMHO. </p>

<p>I would encourage you to keep looking, searching, asking questions and to make the best decision for you.</p>

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<p>Are your parents going to help regardless of what school you go to? They don’t seem particularly open minded and may not want to pay for certain schools. This makes a huge difference in your college selection process.</p>

<p>Just a life tip, don’t call people with different beliefs than you evil or sinful. It’s not a great impression and won’t get you very far in life. No one can force you in to anything.</p>

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<p>If you don’t want to “be exposed” to more liberal activities, you probably need to consider attenting a religious institution. Those kinds of things will be there-- that doesn’t mean you’ll get dragged into it if you don’t want to do it, but you’ll see it. If you simply want to find a religious community to be a part of, you can do that at most schools. I attended a big state U, wasn’t religious when I started, and by the end of my senior year was attending twice weekly bible study. </p>

<p>I would advise adopting a, “if you dont have anything nice to say, dont say anything at all” approach. Walking around campus calling people deviants will add to the negative stereotypes of Christians, and the rest of us would apprecate it if you avoid that. :stuck_out_tongue: You might think someone is evil, but I am sure Jesus would like you to leave those judgments to him. You can choose not to consort with them without condemning them. That’s not your job.</p>

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<p>Oh to be closed minded.</p>

<p>Perhaps it would be best then to not leave your hometown if you keep thinking in that way.</p>

<p>I agree with the advice Ema gave.</p>

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<p>Well, Ema gave great advice, but I’ll add mine. I attended a very large state U and recall at least 4 different denominations having places of worship right alongside the campus. As a reporter for the school paper I covered events at all of them and they seemed well-attended. </p>

<p>I also wanted to share about a good friend of mine. She is from a very conservative religious denomination, in fact, her husband is a pastor. Her daughter started college last fall at a state university because of the financial aid it offered. They felt that she was strong enough in their faith to navigate the secular world, and she has. She’s been very successful, yet her summer job is at a religious camp rather than in a secular opportunity. She did not leave her church or change her beliefs despite being expposed to others.</p>

<p>If you feel that even seeing, talking to or being in class with people who do not believe as you do, perhaps a secular college is not for you. Given your lack of maturity in thinking, I’m not sure even college is for you, frankly. But take my advice with a grain of salt-I’m a deviant liberal, after all.</p>

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<p>I understand OP’s perspective since I live in an area where many people share OP’s views. OP’s views reflect her culture and background. If she were truly closed minded she would choose to stay home, but she’s posting here and is getting a pretty good picture of the college world. I think she is doing the mature thing by coming here and asking questions from this site. I am sure there are Christian sites. She deserves some credit.
College is also about growth, learning about different people, cultures, and how to get along with them. Tolerance goes both ways.
I think there are colleges out there where OP will get both a good education and also feel comfortable. There is nothing wrong with wanting both. OP has indicated that her religious life is important to her. She may not feel comfortable with some of the situations such as a co-ed dorm without any ground rules and so on.
I take her request for college suggestions seriously. She is one of the first in her area to even leave home, and that is a learning step in itself.
One college not on the Wikipedia list is Meredith College in Raleigh. I know of some devout Christian students who were very happy there. That was a while ago. It’s more open to different faiths than strictly Christian colleges, and has the benefit of being in a city. It may be a combination of both worlds. I have not looked closely at it, but it could be a possibility. Another one is Emory and Henry- a small rural college. Again, not one I have looked into, but the college life may be supportive of religious faith.
I am not a Christian, and I respect my neighbors and have become good friends with many of them. Likewise, even though they do not agree with my beliefs, our relationships with each other have broken through many stereotypes and misconceptions. I think OP’s desire to expand her views is admirable and would commend her for it.</p>

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<p>You will totally be able to find religious based organizations at most universities and colleges.</p>

<p>Remember that in the Book of Mark, Jesus sat with all of the “bad” people. As Christians, that’s what we should do. It isn’t our job to judge and we really shouldn’t separate ourselves from the rest of the world.</p>

<p>Anyways, I would really consider big state universities. Even if they’re really liberal, you’ll still find a few conservative Christian clubs to be a part of. If you go to a small liberal arts college, I’d definitely check out the Christian organizations on campus before choosing to enroll. The bigger the school: the more options. That being said, there are some small schools which would be just like what you’re used to, IE Bob Jones. Personally, I wouldn’t choose a school like that. I’d personally prefer to have a “normal” college experience with lots of different academic choices and different people and then have smaller Christian clubs where I can go to and make friends at. But that’s just me.</p>

<p>For what it’s worth, I go to a top 20 party school in the US and still have maintained my “moral” lifestyle. What really made a huge difference for me was finding a group of Christian friends AND finding a religious club where I felt like I really belonged. With both of those things, I still can go to parties, go out, and have fun without compromising any of my morals.</p>

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<p>I’m in the same position as you too- born again Christian and very conservative (socially and politically). I am not, however, from a like-minded town. It’s a fairly conservative area and my parents are Christians, but the kids I go to school with are very liberal. Over the last year or so I thought extensively about whether I should choose a secular or Christian school. I talked to my pastor, friends at church, and my family about it. And of course, I prayed about it too. After weighing all the pros and cons (detailed below) as they relate to my life, I came to the conclusion that I belong at a Christian school.</p>

<p>I’ll start with the pros for a Christian school-</p>

<p>One obvious benefit would be that you can grow spiritually in a Christ- centered community. Also, your education is a time to learn and grow intellectually. Therefore, it is best to learn from those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and teach from a biblical worldview. It is very sad to look at some of these secular schools, which do not teach from the perspective of absolute morals and absolute truths. Liberals worship the god of “open-mindedness,” which sounds intellectually appealing but is nothing more than a heartbreaking, satanic scheme to avert people from the Truth. It drives them crazy that we believe there is only One Way to heaven, through Christ alone. Additionally, I know that I am strong enough in Christ (as it sounds like you are too) not to fear being corrupted by our secular culture. God did not give us a spirit of fear so therefore I am not afraid. Fear would be the wrong reason to not attend a secular school. After much prayer and a good conversation with my youth pastor I discerned that. I really feel that at the end of the day, my reasons for choosing a Christian school are my opposition to what it stands for. It’s very much like the reason I choose not to eat fast food. It’s really not because I fear what it will do to me; it’s because I disapprove of what it does to other people, the sicknesses it causes, and the overall health decline of our awesome country. Very similarly, I despise the spiritual diseases our colleges cause even though I know I wouldn’t be infected.</p>

<p>That being said, I will explain some negatives to attending Christian schools:</p>

<p>The most important thing is this world is Jesus, spreading the Good News about Him and living a life to glorify Him. What better place to share the gospel than a place where not many people have heard it or believe it? We need strong Christians out there and I know some people on secular campuses who have seen God do some pretty awesome things through them for the glory of Jesus Christ. If God is calling you to a secular school than consider it a noble mission! I don’t know what your grades are but mine are on the brink of the top Christian schools (Wheaton and Grove City). If I don’t get accepted to either one of them, I will embrace it as God’s will and be just as honored that He wants me to be a light for Christ somewhere else. </p>

<p>Other factors: Consider what you want to study! I want to be a double major in Biblical Studies and Political Science (then continue to law school). Wheaton and Grove offer excellent educations in both, so that’s another factor. </p>

<p>Hope I could help and best of luck! I’ll say a prayer that God would lead you to where He wants you, and if you ever want to talk more feel free to message me!</p>

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<p>College teaches you much more than academics. If you can’t accept the fact that other people in this world aren’t the same as you, and you don’t want to be exposed to it, college somewhere different than your hometown might not be for you. You seem to be extremely well rooted in your faith, so would it really hurt you to get out into the world and see new things? There are churches of all denominations in larger cities, and you’d be able to join a faith-based group and go to services every week. </p>

<p><em>Please</em> get out in to the real world and experience something new.</p>

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<p>This is all on you, gospelgirl, not the external world. Outside forces won’t drive you away from Christ if your bond with Christ is solid to begin with. The downside of being raised in an exclusively Christian environment is that your beliefs are rarely tested and you are never confronted with opposing viewpoints, there is never any incentive to develop serious apologetics because everybody already agrees with you, and worst of all you don’t learn how to interact with non-Christians or how to express yourself in a Christ-like way to non-believers because you can only think of them in terms of “the enemy.” There is no Biblical example for Christians to behave this way.</p>

<p>What is going to be your reaction when you have a gay or transsexual teacher?</p>

<p>How will you handle it when overhearing people talking about the drinking and premarital sex they got up to last night?</p>

<p>How will you handle being surrounded by people in revealing, some might say skanky, clothing?</p>

<p>What about when you have to take a biology class and study evolution?</p>

<p>Paul and Peter and the other early church leaders didn’t avoid putting themselves in the middle of non-believers, they deliberately traveled to areas that were hostile to Christians. And when they got there they didn’t make it their primary mission to tell people how to behave and what things they were doing wrong. No, their primary mission was to spread the story of Christ and God’s love and the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.</p>

<p>A lot of people raised in very conservative Christian environments do a complete 180 once they get out in “the real world,” but it’s not because the world did something, it’s because they were never truly committed in the first place (or in some cases, because they were angry at God). Passionate, yes, but did they really <em>know</em> Christ?</p>

<p>What better thing for a college-age American Christian to do then go to a secular campus and be a good ambassador for Christ? Many agnostic and atheistic people in America have little or not direct personal experience with true Christians, their experience is based on their family, or a bad experience they had at a bad church, or what they see on tv. A gay person on campus may have never met a Bible-believing Christian who was actually genuinely nice to them.</p>

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<p>This is a free country, and nobody can force you to do anything. You are free to live the lifestyle you wish, regardless of what others choose to do.</p>

<p>However, I have to take issue with your unwillingness to be exposed to “unacceptably liberal activities.” This shows me nothing more than closed-mindedness. Everyone has the right to live as they wish, you don’t have to partake in that lifestyle however. Just as other people do not need to partake in yours.</p>

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THIS. Jesus teaches us to love sinners, because we are all sinners. If you want to go to a Christian school, I say more power to you, but at the same time, you could really do some great work in the world if you go to a normal school. Not only can you show others love and compassion, but you can also learn so much about yourself. We’re all sinners, both Christians and non-Christians. What separates us from them is our faith in Jesus Christ. And as long as you have your faith, you may be tempted, but you won’t fall. Even Jesus was tempted.</p>

<p>Going to a normal non-Christian school will really open your eyes to the world around you. You also won’t lose the ability to be around other Christians. As a fellow conservative Christian, I really recommend going to a non-Christian school- or at least a school where religion isn’t the focus. You will never be able to spread the news of God if you spend all of your time with the religious. It’s like preaching to the choir.</p>

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<p>These people have all hit it, gospelgirl.</p>

<p>Am I the only one that smells a ■■■■■? I apologize if that’s not the case/I’ve offended you-- if you’re legitimately seeking advice, here’s what I have to add:</p>

<p>I’m an atheist at a fairly liberal university. People drink, do drugs, have sex. Some people are gay. You’ll meet people of all faiths, and people of NO faith. Most of the people on a typical college campus are “sinners.” If you can’t bear to be exposed to such heathens, attend a sheltered religious university. </p>

<p>However, I think that could be a real waste of your potential, depending on what you want to study. Consider this: you have spent the past 18 years as a “Good Christian,” and you’ve been taught that you shouldn’t waver in your faith. But… what if there’s a lot more out there? There are a million religions, all of them equally right to their owners. Is it really worth it to keep yourself to only what you’ve known? I’m not saying drop God-- I’m saying you should embrace ALL possibilities (make diverse friends, keep an open mind).</p>

<p>You say you grew up in a moral household, then explained that you’re Christian. A college education will challenge you to think critically. You might start asking yourself-- is there a way to be “moral” or “ethical” without being a Christian? </p>

<p>There’s a big world out there. You have your religion to guide your choices; why not explore something new?</p>

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<p>Thanks for the feedback so far everyone! I’ll take all of this into consideration when choosing schools. I just want to address a few things:</p>

<p>In general, I keep hearing that if my faith is strong, being around these negative influences won’t change me. That’s great to hear, and it’s making me consider taking on the challenge, though right now I’m still leaning toward attending a Christian university to be around those who share my values.</p>

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That is a good point, and I’ll definitely consider it in my decision. This has been really hard on me though…I know I should follow the teachings of Jesus but it just makes me so upset to be around people who don’t see his importance.</p>

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That’s a good point too, but I feel like I get that sense of accomplishment with my mission trips, and in my everyday life I think I might like to be around people who really appreciate Him.</p>

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I just want to clarify that I don’t think people are evil just because they disagree with me. I’ve met people who are of different denominations than myself (I even have a Jewish friend!) and I still love them even if they don’t follow the Bible quite like I do. That’s for God to judge. But there are certain ideals that many liberals hold that just aren’t compatible with my beliefs, and I just don’t want that influence around me.</p>

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This is exactly the kind of behavior I was talking about. Leviticus clearly says that homosexuality is a sin, and I think God has made His position clear on premarital sex. These are behaviors that I’m really not ok with, and I think if I go to a non-Christian college I’ll be prevented from giving these opinions, and I never want to be prevented from spreading His word.</p>