– Topher Endress
The other night, I went with some friends to a movie on campus. It was a documentary by some college students who were asking some big questions about life and religion as they traveled throughout Europe. Overall, I liked it pretty well, but I did take some issues with some of what they said (shocking, am I right?). At various points in the movie, they offered their own ideas of what they thought the truth was for several situations. In fact, I agreed with them. I saw their intent and what they aligned themselves with, and I saw how they acted both in the movie and in person (some of the guys came along to present it). Now, because I could affirm their most basic statements as well, I felt like I was free to challenge some of their applications. And so, after writing three full comment cards (again, totally and obviously out of character), I had a conversation with one of the guys.
He was a nice guy, but during our conversation I got the feeling like he was maybe in a bit over his head. And that is fine; I can’t expect everyone to have the exact same level of comprehension on the topics that I know well, just as they surely know far more about some topics than I do. But the overall conversation was somewhat telling in what this guy really believed. The argument, in short, was that he felt that Christianity came down to a defining relationship and faith in Jesus. In order to get there, most people have to disregard the faucets of Christianity and the ‘brainwashing’ they’ve received over the years. It was said several times that religion has nothing to do with Jesus. And I saw his intent – that religion as a system of do’s and don’ts leads to a sense of self-righteousness and undeserved self-relience. But I also saw him tearing down a house to put in a foundation (the house being the infrastructure and cultural component of Christianity, the foundation being Jesus), then roping off that infrastructure and culture and telling people not to bother. I, on the other hand, feel strongly that once that foundation is down, you must start building up with the materials that their movie was implicitly roping off. We argued back and forth, redefining terms and concepts, until finally he saw that my point wasn’t really against his, it was just against his application. With that, he took to heart my concerns and promised to look into how to fix it. (Nalu is laughing at me right now. I can feel it.)
Regardless of that individual disagreement, what stuck out to me was how readily some of my friends joined their movement. Now again, I did agree with the vast majority of what they believed; still, that one issue was big enough to me to want to distance myself. It seems to me that many times, we are willing to align ourselves with a particular system, belief, group or person that we think shares our values – though many times we really don’t know everything that the system/belief/group/person believes in. It is easy to get yourself in trouble when you don’t take the time to learn first what is valued. I’m reminded of the South Park episode where Cartman organizes a huge rally for the people who like ‘The Passion.’ While the people thought they were simply raising awareness about the movie, Cartman had them goose-stepping and chanting, “Es ist zeit fuer Rache! Wir mussen die Juden ausrotten!” (translated: It is time for revenge. We must exterminate the Jews)((This view is not upheld by your Chaplain, just to be clear)). The people did not know what the true views of the rally were, and many would probably have been substantially pissed to learn what was really happening. You have got to be aware of what you say you are a part of.
Additionally, groups that we become a part of can slowly change our perceptions of what we should and shouldn’t do. In an organization like Phi Tau, I’d hope that we’d be encouraged to become better men for having joined. However, some groups will ask you to do things that you don’t feel comfortable doing. Most fraternities are at least in grave danger of becoming this way. Things like hazing and wild parties have become standards for these organizations – leading many to violate their personal codes of ethics. If Phi Tau remains a culmination of men of character, we will never have an organizational problem like that. But if we allow ourselves to become a frat first and men second, watch out for these signs. I feel that in today’s college culture, they are likely inevitable.
When joining something larger than ourselves, knowledge and vigilance are absolutely key. You need to know the values and beliefs, and you must be willing to hold the organization accountable. So the questions of the day become: What do you believe Phi Tau is? Why have you aligned yourself with it? What steps can you make today and this week to ensure that those values are being met on the organizational side?
purduephitau 