November 10, 1997 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - We have published several articles in the past two weeks dealing with the apostasy within the Southern Baptist Convention. The following testimony is further evidence of the carnality and worldliness which is rampant in institutions funded by SBC money. This report was sent to us by Michael Maynard, author of "A History of the Debate over 1 John 5:7-8" (Comma Publications, P.O. Box 1625, Tempe, AZ 85281). His e-mail address is comma@abacusnet.net and his web site is http://www.abacusnet.net/comma.

WORLDLINESS AT A SOUTHERN BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
By Michael Maynard

I have had five years experience working in libraries, but longed to become a Reference Librarian someday. I actually became one when Grand Canyon University hired me on August 29, 1997. GCU is a Southern Baptist institution, where James R. White [author of The King James Only Controversy] obtained his B.A. I heard about evils within this denomination, but figured it could not be so bad here in Arizona. Wrong. I can confirm that worldliness is rampant at this school.

When I first entered the library, I was surprised to see a young man with a ponytail behind the circulation desk. [During indoctrination, we were told that we must present a good image to the public, in order to encourage donations. The lady became upset when I asked why, then, do they hire students who look like hippies to be in the position which is very noticeable in the library.]

On the second day, I noticed a radio blaring wicked music in the library work space. I complained and the director agreed to remove it. I had some hope then. But one staff member kept coming to work in a miniskirt the hem of which ended about seven inches above the knee. I was appalled because not even the librarians at the state university in the vicinity (ASU) dress that liberally. The director wore her dress just above the knee and wore blouses in a manner where the ends are tied in a knot, drawing attention to the unbuttoned V portion. Some of the library aides used profanity in the work center. On July 23, we had a staff meeting to discuss how to discipline the library aides. The topics were tardiness, lengthy use of the phone for personal calls, and apparel. Of all people, it was the technical service assistant (TSA, who wore the miniskirt) who said that that student manual forbids the aides to wear crop tops, spaghetti straps, and miniskirts. At that point, I reacted, and said that it is unreasonable to expect that library aides will shun miniskirts when they see staff members wearing them. I said there is one even now who is wearing a miniskirt among us. Immediately the TSA said, "I did not know this was a miniskirt." I never pointed any finger, and tried to be tactful. I said I did not mean any offense at all. I reminded them all that the technical service librarian reminded all of us in the morning that in 1970 there was the dress code at GCU that skirts had to reach to the knees. I said if we grasp the importance of historical precedent, and recognize that morals decline each decade, then we ought not to mock old dress codes. A gray-haired woman who always wore pants and was in effect the acting head, said firmly, "That SKIRT is NOT a miniskirt." I asked, what then is a miniskirt? She then described a micro-mini! I said that is against the standard definition. It was the first time in my life I heard anyone redefine the term. Four of the five staff women present voiced their views that nothing was immodest with the skirt length of seven inches above the knee. The director left the meeting, since she was not even certain of the current dress code. I continued elaborating the seriousness of maintaining a testimony in a Christian university. The director returned and informed us that the dress code is now to be determined by the discretion of each department. The older woman admitted the dress code changed. I said, "Then it is now subjective." I appealed to the one staff girl, who always had modest attire, and asked if she would mind if I tell the group what she told me in private, that she dressed modestly in order to honor her husband. I said, think of it this way, why is it that if nothing is wrong with a skirt hem ending seven inches above the knee, that none of you other women wear such a skirt. Then the older woman said that they do not have the shape and weight. I said, "Are you saying that if they have the shape, that the woman may then flaunt her legs?" [My reasoning was in effect pleading for survival in this ungodly sensual atmosphere.] I also said that if we call ourselves Christians, we ought not to be as worldly as possible, but as holy as possible. The TSA replied, "But we have to be careful not to be so rigid."

I was very encouraged that I actually voiced my disapproval in that staff meeting towards this abomination. Until that day, my conscience was distressed daily, because silence is interpreted as approval. But from that day onwards, every staff member knew my disapproval. For the next five weeks I made absolutely no comments about apparel. Even when 12 new girls, hired as library aides, wore tiny shorts daily, I made no comments since it was a lost cause. On August 29, I was fired without warning. The written reason for termination was "unprofessional conduct." Upon my request for elaboration, the reasons given include that I "made comments on apparel" and asked my co-workers "about their Bible devotions" [most had none at all]. I protested and wrote to the top five administrators of GCU and I suppose they feared a lawsuit, because they changed my reason for termination to "resignation due to philosophical differences."

There is no reason for anyone to feel sorry that I was fired for lifting up my voice against sin in an alleged Christian school, because when I reported my salary to the Dept. of Economic Security they were amazed and asked, "Is that ALL they paid you???" Besides the Lord provided me with a new job with a vastly larger salary. It is not that when we are "persecuted for righteousness' sake" (Matthew 5:10) we will then be assured of procuring and holding a better job. I may suddenly become ill and lose this new job as well and end up in poverty. I am not casting my hopes on a job with a large salary, but on the Lord.