# the nutshell BJU assessment



## ModernPuritan? (May 14, 2008)

I thought i would share what is a nutshell opinion of BJU. this may also apply to several other schools like BJU. but......

THis is as unbiased and accurate account of my experiences at Bob Jones University. In general, Im not dealing with individuals or the classes but with the institutional rules, beliefs. The classes are very hard, the instructors know there stuff. example- 98% of their nursing majors pass the NCLEX exam the first time ( on par with public universities).
So we begin are journey. I first arrived there January 8th of this year. Classes started within 2 days.
As you read i would like to quote from and identify with spurgeon. " I am not ashamed of the term "Calvinist"...... "the Gospel/Scripture teaches what is called Calvinism". This is not a statement i intend to defend in this blog, but at its core, the antithesis of "Calvinism" is false teaching, false theology from consistently, unanimously condemned heretics - the Roman catholic church, and unfortunately some protestants today. SO naturally, knowing that BJU was a "Fundamental, independent" baptist church, I had concerns as to whether or not the believed the the true doctrines or mans lies. I was assured that : there were many folk on both sides of the issue. This may of been a true statement from the admissions dept but from my experience. 75% of the folk i knew were fully fledged arminian. I unfortunately beileve this verse "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" applies to a good 80% of the folk there(dealing with theology only).
for instance. Many people say "sure, i beileve in election" then they clarify "God choose based on His foreseeing of a mans favorable response using his free will" in English this means God is subject to the will of man in this regard. this is a breed of arminianianism.
Finally in reference to the Theology of BJU 1) they try to be "neutral" which you cant be, its white or black. God does not give 2 conflicting interpretations of the same verse. so they are lukewarm.
my bullet points for this section would be
BJU is
~ arminian
~ very dispensationalistic
~ Pharisaical in their approach to how a Christian is different

Worship:
The rule for any worship is simple "Do not ADD, do not Subtract" a logical conclusion is Unless God specifically commands a form or activity in corporate worship, God forbids it. Hence God does no where ask us to have church drama. the abscense of the command for drama- means that it is forbidding. Singing on the other hand is commanded. Now understand i lean heavily towards acapella, Psalm only singing. I am against holy days, choirs, and solos BJU adds against what should be a fairly clear picture of Godly worship, many forbidden elements, or encourages them Dramas, choirs, solos, instrumental accompaniment, etc. THis is characteristic of Arminian theology. Look at the catholic church
1) brought instruments into church in 600 AD
2) Brought christmas and easter in 4-500 AD

Arminians are very good at trying to make God more appealing to the unregenerate, God hating, hell bound world. this is antithetical to what we are to do. we are simply to preach the truth as presented in Scripture without any additions or subtractions. we gather to worship God, not to win souls. GOD, and GOD alone is responsible for converting the sinners.


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## sastark (May 14, 2008)

So, I have to ask: Did you not know of the rampant Arminianism at BJU prior to enrolling? Did you have a choice in where you went to school? If so, what made you pick Bob Jones? Was there a particular program there that you were attracted to?

These are honest questions, and not meant to make you feel bad for your choice of school (if it was, in fact, _your_ choice).


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## ModernPuritan? (May 14, 2008)

sastark said:


> So, I have to ask: Did you not know of the rampant Arminianism at BJU prior to enrolling? Did you have a choice in where you went to school? If so, what made you pick Bob Jones? Was there a particular program there that you were attracted to?
> 
> These are honest questions, and not meant to make you feel bad for your choice of school (if it was, in fact, _your_ choice).



rampart arminian- I had been to their bookstore and saw a few books by the puritans, and had asked the admissions counselor. so going into it, I knew there would be arminians, but i was led to understand by the admissions office that there were a substantial number of good solid reformed folk there too. which as stated above is not what i experienced

choice of school- yes, i do have that choice, there is no particular reason I decided to try a semester there but that 1) I was homeschooled and 2) i thought it would be nice to try it a semester.


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## sastark (May 14, 2008)

So, are you not going back next semester, then? Do you have some place else lined up?

What's your major?


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## JBaldwin (May 14, 2008)

For the record, we know someone who was kicked out of BJU for their "calvinistic" leanings.


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## sastark (May 14, 2008)

JBaldwin said:


> For the record, we know someone who was kicked out of BJU for their "calvinistic" leanings.



As do I.


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## py3ak (May 14, 2008)

As do many. There seems to be a pendulum swing from very tolerant to militantly opposed.


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## CovenantalBaptist (May 14, 2008)

The people I know of are reported to have planted some unauthorized tulips somewhere on the campus on their last night before expulsion...

Ethics -1 Humor +1


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## Kim G (May 15, 2008)

ModernPuritan? said:


> but i was led to understand by the admissions office that there were a substantial number of good solid reformed folk there.



BECAUSE of my experience at BJU, I'm a Calvinist.  The woman who was in charge of dorm room arrangements was Free Presbyterian, and she put one Free Presbyterian female student in each room down my entire hall. My Reformed roommate told us their group was called to a meeting with the admin where they were warned not to teach their doctrine. (My roomie did it anyway, praise God! We asked her to because we didn't understand what the big deal was.) So my experience at BJU was almost completely with Reformed students for friends (there aren't too many around, though). I'm grateful that God did that for me.


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## LadyFlynt (May 15, 2008)

JBaldwin said:


> For the record, we know someone who was kicked out of BJU for their "calvinistic" leanings.



Ditto.


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## LadyFlynt (May 15, 2008)

CovenantalBaptist said:


> The people I know of are reported to have planted some unauthorized tulips somewhere on the campus on their last night before expulsion...
> 
> Ethics -1 Humor +1



That could be funny. Watch BJU ban tulips from their landscaping...


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## TimV (May 15, 2008)

Planting tulips. Wow. Those kids will go places!


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## KMK (May 15, 2008)

Interestingly, John Weaver received an undergraduate degree from BJU back in the day. He is not Arminian/Dispensational. (where is the 'that's an understatement' emoticon?)


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## py3ak (May 15, 2008)

So did Robert Reymond.


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## LadyFlynt (May 15, 2008)

KMK said:


> John Weaver



Which one? Sorry, around here that's like trying to look up the name John Stolzfus, John Martin, John Sensinig, etc in the phone book or even in a family (we know families where every single son is "John" and they go by their middle names)


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## christianyouth (May 15, 2008)

Sorry to hear about your experience at BJU. I'm still considered attending BJU next year, because there are very few IFB colleges that are Calvinistic.

But honestly, could you tell me about the academic rigor at BJU? From people who graduate from there they seem to think that they have the most rigorous academics available, boasting on their website that many of their students are excepted in Harvard and Yale for graduate work. 

But I'll say this, from meeting many BJU grads there seems to be an 'elitism' about them. That just goes to show that us Calvinists don't have the monopoly on elitism as many seem to think.


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## ModernPuritan? (May 15, 2008)

to Christian Youth... 

1) Im not sure about how credits would transfer if you stopped mid way to move to another school.

2) academic rigor. the MCAT for medical school is 45 pts i think? folk at BJU regularily score around a 38 or so- I.e their premed degree is solid, and rigourus. the same for nurisng.

3) again, this was my experience- as someone noted above, they had a different one. Honestly if i could live off campus in non BJU housing- I would consider going back. the teachers know their stuff (except when it comes to good theology sometimes  ) so I tried it a semester and have a another semester of college under my belt.. anyway, you may have a different expierence and enjoy it.

---
yea, ive heard of a few folk that got expelled for reformed theology. the rule is "no public debating, proselytizing of Calvin v Arminius" but you can easily and safely lead bible studies, talk one on one and such.


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## ModernPuritan? (May 15, 2008)

Kim G said:


> ModernPuritan? said:
> 
> 
> > but i was led to understand by the admissions office that there were a substantial number of good solid reformed folk there.
> ...



Glad to hear that! what a sneaky dorm room assigner


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## reformedman (May 15, 2008)

My friend requested that I ask this question as he is not a member on this board.

The 4 or 5 students that he knows that has gone to BJU have said that there is a rumor that there is a staff member that is paid a salary to monitor the beach there and make sure that the students don't go to the beach.

I find a lot of inconsistencies with that assertion which I won't mention but does anyone know this for a fact?


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## JBaldwin (May 15, 2008)

reformedman said:


> My friend requested that I ask this question as he is not a member on this board.
> 
> The 4 or 5 students that he knows that has gone to BJU have said that there is a rumor that there is a staff member that is paid a salary to monitor the beach there and make sure that the students don't go to the beach.
> 
> I find a lot of inconsistencies with that assertion which I won't mention but does anyone know this for a fact?



BEACH? What beach are they talking about? BJU is a 4 hour drive from the beach.


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## KMK (May 15, 2008)

LadyFlynt said:


> KMK said:
> 
> 
> > John Weaver
> ...



Sorry, this John Weaver: http://www.dominionministry.com/


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## ModernPuritan? (May 15, 2008)

the beach question- Im not familiar with any employee monitoring the beaches which are 4 hours away- that may be PCC (Pensacola Christian- its like BJU except 1,000,000,000 times worse)


I do know for instance- going to the movie theatre for any reason is a major offense. I dont beileve that there are any employees who are deliberately placed there to spy. but there are a lot of BJU grads and such in Greenville and surrounding areas. so you could get caught that way.
-----


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## JBaldwin (May 15, 2008)

To add to what has been said, the dorm supervisors are paid to monitor what students are doing, but they also have other jobs.


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## LadyFlynt (May 15, 2008)

ModernPuritan? said:


> yea, ive heard of a few folk that got expelled for reformed theology. the rule is "no public debating, proselytizing of Calvin v Arminius" but you can easily and safely lead bible studies, talk one on one and such.



not just students.


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## Southern Presbyterian (May 15, 2008)

John Weaver on SermonAudio


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