[graceandknowledge]

I would never advocate and identify Mormons as Christians for obvious reasons. However, in light of current events I couldn't help but wonder what others thought a Christian university would do if they were in the same situation as BYU?

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/03/ ... test=faces

A star basketball player, a winning season and an honor code violation. The nation is watching to see the final verdict as BYU decides the fate of player Brandon Davies who confessed to pre-marital sex with his girlfriend resulting in his dismissal from the team. Should he be re-instated or dismissed from the university all together? What is a Christian to do?

That Davies violated the honor code is not in question. What sets Davies apart from Charlie Sheen and those who do not seem to understand why one needs standards of honor is that Davies came forward to confess. By so doing he was saying that honor matters, that he doesn't want to be a hypocrite and that he will pay the price to take a stand.

Honor codes are simply words on paper until they are exemplified in action. Davies is the rare case of one who measured short term gain (keeping the violation hidden and in so doing assuring his place on the team) and long term gain (being a man of character) and chose the latter. Now BYU officials must decide whether honor is defined by a list of rules or by the very reasons those rules exist in the first place- to call forth honor.

As a former university dean and current pastor, I often counsel people dealing with the backside of moral and ethical failure. I see the devastation caused in lives, marriages and careers when compromises are made in matters of honor. I applaud BYU for having an honor code and for raising a standard, but the strength of an honor code is not in elevating the letter of the law. The code is in place to promote character. With Brandon Davies the code fulfilled its purpose.

In the Bible when a certain woman was caught in adultery, the religious leaders were ready to stone her and in so doing adhere to the law. Jesus was the only one to take a different approach.

He said, "He that is without sin, cast the first stone." As the religious leaders laid down their stones, Jesus said to the lady, "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more." Jesus cared more for this lady's heart and future than for making her a case example and elevating the rules for "rules sake".

There is a prize much greater than a basketball trophy or crowing rights for being a university with a code of honor. The lost art of honor is at stake. Davies took the first step toward honor and now BYU will show whether high standards and forgiveness can meet together. Honor hangs in the balance

[Sly Fox]

Cool perspective ... frankly the comparisons to our situation at Liberty are so obvious that I am surprised more pundits on the national level have drawn comparisons. The difference being that at Liberty we focus more contrition and offering up second chances than they typically do at BYU. If ever there was a religion where the letter of the law was clearly defined it would be Mormonism. The problem for BYU is that now that this has gone public, the LDS is put in a position where they have to appear they are willing to cave for sports or take the hard line and endure ridicule for showing no grace.

[olldflame]

I honestly don't know exactly what the latest version of the Liberty Way says about a situation about this, but there are certainly former basketball players who have had "relations" with their girlfriends, and been less than careful in doing so. The approach that seems to have been taken is that they can stay if they marry their babymama. Not sure if that means they had to go if they didn't, but it would seem so.

[Sly Fox]

USA Today finally makes connection to us as well as Baylor & ORU ...

But the restrictions of its honor code are not one-of-a-kind. A look at similar policies at three other Division I schools with religious affiliations, according to their student handbooks or guidelines for conduct:

• At Liberty University, a Christian Evangelical university in Lynchburg, Va., founded by Jerry Falwell, students must adhere to the "Liberty Way" which states that "immorality (sex outside of marriage between a man and woman) is prohibited."

Click Here for Full Story

It is funny they mention Baylor because it was at an LU-BU game in Waco that Mrs. Sly & I attended where the contrasts in our schools were highlighted. After the Bears trounced one of our Mel Hankinson-coached squads, the BU coach got on the PA immediately after handshakes to announce that their starting PG had just become a father that evening. And the coach celebrated the fact that the player planned to possibly marry his girlfriend within the next next year. We were left drop-jawed ... they would never even make that type of statement at UT much less a school that tries to market itself as a Christian university.

[flamesfan30]

well immorality is listed as 30 reps and a 500 dollar fine + 30 hours community service plus *possible* administrative withdrawal. from what i understand, if you're truly repentant in front of the student court, you get to pay the fine, do the service (on top of CSER that's 50 hours) and stay in school on probation. *get caught* doing something else and your gone.

[TDDance234]

I think that suspension from the team for the rest of the year is sufficient enough punishment. Having to sit out and watch your team, who has a legit chance at a final four, would be extremely difficult.

Because he confessed, I'd allow him to stay in school and a spot back on the team next year. Of course, I'm looking at this from a Christian viewpoint. From what I understand, the LDS isn't as forgiving in these types of circumstances.

[olldflame]

In the one recent example I know about, the player in question married his very much pregnant GF, and had no suspension at all from the team. I don't know if there was a fine or community service or not.

[ATrain]

If we're going to cite our own school's enforcement and our men's bball team, I know not what was and wasn't enforced under Layer or McKay, and under Dunton I will let the past be the past.

[RubberMallet]

whats real funny is that byu is a huge party school.

[Hold My Own]

I did not fully understand this situation (b/c I agree with RubberMallet in thinking that it was a party school with fairly loose rules) but I love the stance they took. I wish the info would not have leaked out for the parties involved, I do think there is prob more to the situation. I love this story though.

[Schfourteenteen]

In the one recent example I know about, the player in question married his very much pregnant GF, and had no suspension at all from the team. I don't know if there was a fine or community service or not.

Wasn't she prego with numero dos?

[bravo269er]

BYU did the right thing. I find it funny that people are up in arms over this yet they'll be the first people to cry when a athlete gets special treatment over another student. The guy made a mistake, but he knew the honor code going in when he was recruited so its not new to him. The university had some integrity, and after reading the SI report on criminal activity committed by college football recruits came out this week my stance was solidified. At some point you have to say enough is enough. Now I know this isn't a crime, but he violated the rules and has to face the consequences. If I was a BYU alum i'd be disappointed about losing out on a chance to win the nat'l title, but i'd be proud my school had some guts.

[El Scorcho]

I appreciate the concern for honor and integrity. I really do. He should be off the team. There was a code he signed up for and he broke it. Case closed.

Having said that, I hope the same concern is shown in getting these kids the support that new parents of their age will need. Because I've personally seen one too many people busted for this and similar situations where they're just cast off and given a "Good luck to you both." That's more wrong than what the kids did in the first place, in my opinion.

[jbock13]

I agree with what BYU did and the stance they took. All I can say is this. Everybody makes mistakes. Some not serious. Others pretty serious. It's life. I know I've made my mistakes. Maybe worse than you? Maybe not?

Bottom line, we shouldn't just get mad when somebody "knocks up their girl and gets booted off the team". While it's still wrong, we need to be more concerned about the child of the two and making sure that baby has a mother and father in the home as it grows up. This, to me, is what is most important.

We all know here about 1/3rd of the kids at Liberty do things against the Way (I mean, drinking, smoking, sex, etc.) That doesn't mean you don't stop caring about them.

I know nobody here was saying we shouldn't, it's just something on my heart because I've dealt with certain situations before I finally met Christ and changed my life.

[Hold My Own]

Yes, you can no longer be a representative/public figure of their school but you cannot give up on the kid for this. I'm also not a huge fan of forcing someone to get married either in order to solve the issue and it's been reported of happening there fairly often.

People say "they wouldnt do that to a student though!" A student is not a employee/representative they are more of a customer. I'm sorry but that's life, there are people who are held to a higher accountability in all walks of life. I'm pretty sure this is Biblical


Here's my question....if this kid had 10 wives would he be considered an exemplary representative?

[bravo269er]

From what I understand BYU isn't kicking him out of school, and he's still a student. He can play next year. So the school is helping him out, which is consistent with similar situations they've encountered over the years.

[El Scorcho]

From what I understand BYU isn't kicking him out of school, and he's still a student. He can play next year. So the school is helping him out, which is consistent with similar situations they've encountered over the years.

Would they do the same for him if he wasn't a basketball player?

[bravo269er]

I don't know for sure, but i'd like to think they would since they are a religious institution. Maybe thats wishful thinking, but that doesn't change the fact that they maintained the standard in the Davies case.

[Hold My Own]

I would imagine if he didnt play basketball and was only a student it would be Reps....there's no way they kick students out for something like this.

[kiltsareitchy07]

Personally, I think the inclusion of pre-marital sex in BYU's honor policy is draconian. That being said, I do give the administration credit for sticking to the values it professes. When I was on the honor council at PC, we had to make really tough decisions whenever violations of our code were brought to light, including dealing with athletes. I remember when a freshman football player was brought up on plagiarism charges in the first few weeks of the fall semester. He had gotten a hold of a student's essays from summer session A, changed the name and dates to line up with him and session B, and turned them into the same professor. The player was dismissed from school. Sad, but when you sign an honor code, you agree to be bound by it. Good job, BYU. Now if only you didn't promote heresy...