She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

Reflections on Two of the Greatest Trinity Students in the Entire Cosmos

[Preface: I love Trinity Christian College. It is a place I have learned to call home. There are many among the student body, faculty, and staff whom I have grown to know and love over the years. They are people who the Lord has graciously put in my life and I am grateful to Him for that. While I have been away at Trinity a few articles in our school’s newspaper have been written solely about Alex and I. I suppose I am a little taken aback to find out that I am missed so much. Well, don’t you worry there little Trinity, I’ll be back before you know it, ready to shake things up, stir the pot, and excite some controversy. Of course, not all my controversy is done satirically or without reason. Sometimes, in the case of portraits of Christ going up everywhere around campus, or the year before when I refrained from writing about the Lord’s Supper being desecrated at Praise and Worship, my concerns are legitimate and far from being the nitpicking, holier-than-thou attitude, I write to change things. After all, where would the Church be without men like Luther who were constantly stirring the pot? Of course, I am not comparing myself to such a great man, but I would like to at least say that I am following in his footsteps. Well look at myself, I’ve gone off rambling again. Here are two articles written by Trinity students. I very much appreciate one of them, the other one…well, not so much.]

Semester in Oxford Students Immediately Forgotten
By: Katie B.

You may know Alex G. and Eric C. as junior Trinity students, philosophers, theologians. But chances are, you also know them as talented, bitter, satirical writers that have brought about much controversy through their contributions to the Courier. This controversial duo has recently transferred abroad to study at Oxford for the spring semester. Through their already short absence, students and faculty alike have breathed a sigh of relief and returned to their lazy and wayward actions.
While a small going away/Christmas get together right before the semester ended was occasioned with close friends, the rest of the campus community has been bordering on uproarious joy because of their departure. Although these two students have had no contact with Trinity in the few long weeks since the semester began, they been characteristically missed by this community of higher learning which they have spent so much time trying to better over the past five semesters. And with no one to scold, mock, and further insult the realities of campus life at Trinity, this campus has already begun its slow descent to become a place of tactless pandemonium.
So far, the changes occurring have been minor, but several students are worried about the continued lack of conscientiousness in the semester ahead. The recent rearrangement of the caf has been duly noted by those who are acutely aware of the mealtime cliques that are so common in our illustrious cafeteria. This mingling of diversities which is so strived for in every other aspect on campus is undermined at every mealtime in the cafeteria. This fact does not go unnoticed by all. But no one is left to speak for the silent masses. And without intervention, such trends will continue.
These are not the only differences you will find since Eric and Alex's departure. Rumors of a "How to Effectively Time When a Professor is Two Minutes From Completing a Lecture: A Lesson in Paper Shuffling and Disruption" seminar will be held in the upcoming week. This seminar however, will last longer than the amount of time a student can save through leaving class early. But then again, so will reading this article. Passes are still available for this once-a-semester opportunity.
A new club has been formed, entitled The People of Political Correctness, though they are still waiting from approval from Student Association. Soon, the singular "freshman", and plural "freshmen" will be replaced by "freshpeople", or fresh-persons, in order satisfy the gender neutrality requirement that is becoming all too popular in American society. Welcome class of 2011! You freshpeople.
Your posters have been stamped with a new "s'alright" stamp of approval from Student Development to advertise campus events. This new, much larger stamp often cancels out the message of the flyer, thus eliminating the opportunity for students to give their content any consideration. Controversy avoided. Well done, stamp.
In addition students of all ages are welcome, "Clothing Optional", to the caf at their own special mealtime of 10:45pm-12am. A perfect time for those coming from intra-murals, sports practice, or the Alumni Hall fitness center to dine without worrying about their pectoral-revealing garb. Gawkers welcome, ipod-listening encouraged.
Are all these occurrences a sure forecast of what is to come this semester? Maybe not, but enjoy this unfettered freedom, Trinity. These boys will be back in full force before too long.
Feel free to pack up your things before class ends, publish the yearbook sans pictures of its staff, don't dress before you go to the cafeteria, post flyers without approval, and avoid face-to face social encounters in exchange for chatting online with your friend who lives in the room 3 doors down. (No reference to the very cheesy band.)

A Few Things
By Joshua A.

An article in the previous issue of the Courier brought back a subject mostly, and happily, forgotten: the writings of Alex G. and Eric C. That article, unfortunately, served to make matters more confusing- I still have no idea what that article was trying to say. But since the subject has been raised anew, allow me to set a few things straight.

Alex and Eric wrote for the Courier and they created controversy. Opinionated and outspoken, their articles received heated responses. But in the end, what did this duo really accomplish? They stirred things up, made arrogant and sanctimonious claims- and sadly, that's about it.

I can't begin to imagine how Alex and Eric view their writing. Perhaps they thought themselves a Trinity version of Upton Sinclair, exposing corruption and perversion. Really, though, what did they actually accomplish: they pointed out plenty of "problems" but did they offer any solutions?

Forgetting for the moment that most of their articles were, at best, nitpicking, Alex Eric's work takes the form of problem-naming (and I use the term "problem" loosely). Their articles told us what we were doing "wrong" and how disappointed these writers were with us, but they did not offer any solutions.

Good writing should contain two things: heat and light. We should stir things up- our writing should have punch- but we need to do more than that. We need to help illuminate the problem. Rather than simply point out an issue, we need to be active members of the solution. More than just awareness, we need action. God Calls us to be active redeemers, participants in his plan to save this world. That means more than just tearing down for the sake of tearing down. It means solving problems, not just pointing them out. Controversy can be a useful tool. But divorced form something constructive, something illuminating, it's nothing but wasted heat.

Let me make something clear. I respect Alex and Eric- they hold firmly their beliefs and there's something to be said for that- but when it comes to their writing, I just can't help but laugh. Reading sentences like "if this is your opinion then it is wrong" my response is simple: shake my head and turn the page. I'm amazed at the arrogant condemnation, disappointed in the poor composition, but really, I just don't care anymore. It's all a lot of noise. And I've got much better things to worry about.