By Lydia Melby, Arts Editor
Here we are again, joyfully reunited with both our friends and academic ups and downs. Now that we (hopefully) have our books, have our schedules finalized and memorized and are back into the swing of things, we can settle in for another semester. As always, this semester will be what you make of it, and there will always be things about school you don’t like. Most well-adjusted people seem to realize that, so we slog through pointless busy work, required ‘college-P.E.’ and especially Chapel.
I would be the first one to say that I do not always enjoy Chapel. I do not generally enjoy the singing, I do not generally enjoy being crowded into a gymnasium with thousands of noisy people and although I do sometimes enjoy the speakers, there have been easily as many messages that I either didn’t agree with or didn’t care about as there were messages I felt were worth my time.
However, my problem with Chapel is my own personal problem, not because I think the normal, reasonable person should jump at the chance to attend Chapel, but because I think a reasonable person would have understood that Chapel was part of the ACU experience and would have decided whether or not to enroll with that fact in mind.
So here’s a confession: I hate Chapel whiners. I can’t stand those people that get worked up about it just because it’s something they have to do. I don’t know, I thought that maybe normal, reasonable people would have not chosen to come here if it were something to which they apparently were so violently opposed. So know that while I may be sympathetic on the outside, I’m mocking you on the inside.
However, I also feel like I have a bit more realistic (and probably pessimistic) prediction for Chapel this year than Dr. Money seemed to hold in his message on Monday. I agree that it reflects quite poorly on the religious atmosphere of our university for the Chapel crowd to be so disruptive and dismissive, but honestly, Dr. Money, that’s the way it’s always going to be unless Chapel is made optional so only people who want to attend will. And I think we all know how likely that is. Although it would seem like asking adults to be attentive and polite for half an hour wouldn’t seem like too of a taxing or unreasonable request, there will always be those who don’t want to be there and will let the rest of us know it. There will always be people who are at ACU for reasons that don’t include religion and don’t want to participate in the practice of it. And frankly, you had to know that handing every freshman an iPhone or iPod Touch was pretty much shooting Chapel in the foot.
So really, although I wish it could be different, I won’t be surprised when nothing changes. But go ahead, ACU community, surprise me. Surprise us all, and surprise yourself, and maybe Chapel will be that much more enjoyable for all of us.
Eric Wyatt
posted 1/17/09 @ 2:31 PM CST
This editorial reminds me a lot of the one written last semester about the attendance policy and how it should be removed. Except I agree with this editorial.
I have worked as a desk worker in freshman dorms for two years now, and my shifts have always been around the time curfew happened, either before or after, and I invariably there is someone who tries to convince me that curfew is stupid, and should be removed. My response to them is always: “You knew this was a rule. It’s not going to change this year. Deal with it.”
I’ll admit to doing my share of chapel whining. But, like the author of this editorial, most of my whining is about the content of chapel, rather than the enforced nature of it. We’re adults, and we make decisions and have to accept the consequences thereof. It boils down to this: you, the student, chose ACU for a reason. It was probably a reason important enough to make you choose ACU over other, cheaper, less restrictive schools. Maybe it was the strength of the program, maybe it was your financial aid packages, maybe it was your family’s history at ACU. Whatever the reason, you chose it with full knowledge that chapel is a requirement. If not going to chapel is more important to you than getting an excellent education in business, biology, music, or what have you, then go to another school.
zach monority
posted 4/15/09 @ 12:19 PM CST
I never understood the reason behind making attendance mandatory. I understand that ACU has the right to make people go to chapel since it is a private school but that doesn’t answer the question of why you would want people in chapel that don’t want to be there in the first place. Furthermore, if we can’t complain about having to go to chapel the administration shouldn’t complain about noise being made during chapel services because again your making people go to chapel that don’t want to be there. There is a simple answer to this chapel ” problem” if you want a more quality chapel experiance make chapel optional so only the people who WANT to be there will be there. P.S. Thank God that ACU has the chapel “complainers” because without them the school would be about 1/3 the size it is now and would have a hard time paying those expenses without the extra tution money they get from the complainers.
Ben F. See
posted 4/17/09 @ 11:10 AM CST
Any Student attending ACU, that does not like any ACU policy or rule, has the right to leave.
A wise person should know the rules before coming to ACU and then, gladly follow them.
If one can not or will not follow the rules, all they have to do is leave. Why would anyone in their right mnind desire to attend a college or university they did not agree with?
Ben F. See
Class of “59”
Clinton Morgan
posted 4/17/09 @ 1:43 PM CST
I agree with Eric Wyatt. As students of this university, it is our responsibility to behave like mature young adults and abide by the requirements of the institution. Yes, we have the right to voice our opinion about what happens in Chapel and what we believe can help make it better or more enjoyable. However, your unwillingness to attend Chapel should not excuse you to over-complain about it. Sometimes, you just have to do your job and be where you’re supposed to be. In other words, deal with it, despite your preference to be somewhere else.
I believe a better suggestion would be to enforce fewer credits for all students than to make it completely optional for those who simply do not care for it.
Amber Deschamps
posted 4/20/09 @ 11:32 PM CST
“If we can’t complain about having to go to chapel the administration shouldn’t complain about noise being made during chapel services because again your making people go to chapel that don’t want to be there.”
I find this to be an inherently false statement, no rudeness intended.
Firstly, no one on campus has never denied us the right to complain about chapel. In fact, I’d say this is the most loudly protested policy on campus. I don’t think I can count one one hand the number of Optimist articles written about how terrible chapel is, and how it should be eliminated, and so on an so forth.
Secondly, the chapel administration has EVERY right to complain when rowdy students make noise. Regardless of whether or not you want to be there, the chapel administration puts a tremendous amount of work into planning chapel services, and that should be respected. When we go to classes we don’t like, we aren’t allowed to be loud and rowdy and obnoxious. The same thing is true for chapel.
Randall J. Knox
posted 4/22/09 @ 3:11 PM CST
I think it would be prudent to make a few amendments to arguments already made. First of all, students have the right to complain about a policy that they don’t particularly appreciate (Mr. See). Keep in mind that while many students dislike mandatory chapel, it is not egregious enough to make them want to leave their friends and the overall positive experience that ACU offers. Therefore, they take the only course of action that they believe is viable, which is to voice their protest. Secondly, just because students disagree with the policy does not mean that they are justified in ruining the experience for those who appreciate chapel (a group that I personally do not belong to). However, I see no problem with students (such as myself) who choose not to participate in the chapel activities and instead quietly distract only themselves with the book or cellphone game of their choice. Lastly, my main reason for leaving this comment. Today in Come To The Quiet, two professors who had been taking prayer requests on the floor of Moody were engaging in a lively conversation throughout not only most of the proceedings, but also the closing prayer. If ACU is going to demand that students sit and stay quiet and respectful, it ought to first make sure that its faculty is leading by example.
