Tag Archives: Bethel

Introspection

The Heritage Hall Time Capsule

Leave a comment

“What do you call yourself? / What did you call me?

“Excuse me but you don’t know me / And I sure don’t know you neither

“Who are you and where did you go? / You think you know but you, just don’t know” (“The Downfall of Western Civilization” by MxPx).

—

Today in chapel the administration shared with the student body the plans for the cornerstone of the new dorm that’s being built right now. They’re planning on sealing it up as a time capsule (I thought that was just a popular 80’s thing), and they took the time to show us what was being put in the time capsule. The “cornerstone committee” made the decisions, and I have to say they did a fairly decent job. Sealed in the new dorm’s cornerstone (which they admitted only serves a symbolic purpose, which makes me wonder what the point is) will be a Bible, a Bethel viewbook, a 1998-1999 Roster (with all those really bad ID pictures), a Beanie Baby (they figure when the capsule is opened they can sell it and pay for the next building project), a Caribou Coffee brochure, a scrap book, and an Abercrombie & Fitch tag. Now I understand that the committee is just taking an honest representation of the Bethel student body. You can’t blame them for being honest. But I think that’s just sad. Abercrombie & Fitch symbolizes Bethel students so well that it’s being included in a time capsule. How pathetic are we? How wrapped up in fashion and big names are we? I guess I can rejoice that I don’t own any Abercrombie & Fitch stuff myself. But we all have our classy name brands.

—

I’m taking off for the weekend to a farm in Wisconsin, so unfortunately there won’t be a pondering tomorrow night. But never fear, I should be back on Sunday.

—

“So now I just hope that the world is treating you fine / And I hope your memories are sweet as mine / Goodbye’s are hard” (“In My Dreams” by Ace Troubleshooter)

Music, Society

Inviting Marilyn Manson Over for Dinner

Leave a comment

Today at the beginning of chapel the campus pastors took a moment to share about some new prayer thing that was happening, and they shared a quick story about praying against the Marilyn Manson concert that was in town this week. Sherry made a slip of the tongue and said something about, “When Marilyn Manson comes to Bethel.” Everyone laughed and thought it was funny, and Sherry’s face turned red and she laughed for a minute before continuing.

But I wasn’t laughing. I obviously didn’t listen to much they were saying about the prayer meetings. I was thinking about Marilyn Manson. He’s taken a lot of flack lately. A lot of people have been picketing his shows because of whatever connection there may be between the “goth” followers of his music and the Columbine shootings. As rumor has it, at the Minneapolis show somebody put a big yellow smiley face somewhere on the stage, and when Manson saw it, he stopped the concert mid-song, and stormed off the stage. Sherry related this story as a victory story for the group that was praying for the presence of God to be in that concert hall.

Continue reading Inviting Marilyn Manson Over for Dinner →

Music

Dancing at Bethel

Leave a comment

Tonight I watched a concert in the Benson Great Hall at Bethel College. Now picture the scene, Bethel is a Baptist General Conference school. This means conservative. The lifestyle statement has a “no school sponsored” dancing provision, however you want to decipher that. The Benson Great Hall is this really nice, acoustically harmonized concert hall that would be perfect for the Vienna Choir Boys (who have sung there). Then imagine a swing/punk band named Skooch taking the stage. Hepcats in their zoot suits (not really, but it sounds good) prancing around stage, and twenty people clustered in front dancing away. Dancing. In the Great Hall. At Bethel College. It’s nothing new, I saw it last year at several big time concerts. It’s just fun to see a reminder every once in a while.