I have never been prouder to be a BYU alum, and though I love watching Jimmer jimmer, it has nothing to do with him. Well, maybe something to do with Jimmer because he attracted the spotlight of the basketball nation. Who wouldn't think he's a darn cute kid? He's a special kid too that can receive all the glory and praise that being an atheletic superstar and STILL be darn cute. The whole team exudes eager energy. . .joie de vivre, pura vida.
Can you imagine the volume of courage it took for a young man, Brandon Davies, to confess to a sin that he knew would cause him to be suspended from the team. He had to have expected the media storm. Every cougar that ever set foot in a Marriot Center b-ball game would be dismayed, disappointed. He might not have anticipated the outpouring of love and support and encouragement from his classmates and from alumni.
But if the Internet prattle is correct, he confessed. Brandon Davies conscience is in good working order and he couldn't continue guilty.
A fellow BYU alum told me about an instance when they knew about an honor code violation where a friend had a member of the opposite sex stay overnight at their apartment. This person said they decided not to "rat them out" because there wasn't any funny business. (Meaning hanky panky I assume). The honor code doesn't specifically require those bound by the code to report violations, but I was stunned by the use of the language, "rat them out." If only someone had reported the first time Brandon Davies broke the visiting hours part of the honor code. Nobody jumps into sin all at once, but takes little steps off the path enough times that eventually they're completely off it. If only every kid who stepped off the strait and narrow path had someone to grab his arm and pull him back...early...before it got to the point of heartbreak for a young man and probably a young woman.
The relevant points of this discussion are not whether BYU is correct in acting, whether whatever eventual action is just, or whether breaking a standard that happens to be the highest in the world for students justifies such painful consequences is appropriate. Every cougar, including the athletic teams and scholarship recipients, enters BYU with a covenant to keep the honor code. Brandon Davies courage in choosing to correct the problem even though the only choice he had was to do it publicly, should be saluted, as it has been.
But as in this case, LDS Bishops give no statements at all about confessions. BYU states only that it is Honor Code violations that caused the team suspension. Yet the Salt Lake Tribune is citing "several sources" as reliably reporting that he committed fornication. Where were his and her friends, that are the likely "reliable sources" before it got to the point of serious sin? What did they know before they knew about the sin? Was there not ONE with the courage to report the smaller infractions, or was he the one in a billion who leap from purity to evil in an hour? Have we as a society been so corrupted that our desire for popularity and comfortable social relationships overrides our love and concern for those entering paths that will only lead to heartache and sorrow?Is there a difference between "ratting someone out" and protecting someone from their own weakness by reporting before the worse occurs? In the case of this kid, only a sophomore, about 19 years old, where were his friends on the watchtower?
I congratulate him on his courage in applying the blood of Jesus Christ to repent of his sins, but I am disgusted with those who knew things were amiss in his life before it was serious and did and said nothing. I think they also have great need to repent. What do you think?
Labels: basketball, byu, friends, honor code, ratting, standards, tattling, true friendship