to think, or to obey, that is the question

The LdS church-run Brigham Young University (the BYU) tends to be a fascinating microcosm of Mormon culture and ideas. Because it is not very prone to outside influences or pressure, it is inclined to intensify and more explicitly state those ideas to a degree that is greater than one might find in Mormon populations elsewhere (especially outside of Utah).

In my time at BYU as a student, I observed how the attitudes and ideas that growing up had previously been restricted to the home and the church were also very visible outside of those two areas, and in society at large. This being because the vast, vast majority of people (over 90%) were not only Mormon, but were also from a shared ethnic and often common socio-economic background. This transferred into an incredibly homogeneous culture that I found to be very uncomfortable and often disconcerting; where the authoritarian aspects of Mormonism fed off themselves and became an all-pervasive culture of absolutely obeying authority being seen as the greatest virtue.

That is probably the main cause of my discomfort while a student at BYU, as despite my very strict Mormon upbringing, I have always been very uncomfortable with any idea that limits free expression, free thought, free exchange of ideas, etc. There are far too many examples of this overarching, all-penetrating, and overwhelming (religious) authoritarianism to enumerate, but just three of them that have stuck out most in my mind are these:

1) Treating Students as Children

A then friend of mine was required to pay thousands a year for an on-campus meal-plan that wasn't redeemable at the on-campus grocery store because BYU had found that some freshmen lacked the skills to adequately feed themselves, and so decided to force all freshmen to eat at the cafeteria, including those that lived in the on-campus apartments that housed full kitchens. This despite the fact that she was 22, had attended several years of University in her home country of Germany, and wasn't a child. BYU thought it needed to play the role of parent to these students, instead of letting them learn to care for themselves and learn useful skills like self-sufficiency. Of course, the university's insistence in treating students as children means they often act as such. By taking away nearly any opportunity for a student to experience real independence, and by severely limiting what actions and experiences are available, they ensure the limited emotionally maturity of its graduates. While they learn in their respective majors useful life skills, they more importantly learn that obedience to authority is a virtue to be cultivated, and consequently are very poor independent thinkers.

2) The Honor Code

Every student, faculty member and employee is required to sign a sworn statement that they will follow the "Honor Code" which is an rather broad range of rules of external behaviour. Anything that is deemed a "sin" in Mormonism is also deemed to be against the Honor Code, but it certainly doesn't stop there. While it includes such "sins" as masturbation, pornography, and drinking, it also includes prohibitions against men growing facial hair or students of either gender wearing "immodest" clothing, not only on campus, or even during the semester, but even while at home during summer break/holidays! The rules against facial hair (excepting moustaches for some reason) and rules governing proper dress are probably the most disturbing.

Routinely in the student paper "The Daily Universe" students write opinion pieces about how disgusting and unattractive they find any sort of facial hair, and then often disparage the spiritual health and righteousness of any male individual who dares to grow facial hair, or who allows their hair to become "over-the-collar" or otherwise unkempt. They have been brainwashed to believe that facial hair is inherently unattractive because they believe it to be somehow "evil" - based on its forbidden status by the Honor Code, and because the Honor Code is virtuous and righteous and faultless. Also common is hearing the incredibly sexually repressed men (or even women) complain about the "immodest" dress of women who dare to show a little cleavage, or who walk around wearing a messenger bag whose strap goes between their breasts, separating and defining those dirty, naughty pillows of Satan!!! Because the students are so incredibly repressed sexually, not only do they often confess every instance of masturbation, but they get married more quickly, and have more children sooner than any other demographic I've ever witnessed.

All Mormons are required to attend church weekly, and non-Mormons their respective services as well. I've no idea what non-Mormon atheists/non-religious students are required to do - if indeed there are any. If students don't attend church, they can be punished with probation or expulsion.

If a student is caught viewing porn or engaged in an unapproved activity with another person (any activity besides kissing, or anything homosexual), the "Honor Code Office" often will require that student to attend therapy, and will, as a condition of their staying a student, require their therapist to breach confidentiality to the Honor Code Office, in order to check up on the student's "progress".

3) Academic Freedom

Students and faculty do not get to learn or teach in a true academically free environment. Along with the rules governing external behaviour and appearance, there are numerous banned books, topics, ideas, philosophies, political platforms, and even words (swearing).

For example, a person who express the (political) belief that gay (or in the preferred terminology "same-gender attracted") individuals ought to enjoy the full range of rights afforded to straight individuals is grounds for both ecclesiastical discipline and academic repercussions - expulsion if a student, firing if faculty. A faculty member can be prevented from teaching certain ideas or using certain books simply on the basis that a student may be offended and complain to the university. It is common for anything that causes a student to question their beliefs and biases to cause this. Of course, the main point of attending most universities is to have one's preconceptions challenged and learn new ways of thinking. This only applies at BYU if the thing being taught in no way intersects any church teaching or doctrine. Unfortunately, the church has doctrines and teachings about nearly everything, so it is almost impossible to have a truly open and unfiltered learning environment in any discipline.

A faculty member can be disciplined or fired for teaching, writing, or researching anything the university administration (under pressure from the church leadership in SLC) finds is incompatible with the doctrines of the church. Famously, professors have been fired for researching into church history and publishing unsavoury, but true aspects of the church's history; for espousing views, even scientifically supported ones, that "advocate" homosexuality or gay rights; and for being feminists.

The desire to control and proscribe every tiniest action a person is allowed to do is an attempt by the church (whether concious or not) to control the thoughts of its membership. Because they cannot directly monitor thought or internal belief, they measure everything on the externals. The social rules of Mormon society are so detailed that there is very little room for individuality. Indeed, it is better for the church if there is little-to-no individuality left in its members. The more a person adheres to the rules, the less likely they are to think for themselves.

The church sells a lifestyle where all of life's answers are available in a one-size-fits-all pre-packaged form. In order to fit into and be accepted by the community, you have to be just like everyone else. Even the most minor deviance - say drinking a cup of coffee - is punished. BYU takes this idea and runs with it as far as it can. Being a Democrat (let alone a liberal!), having sideburns that descend lower than the ear lobes, skipping Sunday School, buying groceries on Sunday, watching an "R-rated", or many PG-13 movies, arguing or questioning church doctrines while in in class during the week are all grounds for social ostracism.

Now it is true that there are pockets of more liberal and open people on campus, and a person can surround themselves with open-minded and reality-based people. However they must be very, very careful in what they say or do, even in private, lest they risk disciplinary action. No matter how well a person tries to insulate themselves from the authoritarian aspects of the university, they will be confronted with them daily, whether at church, whether from a authoritarian room-mate, classmate, or professor. There are campaigns that encourage students to tell on each other to the appropriate authority for any infraction against the social code. They sell this as necessary for keeping the righteous atmosphere of the Lord's University from being sullied by the wicked disobedient (liberals).

The Mormon idealisation and virtuisation of absolute obedience to authority is no where better experienced than at BYU - or perhaps even better at BYU-Idaho where even shorts and sandals are banned, where all students have a curfew, and where recently the student political clubs (Democrats and Republicans) were forcibly disbanded. I attended BYU for 8 semesters, and in that time I learnt that the most important virtue for Mormons isn't charity, or love, or compassion, or service, but obedience. Absolute obedience to authority is the key to being successful in Mormonism, and everything is secondary to obedience. Everything. A person may be convinced that supporting gay rights is logical, charitable, compassionate, nice, and even politically necessary, but they won't because they put obedience to authority as more important than any other consideration- even human rights. They do this because the authorities they obey receive their authority from God Himself, and despite reams of evidence to the contrary, will never lead the church or its members wrong.

My experience was Orwellian in many ways that almost defy explanation, and is probably hard for anyone who didn't experience it to understand. There are very few cultures in the US that are more authoritarian than Mormon universities, and even fewer that exhibit the extreme irony that is an authoritarian university.