Disclaimer: The first few sections will be laying out a landscape of the Honor Code for which I will base my argument upon. I highly recommend reading it so you can (re)familiarize yourself with what’s been happening. However, feel free to scroll to the section entitled, “Buckle Up”, to read my opinions if you’re pressed for time.

***EDIT: After some consideration, I’ve decided to split this post into 2 parts. The first half (everything up until “The Big Shift”) can be found in another post entitled, “Background of the Honor Code Controversy”. Please read this one for the sufficient context. It is also required for the full intended effect of my thoughts. Otherwise, continue reading for my commentary (:

The Big Shift

As I stated before, signing the honor code prior to my freshman year was by no means a stand-out experience. I was essentially already living the standards, so I didn’t think things would change much after I moved to college.

However, living away from home for the first time (besides a mission) forces students to handle choices and situations that they haven’t been faced with before.

Why am I saying this? Because suddenly the consequences of those choices matter a whole lot more than they did before. People aren’t prepared for that. Growing up is hard enough, especially when it’s riddled with homework, jobs, dating, and finances. Those are just a few of the things that students have to juggle.

BYU is full of faithful Latter-day Saints, but we are nowhere close to immune to the struggles and sins that characterize the rest of the world.

Everyone chose to abide by the Honor Code, just like everyone strives to keep the commandments. Inevitably, we are going to make mistakes. I’d venture to say that every BYU student has broken at least some aspect of the Honor Code, although I’m sure there are exceptions.

Questions to Consider

So my question to you, HCO, is that if you had the all-encompassing knowledge of everyone who ever broke a rule, would you punish everyone?

Furthermore, why is my standing with the university and my continued education contingent upon whether or not my roommate is a snitch?

Fortunately, I’ve never had a run-in with the HCO, but I easily could have. Don’t worry, nothing severe (in fact, many of you know that I grew a beard for a while). In my time living in Provo, I was lucky (I might even say blessed) with roommates who, if there was ever a problem, would talk directly to me first. That is what regular people do. That is what honorable people do.

The only motivations I can think of behind a case where someone fails to do so is fear, self-righteousness, and/or contempt. This includes reports that come from people who aren’t roommates. There are few exceptions to this, such as cheating, danger to parties involved, and law-breaking.

So if you witness someone breaking a rule, ask yourself certain questions before reporting them: How much is this really affecting me? Have I talked to them about this before? What are my motivations behind ratting them out?

That is the way I interpret the phrase contained in the Honor Code: “Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the Honor Code“

THAT BEING SAID

Yes, there is a “That being said”. Because I don’t think anyone is blameless in this scenario. I hope no one tracks me down for saying this, but I don’t believe every story I read on the Internet.

I don’t just say that because I want to be skeptical. Consider the following 3 reasons:

No one in their right mind should fully believe every anonymous story online. Notice the bolded words. Some details in the stories were just outright impossible, even if HCO counselors were overstepping their boundaries. This leads me to believe people are telling half-truths and/or are exaggerating. Clearly, not everyone has positive emotions towards BYU. There are a number of things that could result in bad feelings, including a negative experience with the HCO. See the 2nd half of reason #2.

I’m not saying I can perfectly judge every story on the account, or that most people simply have vicious intentions. I’m saying that it’s better to be cautious. I have no doubt that many of the stories are at least mostly true. But it doesn’t change the fact that we are only getting half the story at best.

Consider the notion where everyone believes every story from one side. In that case, everything goes, and personal anecdotes are taken as absolute truth. This leads to black and white thinking, which is always a crude oversimplification of the problem. It also polarizes the issue a heck of a lot more.

I’ve also observed this bizarre “momma bear defending her cubs” online backlash when anyone even mildly questions a story. If you don’t understand the analogy, Google it.

Real photograph of someone defending an anonymous user online

Part of the reason I’m saying this is because when BYU released the Q&A to address some of the confusion, almost everyone immediately dismissed it completely. In fact, many people were utterly outraged because they claimed that BYU was only seeking to bury the issue. This is the black and white thinking I’m referring to.

***Edit for clarity: This isn’t to say that everyone reacted in the above described way. I am almost certain that many, including the leaders of the Movement, have been navigating and discussing the Q&A with BYU administration (something that I hinted at in the ancillary post linked at the top of the page).

I’m not saying that the Q&A debunked all the stories and that everyone should base their judgement on it either. But instead of acting like BYU doesn’t care, I’m suggesting that we should at least take it into consideration and assess it for what it’s worth.

So what is honor in regards to the stories? Be honest. The ends do not justify the means in this circumstance. As in, don’t tell lies just to prompt change.

On top of that, use righteous judgement. Stop jumping to conclusions. Quit unconditionally rushing to the aid of every single anonymous person on Instagram who claims to have been hurt. Especially when it means defending them at all costs.

I’m not being disingenuous or unsympathetic towards those people. I’m being realistic. I’m also asking you to trust the university a little more.

The Most Important Thing

I saved this section for last because it wouldn’t have as much value without the previous arguments laid out. I believe what I’m about to explain is crucial to restoring honor to the Honor Code, the HCO, and the university.

Throughout the progression of the Movement, I’ve observed many people employ religious appeals in their efforts to spark change. I’ve seen people cite scriptures, General Authority quotes, stories about Christ, and numerous other aspects of the Gospel. This would make sense considering the inherent religious nature of the university and the controversy.

I’ve attempted to sort out what it all means and what the big picture is with regards to religion. Without diving too deep into the theological elements of the controversy, I’m going to focus on something that I think is at the core of a potential solution.

In Martin Luther King Jr.’s book, Strength to Love, he paints a beautiful picture of what true enduring love is in the face of bitter conflict. He argues that love is only possible through a balanced combination of a tough mind and a tender heart. The manifestation of which is to do as Christ says, “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, ...” (Matthew 5:43-47).

This principle was the core component of his strict non-violence doctrine. It wasn’t about putting blame on anyone, nor was it about victimizing the oppressed. It was about standing up for truth no matter the consequence. It was about putting principles before people.

Our Turn

I hope it’s obvious of what I’m getting at. It’s our turn to stand for truth. This does NOT mean that we continue simply blaming the HCO for everything.

It means we take a critical look at ourselves, and decide today how we can individually be honorable BYU students. It means we take responsibility for our mistakes and strive to abide by the Honor Code in the future.

Restoring honor requires us to adhere to the example of Christ by being willing to forgive everyone, including the HCO and roommates/peers/professors that have wronged us. To look forward with a new perspective on how to conduct ourselves. To be acceptant of outcomes, yet steadfast in progress.

To be grateful first for the incredible opportunities that BYU has allotted to us, including the uplifting atmosphere that the Honor Code enforcement ensures.

After we embody this mentality, then maybe, just maybe, circumstances will arrange themselves in a manner that will reduce the pain. But it’s only through the pure integrity and commitment to the truth that honor may be restored.

Thoughts in Closing

After completing this post, I realized that there were a number of things I wanted to say that never made it in. However, upon reading the entirety, I feel satisfied with what I wrote. The reason being that my arguments are mostly based in principle, meaning there’s a lot of room for application.

So what do you think it means to restore honor? Do you agree with me? Let me know what you think in the comments below! Personal DM’s are appreciated as well. I am completely open to criticism, but I ask you to carefully examine my arguments first. It might even be helpful to read the background post for more context if you haven’t already.

Cheers! (:

P.S. I’m not going to reveal the topic for next time, because I want to see how this one is received, but I can assure you it’s worth sticking around for!