A Tale of Two BYU Students

At an entrance to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, a sign reads, “Enter to learn; go forth to serve.” It’s a noble motto, but it’s often unfulfilled in students’ lives.

For instance, consider two BYU students, Bill and Larry. I knew them both when a student there. The three of us had the same major and sat together during several classes.

An Indiscretion

Shy and soft-spoken, Bill was from Africa. He immigrated to the United States to attend BYU. A convert to Mormonism who had yet to serve a mission, Bill had few friends because of his dark skin and self-effacing personality. So, when Bill met Debbie, the tall long-legged coed of his dreams, he fell for her—and fell hard. It wasn’t long until they slept together. Bill wasn’t excommunicated from the Mormon church, though, or even asked to leave the university. Rather, to make his situation more comfortable for all concerned, BYU helped him find another college to attend. To its credit, the university’s response was compassionate and faith based. Bill’s sin was considered a serious “indiscretion.”

Evil Ways

 On the other hand, Larry, also a convert to Mormonism, hailed from Southern California. A returned missionary, he was an excellent, well-liked student, active in the LDS church until his senior year. It was then he began to doubt that the LDS church president is a prophet, and he said so. Married in the Mormon temple, Larry at one time considered becoming a seminary and institute teacher in the LDS church educational system. But toward the end of his time at BYU, his goals had changed. And pressed to meet graduation deadlines, Larry invented a fictitious case study, which he included in a term paper. With little thought by BYU officials, Larry was expelled from the university before finishing. Like the Pharisees of old, BYU responded out of religious self-righteousness, not because of loving concern for someone who needed help.

Cultic Behavior

Severe self-justification toward leaders is cultic behavior. It’s plain to see. Accordingly, following leaders in the Mormon church is usually more important than loving God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself (see Mark 12:30). This was the case with BYU’s treatment of Larry. Admittedly, he was wrong for cheating on a term paper. But Larry didn’t deserve expulsion from BYU. He needed a hand up. Like Bill, Larry deserved help finding another university to attend.

BYU treated Larry harshly because he openly questioned the Mormon church president’s standing as a “prophet, seer and revelator” (see Doctrine and Covenants 107:92). In doing so, Larry cast doubt on Mormonism’s truthfulness, which is an egregious sin in the LDS church. Conversely, the university treated Bill compassionately—probably because he had moved from Africa to Provo to attend BYU, and because he sustained Mormonism’s “prophet.”

Whitewashed Walls and Outward Appearance

In dealing with Bill and Larry, Brigham Young University exposed its position on the faith vs. religion continuum. Like its Mormon church sponsor, BYU is immersed in Pharisaic religion and steeped in legalism. Consequently, in Mormonism, what’s on the outside matters most.

But how does the Lord feel about that? The Bible is tells us. Jesus said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:27, 28 ESV). And 1 Samuel 16:7 emphasizes, “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

A Better Way

Christians praise God for providing a better way than the path found in Mormonism. That better way is the avenue of faith, and it’s found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. True followers of God don’t concern themselves with outward images. Instead, we focus on attaining eternal life and forgiveness of sins through faith in the Savior (Matthew 15:18–20). Contrary to Mormonism, sustaining a supposed line of latter-day prophets doesn’t lead to everlasting life. Believing in Christ does (John 3:16, 18, 36; 5:24; 6:47).

We’re a people of faith, not legalists following an outward religion. If Christians were addressing the situations of Bill and Larry, mercy would have prevailed over justice. Faith would have triumphed over legalism. As Paul wrote, “ . . . whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23).

Comments or questions? Write loren@gco4lds.org.

Visit our Web site at www.gco4lds.org.

Global Christian Outreach is an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) Christian ministry. We need your prayerful financial support. Donations are completely tax deductible under applicable law and help us defend and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the earth. To be part of this important work, visit www.gco4lds.org/donate.html.