So Much For Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and I think it's time the students of Ball State University were reminded of that.

I'm a student here and have heard all about the incident on campus Wednesday morning. Near Neely Avenue, two women reported a white male on a "bluish" bicycle slapped them on the behind as he rode past. This also happened to a faculty member and, at least once, was followed up with the assailant giving the woman the finger and shouting "I love you!" I'm doubting these were his first and only acts against women. Read the full story here.

Do I believe these incidents worthy of newstime on CNN? No. Do I believe UPD (University Police Department) overreacted? Only slightly. There's a reason for the emergency posts around campus. One of them is because assaults worse -- some far worse -- have occurred on the Ball State campus, at least two last semester alone. And that doesn't include those that went unreported.

Do students take incidents like this seriously? Of course not.

Was there outrage that people would do this? Hardly.

Was there a Facebook fan page for the perpetrator? Yep.

And t-shirts that are selling for $10 a pop. I could hardly believe it when I saw the page on Facebook. How do these people see another's violation as funny or appropriate in any way? In my Theater 100 class, on guy (note the gender) said he would have taken it as a compliment. Granted, a few girls said this, too, but I'm doubting this is how those women would feel, or how those who were the object of this man's "affections" felt, when it happened to them. And people wonder why assaults are so prevalent on college campuses. It isn't just alcohol overflowing, despite laws regarding age of students allowed to drink. To be honest, if you think your little boy or little girl doesn't have access to alcohol on campuses because he/she is under twenty-one, you are, with all due respect, an idiot. It isn't because of testosterone-filled college guys at parties who lose control. It's not because girls make poor choices. These are all factors, but I believe the ultimate reason is because things like some butt-slapper are taken so lightly. No one thinks twice until someone gets seriously hurt or worse. Not only is it taken lightly, but because of the Facebook page and the T-shirts, it's being encouraged.

To be honest, I'm ashamed to say I go -- I pay to go -- to this school right now.

Now, I don't usually agree with the decisions of Ball State president, Jo Ann Gora, but for once, we seem to be seeing eye-to-eye on something. In an e-mail sent to the student body on Friday morning, she said:

"I am disappointed by the reaction of a portion of the student body. The creation of a Facebook page mocking these incidents and inviting similar behavior for fun goes beyond poor judgment. Such mimicking and mocking has the effect of condoning strangers to violate personal space and touch others without warning. It is both insensitive and disrespectful to anyone who has ever been assaulted, including the victims and to the entire Ball State community. This attempt at humor misses the mark badly and is an embarrassment to the university."


As of this writing the fan page has nearly 8,000 fans.

By the end of today, estimates from www.now.org say 600 women will have been assaulted in America.

That's about 13 fans for every woman assaulted today.

Think about it. The one in five women who are victims of assault could be your friend. Your mother. Your sister. Your girlfriend, wife, or daughter. Will you be a fan of that, too?

I'm in no way saying that a slap to the rear is equivalent to rape. But this sort of thing is where rape starts -- a violence, anger, and utter disrespect for others.

What really saddens me is that women were joining this group as well. I've heard the stories that prove women can be, often, more vicious to each other than men, but encouraging behavior like this against other women by joining a group like this is sick.

So, in short, the incident was blown out of proportion with the emergency alert, but not as much as people seem to be saying (take a gander at the comments on the Daily News article). I don't think they needed to send out text messages to the student body, but they were right in letting the student body know about the incident. The person who created the page is more than a little sick and the people who joined are the same. Those who came forward and reported the incident set an example of courage for those who will come under assault in the future. As for the "Ball State Ass-Slapper," as he has been lovingly nicknames by his fans, I hope he is caught and punished according to his crime (and yes, to those who don't know, what he did was illegal).

Forgiven

When Christians think of Easter, we often think of Christ’s rising from the dead. A worthy thought to be sure, as it is, indeed, the reason for the holiday and the thing that sets Christianity apart from all other faiths – a risen Savior. It is, probably, the most important aspect of the fulfillment of the mission of Christ. His death reminds us that we are redeemed, saved from sin unto Christ and saved from our own way – the way of destruction – but His resurrection conquered the grave, giving us a way to do the same. I think most of us are so caught up on our own redemption (and for good reason) that we neglect to notice the redemption of one particular man who happened to be very close to Jesus.

This morning in children’s church (and in night church, as well), we watched a video about the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, with an emphasis on the resurrection. As I was watching, it dawned on me that my redemption from sin was not the only lesson in this story.

We are told in John 13:36-38:

“Simon Peter said unto him, ‘Lord, whither goest thou?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.’ Peter said unto him, ‘Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. Jesus answered him, ‘Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, the cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.”

What a shock that must have been for Peter. To be, at the time of his speaking, so sure that he would be ready and willing to fight and die for his Lord and then be told by that same Lord he would blatantly deny Him, not once, but three times before the next sunrise? I know I would have been. I’ve been sure of so many things – that I would do (or wouldn’t do) something, only to find that I didn’t (or did) wind up doing them anyway. But imagine how it would feel to be told in advance by someone I had pledged allegiance to that I would turn my back on them, especially when they needed support most (not that Jesus needed Peter’s help here, but from a human perspective, I’m sure a kind word from His friend would not have been turned away at that point). I think you would be shocked and probably trying to convince that someone they were wrong. With Peter’s penchant for foot-in-mouth disease, I’m sure he tried to convince Christ that what He said was wrong – that he, Peter, would never in a million years do such a thing.

And for a while, it stuck. If you recall, Peter was there in the garden when Christ was arrested and stood firmly by his Lord long enough to cut the ear off of a servant of the Ciaphas. Christ rebuked Peter for getting in the way of His mission – to go as a lamb to the slaughter, without fighting, yelling, or an escape attempt. Peter even followed the group of soldiers who were escorting Jesus to His trial (if you can legitimately call it that) from a distance and waited outside the high priest’s house while the “trial” went on inside. We are told in Luke 22:54-62:

“Then took they Him, and led Him, and brought Him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them. But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him and said, ‘This man was also with Him.’ And he denied Him, saying, ‘Woman, I know Him not.’ And after a little while another saw him, and said, ‘Thou art also of them.’ And Peter said, ‘Man, I am not.’ And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, ‘Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilean.’ And Peter said, ‘Man, I know not what thou sayest.’ And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said unto him, ‘Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.’ And Peter went out and wept bitterly.”

Can we blame him? In his fear of being recognized with Christ, he had done just as Jesus said he would, and exactly what he said he would never do. Imagine what shame Peter felt when he heard that rooster crow and saw the gaze of his Master rest upon him. He had failed Him, and he knew it.

But God was not done with Peter. Not by a long shot.

Praise God, Jesus rose three days after His crucifixion. That morning, women came to anoint the body and found the tomb gloriously empty. Well, not so gloriously at first, as they were convinced someone had taken the body. When they saw that there was no body in the tomb, they ran immediately to John and – you guessed it – Peter, and gave them the news, saying “They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid Him.” (John 20:2) John and Peter ran to the tomb, finding it as the women said. John arrived first, but it was Peter who entered to see the abandoned linen. We are told in John that after he (John) entered, he believed, but it says nothing about whether or not Peter believed. The book of Mark says that, after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to the eleven (all the disciples but the late Judas) as they sat eating (Mark 16:14). That would include Peter. Personally, I think, in his grief over, not only the death of his Lord, but also his betrayal, Peter was not ready to believe at the time of his seeing the empty tomb, but what joy he must have felt to see his Master appear in that room, even if He was berating them for their unbelief. I think this joy might have been mixed with some kind of fear as well. Not just because Jesus appeared to randomly materialize from thin air (which, truth be told, would have certainly scared me), but also from retribution. It is our human nature (and Peter’s) to want to react in vengeance when we are wronged. As far as Peter was concerned, this could be what was next for him after Christ’s return from the dead. Of course, we know that his sin of betrayal was already forgiven and that it is against Christ’s person to wreak retribution, but how was Peter to know, or if he knew, remember that? (I’m not a theologian, but it’s a thought. Feel free to argue.) Imagine his relief when Christ made no such move. The feeling of forgiveness.

Later we find that Peter and some of the other disciples have returned to their old career – fishing. They have been fishing all night and have caught nothing. From somewhere on the shore a man (later discovered by the disciples to be Jesus) calls out to them, “Children, have ye any meat [fish]?”

“They answered him, ‘No.’ And He said unto them, ‘Cast the net on the right side of the ship and ye shall find.’ They cast therefore and now were unable to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore the disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’” – John 21:5-7a

Personally, I don’t think Peter needed John to tell him that the man on shore was Jesus. Who else could have filled their nets after a full night of catching nothing, simply by casting their nets on the other side of the boat. I find it difficult to believe the fish were simply playing hide-and-seek with the fishermen and got tired of shifting to the other side of the boat when they put their nets down on one side. Jesus knew what would get their attention and got it most effectively.

Peter dove into the water and swam ashore to his Master, who I imagine welcomed him with open arms. Such is the way He welcomes any repenting sinner into his presence – He wants to renew the relationship.

While they ate, Jesus asked Peter some questions. Well, one question, really.

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith unto Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto Him, ‘Yea, lord; thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ He saith unto him a second time, ‘Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?’ He saith unto him ‘Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love Thee.’ He saith unto him, ‘Feed my sheep.’ He saith unto him the third time, ‘Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?’ Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, ‘lovest thou me?’ And he said unto Him, ‘Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love Thee.’ Jesus saith unto him, ‘Feed my sheep.’” – John 21:15-17

Three retractions for three denials. Whether Peter was grieved because of the repeated asking or whether he saw this significance, we’ll never know. Jesus, I’m sure, knew it. He knew that, even though Peter had failed, and failed miserably, he was worth giving another chance to do God’s work through his life. Peter was given the command, ‘Feed my sheep.’ God was willing to work through this broken clay pot – this masterpiece in the making – to accomplish great things for Him and His kingdom.

Peter is a perfect example of a man whose failures were elemental in making him into what God wanted him to be. He had failed, he was flawed, he was forgiven, and he went off, through God’s grace, to live true to Christ’s words – “And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 17:8)

I can’t count the number of times Satan has convinced me that, because I have failed, I’m of no use of God. How could God use someone like me, who messes up, some times worse than others, for His glory, other than to show an example of what not to do? And who wants to be that example? I admit, I have a problem with forgiving myself and forgetting my sins after I’ve confessed them – even if I know that God has forgotten them, removing them as far as the east is from the west. For some reason, it seems I would rather sit and sulk about my inability to “get it right” and beat myself up over my constant failure, than to simply accept God’s forgiveness. But I am reminded here, that no matter how badly I mess up and what my past might look like, that God has a purpose for my future, and, if I just let Him, my present as well. He hasn’t promised to build a church on my ministries, such as they are, but He has promised that what I do in His name will not go to waste, even if I do fall from time to time (or more than that). He has promised to forgive and forget and to continue working through my life for His glory if I get out of the way and allow Him to do so.