The Clause Blogs

By Emily Beatty

It’s no secret that our society thrives off reality television. American Idol, The Bachelor, Jersey Shore-we all fall victim to the deadly grips of reality TV from time to time. Or is it the portrayal of reality that we are utterly attracted to?

In actual reality, it’s hard to tell the difference between what is actually true and honest, and what is fabricated and scripted.

So if these shows are clearly not an accurate portrayal of real life, why do so many of us routinely watch, sometimes religiously, these shows that are truthfully only concerned with ratings?

Brittany Watson, a junior majoring in psychology, admits to watching shows such as Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and The Biggest Loser, and offers a few explanations as to what the draw is for her.

“Keeping up with the Kardashians is entertaining, and they’re ridiculously funny, so it’s purely for entertainment,” Watson said. “The Biggest Loser is inspirational and it’s cool to learn about the contestants’ stories, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition just makes you feel good.”

It’s evident from this, that for a reality television show to be successful, it must evoke emotion in its viewers.

While there are inspirational and positive TV shows, there are also shows that don’t serve any particular purpose, and by all accounts, aren’t relative to real life in any way, shape or form-yet still have millions of viewers.

Jersey Shore, for example, has attained much attention from the media, only after it’s first season. Now into their second season, the show is centered solely on sex, scandal, and the everyday alcoholic catastrophes they create.

“It bothers me that they’re famous, and they got a second season when they’re making money by being horrible role models,” Watson said. “But I think people think they’re so obnoxious and lame, and that’s why they watch them. They don’t like them, they like that they’re so stupid, and they like that they’re not that stupid. It’s just a form of entertainment.”

A more recent example is the media explosion of the life of Charlie Sheen-a life that is quickly dwindling down, while millions watch. Currently the “poster boy” for the party life, the amount of airtime that Sheen has been receiving has become almost like a mini-series of public shame.

He is a man proud of his lifestyle, and unwilling to realize how out of control his life has become, even with recent court order to have his two children taken from him, and yet we act like on-lookers. As a society, we need to realize that as long as we keep watching things like this, the media will continue to play it.

This voyeuristic-like viewing raises many concerns, not only that our society has deemed it acceptable, but also that Christian journalists play a part in this entertainment.

They are faced daily with the challenge of balancing their values and beliefs, with the struggle to remain objective and adequately perform their job of creating reality TV and entertaining their audiences.

There is a moral responsibility to uphold Christian values, which makes it a task to satisfy what the audience wants and needs, when what our society wants and needs is drama, and fresh, stimulating shows.

“I don’t think we need to try to overcome the fact that we love entertainment. We’re a generation of people that like to be entertained in all aspects of our life,” Watson said. “You just have to use that to your advantage and send across a good message, a message that you’re not ashamed or that doesn’t go against your beliefs.”

By Karina Pineda

Imagine finding a treasure map that leads to a treasure chest buried on a deserted island. You spend all of your time and money trying to get to the island, only to discover that once you actually get there, you forgot the map. You are grief stricken over being so close, yet so far away from the treasure. You return home for the map, however making the trip back to the island would be too exhausting and expensive.

This was the metaphor used by Professor Stephen Lambert, Psy.D. in order to describe relationships during his Common Day of Learning presentation entitled, ‘Genograms: Treasure Maps of Family Wisdom.’

However, first to explain the metaphor, one must know what a genogram is. Lambert, who became interested in this subject while working as counselor, described a genogram as a graphic presentation of a family tree that displays detailed data on relationships among the individuals of that family. Genograms can show how close a daughter is to her mother or father, if a child was neglected, or if there is divorce and hostility between members of the family. Genograms can help determine why a person has a certain personality and why they act the way they do.

How do genograms relate to relationships? Dating is like a treasure chest filled with awestruck wonders and beauty. However moving towards engagement or marriage without prior knowledge of ones family relational patterns is like looking for a treasure chest without a map. One will not find the treasure—in this case, a healthy relationship—without a description of how to get to the treasure. In other words, in order to have a treasured relationship, one must navigate throughout their family history and really understand the person they are entering a relationship with.

“If you really believe ‘the one’ is ‘the one’ then you really need to know all about ‘the one’ that you can because you’re committing your life to a person.” said Lambert, “Whether it be ‘the one’ or a series of possible ‘the ones’ the main thing is, if you really don’t get to know that person well, you’re kind of walking into a landmine, and possibly, you’re going to get in to a bad relationship.”

During his presentation, Lambert suggested that the more you know someone, the better you’ll be able to fix problems you my have in the relationship. Knowing about someone doesn’t necessarily mean knowing what their favorite food or color is. Instead, knowing means learning about their nuclear and extended family of each spouse and learning about the relationships people have with each other. Extensive knowledge of your family origin is like the treasure map of family wisdom. Without it, people can become lost and confused about certain relationships they have with people.

Even though not all students are married or have significant others in their lives, Lambert believes it is important for them to not only begin mapping out their own genogram, but to begin learning and inquiring about others around them.

“If you don’t really like the idea of the worst, then you either just find yourself, in a long, long relationship that’s not very satisfying or you end up leaving the relationship.” Said Lambert, “It’s important for college students to really start thinking about the background of the people they’re dating. Not so that if the background is rough they can say ‘hey I’m out of here’ but so those two can sit down and really fish out the meaning of the things that have happened to them and what they’re going to do to try and defend them against that.”

by Lauren Belanger

            During Common Day of Learning, I attended a panel session entitled, “ Working Mothers in the Academy and Beyond: A Panel Exploring Work-family Balance.” The panel was very enlightening for me as I intend to raise a family one-day and also work outside of the home.

            Panelists spoke about the rise of women in the work place since World War II, when women were called to take the place of men as they went to war. When the war was over, many women enjoyed working and made the choice to stay at work, even though the society norms called them to go back home. The panelists who are all or have been working mothers and at some point, earning a higher education degree, spoke about the benefits and downfalls of being a working mother.

            Deana Porterfield, senior vice president for people and organizational development spoke about the Christian faith implications of being a working mother. She said that it really comes down to having a supportive husband, and listening to the call that God has put on your life. If he has called you to work, then heed his call. And she said that when reading the passage of the Psalms 31 woman, to be aware that every couple can work that into their own callings. For instance, Porterfield doesn’t like to cook and her husband does, but she enjoys cleaning.

            There were many different types of attendees at the panel, single, working mothers who are also going to school, married, working mothers, and those who don’t have a family yet. Vanessa Irizarry, a senior psychology major is a mother of a one year old, and wanted to attend the event for fellowship with other mothers going to school and working. “I’m about to enter the workforce, and how to balance it because I know that even going to school, it’s really hard to be present in my schooling when I’m thinking about my son,” Irizarry said.

By Karina Pineda

Last Night, I experienced music, comedy, spoken word, and dance in a way that I have never really experienced them before. Yes, I have seen and listened to people play music and dance before. However, none of those music performances or dances truly celebrated diversity and the advancement of one’s culture like the ones I saw last night. Where did I experience this diversity? The BSA Coffee House.

I have heard of many multicultural organizations at APU who put on events for students, however I had never been to one before. So I had no idea what to expect as I walked up the steps to UTCC where the event was being held. I sat down and noticed a banner on the stage that stated the theme for the night, ‘Love is: A Tribute to Black History Through the Decades.’

Right away, I thought it was going to be a celebration about musical achievements in black history only to realize that it was about much more than that. Just by watching the first performance, a poem entitled “Why am I black,” I knew that this coffee house was set up to celebrate all types of achievements in Black History, such as fighting for justice and putting an end to segregation. In order to show the struggles that African Americans had, YouTube videos that documented the history of the civil rights movement were shown on the screens above the stage. Each video was either preceded or followed by a musical or spoken word performance that touched upon the subject of love and diversity.

I could tell that I was definitely not the only one who enjoyed the music as guests in attendance began to clap and even dance in the aisle during a rendition of Etta James’ “At Last.” They even participated in the event by going on stage and answering questions from a game that the event hosts made up.

As I said before, this was my first coffee house events and I felt very honored that I had the opportunity to do attend. As cliché as it might sound, this coffee house made me think about all the tough times people had during the civil rights movement. We’ve all heard the stories and learned about it in school, however it is different when you are learning about it from your peers.

Even though some forms of discrimination still exist today, it is important for us as Christians to remember that “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him: male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27).

By Heather Allen

“Sex & Chocolate,” and annual sex talk held in Engstrom Hall provides answers to all those awkward questions that we don’t want to ask our parents or friends.

“It shouldn’t be weird to talk about sex or masturbation or the issues that our life patterns,” senior Biology major and panelist Caleb Van Essen said.

With a lobby full of both guys and girls, the event was just as successful as it has been in the past.

“I’ve been to Sex & Chocolate all four years now and it’s a really great thing to hear people talk about sex because it isn’t talked about much,” senior Psychology major and panelist Ellie Van Essen said. “Also as an RA is was very cool time for some of my residents to start talking about things like masturbation and sex before marriage, and their struggles and experiences with them.”

Most of the questions consisted of whether masturbation is acceptable or not or how often the married couples have sex, but there was one question in particular that generated some very interesting answers from the panel. “Why do you think God made sex for marriage?” Half of the panelists were quick to offer responses with references from the Bible and sharing their personal experiences of mistakes that were made before marriage. ‘How do you stop having sex after you’ve already started?’ was another question asked from the crowd.

“I don’t think the questions couldn’t have gotten any more blunt,” freshman International Business major Brenton Kelly said. “All the speakers were very straightforward and informative. I thought it was great for all the students of APU to hear what a Christian sexual relationship is supposed to look like.”

The panel consisted of four married couples ranging from eight months of marriage to 33 years of marriage, and two single individuals. Each couple shared their own relationships stories, both good and challenging. One couple was actually on the panel at the beginning of their marriage and came back this year to share their new experiences.

“When Jack and I were first on the panel, we would get questions and we would be like ‘we’ll let you know’ because we were still figuring out so much,” panelist Melissa Stava said. “Sex would still be awkward because of the fact that we were only three months in, but now since we’re three and a half years in, we’re getting the hang of things. Now, we’ve grown so much as a couple.

The night was filled with great tips of how to stay pure in this day in age, how to help others who may be going through issues concerning sex, and cute marriage stories that had the room swooning.

“The only bad thing about the night was that there wasn’t enough chocolate,” freshman Biology major Cameron Wielemga said.

By: Heather Allen

Would you watch a fourteen-hour documentary all in one sitting? Most would say ‘no,’ but that’s why the English department and BSA decided to split it up into one hour increments throughout the month of February so we wouldn’t have to sit all day watching the award winning Civil Rights documentary Eyes on the Prize.

“I chose this film because it is Black History Month” Associate Professor for the Department of English Patricia Andujo said. “I noticed that APU as community didn’t do a lot to acknowledge Black History Month on campus and I thought that this would be a great resource for everyone can be exposed to. It’s a pivotal moment in our country’s history.”

Eyes on the Prize is a documentary series about the almost thirty year long Civil Rights Movement that started from the year 1954 and ended with the year 1985. The first segment begins with the murder of Emmett Till in 1955 while the last segment ends with the election of Chicago mayor Harold Washington in 1983. Throughout the documentary, highlights some of the major events that occurred during that time such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on Washington, the Voting Rights Movement in Selma, Alabama, and the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. It also touches bases on some of the people that had a large part in the Civil Rights Movement including Rosa Parks, Malcom X, Muhammad Ali, and, of course, Martin Luther King Jr.

“This documentary series allows us students to experience a part of history that often isn’t widely broadcasted and talked about because of the sheer horror and reality of what took place,” freshman Graphic Design major Elizabeth Cecconi said.

In honor of Black History Month, it was only appropriate to show this moving documentary to help educate us about what became an extremely important part of the history of the United States. If the Civil Rights Movement never occurred, we would still be living in a prejudiced country and would most likely not be friends with the people of different ethnicities around us now. It shows us the struggles for racial equality and the fight for social justice that still continues to take place in today’s society more than a decade later.

If you ever need a break from your homework or are interested in the events that made our country the way it is today, come to Wynn from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM during the month of February to watch this incredible award-winning documentary and engage in thought-provoking discussions following the segment. Grab a friend and some coffee and watch history unfold before your very eyes.

Yesterday I attended the brown bag lunch discussion entitled “codependency” as part of APU’s “Speak Out” week hosted by the Women’s resource center. Dr. Elaine Walton of the university counseling center provided expert insight to the event while also bringing those who were attending into the discussions.

Walton defined a codependent as “someone who becomes so preoccupied with someone else that they disregard themselves.” She had those in the group evaluate the relationships they are in, both platonic and romantic, and also look at the relationships of those around them to see if they could attest to any codependent tendencies.

The discussion was quite intimate and some attendees revealed intimate details of their own relationships or their friend’s relationships. It was an insightful discussion that helped everyone understand how to see codependency and how to approach your friend’s about it or heal codependency in your own life.

We talked about how faith can impact codependency. One of these ways was through the sometimes unrealistic expectations of the “Proverbs 31 woman.” “Desire for the Proverbs 31 woman takes away from our value as Christians and people made in God’s image,” senior global studies major Erika Lal said.

Some of the ways that Walton discussed avoiding overcoming codependency is to talk problems through, express your feelings openly, avoid unrealistic expectations and work to meet your own needs.

By Allyson Rodrigues

Saturday, Jan., 29, I attended the 20^th annual Gospel Sing. This was my first Gospel Sing and after hearing nothing but great things about it in the past I was excited to attend.

The floor of Felix Event Center was packed with attendees. However, I was somewhat surprised and thought more people would be there and that FEC would look more like a Friday chapel. But whatever the final count on numbers will be, there were still many people there that enjoyed a night of worship.

The night began with recent APU graduate, Joel Simpson, getting the crowd on their feet stomping and clapping along with him. This energy was the first of the night and it only became greater as the night wore on.

There were many APU performers including Gospel Choir, Umoja, Gospel Worship Team, and Bobby Whiten, who endearingly self proclaimed himself as nervous and ran into a technical difficulty when we realized he had forgotten to plug in his guitar. The rest of the APU performers were just as good, if not better than usual.

The rest of the performers were choirs and included Lorenzo Johnson and Praizum, the Greater Los Angeles Cathedral Choir (GLACC) and Voices of Destiny. I’ve never seen choirs like these in person and I have to say I was blown away. GLACC truly got everyone on their feet and had people dancing down the aisles. The last act of the night was Voices of Destiny who won the Verizon Wireless How Sweet the Sound competition and was named Best Choir in America. From the first musical note it was obvious they deserved their title.

If you’ve never been to Gospel Sing, I highly recommend you attend next year. It was a night to worship the Lord through gospel music and see the talent He has given those around us.

By: DJ Brinkherhoff

A forum entitled, “Theology of Justice,” kicked off Justice Week 2011, with  the intention of coming to a more nuanced understanding of the word “justice”.

The discussion was facilitated by the MAS office and took place Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. in LAPC. Professor of systematic theology, Craig Keen, and professor of biblical studies and chair of the Department of Biblical Studies, Kathryn J. Smith, served on the panel.

Keen began the discussion by asking what the word “justice” means when its use is ubiquitous. He then framed what he saw as the American conception of justice.

He gave the example of a blindfolded woman holding a set of scales.

The blindfold, as Keen has come to understand it, means that there is a certain fairness at play. That is, no matter the situation, it will be treated exactly like the others. The scales indicate a fair and balanced retribution—that the criminal will get his or her just dessert and pay their debt to society.

Keen then posited that this is not a Christian vision of justice.

His vision consists of God reaching out to humanity and saying, “come”. Put differently, if Christians want to be just they should go where God goes; to the poor, sick, widowed, orphaned, and imprisoned.

“Justice is righteousness, and righteousness is also justice; and both take shape in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Keen said.

Smith says that it is about imagining and enacting an alternate way of justice. Agreeing with Keen that the relationship between just and righteous is extremely important for a Christian understanding of the topic. She also stressed the inclusionary nature of justice and that it may mean we are to operate in ways that are illogical.

For example, the command that we are to turn the other cheek runs counter to what we naturally want to do and may in fact hinder ones “success”.

Smith also gave an example of the year of Jubilee from the Torah. In Jubilee, debts are forgiven and property returned and the land is not worked for one year. When usury is commonplace this type of justice is illogical.

The rest of the session was devoted to a time of discussion and questions. Keen and Smith urged the students to dialogue amongst themselves.

At the front of student’s minds was how this type of justice is to be enacted. Students shared examples and expressed their frustration at discerning how to be just in an unjust world.

“I appreciated that they [the panelists] didn’t presume to know the answers,” junior biblical studies major, Joey Convertino said. “And I left feeling enlightened and challenged.”

By: Emily Beatty

As Justice Week 2011 came to a close, I had the opportunity to attend “Just Expressions,” a coffeehouse event that allowed students to express themselves through song, poetry, and spoken word.

Held in UTCC, there were about 15 participants and 20 different acts.

The purpose of the event was to raise awareness and draw attention to the inequality and oppression that people struggle with in their lives.

The three-hour event offered various performances. From original songs- to spoken word that mimicked that of a freestyle rap, the vibe throughout the room was powerful.

Heather Reece, a senior who is majoring in sociology, also attended the event.

“’Just Expressions’ was a relaxing way to end the week. After participating in the Body Discourse earlier in the week, and attending Justice Week events, I found great support from other individuals who are actively seeking justice and equality,” Reece said.

As I sat at my candle-lit table, I couldn’t help but become overwhelmed with the amount of pain I felt from others in the room.I was suddenly struck with the realization that I am, most of the time, oblivious to the marginalization and discrimination people have to face on a day-to-day basis.

It was extremely empowering to see the courage and the passion proclaimed by so many of my peers on stage.

Heather insists that events such as this are essential.

“APU students who have open minds can come together in a safe space, such as ‘Just Expressions,’ and freely express their beliefs and find comfort and strength from one another,” Reece said.

If I’ve learned one thing from this experience, it’s that the plague of oppression still exists, and should not be ignored, but rather, it should be protested and shared with others.Our society has a tendency to shove things that make us uncomfortable on the back burner.