Expensive Private Colleges - A plea to the faith community

Bloggity – Why are “Christian” Private Colleges so (damned) Expensive?

20 February 2020       

So, I’m looking up which University to go to (i.e. who’s going to get my moolah from my Montgomery GI Bill), and I’m perusing to classifieds for each, and nearly spit out my coffee. $48,500 here, $52,000 there, the list goes on. Now wait a minute, I know full well these schools basically give you education discounts – in the forms of scholarships, but rarely, and I mean RARELY, do you get to go “for free.”  So, despite the “congratulations, you’ve been admitted! You’re a first time Hispanic student (no hate here, I get it, you cannot help your ethnicity – hey! Me either! #meeither), whose parents didn’t go to school and you’re Catholic and hey you don’t make anything, so today, we’re “giving you a scholarship” (er um, tuition “discount”) of $25,000! Yeaye!  Right. So now, I’ve STILL got to pay > $20,000 just for the tuition, PLUS another $20,000 for room, board, transportation, and all the other living expenses, plus, to maintain an academic “scholarship” worthy GPA of 4.0, I’ll have to find time to crank out the 14 pages of research papers in the midst of moonlighting at a bar – how friggin’ ironic (or um, perfectly Christian? Sarcasm implied).

Hmmm… Thoughts here   So, didn’t Jesus like you know, give Himself up, FOR FREE? Isn’t that the doctrine that has been preached and believed in for many a millennia? How, then, is it that Christian schools are PRIVATIZED? So they can keep the moolah to themselves? They boast (which is also anti-Christian) about giving away all of these scholarships etc, in an interest of keeping free their money from the government’s eyes.  Don’t even get me started on the half-truths of “separation of church and state” – because all that means is that “clergy”  don’t pay for their houses (it’s called a “living stipend” – ask you pastor about it next Sunday), and that the church keeps their money for their own.  But still, why is this? Would Jesus approve of such a thing? For people to decide who is the most deserving of such a resource?  Didn’t Christ put people on this earth to better it, rather than create a privatized elitist club? Do ya’ll need to be special Jesus snowflakes?  “But my education is faith infused!”, you might retort

 Ya drank too much of the communion wine darlin’.

Right. So Jesus said have faith by paying up. Okay. I donated, to organizations that are the hands and feet of Christ, and they are NOT affiliated with any “faith based” organization. Do you know why? Because that’s where Christ dwelled. He didn’t look for accolades, or recognition, or a free t-shirt with flip flops.  No. He gave.  He made Himself nothing remember?

Jesus “made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant” when He took on human flesh (Philippians 2:7).

Yep. I just did that – I went Bible on ya’ll.  I hope someday the church can see, that though fellowship is appreciated, as are the resoures to go to school, that it would make a hell of a lot more sense to  make public college. Why make it accessible for everyone?  Look at you,  oh faith based human – didn’t God do the same by sending Jesus? Should not you put your faith into practice? Do not make yourself divided from the world – especially not by boasting of yourself or your character according to your own measure. 

This world’s wisdom is foolishness to God. As it’s written, He catches the wise in their cleverness. 1 Corinthians 3:19

Faith, is hands to the grindstone, day in, day out , down and dirty. It is NOT 400,000 homes, 100,000 member or even 5,000 members. IT’S NOT ABOUT NUMBERS. Prove it. Prove it in ALL that you do. You want people to tithe and ergo their hard earned resources in order to “advance faith”… .to “reach the masses” -? Then MAKE KNOWLEDGE FREE. I dare you, and I emplore you, in the name of the One who you proclaim to live by, stop using your resoures as a way to hide and divide and run. Don’t you remember ,

 ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Matthew 9:37. 

Those are the words of Christ Himself.  I don’t make the rules .I am here to remind you how He asks us to live. ALL of us. Not just some, or that only those with  exorbitant bank accounts and polished prose are “destined” for  leadership, or His Kingdom. Besides – you cannot take anything with you and, furthermore, 

“But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” Matthew 19:30

You can’t “win” by this world’s standards! Why are you all so caught up in this? I was too, until I threw it all off. It’s harder, living this side of the rainbow, amidst the “commoners”, LOL. I would not have it any other way. I know degrees add bridges, they  speak to soft skills, but the ultimate School of Hard KNoX – the Kingdom, STILL presides first – and IS FREE, if you’d only allow others into your prestigious circle. 

My challenge, my plea, my heart cry - stands.