From Memphis comes word that Rhodes College alumni were whipped into a frenzy over a BDSM lecture that was set to be hosted by the school's chaplain.
Rhodes is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA and many alumni are wondering just what sort of kinky stuff is going on in the pews at their highfalutin college?
Beatrix Weil, the chaplain at Memphis-based school, had posted a message inviting students to attend a seminar titled, "BDSM 101." And, no, that's not an acronym for "Best Darned Spiritual Mentor."
"Chaplain Beatrix will host a local dominatrix to share wisdom on how to safely, sanely, and consensually learn about bondage, discipline/domination, sadism/submission, and masochism," the announcement read.
It was unclear whether students would be required to furnish their own whips and bedroom restraints or if the college would have some on loan.
"There will be an opportunity to ask questions anonymously," the announcement concluded.
And now many parents and donors are wondering what in the name of John Calvin is going on at Rhodes College? The answer to that question can be found in my book, "Culture Jihad: How to Stop the Left From Killing a Nation."
There's no question that Rhodes has taken a hard left turn in recent years and has earned a reputation as being the Berkley of the Mid-South. Maybe even just a smidge to the left of Berkley.
But even nominal Presbyterians draw the line at whips and leather chaps.
"We canceled the proposed event Friday as soon as it came to our attention," a college spokesperson told me. "It was not a college-sanctioned event."
I'm not quite sure that's going to smooth things over with the donors, parents and alumni.
"There is no justifiable excuse for a chaplain hosting / teaching BDSM," one irate parent said. "What adults do in their bedrooms is their own business. They don’t need a religious leader giving them a safe space. If I were a Rhodes alum, I’d be contacting the president, expressing my disgust, withholding donations, and asking for Chaplain Beatrix to step down."
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I spoke to one alum who graduated in the 1980s and she said the school has gone under a radical transformation.
"I had to start throwing the alumni magazine away," she said. "What in the world is going on there? It's not the same school I attended. A chaplain teaching bondage and domination does not compute."
There are already rumblings that some high-profile donors may withhold donations, a move that has taken hold at a number of Ivy League schools in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Israel.
The Ivy League schools have given quarter to antisemites and student organizations that openly call for the extermination of Israel. In response, many donors have pulled hundreds of millions of dollars in cash.
Many public and private universities shed their moral compass years ago, so the only way to appeal to their good nature is by threatening to empty their bank accounts.
"I'm quiet quitting," one donor told me. "I think that's what the kids are calling it these days."
"They will never get another dime out of me," said another Rhodes alum. "When they ask me for money, I'm going to tell them y'all are out of your minds."
Amy Donohue Howell, a graduate who still lives in the Memphis area, told radio station KWAM she was stunned by the BDSM event.
"Woke, liberal, sick people," she told the radio station. "No more dollars to these idiots."
It's so bad that the parents of one student literally texted their child, "We're getting you the hell out of there."
As for the chaplain, it's really no surprise that she's a Presbyterian perv. Her social media pages are a treasure trove of liberal lunacy, as one observer noted.
There's a photo of Chaplain Beatrix reading "Heather has two Mommies" during a "Banned Books" event. She was also spotted wearing a "black girls lives matter" t-shirt (which could be construed as either cultural appropriation or white savior complex -- unless of course she identifies as a chaplain of color.)
And then there was the LGBTQIA+ affirmation party hosted by Chaplain Beatrix and other religious leaders who "support and affirm people of all gender identities and all sexual orientations."
"Glitter provided," the announcement noted.
There’s no doubt Rhodes College is Presbyterian in name only, but by golly they sure did nail the doctrine of total depravity.
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