After reading through the Drug Task Force’s report several times, I have to say I’m quite impressed; it was 300 percent better than I expected it to be. When I mentioned this to a friend of mine who is on the task force, he jokingly said either they had done well or my expectations were low.

Both, actually. Considering the scope of the problem they attempted to address, I believe that on the whole they did a pretty fair job. There are a few minute issues of which I doubt the efficacy or solvency (an on-campus pub, for example, is an interesting idea but likely wouldn’t solve anything).

They are missing one crucial component, however, an omission so glaring to anyone with an eye toward history, context and comprehensiveness, it boggles the mind that it was excluded. In the entirety of the report, campus ministries and faith-based organizations were mentioned only twice, regarding involvement in an ongoing President’s Commission and increasing the level of on-campus social activity.

It is a mistake to ignore the potential impact faith-based teachings and programs could have in regard to solving the current problems, especially alcohol, which is what I will focus on here. Students at this university have varied backgrounds, yet many religions forbid either the consumption of alcohol or have strong warnings against its over-consumption.

In the Hindu Manusmriti, alcohol consumption is warned against: “All those which produce molasses and such intoxicants are to be forbidden by those who desire spiritual rewards.” Islam forbids its pious from partaking in any alcohol consumption whatsoever.

Christianity has several warnings and prohibitions against becoming drunk on spirits as well. Ephesians 5:18 says, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” Similarly, Romans 13:13 goes on, “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.”

A significant percentage of the student body here at SMU ascribes to these beliefs even if they do not always follow them. What an unmistakably simple and, more importantly, powerful tool to instruct. This would remind us of the eternal impact of our temporal actions.

In addition to this, though SMU is not a “religious” school in the strictest sense of the word, it has a powerful and long history with the United Methodist Church, not to mention its current involvement (a Methodist bishop sits on the Board of Trustees). SMU also pays homage to the United Methodist Book of Discipline, which promotes complete abstinence from drinking alcohol. It is a wonder, then, why these faith-based avenues would be ignored, when our history and current affiliations lend themselves easily to application.

People of faith are to be held accountable to their beliefs by their fellow believers, and conversely, to hold others accountable as well. Hence, helping to remind fellow believers of our duties in our actions and thoughts would serve both purposes for the communities. The different groups of faith on campus should have a central role in devising the faith-based approaches I’ve been advocating. In this way, we can hold ourselves accountable and serve as examples of what we are supposed to embody to those whom are non-religious.

President Turner should invite the Chaplain’s Office to work closely with believers on this campus. These groups should focus on how to strengthen the existing recommendations with religious initiatives as well as providing new and insightful recommendations specific to a faith-based approach.

To pre-empt the concerns of the more secular-minded individuals on campus, these religious aspects would not be mandatory nor forced upon someone against his or her will. Rather, they would act as additional support for the mission of the Task Force and perhaps save lives. Who can argue against that with any semblance of reason?

President Turner should not limit himself to the recommendations presented by the task force. I strongly urge him to consider additional faith-based approaches to tackling the problem. To not do so would be irresponsible and injudicious. If this advice is ignored, in the words of my good friend Reed Hanson, the inspiration for this article, “what a farce.”

About the author:

John Jose is a sophomore finance and economics major. He can be reached at [email protected].