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strong language and contain sexually explicit scenes, and were a large part of my personal growth early this semester. Dr. Schaak sees these texts, when paired with a careful discussion, not as indulgent but as books that benefit their readers. “College students are young adults, and most have some sexual experience, so it’s something they are interested in. It’s also something they need a better understanding of, which is where a careful discussion is necessary. Responsible writers do not include such scenes carelessly or in order to be titillating. These scenes communicate something that moves the story forward, and often such scenes are presented as dangerous, destructive, or hazardous.” On encountering difficult content in a text, Dr. Schaak says, “It’s almost like facing a fear: once you have named it and confronted it, it loses some of its power over you. Once you see that profane language or improper sexuality in a book need not have a detrimental effect on your life, you begin to gain power and control over these things.” This is a kind of power I couldn’t get from avoiding these books, not a kind of power that allows me to overcome everything else, but one that allows me to see things as they are: it’s the maturity Koby and I talked about. When I asked Dr. Schaak how he advised students to interact with books like this he said, “the classroom is important in showing students how to engage such discussion.” He doesn’t often suggest difficult books outside of class away from “a thoughtful group of peers and a structured setting.” But, once a student has learned “how to read and respond to such a book, doing so on his or her own is possible, even expected.” Interaction with these texts has been a rewarding experience for me personally, and I can attest to the process of development carefully employed by Dr. Schaak. This is what I want to pass on to you. When you think about selfcensorship don’t think about content alone. Avoidance of difficult content subconsciously teaches us that those who follow Christ have no place in life’s hardest discussions. Avoidance reinforces the misconception that purity is fragile. Don’t misunderstand my aim. I don’t intend to say that we can do whatever we want. My aim is this: to show that
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