Shame is shameful in today’s culture.

shed our shame

Shed the Shame, an event held at Biola on March 17, encouraged women to not fear starting conversations about shame and how to come to terms with it. Even though Biola is taking positive steps like this to address shame and how we should not focus on shaming others or ourselves, we as a student body need to make efforts to have this be our daily mindset.

Instead of perpetuating a shaming culture, we as Christians should make sure to have these open discussions about controversial topics in order to create a safe place where everyone feels comfortable sharing their problems rather than fearing harsh judgement on what they have done in their past.

“People who are shamed feel generally diminished, worthless — and defensive,” said Wray Herbert, editor-in-chief of Psychology Today. Shame is a hard subject for many to come to terms with themselves, let alone with people they do not know. If we do not “shed our shame” we are destined to feel guilty for things many would gladly listen to without bias.

expressing faults

“After numerous conversations with women, it became apparent that shame and guilt overwhelmed the female population at Biola who failed to fit the standard of perfection, or at least perfection as they saw it. In the shame that comes from trials, temptations and sin, many women choose to hide away their imperfections in order to maintain the appearance of purity. In a sea of seemingly flawless people, the struggle is that we are fatally erroneous,” states the Shed the Shame event Facebook page.

Shed the Shame was one of the first events inviting women from Biola to express their faults and come to terms with what they have felt shameful about for years. Talking about these acts is restorative and healing to the people who discuss what they have done or what has happened to them that they deem as shameful, according to Awaken Kinesiology.

crucial to mental health

Having a safe place to express shameful things proves crucial to mental health. Having a person admit things you believe are wrong is the first step to healing and gaining confidence in the fact you will heal and are not a horrible person for making a mistake.

This can be hard to find on Biola’s campus where we try to appear as a place of perfect Christians. But with events like Shed the Shame and The Call geared towards men and women, Biola breaks the tradition of the Bible-thumping Christian and creates a safe place for imperfect people to come to terms with past or current issues to find healing.

The Biola Counseling Center also provides services where students can make an appointment and have sessions with a professional. This grants a great option for anyone who needs more help with their shame than a peer gives. Still, having someone close to you to express feelings and events that make you feel shameful remains extremely helpful when coming to terms with insecurities and shame.

Shame is a scary word but Biola students are making strides in creating safe spaces for people to talk. This will change the culture on campus if Biola students keep an open mind to their peers and realize any problem may need discussion to bring healing.