C: Church of Christ, Oxford, Miss.

This one was Julie's call. Oxford Church of Christ, on North Lamar and blocks from the Square, sits on pricey real estate. The church has a complex of buildings, done in matching yellow stone, with a nifty playground resembling an ark. The marquee last week, "How to Be a Rebel for Christ," was aimed at returning college students. Julie said we had to go.

Minister Bob Brewer laid out the argument. Following a salmon colored insert and Power Point display, he drew a line between being Rebels for Christ and Rebels against Christ. The text was a hailstorm of chapter and verse, all from Paul – Epistles to Galatians, Peter, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, First Corinthians, and Romans.Midway through the sermon: "You may say, Bob Brewer, aren't you being a bit harsh?" Then he took a step forward. "But this is not Bob Brewer. This is Paul. This is Jesus' word." A Rebel for Christ casts out the sins of university life – homosexuality, promiscuity, drinking, cursing, evil thoughts, Ole Miss' bizarre campus cheer ("Hotty Totty, Gosh Almighty"), and again, homosexuality.

Lots on homosexuality.

I recall two, maybe three, references to same-sex love in Paul. Bob Brewer snuffed out half a dozen more. I glanced down the pew for a Bible, but the only scripture came from the blue screen. Jesus' word, passed through Paul, somehow became Bob Brewer's.

After the sermon, a young college student led the congregation in prayer. Then several young men took up collection. Then more young men passed around communion.

Julie scribbled on the bulletin, "I do not want to stay." For me, college was a difficult time. My future seemed uncertain, my head was full of ideas, my libido wandered, and I drank a lot. The tough questions did not have easy solutions (any more than the Bible can be reduced to paraphrased bullet points on Power Point). I wondered whether the lesson of self-loathing and casting out does young people more harm than good.

I do know this much: when the communion plate came our way, I let it pass.