Bob Jones University

====Withdrawal from politics====
Although the March 2007 issue of ''[[Foreign Policy]]'' listed BJU as one of "The World's Most Controversial Religious Sites" because of its past influence on American politics,<ref>[https://foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3754&page=1 "The World's Most Controversial Religious Sites"]. The others mentioned were the [[Yasukuni Shrine]] in Tokyo; [[Potala Palace]] in Tibet; [[Ayodhya]], Uttar Pradesh state, India; and the [[Temple Mount]]/Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem.</ref> BJU has seen little political controversy since Stephen Jones became president. When asked by a ''[[Newsweek]]'' reporter if he wished to play a political role, Stephen Jones replied, "It would not be my choice." Further, when asked if he felt ideologically closer to his father's engagement with politics or to other evangelicals who have tried to avoid civic involvement, Jones answered, "The gospel is for individuals. The main message we have is to individuals. We're not here to save the culture."<ref>Susannah Meadows, "Passing the Torch at Bob Jones U." ''Newsweek'' "Web Exclusive" [MSNBC link expired], January 29, 2005, hard copy at [http://158.158.239.51:81/search?/YPassing+&SORT=D/YPassing+&SORT=D&SUBKEY=Passing%20/1%2C282%2C282%2CB/frameset&FF=YPassing+&SORT=D&12%2C12%2C Fundamentalist File, Mack Library, BJU]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}.</ref> In a 2005 ''[[The Washington Post|Washington Post]]'' interview, Jones dodged political questions and even admitted that he was embarrassed by "some of the more vitriolic comments" made by his predecessors. "I don't want to get specific," Jones said, "But there were things said back then that I wouldn't say today."<ref name=wapo /> In October 2007, when Bob Jones III, as "a private citizen," endorsed [[Mitt Romney]] for the Republican nomination for president, Stephen Jones made it clear that he wished "to stay out of politics" and that neither he nor the university had endorsed anyone.<ref>[http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071021/NEWS01/710210319 Greenville News, October 21, 2007]{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}.</ref> Despite a hotly contested South Carolina primary, none of the candidates appeared on the platform of BJU's Founders' Memorial Amphitorium during the 2008 election cycle.<ref>Candidate [[Ron Paul]] did speak in a large classroom to an overflow crowd. BJU's vice president for administration said, "We purposefully chose a room in the Alumni building because we do not want candidates to hold rallies on campus. We want interested students, faculty and staff to benefit from the educational experience of listening to a candidate, and hopefully, as a result, be able to make a more informed voting decision." ''BJU Collegian'', January 25, 2008.</ref> In April 2008, Stephen Jones told a reporter, "I don't think I have a political bone in my body."<ref>''Greenville Journal'' (April 4, 2008), 32.</ref>