Southern Baptist University Bigoted; Nobody Shocked
University Expels Student For Being Gay
What is there for me to say about this? It’s all pretty cut and dried. Score another one for intolerant, insecure assholes masquerading as Christians.
Missing from the news report is this fascinating chunk of the University President’s statement:
I think this is a real window into the President’s motives. A reference to the “Left Coast” makes it clear that the motives here were not actually religious in nature, but political. Of course, since Christ never spoke a word about homosexuality, that should be obvious.
(It should be noted that the student’s blog did not contain any references to sexual behavior at all. It mentioned that he was dating another young man. I wonder if any straight student who mentions dating on their blog is kicked out on the assumption that sexual behavior is taking place, as sex outside marriage gets qual billing with homosexuality.)
Interesting that homosexuality is considered inconsistent with Christian principles. I just checked again, to see if I could find anything in the Gospel denouncing homosexuality, but there’s nothing there. As usual, I did keep coming across passages about judging not, lest one be judged, and those without sin casting stones, and maybe not pointing out the mote in one’s neighbor’s eye while ignoring the large (perhaps intolerance-shaped?) log in one’s own. Nothing about homosexuality, though.
Maybe by Christian principles, they’re referring to the historic Old Testament law of Leviticus. If this is the case, I certainly expect that students would also be removed from the school for any of the following offenses:
As long as students are being kicked out for all of these offenses, decried just as fervently as homosexuality in Leviticus, then I suppose they’re being consistent with Jewish law, which is admittedly the history that supports Christian law. Somehow, though, I get the feeling that you won’t find any ex-Cumberland students expelled for these things, and so one must assume that in actuality, the leadership at the University is simply made up of hypocritical, insecure assholes.
They are Southern Baptists… I suppose it’s difficult to be shocked. It might be less infuriating, however, if their Mission Statement didn’t include the following passage:
Evidently, a deepened responsibility toward mankind means excluding those who do not conform to your belief systems, and making base judgments about conditions you know nothing about, even if such cold isolationism contributes to the suffering of others. Very Christ like, Cumberlands. You should indeed be proud.
Okay, that needed to be said. This particular University should be ashamed. No way around it.
Now, that aside, this kind of makes me mad.
Then why are they attending this ass-backwards University in the first place?
The reason idiots like University President Jim Taylor can get away with ignorant moves like this is that there aren’t serious consequences. If the University can promote intolerance and ignorance and still maintain a full student body, why shouldn’t it? If you disapprove of written University policy, you shouldn’t be paying them tuition. If they get your tuition money next year, after standing by that policy of intolerance, you personally are giving your money to the cause of intolerance.
Every time you overlook bad policy simply because it calls itself Christianity, you personally are contributing to the bastardization of the faith. If you vote for Bush because he calls himself a Christian, but ignore his disastrous treatment of the poor and his promotion of preemptive violence, then you are acting against the spirit of the faith. If you send money to Pat Robertson because he is a Christian leader, ignoring his blasphemous claims of divine selection and calls for violence and hatred, then you are acting against the spirit of the faith. If you attend a University that claims to embrace Christian values, but enforces a policy of exclusion and intolerance, then you are acting against the spirit of the faith.
I think maybe I've focused a little too much on religion lately... I'm not sure why, exactly. It could be that a lot of the political morons have quieted down as Bush's poll numbers plummet, or it could just be an honest spike in people being terrible human beings under the guise of religion. Whatever it is, I'll try to maintain a balance.
Religious hypocracy aside, didn't Universities recently receive word that if they accept federal fundings, they must allow military recruiters on campus, regardlessof whether or not it conflicts with their values? If the University of the Cumberlands accepts federal funding (and I don't know that it does), should they not be expected to follow federal antidiscrimination laws? Just a thought.
What is there for me to say about this? It’s all pretty cut and dried. Score another one for intolerant, insecure assholes masquerading as Christians.
Missing from the news report is this fascinating chunk of the University President’s statement:
There are places students with predispositions can go, such as San Francisco or the Left Coast, or to many of the state schools.
I think this is a real window into the President’s motives. A reference to the “Left Coast” makes it clear that the motives here were not actually religious in nature, but political. Of course, since Christ never spoke a word about homosexuality, that should be obvious.
"Any student who engages in or promotes sexual behavior not consistent with Christian principles (including sex outside marriage and homosexuality) may be suspended or asked to withdraw from the University of the Cumberlands." – University Policy
(It should be noted that the student’s blog did not contain any references to sexual behavior at all. It mentioned that he was dating another young man. I wonder if any straight student who mentions dating on their blog is kicked out on the assumption that sexual behavior is taking place, as sex outside marriage gets qual billing with homosexuality.)
Interesting that homosexuality is considered inconsistent with Christian principles. I just checked again, to see if I could find anything in the Gospel denouncing homosexuality, but there’s nothing there. As usual, I did keep coming across passages about judging not, lest one be judged, and those without sin casting stones, and maybe not pointing out the mote in one’s neighbor’s eye while ignoring the large (perhaps intolerance-shaped?) log in one’s own. Nothing about homosexuality, though.
Maybe by Christian principles, they’re referring to the historic Old Testament law of Leviticus. If this is the case, I certainly expect that students would also be removed from the school for any of the following offenses:
Eating bacon. –Lev. 7:23, Lev. 11:7-8
Eating shellfish –Lev 11:12
Lying –Lev. 19:11
Profanity –Lev. 19:12
Sleeping with another student’s concubine –Lev. 19:20
Tattoos –Lev. 19:28
Buying the children of those known to you as slaves (strangers are okay) –Lev. 25:45
As long as students are being kicked out for all of these offenses, decried just as fervently as homosexuality in Leviticus, then I suppose they’re being consistent with Jewish law, which is admittedly the history that supports Christian law. Somehow, though, I get the feeling that you won’t find any ex-Cumberland students expelled for these things, and so one must assume that in actuality, the leadership at the University is simply made up of hypocritical, insecure assholes.
They are Southern Baptists… I suppose it’s difficult to be shocked. It might be less infuriating, however, if their Mission Statement didn’t include the following passage:
In the belief that freedom is the result of respect for truth and concern for humanity, University of the Cumberlands, through a traditional liberal arts program, attempts to foster in its students a heightened awareness and sensitivity to the search for truth and a deepened responsibility toward mankind.
Evidently, a deepened responsibility toward mankind means excluding those who do not conform to your belief systems, and making base judgments about conditions you know nothing about, even if such cold isolationism contributes to the suffering of others. Very Christ like, Cumberlands. You should indeed be proud.
Okay, that needed to be said. This particular University should be ashamed. No way around it.
Now, that aside, this kind of makes me mad.
One of Johnson's close friends, Jennifer Roberts, a senior from Belfry, said "everybody on campus is extremely upset about this."
Then why are they attending this ass-backwards University in the first place?
The reason idiots like University President Jim Taylor can get away with ignorant moves like this is that there aren’t serious consequences. If the University can promote intolerance and ignorance and still maintain a full student body, why shouldn’t it? If you disapprove of written University policy, you shouldn’t be paying them tuition. If they get your tuition money next year, after standing by that policy of intolerance, you personally are giving your money to the cause of intolerance.
Every time you overlook bad policy simply because it calls itself Christianity, you personally are contributing to the bastardization of the faith. If you vote for Bush because he calls himself a Christian, but ignore his disastrous treatment of the poor and his promotion of preemptive violence, then you are acting against the spirit of the faith. If you send money to Pat Robertson because he is a Christian leader, ignoring his blasphemous claims of divine selection and calls for violence and hatred, then you are acting against the spirit of the faith. If you attend a University that claims to embrace Christian values, but enforces a policy of exclusion and intolerance, then you are acting against the spirit of the faith.
I think maybe I've focused a little too much on religion lately... I'm not sure why, exactly. It could be that a lot of the political morons have quieted down as Bush's poll numbers plummet, or it could just be an honest spike in people being terrible human beings under the guise of religion. Whatever it is, I'll try to maintain a balance.
Religious hypocracy aside, didn't Universities recently receive word that if they accept federal fundings, they must allow military recruiters on campus, regardlessof whether or not it conflicts with their values? If the University of the Cumberlands accepts federal funding (and I don't know that it does), should they not be expected to follow federal antidiscrimination laws? Just a thought.
posted by Zafrod at 4:35 PM
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