Shorter University President Donald Dowless has notified the faculty and staff that they will now be required to sign mandatory pledges that affirm their rejection of homosexuality and other unChristian acts. The pledge, Dowless, insists, is necessary as an “affirmation of our Christ-centered mission.” It has caused a considerable controversy, though the countervailing religious practice rights should be considered.
The university in Georgia promises a “Christian education” as opposed to just an education.
Shorter University is a Christ-centered liberal arts university dedicated to academic excellence within the context of a biblical worldview. As a Christian university, Shorter is committed to keeping an emphasis upon a biblically sound, integrated, faith-based education that promotes a zeal for academic, spiritual, and professional growth. The educational process of teaching and learning involves the whole person, and Shorter is committed to the principle that all truth comes from God and finds its fullest expression in the person of Jesus Christ.
It now will only hiring or presumably retain “Bible- believing Christians, who are dedicated to integrating biblical faith in their classes and who are in agreement with the University Statement of Faith.” We have previously seen such rules applied to both faculty and students.
The personal lifestyle statement requires adherence to four principles: be loyal to the mission of Shorter University, do not engage in the use and sale of illegal drugs, do not view premarital sex, adultery and homosexuality “as acceptable” and refrain from the use of alcohol in the presence of students and in public. The University announced:
“Member campuses have a continuing institutional policy and practice, effective throughout the time they are members, to hire as full time faculty members and administrators (non-hourly staff) only persons who profess faith in Jesus Christ.”
The pledge raises a long debate over the right to discriminate on the basis of religion. I have long argued that anti-discrimination laws are beginning to cut into free exercise values. These people have a right to structure their university according to their own values. As an educator, I find it offensive and counterproductive to deny employment to faculty or staff who have different lifestyles or sexual orientation. It is anti-intellectual and defeats the mission of creating an open environment for learning. Of course, that is the conflict. Dowless and others view their mission as not learning but restricted learning. The university professes that it “deeply cares about the academic and spiritual development of its students and believes that students should be challenged academically and spiritually to impact culture.” However, that academic development must confirm to the “spiritual development” which means “biblically sound, integrated, faith-based education.” That means a process of exclusion that now includes any exposure to faculty or staff who may diverge in private from the dictated lifestyle of the university.
That makes them something less than a full educational institution and more of a church. That is their right, of course, but it is a shame that these students will learn in an environment that is not only artificial but discriminatory. That may be framed as a biblically correct education, but it is less of an education than an indoctrination.
Notably, the school’s motto may be Lux Veritas or Light Truth as opposed to the usual found at places like Lux et veritas, or light and truth. At Shorter, the light cannot be separated from the truth, even by a conjunction. Where this motto usually emphasizes the role of faculty in exposing different ideas to the light to find truth, Shorter views the light as the truth and the light is the biblical word. The light is not illuminating ideas, but the glow of faith illuminating the accepted truth for students. Their faith and their development, however, would be be profound if tested in an intellectual environment that emphasizes demonstrated thought as opposed to forced compliance.
Source: RNT
Mike Appleton – 81% of the cases involving sexual abuse with priests have been male. “When males have sex with postpubescent males, it is called homosexuality.” “I don’t know the source or sources of what you have been spewing here, but I suspect that there are none.” Check The Catholic League website
Mike Spindell – what did Jesus say to the woman at the well? I can give the chapter/verse but I think you probably have that since you’re asking.
Hubert Cumberdale:
Your assertion that almost all of the Catholic priests engaged in pedophilia were homosexuals is nonsense. I don’t know the source or sources of what you have been spewing here, but I suspect that there are none.
Ott – again homosexuality was once against the law in several states. No strawman or logical fallacies. You’re just conveniently dodging the point. To throw in a bit of irony, you’re saying I’m a bigot when I’m simply pointing out the hypocrisy in special interest groups that unwittingly saw off the branch the are perched upon.
Those that throw around the phrase “sexual orientation” paint themselves into a corner if they don’t acknowledge and accept all forms of perversion.
“again homosexuality was once against the law in several states.”
Yes it was Hubert, because far too many Christians suffering from delusions, or fear of their own sexuality, like yourself, clamored for it. Would you be kind enough to give me a quote directly from Jesus that declares homosexuality a sin.
“pedophilia is not covered under sexual orientation. It is a disease or mental illness.”
The American Psychiatric Association once listed homosexuality as a disease and mental illness, but of course they caved to political pressure by the MHA to change the classification.
Hubert,
pedophilia is not covered under sexual orientation. It is a disease or mental illness.
Homosexual priests in those cases were pedophiles. That is a felony. There are also straight pedophiles. That is a felony too.
The NAMBLA thing keeps getting trotted out too. That is an organization that supports pedophilia, which is a felony. I don’t know of anyone who is law abiding who supports them.
You are really fast and loose with the logical fallacies today. False analogy, tautology, strawman and false continuum at the very least.
Bigotry is unbecoming.
“Might I remind you that every example you named is a FELONY! How come my gay grandson gets lumped in with felons if he wants a job, travel or get married? None of those felons, as sex offenders, are allowed anywhere near kids, can never get a security clearance, or even be allowed around most polite society.”
Might I remind you that homosexuality in several states used to be against the law as well. But over time and conditioning by the mainstream media, it has gained “acceptance” by some. Might I further remind you that there are groups that the militant homosexual activists don’t want to acknowledge – like NAMBLA that is trying to gain acceptance, and get rid of those pesky age of consent laws.
So as I stated before, using the phrase “sexual orientation” covers anything – literally ANYTHING. So for the MHA’s to discriminate against other groups with other sexual perversions/diversions/lifestyles is ultimate hypocrisy.
“And speaking of church, there is that little matter of the Roman Catholic Church covering up felony acts of pedophilia by officials and agents of the church.”
Interesting to note, that almost all of those who were involved in the latter were – homosexual priests.
Copying from Hubert’s note:
I never cease to be amazed. This is the ultimate fallacy of false analogy. Your inductive reasoning in this case leads to a logical dead end. You are conflating (badly, I might add) that persons who are LGBT are the same as criminals. In all your examples you issue dire warnings that giving the average LGBT person the same civil rights as everyone else will open the door to persons with clinical sexual pathologies.
Might I remind you that every example you named is a FELONY! How come my gay grandson gets lumped in with felons if he wants a job, travel or get married? None of those felons, as sex offenders, are allowed anywhere near kids, can never get a security clearance, or even be allowed around most polite society. Once on the sex offender registry, for the rest of their lives they are told where they can live, who they can live with, what neighborhoods are off limits to them, and even where they can shop or go to church. And speaking of church, there is that little matter of the Roman Catholic Church covering up felony acts of pedophilia by officials and agents of the church. And a Pope who suddenly resigned under rather odd circumstances. Those convicted of sex crimes also have their rights to possess firearms and vote revoked in most jurisdictions. Most persons who show up on the NCIC or NCIS index registry are not allowed international travel either. So how come an ordinary gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual person should be conflated with felons?
” As an educator, I find it offensive and counterproductive to deny employment to faculty or staff who have different lifestyles or sexual orientation.”
So if a necrophiliac, or pedophile or (fill in any sexual orientation) wants to remain a staff or consider to be hired, you would be ok with that since that is their “sexual orientation” and you wouldn’t discriminate?
The militant homosexual activists need to take caution when using the phrase “sexual orientation” because that can literally mean anything, and therefore, they can’t discriminate based on any “orientation”. Otherwise, the militant homosexual activist would be hypocritical.
“So if a necrophiliac, or pedophile or (fill in any sexual orientation) wants to remain a staff or consider to be hired, you would be ok with that since that is their “sexual orientation” and you wouldn’t discriminate?”
Hubert,
I get you drift. It would be like a University allowing a fanatical Christian to teach science and not discriminating by allowing them to teach biology or the Earth Sciences.
A fanatical Christian that’s sold out for the Lord, gives to church and charity, visits the widowed, cares for the sick, and visits those in prison. Puts other people’s needs before himself, and has a firm grasp on science since a “fanatical Christian” only believes in the tried and true science (things OBSERVED, measured, weighed, counted, etc…) No, that wouldn’t be a comparison. That’s more like an apples to ferrets comparison.
Lottakatz: wish I could take credit for that but, as Gene points out, it has made the rounds on the internets for some years now, but seeing ‘Homosexual Agenda’ has the same effect on me as seeing ‘Spanish Inquisition’
nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition
“That makes them something less than a full educational institution and more of a church. That is their right, of course, but it is a shame that these students will learn in an environment that is not only artificial but discriminatory. That may be framed as a biblically correct education, but it is less of an education than an indoctrination. ”
I really don’t see how they’re being more doctrinaire than other schools. They’re just more open about it. Good for them.
Barney,
Looking through your comments I found the Slim Pickens destroyed by Gene and OS. Like many l disgust for homosexuals to you probably have known few. Not only have I personally knOwn many, I’ve proudly had friends and family who are/were gay. Your stereotypes are merely representative of the propaganda spread by pious prophets of hatred, who reinforce their power by developing bogeyman with which to scare and thus control their congregations. As far as Leviticus goes you have no doubt committed an equal “abomination” eating pork. As to Nambla, most pedophiles are straight, but then you are uninterested in facts, or you would know most who practice beastiality are also straight. Finally, any person with a sexual nature who feels disgust for those who are gay, must to my mind feel uncertainty about their own sexuality. I feel that because I’m secure as a sexual being and providing sex takes place with informed, mutual consent, I could care less about how others “do it”. In my experience only those who are worried about their own longings, look at others sexuality critically. Jimmy Haggard for instance.