Gay Rights Gestapo Targets Small Christian College: Any Liberals Here Find This Troubling?

[mikegriffith1]

In a move that even gay rights advocate Andrew Sullivan finds unacceptable, for the last several months the gay rights gestapo has been targeting Gordon College, a small evangelical Christian college in Massachusetts. They have not only caused the college to lose contracts and student-teaching placements but have now, in the last couple months, succeeded in forcing the college to choose between losing its accreditation or allowing openly same-sex-married gays to attend the college. Impossible in America? Nope, not anymore. Here's what gay rights advocate Andrew Sullivan says about this:

Do I agree with them? Not at all. Did I agree with the Boy Scouts with their previous ban on gay kids? No. But one principle of liberalism is that you can profoundly disagree with someone while accepting their right to do as they see fit according to their conscience. Yes, marriage is barred by the college for gay kids, while heterosexual marriage (and thereby sex) is allowed. That is, in a very limited way, a double standard of sorts – if with respect to college kids, an uncommon one. But is my reader really arguing that an orthodox Christian college should therefore have to repudiate its own religious doctrines or not get accreditation? That simply shreds any concept of religious liberty. ( In Defense Of Gordon College Ctd The Dish )​

Do any liberals here agree with Sullivan? Is not the attack on Gordon College taking "gay rights" way, way too far?

What prompted this patently un-American, bigoted, and unconstitutional development? The trouble started in July of last year Gordon College president Michael Lindsay, along with many other Christian leaders, signed a letter to President Obama asking for a religious exemption to a then-pending executive order banning "discrimination" based on "sexual orientation" in companies with federal contracts or that receive federal funds, an exemption that even Elizabeth Warren supported.

David French writing on this issue in National Review:

Unable to punish President Lindsay personally, activists targeted Gordon, discovering that — lo and behold — it had a policy (like virtually every orthodox Christian school and church in the United States) that required students and employees to limit sexual activity to marriage, defining marriage within the Judeo-Christian tradition, as the union of one man and one woman. Never mind that the policy allows any person of any sexual orientation to attend Gordon, teach at Gordon, or serve in its administration. The fact that its Life and Conduct Policy prohibits “sexual relations outside marriage” and “homosexual practice” (explained as “sexual intercourse”) was enough to take action, to declare it bigoted and not fit for inclusion in society.​

The response was swift.​

In an act of pure moral grandstanding, in July — just eight days after President Lindsay signed the letter to President Obama — the city of Salem suspended a long-term contract with Gordon that had allowed the college to use the city-owned Old Town Hall — a spiteful act, but one of little consequence to the college.​

But then the spite became harmful. In late August, the Lynn School Committee — a nearby school district — ended an eleven-year relationship with the school and refused to accept Gordon College students as student-teachers in its system. This action — in addition to being destructive (teaching programs can’t function without student-teacher placements) — is grotesquely unconstitutional, violating students’ rights of free association, free speech, and religious liberty by punishing them for merely attending Gordon College, even without evidence the students themselves have engaged in any “discriminatory” acts or even agree with Gordon’s policy (there are dissenters who attend the school).​

Then, in September, Gordon’s accreditor, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, announced that it had met to consider whether “Gordon College’s traditional inclusion of ‘homosexual practice’ as a forbidden activity” violated the association’s standards for accreditation. The Association gave Gordon one year “to ensure that the College’s policies and procedures are non-discriminatory.” The implication was clear: You have one year to choose between your conscience and your accreditation. (The Persecution of Gordon College)
​

Naturally, this raises the pregnant question of why an openly gay person would try to attend a private evangelical/Bible-believing college in the first place. To target the college so that the gay rights bullies could then file lawsuits against the college? It's sort of like the rash of gay couples looking for Christian bakeries, florists, and photographers to service their weddings. What an amazing coincidence.

Anyway, if this latest outrage by the gay rights gestapo succeeds, then every private religious college in the country could be forced to allow openly same-sex-married gays to attend--and presumably to live in the dorms as husband and husband and wife and wife. They could also be forced to hire gay faculty members against their will.

The Persecution of Gordon College

Gay Rights vs. Religious Liberty Again The American Conservative

 

[JoeB131]

i'm troubled that we still have colleges dedicated to an imaginary zombie nailed to a stick.

Beyond that, no, I don't care that much. I don't think religion should be used as an excuse for discrimination. This college lost it's argument when it hired or enrolled people not of their faith for the money.

 

[SassyIrishLass]

All part of trying to appear "normal" and mainstream. Sick bastids, homos are mental

 

[cnm]

What does 'orthodox' mean in this context?

Batshit crazy?

 

[NYcarbineer]

In a move that even gay rights advocate Andrew Sullivan finds unacceptable, for the last several months the gay rights gestapo has been targeting Gordon College, a small evangelical Christian college in Massachusetts. They have not only caused the college to lose contracts and student-teaching placements but have now, in the last couple months, succeeded in forcing the college to choose between losing its accreditation or allowing openly same-sex-married gays to attend the college. Impossible in America? Nope, not anymore. Here's what gay rights advocate Andrew Sullivan says about this:

Do I agree with them? Not at all. Did I agree with the Boy Scouts with their previous ban on gay kids? No. But one principle of liberalism is that you can profoundly disagree with someone while accepting their right to do as they see fit according to their conscience. Yes, marriage is barred by the college for gay kids, while heterosexual marriage (and thereby sex) is allowed. That is, in a very limited way, a double standard of sorts – if with respect to college kids, an uncommon one. But is my reader really arguing that an orthodox Christian college should therefore have to repudiate its own religious doctrines or not get accreditation? That simply shreds any concept of religious liberty. ( In Defense Of Gordon College Ctd The Dish )​

Do any liberals here agree with Sullivan? Is not the attack on Gordon College taking "gay rights" way, way too far?

What prompted this patently un-American, bigoted, and unconstitutional development? The trouble started in July of last year Gordon College president Michael Lindsay, along with many other Christian leaders, signed a letter to President Obama asking for a religious exemption to a then-pending executive order banning "discrimination" based on "sexual orientation" in companies with federal contracts or that receive federal funds, an exemption that even Elizabeth Warren supported.

David French writing on this issue in National Review:

Unable to punish President Lindsay personally, activists targeted Gordon, discovering that — lo and behold — it had a policy (like virtually every orthodox Christian school and church in the United States) that required students and employees to limit sexual activity to marriage, defining marriage within the Judeo-Christian tradition, as the union of one man and one woman. Never mind that the policy allows any person of any sexual orientation to attend Gordon, teach at Gordon, or serve in its administration. The fact that its Life and Conduct Policy prohibits “sexual relations outside marriage” and “homosexual practice” (explained as “sexual intercourse”) was enough to take action, to declare it bigoted and not fit for inclusion in society.​

The response was swift.​

In an act of pure moral grandstanding, in July — just eight days after President Lindsay signed the letter to President Obama — the city of Salem suspended a long-term contract with Gordon that had allowed the college to use the city-owned Old Town Hall — a spiteful act, but one of little consequence to the college.​

But then the spite became harmful. In late August, the Lynn School Committee — a nearby school district — ended an eleven-year relationship with the school and refused to accept Gordon College students as student-teachers in its system. This action — in addition to being destructive (teaching programs can’t function without student-teacher placements) — is grotesquely unconstitutional, violating students’ rights of free association, free speech, and religious liberty by punishing them for merely attending Gordon College, even without evidence the students themselves have engaged in any “discriminatory” acts or even agree with Gordon’s policy (there are dissenters who attend the school).​

Then, in September, Gordon’s accreditor, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, announced that it had met to consider whether “Gordon College’s traditional inclusion of ‘homosexual practice’ as a forbidden activity” violated the association’s standards for accreditation. The Association gave Gordon one year “to ensure that the College’s policies and procedures are non-discriminatory.” The implication was clear: You have one year to choose between your conscience and your accreditation. (The Persecution of Gordon College)
​

Naturally, this raises the pregnant question of why an openly gay person would try to attend a private evangelical/Bible-believing college in the first place. To target the college so that the gay rights bullies could then file lawsuits against the college? It's sort of like the rash of gay couples looking for Christian bakeries, florists, and photographers to service their weddings. What an amazing coincidence.

Anyway, if this latest outrage by the gay rights gestapo succeeds, then every private religious college in the country could be forced to allow openly same-sex-married gays to attend--and presumably to live in the dorms as husband and husband and wife and wife. They could also be forced to hire gay faculty members against their will.

The Persecution of Gordon College

Gay Rights vs. Religious Liberty Again The American Conservative

It's the cost of bigotry. Get used to it.

 

[NYcarbineer]

All part of trying to appear "normal" and mainstream. Sick bastids, homos are mental

This post above is a perfect example of why the bigots need to be beaten into submission by every legal means available.

 

[NYcarbineer]

In a move that even gay rights advocate Andrew Sullivan finds unacceptable, for the last several months the gay rights gestapo has been targeting Gordon College, a small evangelical Christian college in Massachusetts. They have not only caused the college to lose contracts and student-teaching placements but have now, in the last couple months, succeeded in forcing the college to choose between losing its accreditation or allowing openly same-sex-married gays to attend the college. Impossible in America? Nope, not anymore. Here's what gay rights advocate Andrew Sullivan says about this:

Do I agree with them? Not at all. Did I agree with the Boy Scouts with their previous ban on gay kids? No. But one principle of liberalism is that you can profoundly disagree with someone while accepting their right to do as they see fit according to their conscience. Yes, marriage is barred by the college for gay kids, while heterosexual marriage (and thereby sex) is allowed. That is, in a very limited way, a double standard of sorts – if with respect to college kids, an uncommon one. But is my reader really arguing that an orthodox Christian college should therefore have to repudiate its own religious doctrines or not get accreditation? That simply shreds any concept of religious liberty. ( In Defense Of Gordon College Ctd The Dish )​

Do any liberals here agree with Sullivan? Is not the attack on Gordon College taking "gay rights" way, way too far?

What prompted this patently un-American, bigoted, and unconstitutional development? The trouble started in July of last year Gordon College president Michael Lindsay, along with many other Christian leaders, signed a letter to President Obama asking for a religious exemption to a then-pending executive order banning "discrimination" based on "sexual orientation" in companies with federal contracts or that receive federal funds, an exemption that even Elizabeth Warren supported.

David French writing on this issue in National Review:

Unable to punish President Lindsay personally, activists targeted Gordon, discovering that — lo and behold — it had a policy (like virtually every orthodox Christian school and church in the United States) that required students and employees to limit sexual activity to marriage, defining marriage within the Judeo-Christian tradition, as the union of one man and one woman. Never mind that the policy allows any person of any sexual orientation to attend Gordon, teach at Gordon, or serve in its administration. The fact that its Life and Conduct Policy prohibits “sexual relations outside marriage” and “homosexual practice” (explained as “sexual intercourse”) was enough to take action, to declare it bigoted and not fit for inclusion in society.​

The response was swift.​

In an act of pure moral grandstanding, in July — just eight days after President Lindsay signed the letter to President Obama — the city of Salem suspended a long-term contract with Gordon that had allowed the college to use the city-owned Old Town Hall — a spiteful act, but one of little consequence to the college.​

But then the spite became harmful. In late August, the Lynn School Committee — a nearby school district — ended an eleven-year relationship with the school and refused to accept Gordon College students as student-teachers in its system. This action — in addition to being destructive (teaching programs can’t function without student-teacher placements) — is grotesquely unconstitutional, violating students’ rights of free association, free speech, and religious liberty by punishing them for merely attending Gordon College, even without evidence the students themselves have engaged in any “discriminatory” acts or even agree with Gordon’s policy (there are dissenters who attend the school).​

Then, in September, Gordon’s accreditor, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, announced that it had met to consider whether “Gordon College’s traditional inclusion of ‘homosexual practice’ as a forbidden activity” violated the association’s standards for accreditation. The Association gave Gordon one year “to ensure that the College’s policies and procedures are non-discriminatory.” The implication was clear: You have one year to choose between your conscience and your accreditation. (The Persecution of Gordon College)
​

Naturally, this raises the pregnant question of why an openly gay person would try to attend a private evangelical/Bible-believing college in the first place. To target the college so that the gay rights bullies could then file lawsuits against the college? It's sort of like the rash of gay couples looking for Christian bakeries, florists, and photographers to service their weddings. What an amazing coincidence.

Anyway, if this latest outrage by the gay rights gestapo succeeds, then every private religious college in the country could be forced to allow openly same-sex-married gays to attend--and presumably to live in the dorms as husband and husband and wife and wife. They could also be forced to hire gay faculty members against their will.

The Persecution of Gordon College

Gay Rights vs. Religious Liberty Again The American Conservative

If they want to be a private college then be private. The state of Massachusetts should put into law that no state funded scholarships or financial aid can be used at any institution that discriminates against gays.

Problem solved.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

“Naturally, this raises the pregnant question of why an openly gay person would try to attend a private evangelical/Bible-believing college in the first place.”

Wrong.

The compelling question is why should an openly gay person be unwelcome to attend the College, given the fact that the vast majority of gay Americans are Christian, as nowhere is there a consensus in Christian doctrine or dogma that homosexuality must be condemned as a 'sin.'

Refusing to allow gay students attend is based on unwarranted fear and hate, not 'religion.'

Moreover, in the context of private society, and in the context of a free and democratic society, absent government and the courts – in this case a private college in conflict with private citizens – the issue of 'rights' does not come into play; private citizens are at liberty to speak out in opposition to the policies of Gordon College, where the College's 'rights' are in no way being 'violated.' No one is advocating a 'law' be enacted 'compelling' the College to accommodate gay students, nor is anyone seeking to undermine the College's right to free association.

Not only is this conflict not 'troubling,' but it should be encouraged, as the people alone are perfectly capable of resolving such issues without government interfering. Indeed, this was the Framers' intent when they created our Constitutional Republic: to safeguard a free and democratic society – where the conflicts and controversies of the day can be resolved by the people themselves, absent the need for government or the courts to become involved.

Consequently, this issue has nothing to do with 'liberals,' it has more to do with how uncomfortable most conservatives are with dissent and conflict in a free and democratic society.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

The school needs to go after the gay group and start with civil suits and every legal action available rather than pouting and standing around in a defensive posture.

 

[paperview]

And now, from neutral sources that give a little more detail that the dolt Mile Griffith provides:

Gordon College maintains ban on homosexual practice creates human sexuality task force InsideHigherEd.com

Agency to review whether Gordon College s antigay stance policies violate accrediting standards - Metro - The Boston Globe

 

[JakeStarkey]

The bigots on the far left and the far right both need to be beaten into submission by the forceful employment of the law.

 

[FJO]

i'm troubled that we still have colleges dedicated to an imaginary zombie nailed to a stick.

Beyond that, no, I don't care that much. I don't think religion should be used as an excuse for discrimination. This college lost it's argument when it hired or enrolled people not of their faith for the money.

You insult 3 billion people with your post, but are offended when somebody refers to ****** as a ******.
Actually, not only you, but all of your ilk.

 

[BluesLegend]

All part of trying to appear "normal" and mainstream. Sick bastids, homos are mental

This post above is a perfect example of why the bigots need to be beaten into submission by every legal means available.

What comply with the liberal viewpoint or be destroyed is that it? Here you go

 

[Iceweasel]

The Gaystapo will stop at nothing, they will ram their filth down the throats of everyone standing in their way. Wake up America!

 

[mikegriffith1]

i'm troubled that we still have colleges dedicated to an imaginary zombie nailed to a stick.

Beyond that, no, I don't care that much. I don't think religion should be used as an excuse for discrimination. This college lost it's argument when it hired or enrolled people not of their faith for the money.

In other words, because you disagree with their beliefs, you don't think they deserve their basic constitutional rights, and any attempt by them to uphold their standards on their campus is somehow "discrimination."

As gay rights activist Andrew Sullivan notes, if this effort against Gordon College succeeds, this will shred any semblance of freedom of religion.

You and your fellows are neo-NAZIs when it comes to the rights of people whose values you reject. You have no respect, no tolerance, no basic common courtesy when it comes to people of faith. And it just shows how far off the wing-nut edge some liberals have gone.

Next you guys will seek to force private religious schools to hire gay faculty members and to ban religious schools from teaching what the Bible says about homosexuality and marriage.

 

[Iceweasel]

i'm troubled that we still have colleges dedicated to an imaginary zombie nailed to a stick.

Beyond that, no, I don't care that much. I don't think religion should be used as an excuse for discrimination. This college lost it's argument when it hired or enrolled people not of their faith for the money.

In other words, because you disagree with their beliefs, you don't think they deserve their basic constitutional rights, and any attempt by them to uphold their standards on their campus is somehow "discrimination."

As gay rights activist Andrew Sullivan notes, if this effort against Gordon College succeeds, this will shred any semblance of freedom of religion.

You and your fellows are neo-NAZIs when it comes to the rights of people whose values you reject. You have no respect, no tolerance, no basic common courtesy when it comes to people of faith. And it just shows how far off the wing-nut edge some liberals have gone.

You realize you're talking to a deranged troll, don't you?

 

[Steve_McGarrett]

Gays need to be erradicated. They are child rapists and disease carriers who offer no benefits to society. It's time to put them in their place.

 

[rdean]

Depends on what they mean by "targeting". Don't you agree?

gop wants gays dead - Google Search

 

[Iceweasel]

Depends on what they mean by "targeting". Don't you agree?

gop wants gays dead - Google Search

LOL

 

[NYcarbineer]

i'm troubled that we still have colleges dedicated to an imaginary zombie nailed to a stick.

Beyond that, no, I don't care that much. I don't think religion should be used as an excuse for discrimination. This college lost it's argument when it hired or enrolled people not of their faith for the money.

In other words, because you disagree with their beliefs, you don't think they deserve their basic constitutional rights, and any attempt by them to uphold their standards on their campus is somehow "discrimination."

As gay rights activist Andrew Sullivan notes, if this effort against Gordon College succeeds, this will shred any semblance of freedom of religion.

You and your fellows are neo-NAZIs when it comes to the rights of people whose values you reject. You have no respect, no tolerance, no basic common courtesy when it comes to people of faith. And it just shows how far off the wing-nut edge some liberals have gone.

Next you guys will seek to force private religious schools to hire gay faculty members and to ban religious schools from teaching what the Bible says about homosexuality and marriage.

It's the constitutional right of a state to have anti-discrimination laws, and it's the constitutional right of a state to enforce them.