It appears we are entering days when Western Christians, like their brothers and
sisters in the non-West, will increasingly find their education and employment
options greatly limited purely on account of their faith.
CASE I
On 9 July, the
University of Illinois sacked Professor Kenneth Howell -- a respected teacher
and Christian who holds 2 master's degrees and 2 Ph.D.s -- after he was accused
of "hate speech". Professor Howell, who had been teaching at the University for
nine years, offended a student from his class, "Introduction to Catholicism and
Modern Catholic Thought".
In an e-mail to students during the spring
semester, Professor Howell explained that according to Catholic doctrine, "A
homosexual orientation is not morally wrong just as no moral guilt can be
assigned to any inclination that a person has. However, based on natural moral
law, the Church believes that homosexual acts are contrary to human nature and
therefore morally wrong."
A student complained and the professor was sacked.
See:
Ill.
prof. fired for teaching about Catholic beliefs in class on
Catholicism
ADF urges restoration of
Kenneth Howell’s First Amendment rights, teaching position
Alliance
Defence Fund, Monday 12 July 2010
Kenneth
Howell Firing Reviewed By Univerity of Illinois Faculty: Lecturer Fired for
Saying Homosexual Acts are 'Morally Wrong'.
Huffington Post 15 July
2010
ADF
issues deadline to reinstate Dr. Kenneth Howell
Examiner, 21 July
2010
US
University bars prof for teaching RC beliefs
Christian Institute, 22 July
2010
CASE
II
Meanwhile, Jennifer Keeton (24), a graduate student pursuing a
master's degree in school counseling at Augusta State University, was being
officially warned that she will be dismissed from the program unless she alters
her "central religious beliefs on human nature and conduct".
Miss Keeton,
a Christian, has been ordered into a "remediation" program. She must undergo
"diversity training" and "sensitization". Part of what is required of her is
that she attends a Gay Pride parade and write a report on it (presumably it has
to be a favourable report).
See:
Augusta
State Univ. to counseling student: change your beliefs or get out
ADF attorneys file suit after university officials
require counseling student to abandon her beliefs to get a
degree
Alliance Defence League, 22 July 2010
Jennifer
Keeton in her own words. 22 July 2010
Can
a Christian Who Believes Homosexuality Is Wrong Become a Qualified
Counselor?
Queerty, 24 July 2010
ASU
student says gays have 'identity confusion'
By Stephanie Toone, Staff
Writer Augusta Chronicle, 24 Aug 2010
Lawsuit
Claims College Ordered Student to Alter Religious Views on Homosexuality, Or Be
Dismissed
By Joshua Rhett Miller, FoxNews, 27 July 2010
Keeton is
not the first Christian student to be threatened with expulsion purely on the
basis of her religious beliefs concerning homosexuality.
CASE III
On Monday 26
July 2010, the United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan,
Southern Division upheld the expulsion of Christian student Julea Ward, who had
been expelled from Eastern Michigan University's counselling program in March
2009 after she respectfully denied instruction to counsel a homosexual man on
his homosexual relationship because she could not affirm his homosexual
activity.
See:
Court
Upholds Expulsion of Counseling Student Who Opposes Homosexuality
By Todd
Starnes, FoxNews, 28 July 2010
EMU officials: Change your
beliefs or leave the Counseling Program
YouTube interview 3 Aug
2009
EMU
sued for booting student over views on gays
By Justin Miller, the
Michigan Messenger, 7 April 2009
ADF to appeal
ruling that allows Eastern Michigan U. to expel Christian students for holding
to beliefs
University banished graduate
counseling student for not affirming homosexual behavior
27 July 2010
(article contains a
link to the court's
decision.)
The court ruled against the plaintiff (Ward) on the
grounds that the Amercian Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics requires
counselors respect diversity and refrain from discrimination. Referrals cannot
be made on the basis of a counsellor's values, although there is an exemption
for counsellors not wishing to assist clients seeking
euthanasia.
According to the ruling, the "plaintiff had violated the ACA
Code of Ethics by imposing her own values on a client, which is 'inconsistent
with the counseling goal of nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation'." Therefore: "Dismissal from a training program is appropriate
'when those supervisees are unable to provide competent professional services'."
(pages 6-8 of court decision)
The
Alliance Defence Fund is
appealing the ruling.
--
Posted By E.N. Kendal. Religious Liberty
Monitoring to
Religious
Liberty Monitoring at 7/28/2010 04:52:00 PM