James Shaw

Should campuses allow religious exclusivity or not?

"......conflicts are playing out on a handful of campuses around the country, driven by the universities’ desire to rid their campuses of bias, particularly against gay men and lesbians, but also, in the eyes of evangelicals, fueled by a discomfort in academia with conservative forms of Christianity. The universities have been emboldened to regulate religious groups by a Supreme Court ruling in 2010 that found it was constitutional for a public law school in California to deny recognition to a Christian student group that excluded gays."

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/10/us/colleges-and-evangelicals-collide-on-bias-policy.html?hp&_r=0

Cragzop Loc: NYC

Christians are idiots. All they have to do is grow beards, and wrap their women in carpets, and the Feds will throw money at them all in the name of diversity.
I am an atheist, but when I read the Times's article, I was appalled. What is the ultimate strategy? To get us all to fit into some liberal mold?

James Shaw

Agree with most of what you say, but why should those who pay taxes to support public education (gays, believers, non-believers, Muslims, Jews, etc.) be excluded from a religious organization on campus that is supported in part by tax monies from those the religious organization wishes to exclude? The religious organizations are free to hold their meetings privately off campus without restraint.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

boy, don't go there you are talking about freedom and liberty as espoused in the Constitution and these folks don't want to hear that!

James Shaw

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :-D

Cragzop Loc: NYC

"These folks" are concerned with you folks' selective interpretation of the Constitution. I have no problem with separation of church and state, but it appears that the feds have been very selective in applying Constitutional "mandates."
Show me how you can find justification for, oh, say, affirmative action in the Constitution. Or maybe, the right to bear arms, but wait, not in cities or localities that have banned the right (IMHO a direct contradiction to the 2nd amendment.)

Why should an illegal have the "right" to pay in state tuition for a state university, when some kid who is a citizen has to pay out of state tuition, which is usually prohibitive?:

Amendment 14: Citizenship rights – This amendment, ratified in 1868, gives the right to citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. It also gives citizens the right to equal protection of the national and state laws, the right to be free of any law that deprives a person of life, liberty or property without due process.


I guess you guys have the right to interpret it anyway you want.

James Shaw

OK, you have had your say but, now, back to the point of the post:

Why should those who pay taxes to support public education (gays, believers, non-believers, Muslims, Jews, etc.) be excluded from a religious organization on campus, that is supported in part by tax monies from those the religious organization wishes to exclude? The religious organizations are free to hold their meetings privately off campus without restraint.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

I'm not going to be suckered into this one, only to spend my time "listening" to those of three or four various beliefs rant and rave about each other. I advise others to follow the same path.

James Shaw

It's an important issue jaymatt, but not if you don't care. Just curious, what types of issues would you recommend others to follow that suits your fancy??

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Photography-related issues of one kind or another. There's enough political ranting every day on Facebook to last me a lifetime.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

I'm with you, jaymatt. I tend not to get suckered into James' discussions.

magicray Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

brain farts......

I think Christian groups would welcome ANYONE to join but if it is an Evangelical Christian Organization why would anyone want to join that wasn't a 'believer' or interested in becoming one?

(Anyone who thinks that homosexuality in it's self is wrong or sinful is a dope. THEY ARE BORN THAT WAY! IT IS NOT A DISEASE OR A SIN!)

Talking about discrimination, affirmative action is VERY biased and discriminate.
Being white would I be allowed to attend a Negro College or get a grant from the UNCF? Everyone discriminates.

Would a fraternity or the SKULL AND BONES secret society at Yale allow me to be a member? Isn't being white and rich as a qualification being discriminate?

This conundrum involves interpretation of the laws involving racial, gender and religious discrimination as the SCUS sees it. Fine tuning the laws as they exist.

Simple answer to your question, James, is that all organizations have certain 'requirements' but if those requirements break the law then you can expect someone to bring it to the forefront. Government funded educational institutions cannot endorses a particular religion and organizations cannot discriminate because of race, religion or sexual orientation..... but it is done often.

James Shaw

Can't disagree with what you say. I guess to each his own. I do not do facebook, yet my wife and my 27 year-old and 34 year old daughters are glued to facebook, that is, in between the times they are thumbing their cell phones, which I do not own either.

Love photography, too, but I am just an amateur. The camera is kind of magic to me. It can catch a special, private, moment in time, that can then be played back with pleasure over and over again. Quite uplifting to me and soothing to me. I am more a flower person but love other shots as well.

James Shaw

Sorry you feel that way, Steve. It is not my intention to "sucker" anyone into my discussions. I just assume those who are interested respond, and those who are not interested do not respond, and that is just fine-and-dandy with me. I do love discussion, but do not want to offend others with my way of things. But I can understand where you are coming from, as I can be provocative at times. Again, no offense intended.

James Shaw

Great response. Thanks!! I do think that many, who say they are being discriminated against, say so for other reasons, whatever they may be, and some do so for devious reasons.

I would not want the responsibility that comes with making judgements that are made by the Supreme Court Justices. My conscience would bother me, as I would think that my biases would cloud my good judgement, which would be made for the American people in general. The justices have their work cut out for them. They are a special kind, and I say we are lucky to have them there, despite I may not agree with all of their decisions.