Onward Christian Soldiers .........

Supreme Court to hear arguments on campus Christian group

WASHINGTON – In a case that pits nondiscrimination policies against freedom of religion, the Supreme Court is grappling with whether universities and colleges can deny official recognition to Christian student groups that refuse to let non-Christians and gays join.

The high court was to hear arguments Monday from the Christian Legal Society at the University of California's Hastings College of the Law. The Christian group said its constitutional freedoms of speech, religion and association were violated when it was denied recognition as a student group by the San Francisco-based school.

The group has made this argument at several universities around the nation with mixed results. The high court's decision could set a national standard for universities and colleges to follow when Christian and other groups that want to exclude certain people apply for money and recognition from the school.

Hastings said it turned the Christian Legal Society down because all recognized campus groups, which are eligible for financing and other benefits, may not exclude people due to religious belief, sexual orientation and other reasons.

The Christian group requires that voting members sign a statement of faith. The group also regards "unrepentant participation in or advocacy of a sexually immoral lifestyle" as being inconsistent with the statement of faith.

Story here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_supreme_court_campus_christians


As a military or legal adjective, I think the word "offensive" could be characterized as "invasive or posturing for attack". To me, these groups are offensive and relentless. Why would God need a schools recognition and credit card number?

If the nonchristians want to learn about Christianity, what's the harm (at least, what's the harm to the Christians?)
And... Are they saying that gay people are incapable of being christians?

Simply put there's no "freedom of religion" issue here. Christianity exhorts its believers to teach the unbelievers, and there's absolutely no rule that a christian can't be gay - apparently it's a sin, but that's between the sinner and god, not the person's peers.

because if you're trying to say I lack understanding of christian doctrine, you're going to have to explain. it's been pretty stable for the last fifteen hundred years, and unless there's been a radical shift in the religion since I left it, I'm pretty certain I "get it"

and how it is to be dealt with and answer your own questions...

sP

Christian doctrine changes all the time. Many christian factions actually hate each other. At one time, the Pope killed Jesuit monks for having taken an oath of poverty. There were huge changes in Christianity in the early 1900's when the evangelical / fundamentalist movements began. Christianity is extraordinarily far from "stable".

There is no qualifying beliefs that make a christian a christian. In fact, most christians are actually "Paulists" who believe more in the writings of Paul than they do Christ.

Beginning in the 1980's a huge partof "Christianity" got hijacked by Conservative Republicans. To them, Jesus is a gun toting capitalist who hates welfare people, homosexuals, single mothers, and non-white races.

At other times, Jesus is a liberal.

Just try to isolate what IS doctrine. It will vary from denomination to denomination - and run the gamut from very specific to so broad as to be almost non-existent.

I would think that signing a statement of faith would eliminate the curious. It sounds more like yet another tax free conservative PAC in the making to me. Within a year, I predict the usual nonsense like trying to control educational content and curicullumk.

can`t have that in the real world but since the majority of the court are batshit crazy fundamentalists i figure they`ll rule in favor of the "christians"

If you're hoping to attract people to your faith, taking legal action to prohibit them from joining your group seems like a pretty stupid way to go about it.

Court splits sharply on campus Christian argument

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court seemed to split sharply Monday on whether a law school can deny recognition to a Christian student group that won't let gays join, a case that could determine whether nondiscrimination policies trump the rights of private organizations to determine who can — and cannot — belong.

In arguments tinged with questions of religious, racial and sexual discrimination, the court heard from the Christian Legal Society, which wants recognition from the University of California's Hastings College of the Law as an official campus organization with school financing and benefits.

story here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100419/ap_on_go_su_co/us_supreme_court_campus_christians