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EDUCATION / COLLEGE CAMPUS ''DIVERSITY'' NOT SO DIVERSE
It's almost like a fad spreading nationwide: universities ignoring federal law and cracking down on religious student groups. Which is why the Christian Legal Society finds itself fighting cases like this one with ASU on at least four other campuses.
COLLEGE~ By Paul Strand
CWNews
January 14. 2005
CWNews.org -- In the U.S. more and more universities are forcing Christian student groups to admit non-Christians or face punishment. It's part of a wave of ‘political correctness’ that accuses believers of ‘discrimination’ if they want to limit their fellowship to other believers.
But some students are fighting back.
There's really one main reason Christian law students like Francisco Sirvent and Bethany Lewis want their own organization.
Bethany Lewis said, "If you have a skiing club, the purpose there is to bring together people who love skiing and are devoted to skiing. Our organization "the purpose there is to bring together Christians, to walk out our Christianity together at the law school."
But Arizona State University, known as ASU, has a problem with that, because the Christian Legal Society chapter demands two things of its members.
Francisco Sirvent explained, "We would just like to ask that our members" and our leaders "have Christian beliefs and believe in what the Bible says."
Lewis added, "You have to be a Christian to be a part of our student organization. And then the other part is, implicit in our statement of faith is the idea that sex is only to be practiced within the bounds of marriage, so that would exclude homosexual conduct."
ASU's Student Code of Conduct prohibits "engaging in discriminatory activities ... on the basis of (among other things) ... religion, (or) sexual orientation."
The Christian law students, and lawyers representing them, tried to get an exemption from ASU, but ...
Greg Baylor, of the Christian Legal Society said, "They said flat-out 'No, we're not going to respect your religious liberty’."
So the students have sued ASU and the Arizona Board of Regents, known as ABOR.
The students are represented by lawyers like Greg Baylor who is at the northern Virginia headquarters of the Christian Legal Society.
Baylor says ASU tells student organizations "you have to promise not to take religion or sexual conduct into account when you're choosing your voting members and your leaders.”
He went on, “And our leader looked at that and said, 'Well, we can't do that. We're the Christian Legal Society. We're about allegiance to Jesus Christ, and therefore we want our voting members and our leaders to sign a statement of faith demonstrating their commitment to Christ and to live a life that's consistent with God's moral laws’."
There are real consequences if the law students won't comply.
Sirvent explained, "The first step is ASU de-recognizes us as a student organization, and that takes away a lot of the benefits and privileges that student organizations have on-campus: meeting on-campus is one of them, and receiving some funding."
And, if the university wanted to get really personal, it could impose on the Christian students ...
Sirvent said, "Suspension, expulsion. Which [it] probably never would get to that level. But those are options for them."
ASU wouldn't give CBN News an interview, but did send us a news release, accusing the Christian Legal Society of asking ASU "to permit the student chapter of the Christian Legal Society to discriminate against non-Christians and homosexuals."
The news release suggests that's not going to happen because "ASU is committed to diversity and respect for all of its students."
And the news release goes on to say "student organizations on ASU campuses are required to comply with applicable law and with the ABOR Student Code of Conduct."
But Lewis insists, "In good conscience, we can't sign that non-discrimination policy."
Lewis explained, "We've had problems in the past with members of different religions wanting to become members of our organization and lead Bible studies" when they don't agree with the essentials of Christianity!"
Both the students and Baylor say they're fighting because this is about far more than one Christian club.
Baylor said, "The application of religion and sexual orientation non-discrimination rules is the most significant threat to religious freedom in America right now."
Baylor says it's almost like a fad spreading nationwide: universities ignoring federal law and cracking down on religious student groups. Which is why the Christian Legal Society finds itself fighting cases like this one with ASU on at least four other campuses.
Baylor commented, "All of the laws that ban religious discrimination in employment have an exception for religious organizations. Because the law recognizes that it's simply not wrong for religious organizations to take religion and sexual conduct into account when choosing its people. I don't know why universities and other folks can't understand that. But the law in other contexts recognizes and respects religious freedom."
© Copyright 2004. The Christian Broadcasting Network
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