Why I am making this page is twofold; I'd like a venue to express the outrage at the debacles going on in numerous colleges (but especially Tufts University) regarding Christian fellowship regulation, as well as try to spread awareness of the situations at hand.

To that extent, I encourage everyone who is reading this, whether you are of Christian or homosexual (or Christian homosexual, though I will explain why this is not in the list) bent, to please take all information (and to submit new information and perspectives) into account as best you can. This is a groundbreaking situation which has potential to translate into something in which NOBODY wins.

Also, please understand that this is an editorial, personal as it may be. I do not claim to represent any particular group; though I like to think of myself as a Christian, I am woefully lacking in the necessary wisdom and patience to speak on behalf of the Christian community. Neither do I care to represent the homosexual community. I do not claim to be unbiased; as a matter of fact, I would be inclined to call any person who claims to be so a liar at best. (in line with my proof addiction, maybe I should work on a proof of the inability of humans to be unbiased) I do not claim to know everything that's going on, nor the people involved.

What I do bring here is several years of journalistic and logical experience, as well as the fact that yes, I am Christian. And yes, I feel justified in allowing room for homosexual perspectives; we are not called to hate or hurt, but to love. Especially those who disagree, passively or actively, with us.

Please familiarize yourself with the resources listed above to get a grasp of the situation. With that said, time to get going.

Rage
What could the student government at Tufts be thinking? Were they aware they were going to create a PR disaster in trying to dictate to a Christian fellowship how to act? Who are they to tell a religious group how to conduct things when the school is avowedly secular?

This is a particularly fine mess people are embroiled in once again. In the drive to "eliminate discrimination" and "allow diversity to prosper", a homosexual was forbidden from a Christian leadership. She consequently filed a complaint which led to the Christian organization's derecognition from Tufts University. Please try to stay with me as I dive into this.

For starters, I want to approach the idea of the "Christian homosexual." Intuitively, that should make no sense. I'm saying this straight out because there are those who believe that it is possible. The primary argument is that "oh, we can be both because Christianity allows for homosexuals." To further their case, they usually add "oh, nothing is in the Bible that says homosexuality is a sin."

Homosexual Christianity
Herewith:

Romans 1:21-28, Leviticus 20:13, Matthew 5:17-18. A quick glance at those should show you that the act of homosexuality was outright despised in the Old and New Testaments. It's rather tough to take those verses any other way (I've done my best to try to keep it small and in context simultaneously). With this in mind, I can only deduce:

  1. A willful homosexual Christian does not affirm those selected passages as truth, for if he/she did his/her lifestyle would not be so. This denial alone is often enough to suffice.
  2. Therefore, a willful homosexual Christian does not affirm the Bible as truth, for if they regarded it as truth, they would not deny any part of the Bible as truth.
  3. Therefore, a willful homosexual Christian does not affirm the Bible as the Word of God, for the Word of God cannot be composed of non-truths.
  4. Therefore, a willful homosexual Christian cannot be called a Christian by most conventions of the word, for most conventions of Christian definition involve believing the Bible to be the Word of God.

Note that I used willful all over the place. If you must, interpret willful as "with desire, and with no inhibiting objections or hesitations." So I ask, then... how can a willful homosexual Christian exist?


Student government, yes, but student justice?

What got into the student government at Tufts that they felt they could supercede religion? Some things they apparently missed:

  • They aren't a Christian organization. Just by this fact alone, what qualifies them to dictate anything about how a Christian fellowship should be run? What can a tailor tell a computer scientist about how to devise an algorithm? This absurdity alone pisses me off to no end. They have the power to dissolve TCF if they should choose (which they exercised, which is next), but they do not have the ability to regulate something that is BEYOND their scope. Club structure is club structure, which obeys certain regulations, but how insane is it that you would hold a Christian fellowship to restraints which are objected to on grounds of religion?

  • They miscarried justice by dissolving TCF in a midnight meeting WITHOUT any relevant parties present. First of all, as I read, TCF was the first organization ever to be derecognized in Tufts. Second, you can have documents and etc., but one reason to have representatives there is to observe the hearings. Without any minutes, any observation of the meeting, no source that all parties witnessed, we have NO IDEA what the hearing entailed. For all that we know, they got into a massive paranoia fit over a religious "cult" and disbanded it without even bothering to look at the documents which supposedly served as "representation." Remember that usually the president is also the moderator, which helps no one in this case.

    Besides, doesn't the fact that the so-called "open" meeting was in fact a midnight secret meeting, held hush-hush, cause any suspicion in anyone as to what their true intent was? That one complaint against an organization (funny, isn't it, that she decided to cause an issue because she couldn't be a leader. She did not meet the qualifications for leadership. However, she was quite welcome to continue attending) was enough to cause the first derecognition in the history of that university?

  • They dumped on themselves in their stride for tolerance. Funny, isn't it? Here they were, trying to promote "tolerance", and now they are (rightfully) being called into question for intolerant actions. The sad part is that society defines tolerance these days as something WAY out of check. Yes, of course I advocate lifting the glass ceiling and racial equality. But isn't it going out of hand when you have to be intolerant to be tolerant? IMHO the student government board there alone proved itself unfit to govern.

  • "All it takes for evil to grow is for good men to do nothing." - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. What has the administration done about this? Why do they look nearly as guilty? The administration, by failing to take precise and preemptive action, become just as guilty for letting such a flagrant violation of power slip by. Where the students fail, presumably the more mature people should have stepped up. However, I have no idea now who is more mature. (PS to my friend who was thinking of taking summer classes there - second thoughts?)

  • Swift action can be worse than inaction. Wow. Again, I say, wow. That complaint led to the removal of a Christian fellowship from campus. Instantly. Without regard for the contributions the fellowship has made for the University community, or the countless numbers of people it has sought to help. In a moonlighting meeting. Sans representation. Something reeks, and it's probably the cow patty of discrimination the student government has splattered across Tufts campus. I am no legal expert, but having a somewhat keen interest in it, I'm not so sure that the student government acted within its bounds (and if their constitution gives them such power as to step into religion, I am going to actively ask people to not apply there).

Boston Globe: Article response

Just read through it again to make sure I get my facts right. Don't want to go off and find out I went off on something that doesn't exist.

Tufts ain't the only one. Middlebury is also calling for the figurative head of the Christian fellowship. And there are many others which don't get the dignity of even being mentioned in some sort of news outlet. Quite frankly, I'm in disbelief and quite irritated at the riot mentality of the people who are protesting them. You don't want your funds supporting them? Tough. Do you think I put up money each year so that I can indirectly support the gay and lesbian promotion groups? Or how about the political groups? Or the numerous booze parties that some groups wind up spending their fees on?

And strange, I hear NO protests at all about any other religions on any campus. Why is that?

The group I attend, though recognized by the SA, is not sponsored. I have issues with this, in that the SA clearly and readily sponsors other religious groups. However, by the grace of God we've always had someone who had the funds to help keep us going; we are that much more reliant on the generosity of His blessings. But honestly, I have a feeling something like this will happen here soon as well. Someone who is just a little confused will step up, pull in some out-of-context principle, and the next thing you know this school will be up in arms. That's fine by me; I'm not incompetent when it comes to dueling, both verbal and physical. But just look at the sheer stupidity of the situation.

What you should do: (Christian)
I must agree with the TCF web page. Our best option (as a matter of fact, our only real choice) is to give this matter up to God. I am not one to do anything; look at this page. Does it look like I'm mature enough to handle something? But we have an ear that always hears and a God that always sees. Plus, I believe it would be encouraging to our suffering brothers and sisters to know how many people are praying for them. They will be recognized for standing up for what is right.

What I think you should do: (opposing party)

You're probably quite outraged at the situation as well, but for different reasons. I can understand; after all, what snobby little org has the right to reject someone from helping out 'cause he/she is not hetero? But don't mistake this for a change of heart; though I can sympathize with her, she is responsible for what she did. She should have had full knowledge of her actions and consequences, being in a Christian fellowship for three years. If what you're interested in is a peaceful resolution... unfortunately if you're from the outside looking in there really isn't too much that can be done yet. We're all waiting for the trial results. You can pitch your voice to the people involved, but I'm not sure how that will be taken. Never hurts to be heard, though.

I cannot help you if your desire to see TCF turned into an example. A right tolerance is best defined as knowing what to take for how long, and when not to. After all, do you preach tolerance if your best friend gets mowed down in a drive-by? Or when someone sprays a swastika in a Jewish neighborhood? (freedom of expression, I hear some cry) Because they did not allow her into a leadership position does not mean that they do not love her; it is simply that they could not tolerate someone openly embracing a sinful lifestyle leading other people, possibly astray. Christians are not told to hate people. We are a people called first and foremost to love. (see I Corinthians 13:13 and Galatians 5:22-26. If you don't believe that, then I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do.

Hope you got something out of that. Got something to bite me? Lemme have it. puredragon@koreamail.com is the e-mail. Going back? Okay.