"Christian Legal Society" campus club seeks to exclude gays

[Bluebear]

A legal confrontation is playing out here as a student organization seeks official recognition and money from a state-run university even though the students plan to exclude non-Christians and gays.

A group of Christian students at Arizona State University's law school formed a chapter of the Christian Legal Society, a national organization that unites Christian lawyers and law students for fellowship, mutual legal support, meetings and Bible readings.

After the university refused to recognize the group, the society's national headquarters in Washington, D.C., drafted a lawsuit challenging the university over its anti-discrimination policies, a move that echoes similar and sometimes successful efforts across the country.

In the lawsuit, the society argues that the members at Arizona State have a constitutionally protected right to organize and receive university recognition under the 1st and 14th Amendments.

Members of the Christian Legal Society must sign a statement of faith, a document that essentially is the Apostles' Creed. In the declaration, members attest to their faith in God and also say the Bible is the "inspired word of God."

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/chitribts/20041228/ts_chicagotrib/campusclubseeksrighttoexcludegays

[aquart]

1. Christian means "bigot"?

Wouldn't Jesus be proud.

[scarlett1]

10. WWJD

Let's see Jesus was an unmarried 30 something man who ran around with several other unmarried men

[Elise]

2. This might be a good harbinger as

well as as good test of law.

Clearly, they haven't a leg to stand on.

Public schools = no right to exclude and the suit should be defeated on that basis.

If they want Christians only, they need to go to a private Christian school.

If they want to exclude gays or any other minority group, they need to go to H*LL.

[Kikosexy2]

3. Christians...

give me the willies--could it be that they are really evil minions of the forthcoming Anti-Christ. They do and say everything that is soooo anti-Jesus/God in the guise of holiness and Godliness that it makes one wonder.

[dxdem]

4. xtianity

has come full circle, back to that Martin Luther "the pope is the devil" type spot. The adherants are making asses of themselves in a HUGE way. Priests are googling little boys on a level we don't even know about. YAY FOR ORGANIZED RELIGION!

[Bluebear]

6. So inclusionary! So welcoming!

[Kikosexy2]

7. May ...

the power of Christ compell you!

[m0nkeyneck]

5. why would a non-christian want to join this club?

i'd rather see how many rusty nails i can fit under my fingernails

[Kikosexy2]

8. They must...

be Karl Rove groupies.

[dxdem]

12. I need a

young priest and an old priest. The power of christ compels you! The power of christ compels you!

[Solon]

9. Spys for Satan of course...

:evilgrin:

[msanthrope]

11. It's the money---

They get student funding, same as any other campus-sanctioned group. Why should other students have to pay for groups that would exclude them?

[Bluebear]

13. Indeed. nt

[Crowdance]

16. Knowing thine enemy

or bunches of other reasons.

[Behind the Aegis]

14. The real problem

They should be recognized by the University, as per its guidelines. However, they should not receive funding, as no public University is required to allow funding for political or religious groups. Some Universities will fund all groups, others will fund everything, but political groups and/or religious groups. If a university has a non-discrimination clause that includes sexual orientation and they fund a group that prohibits gays and lesbians from joining, they can be sued for allowing a group to receive state funds in violation of its own policies. For that very reason, most universities refuse to fund political (sometimes, religious) groups. So, let them be recognized, but they shouldn't receive a dime!

[Bluebear]

15. The Talibornagain wave has begun

"Faith based" funding, etc. Any dissenting voices will be accused of hating the baby Jesus. :(

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. I don't get it

They are complaining that the university is excluding them yet they plan to exclude gays?