Christian Student Sues Over Requirement She Change Her Views On Homosexuality To Obtain Degree

Jackie, thanks for posting this.

Augusta State University is a state university.  Funded by tax-payer dollars, both state and federal.

This is not just about homosexual behavior.  It is about the whole spectrum of sinful behaviors:  abortion, sex outside marriage of one man to one woman, polyamory and all the rest.  The State of Georgia, through Augusta State University, is attempting to censor Ms. Keeton’s Christian speech. 

Political action is clearly called for.

If you live in Georgia, please write your state legislators.  Let them know that your vote will be influenced by how they respond to this.  Contact the governor’s office.

Without regard to where you live in the U. S., contact your U. S. Senator and Congressman - Augusta State University is very likely, almost certainly, receiving federal funding for some of its programs, probably the one in which Ms. Keeton is enrolled.

After you have contacted them, follow-up.  Don’t allow them to ignore you.  Never give in, never, never.

And here’s the followup story:
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/education/2010-07-24/asu-student-says-gays-have-identity-confusion

ASU has a reputation for being a hotbed of secular humanism, and Augusta just had its first “Gay Pride” parade. I haven’t heard whether the Bishop of Georgia rode in the parade, or sent greetings.

This young lady is being very courageous. The region on the whole is said to be quite conservative. A majority will back her on this. Assuming she has proper documentation of the allegations, this is a no-win scenario for the university faculty and administration.

Associate Professor Edward Delgado-Romero:

“A student saying ‘I personally have religious beliefs against this group, and I will convince my clients to believe this’ would be a conflict.”

The article indicates nowhere that there is a sort of “evangelical zeal” with regard to this particular belief, or that the student had the intent of convincing her clients as such.  It also assumes that these are beliefs “against this group” - I would think that the student would describe her believes as “how she loves this group,” and that they are for the group rather than against it.
However, let us take this same quote and apply it to the University.  In this case, it is clear that there is a great deal of evangelical zeal on the part of the University to convince its clients of this particular belief “against this group” of Christians - so much so, that it is even willing to engage in tactics of coerced proselytism.
Christians have developed a sense of the ethics of evangelism over the centuries and though there are cases of rather unthoughtful evangelism, frequently the Christian community is responsible in speaking with those who engage in such.  We have a sense of “calling” and when it is appropriate to speak of some things, and when not.  Perhaps the secular community will be able to take Augusta aside and help it think over its policy of coerced proselytism.

If the liberals can’t win by changing hearts, they will try to win via the government.  Thank goodness for people who stand up to this nonsense.

Sorry, that should have been the government AND academia.  My bad.  NEED.  MORE.  COFFEE.

Apologies for above remark.  After re-reading the article, it’s clear that Prof. Delgado-Romero is citing this as an example, and is not claiming that this applies in the students’ case.  We also have:

Delgado-Romero said that UGA’s faculty would not force a student to change their beliefs, but there would be discussions on how personal beliefs should not affect treatment of clients.

A pity we don’t know more about this individual student’s case.  We have this from her:

While I want to stay in the school counseling program, I know that I can’t honestly complete the remediation plan knowing that I would have to alter my beliefs

I can understand that there would be concern if one of her beliefs is like:
“In all cases when we meet someone who is gay, we must volubly make known our opposition to same-gender sex acts.”
I doubt, however, that is her position.  On the basis of the article alone, it’s very difficult to tell what’s what.  Delgado-Romero claims the school can’t force a student to change their beliefs, and cites a rather extreme type of behavior as unacceptable.  The student hasn’t described any of her behavior, but claims that she would have to change her beliefs if she followed through with the plan.

and ... forgot to watch the video (there is a huge comment-fest on these two postings), where she says that all she did was, from time to time, share her biblical views in papers and with other students.  So: “do we always noisily talk about such views when gay people are around” is a clear: “no.”

She does clearly claim that she “would have to change her views” and Delgado-Romero claims that she wouldn’t.  I think it’s safest to say that we don’t yet know the whole story, but I would hope that the University would be more forthcoming, once the suit has been settled, about its actual policies.  I do hope some reporters follow up on this one.  Someone is being less than transparent.

Wilf (#7),

You wrote:  “She does clearly claim that she “would have to change her views” and Delgado-Romero claims that she wouldn’t.  I think it’s safest to say that we don’t yet know the whole story, but I would hope that the University would be more forthcoming, once the suit has been settled, about its actual policies.  I do hope some reporters follow up on this one.  Someone is being less than transparent.”

“Someone is being less than transparent.”  Do you really think so?

“From the Augusta Chronicle:  “ASU faculty has ordered her to undergo a remediation plan, which would include diversity sensitivity workshops, she says.
Professors also suggested that she attend Augusta’s Gay Pride Parade last month, Keeton told her attorneys. As a part of the plan, she would report back once a month to faculty to determine whether the activities have an impact on her convictions.”  Emphasis added.

Delgado-Romero claims she would not have to change her views, but she is to report on the impact of the required activities on her convictions.  Views?  Convictions?  Is there a significant difference?

And you are right, Wilf, “we don’t yet know the whole story”.  And you know what, Wilf, we never will!

So, Wilf, what is your point?  Are you saying that homosexual sex activity is ok?  Are you saying that a private sector counselor, trained at ASU but not employed or funded by any taxpayer money, should not be able to express his/her view on the morality of homosexual sex acts to person(s) being counseled.

So, Wilf, what is your point?

Your values as a counselor should not be forced on a client yet your values as a professor can be forced on a student. Where is the consistency in that? By the way, Counseling is not a value free process no matter what people like to think. What happened to academic freedom?

Freedom of religion void where prohibited by law.

I think this is pertinent to this report because it shows the shift in thinking about basic freedoms we almost take for granted here.

From First Things, Feb 2010. “Why Freedom of Worship Is Not Enough.”

http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2010/02/why-ldquofreedom-of-worshiprdquo-is-not-enough

A ‘gay pride’ parade is a very ugly event at which obscene sexually overt behaviors and manners of dress are exposed to the public. 

Responsible city fathers should not allow these on their watch.  They are negligent if they do.

Home Depot actually sponsored a children’s workshop at one of these events.  No children, even those of practicing homosexuals, should be present at these parades.

As one who had to endure the Fortune 500 version of “Diversity Sensitivity Training”, I assure you that the entire point is to see that your convictions are not allowed to influence your behavior in public. They didn’t care what I believed, as long as it didn’t influence my behavior and in some way collide with their agenda.
  Behavior-based programs don’t try to change your beliefs, only your actions.
  Separate beliefs from actions, and Satan himself is thoroughly satisfied.

Here’s the latest on that story. The university files its response. THe THought Police say that a Christian student has to be able to put aside her religious beliefs.

Note: “Members of ASU’s faculty also were concerned with Keeton’s support of conversion therapy for homosexuals, which the American Counseling Association’s ethics committee has concluded ‘may harm clients.’”

What a crock!

http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/education/2010-08-10/asu-denies-claims-made-student