Christians Criticise Christian Union Ban
The Roman Catholic Church in Scotland has defended the Christian Union at Edinburgh University after its pro-abstinence course was banned by university chiefs for being too exclusive.
by Maria Mackay
Posted: Tuesday, November 21, 2006, 9:53 (GMT)
The Roman Catholic Church in Scotland has criticised Edinburgh University's decision to ban a Christian Union course that promotes abstinence.
The PURE course, which promotes the traditional marriage as the best setting for a sexual relationship, was banned following protests from other students, particularly members of the Gay and Lesbian Society at the university.
Claims that promotional material for the six-week course included stories from people who had been "cured" of their homosexuality, university chiefs defended its decision to ban the course on the grounds that it broke equality and diversity rules.
Spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland Peter Kearney said: "This is nothing more than blind and unthinking political correctness."
The Lawyers' Christian Fellowship also criticised the decision to ban PURE, saying, "This incident is an attack on freedom of speech in an institution where an open exchange of views and a search after truth should be strongly upheld.
"In this instance the Christian Union is being denied freedom of expression because what they say and believe is uncomfortable for some groups in the university."
Laura Stirrat, vice-president of Edinburgh University's Christian Union, said: "The university is effectively closing down free speech."
Churches across the country are also offering their prayerful support for the Christian Unions. Deal Christian Fellowship in Kent is just one of many churches urging members to write to the principal of Edinburgh University expressing their disapproval of the censure.
Edinburgh University remains unapologetic. A university spokeswoman said the course was "contradictory to our equality and diversity values" and that it was not appropriate to run on university or Students Association premises.
Now Edinburgh University Christian Union is among several Christian Unions across the country seeking legal advice after they were also banned by their university authorities or had their privileges withheld.
The 150-strong Christian Union in Birmingham was suspended this year after refusing to alter its constitution to allow non-Christians to address meetings and to amend its literature to include references to gays, lesbians, bisexuals and those of transgender sexuality.
Christian students are threatening to take Exeter University and students' guild to court over human rights breaches after the university temporarily suspended the Christian Union from the official list of student societies on campus.
Exeter Christian Union told the university last Thursday that it would take legal action after 14 days if it was not fully re-instated as a student society by the guild with full rights and was allowed to call itself the Christian Union.
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Added: Sunday, July 1, 2007, 15:46 (BST)
The fact remains, that the world does not receive or recognize Jesus Christ. The REAL Jesus Christ. Not some mamby pamby lets just all get along Jesus Christ. He IS the Lion of Judah and he had a double edged sword coming out of his mouth. Love and Wrath. Justice and Mercy. He is all of these things. Most people only want one edge of the sword. Sex outside of marriage is Sin. Marriage created of God is man and woman. Not any other thing. So what it is, many of the students at Edinburgh University don't want to confront SIN. It has nothing to do with the course. The COURSE reveals the SINS. The world doesn't want the light. They want darkness. So it doesn't surprise me that there are those who want a watered down Christianity that leaves gaping pathways for their SIN. Sorry but you cannot enter or recieve the Kingdom of God with this type of expectation. This expectation is not the Kingdom of God. And its time for Believers to realize that we cannot have fellowship with the world. Trying to fight these things in the courts have their place but ultimately, TRULY living a biblical lifestyle draws persecution. Many believers are trying to avoid Persecution as much as unbelievers are trying to avoid conviction of sin.
The University is Godless and its not surprising that they would bend to the majority rule. A majority rule that wants to take part in a "Christian" group, but doesn't want to follow CHRIST. Awake oh Bride of Christ. Wake up and come out of HER. Her being the SYSTEM that opposes Jesus Christ. The REAL Jesus. READ THE BOOK.
Crystal, Atlanta, Georgia
Added: Friday, December 1, 2006, 15:03 (GMT)
It's hardly surprising that this course is considered unacceptable. Contrary to the implication of your article it is not just a few militant gay students that have a problem with this course, it is widely considered to be discriminatory and offensive. The course recommends literature that describes homosexuals as not being 'whole' and as far as I'm concerned, as a student of the university, these students have a right to their views but should not be allowed to use university property or funding to advertise them when it is offensive to so many students. The university did not ban this course out of spite, it bowed to the pressure applied by the student body.
Anna McFarlane, Edinburgh, UK
