Church Universities and Sexual Lifestyle

[xrayzebra]

Okay, I have a question. You are a , male or female, and decide to go
to a college/university that is religious based. Should they be required to
bend to your lifestyle or do you conform/respect their core beliefs.

And why should they bend to the s lifestyle, since the could
have choose any number of colleges that would have been more than happy
to accommodate their lifestyle.

Now read the following article that was in today's E-N.


Gays, lesbians asking how they fit in at Our Lady of the Lake

Web Posted: 10/23/2006 03:06 AM CDT

Melissa Ludwig

Martin Trevino is openly gay. He knows that is unacceptable to many of his fellow students at Our Lady of the Lake University, a private Catholic school on the West Side.

In spite of that — or perhaps because of it — Trevino wants to create a university-sanctioned gay/straight alliance to educate students and faculty about gay issues and to give gays and lesbians a voice on campus. The issue has sparked discussion about whether universities with Catholic moorings should support gay groups, given that the church teaches sexual sex is wrong.

"It's part of our education to be able to work with a diverse population," said Trevino, a 42-year-old social work student. "If it is acceptable to take our money, it should be acceptable to be who we are."

Howard Benoist, executive vice president for OLLU, said he would work with Trevino on the approval process, which includes drawing up a charter that must conform to the university's Catholic mission.

"The campus policy is no discrimination and support for everybody," Benoist said. "We make a distinction between the lifestyle and the student. We want to be supportive of the students no matter what their views."
Jeffrey Skilling
Question: Should OLLU allow gay organizations on campus?

The request comes at a time when Catholic universities around the nation are struggling with the clash between modern culture and religious values. About 50 Catholic ins utions have student organizations for some combination of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning or intersex (having both sexual organs) students. Locally, St. Mary's University and the University of the Incarnate Word are not among those.

Other colleges have drawn fire for hosting "The Vagina Monologues," a play that includes a depiction of a sexual encounter between a young girl and a woman.

"This is a real issue and our church is grappling with it," said Michael Galligan-Stierle, vice president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C. "There are 100 opinions today about what it means to be Catholic. Young adults should be talking these things through and figuring out where their values are."

Quietly out

In Professor Cynthia Medina's office at the Worden School of Social Service, an OLLU handbook sits on her shelf, a bright yellow Post-it Note stuck to the section outlining goals for general education. Learn to respect others, quash discrimination, it says. She whips it out when colleagues criticize her efforts to raise awareness of gay issues.

"I really take that seriously," she said of the handbook's goals.

Medina has helped organize on-campus events to discuss gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning and intersex issues, and in August she put on a training session for student mentors. In her classes, she tackles minority relations and has compiled a resource manual on those issues.

It's awkward for students to confront their feelings about sexuality, Medina said, but they leave her class and training sessions with more compassion for gays and lesbians.

She thinks the campus is ripe for a gay/straight alliance.

"I think the students are interested and the university is ready," Medina said.

Jane Grovijahn, chairwoman of the religious studies department, agreed.

"People here are quietly out," Grovijahn said. "There is no great visibility. We are at exactly the right place to begin looking at these issues."

Both professors expect some resistance from faculty and students.

Aaron Miller, a 26-year-old English major, opposes the idea of a gay/straight alliance.

"Students may express individual views in contrast to Church teaching," Miller said. "But they may not formally organize against (the Church's) instruction."

If other universities' experience holds true, administrators also will hear from alumni, donors and outside groups complaining that Catholicism has gone soft.

The Cardinal Newman Society, a Manassas, Va.-based nonprofit that pushes for what it deems a stronger Catholic iden y at colleges, published a report in 2003 claiming Catholic universities were leading students astray.

The report cites a survey done by the Higher Education Research Ins ute at 38 Catholic colleges showing graduating seniors predominantly favor abortion rights and sexual marriage and only occasionally pray or attend religious services.

The report quoted David House, president of St. Joseph's College of Maine, as saying: "To present Church teaching at a Catholic college as neutral or as one of many offerings in the cafeteria of belief systems is more than just weak. It's wrong."

The society also has successfully fought productions of "The Vagina Monologues" on numerous Catholic campuses. This year, University of Notre Dame's president required the campus' Film Festival to change its name and banned fundraising for a performance of "The Vagina Monologues."

"There are organizations that launch campaigns against universities they think are not Catholic enough," said Denise Mattson, a spokeswoman for DePaul University in Chicago.

In January, DePaul became the first Catholic school in the country to offer a minor in studies.

"It is a bold move; you are going to put yourself up for criticism," Mattson said of DePaul's decision. "But we have to be true to our mission and beliefs, and we believe in social justice and equality. Gay people deserve to be treated like other people."

'Always Our Children'

Catholicism deems sexual sex immoral and encourages gays and lesbians to remain chaste. But many forget that it also teaches acceptance and compassion, said Grovijahn and other religious leaders, including a spokesman for the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

They point to " Always Our Children," a pastoral message from the Bishops' Committee on Marriage and Family to the parents of sexual children.

According to the letter: " sexual orientation is experienced as a given, not as something freely chosen. By itself, therefore, a sexual orientation cannot be considered sinful."

It goes on to challenge all Christians and citizens to "confront their own fears about sexuality" and "strive to eliminate any forms of injustice, oppression, or violence" against gays and lesbians.

Other universities have cited those teachings in allowing gay student organizations, often with the caveat that members follow Catholic teachings and stay true to the school's religious iden y.

Despite that call to compassion, gays and lesbians still encounter contempt and even violence in society, Grovijahn said.

"The ability to even talk about these things out loud is really quite new in our culture," said Father Bernard Lee, vice president for mission and iden y at St. Mary's University. "When a delicate topic comes up culturally, it is really clumsy for a while."

Francisco Vara-Orta, a recent St. Mary's graduate who edited the student newspaper, said gay and lesbian students often gathered on a word-of-mouth basis but were afraid to go public.

"It's a pretty hard issue, so most students stayed in the closet," Vara-Orta said. "Conservatives are vocal and feel like they have the Bible on their side. It's kind of intimidating."

Lee said if faculty and students think it would be helpful, a gay student organization would be "a right and good thing to do."

"If we have to explain ourselves to our wider cons uencies, we do it," Lee said. "That is part of education."
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Online at: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/met...Y.306a121.html


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I have one other question. What is there to understand about a persons
sexual preference? Do hetrosexuals need groups to focus on their
lifestyle? Would one even be allowed on any campus?

[ChumpDumper]

If a school is really anti-gay, they should explicitly state it in their mission statement and say they don't want any gays there. Otherwise, they don't have much of a leg to stand on discriminating against them

About 50 Catholic ins utions have student organizations for some combination of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning or intersex (having both sexual organs) students.

Obviously there is no consensus on this from Catholic schools in general, so perhaps they should get together and decide for themselves.

[Crookshanks]

This may be acceptable at Catholic Universities, but never at an Evangelical Christian one. I attended a very conservative Baptist University in Tennessee back in the late 70's. One of the students (a very well known one) was caught having gay sex in one of the dorms. He was gone so fast no one knew what was happening until a few days later.

But, they also kicked out the student who was running an escort service from his dorm room, as well as all the girls involved.

[ChumpDumper]

This may be acceptable at Catholic Universities, but never at an Evangelical Christian one.

So if anyone found a gay group at one of these schools, you'd be wrong?

[Extra Stout]

So if anyone found a gay group at one of these schools, you'd be wrong?

Frequently, evangelical schools require that incoming students sign a form swearing to adhere to a code of conduct, which will proscribe all forms of extramarital sexual conduct.

[CubanMustGo]

Speaking of evangelical open-mindedness, pose nude for Playboy and Baylor will kick your pretty ass right out of school.

[j-6]

A 42 year old openly gay undergrad should have chosen a more liberal school than OLLU if he thinks his sexuality is that big of a deal. It's not like Mom and Dad were steering him toward that particular college.

Why didn't he go to St. Ed's up in Austin, a Catholic school with a gay-friendly reputation?

[Spurminator]

Speaking of evangelical open-mindedness, pose nude for Playboy and Baylor will kick your pretty ass right out of school.

I can't imagine why a private religious ins ution would have a problem with being represented in a ty mag.

[johnsmith]

I can't imagine why a private religious ins ution would have a problem with being represented in a ty mag.

Playboy has naked pictures of women? Huh, I only read the articles.....................

[Trainwreck2100]

But, they also kicked out the student who was running an escort service from his dorm room, as well as all the girls involved.

That's just awesome

[Crookshanks]

So if anyone found a gay group at one of these schools, you'd be wrong?

You won't find an openly gay group at any of these schools. I'm not saying there wouldn't be gay students, but they would never be allowed to form a group advertising their lifestyle.

And ES is right, all students must sign a form promising to uphold the rules or else they are not admitted. If an applicant admitted being gay on the application, it wouldn't even be considered.

But then again, a gay person would probably never apply to an evangelical school because they know they would never be accepted by the other students or the faculty.

[Spurminator]

Playboy has naked pictures of women? Huh, I only read the articles.....................

Yeah, apparently. I think they're somewhere towards the back.

[DarkReign]

Okay, I have a question. You are a , male or female, and decide to go
to a college/university that is religious based. Should they be required to
bend to your lifestyle or do you conform/respect their core beliefs?

I didnt need to read anything beyond this statement. No, they shouldnt have to do for anyone.

Now, if theyre a public university, they certainly must bend to the will of society. If theyre private, tell them "Go yourselves. Literally."

[ChumpDumper]

Frequently, evangelical schools require that incoming students sign a form swearing to adhere to a code of conduct, which will proscribe all forms of extramarital sexual conduct.

I said one, and orientation <> conduct. I can't say that I'm going to look through the org registries of every private university, I'm just doubtful of such absolutes.

[johnsmith]

I like xray's politically correct way of describing the issue at hand, "You are a ........"

That cracked me up.

[scott]

God hates s.

[xrayzebra]

I like xray's politically correct way of describing the issue at hand, "You are a ........"

That cracked me up.

So, should I have said "gay". is another
word just like "gay". Or should I have said the
correct word " sexual". Any of the words
only describes a "sexual" lifestyle". I go back
to the operative thing. Do have "heterosexual"
or "straight" people have the same rights. Now
I ask why should "heterosexuals" be called
straights? When they are "normal". By "normal"
I mean that is how you make babies and the
way nature created all creatures. sexuals,
s, cannot make babies by their acts, only
have sexual contact with their own kind. That
is a fact.

[boutons_]

God loves hate

[turambar85]

Now
I ask why should "heterosexuals" be called
straights? When they are "normal". By "normal"
I mean that is how you make babies and the
way nature created all creatures. sexuals,
s, cannot make babies by their acts, only
have sexual contact with their own kind. That
is a fact.

So blow-jobs and heterosexual anal sex aren't natural? Masturbation isn't natural?

They don't make babies, or lead to making babies.
Find any 10 people over 20, ask those ten people if they have done any of the things just mentioned, and you will see how natural they are.

[ploto]

The school can teach tolerance without advocating a group that supports the lifestyle. Just like a Catholic university can create a support group for women who have had an abortion but not one that is Pro-Choice.

[mavs>spurs2]

Um....why does he insist on going to a private school and making gayness a big issue? Sounds like he's just trying to stir trouble....there are plenty of public schools that can't discriminate.

[ChumpDumper]

It's an interesting question -- there is little doubt that these schools accept federal funds of some sort. But at the same time there is little federal protection of gay rights. I suppose the question is when (not if) civil rights statutes are extended to gay, will anti-gay schools have to give up federal funding like pell grants if they go out of their way to discriminate.

[johnsmith]

So, should I have said "gay". is another
word just like "gay". Or should I have said the
correct word " sexual". Any of the words
only describes a "sexual" lifestyle". I go back
to the operative thing. Do have "heterosexual"
or "straight" people have the same rights. Now
I ask why should "heterosexuals" be called
straights? When they are "normal". By "normal"
I mean that is how you make babies and the
way nature created all creatures. sexuals,
s, cannot make babies by their acts, only
have sexual contact with their own kind. That
is a fact.

Xray, I'm not knocking you, it just cracked me up.

[George Gervin's Afro]

God hates s.

I'm sure the Lord is proud ofyou using his name to attribute to your hate.. Very christian of you..

[George Gervin's Afro]

So, should I have said "gay". is another
word just like "gay". Or should I have said the
correct word " sexual". Any of the words
only describes a "sexual" lifestyle". I go back
to the operative thing. Do have "heterosexual"
or "straight" people have the same rights. Now
I ask why should "heterosexuals" be called
straights? When they are "normal". By "normal"
I mean that is how you make babies and the
way nature created all creatures. sexuals,
s, cannot make babies by their acts, only
have sexual contact with their own kind. That
is a fact.

Didn't God make man in his own image? Isn't God the final judge of man?