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Judge: Christian frat can ban homosexuals
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43170 ^ | March 5, 2005

Posted on 03/12/2005 11:27:57 PM PST by John Lenin

© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

But university president still supporting 'non-discrimination policy'

A federal court has ordered the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to reinstate a Christian fraternity which had been denied recognition because its officers refused to sign the university's nondiscrimination policy requiring the group to allow homosexuals to join.

The preliminary injunction, issued by U.S. District Court Judge Frank W. Bullock Junior, will permit Alpha Iota Omega access to student funds and university facilities, like other fraternities on campus. The order will remain in force until the issue of compliance with the university's policy against discrimination is settled, most likely in court.

"This is the first battle in the lawsuit, and we are victorious in that sense," said Joshua Carden, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund, the Arizona-based organization representing the fraternity.

Alpha Iota Omega was formed six years ago for the purpose of "providing leadership and outreach to the campus Greek community through evangelism and mentorship."

As reported by WorldNetDaily, the fraternity had made numerous attempts to convince the university to change its policy that required them to admit homosexuals. In a letter to UNC-CH Chancellor James Moeser, the Philadelphia-based Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a national civil liberties organization, emphasized the fraternity's belief that a shared faith was central to the group's identity: "UNC simply may not use its nondiscrimination policy to dictate how religious student organizations must deal with matters of faith. No group can control the content of its message if it is unable to choose its messengers."

Moeser and the university, however, refused to back down, insisting that all student groups must have open memberships. The policy requires recognized student groups to open membership to anyone, regardless of age, race, color, national origin, religion, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender.

"At this university, we encourage students to nurture their moral, spiritual and religious lives," he wrote in reply. "And we do not discriminate against students seeking recognition for religious groups.

"So, for example, Baptist student groups are open to Presbyterian students; Jewish student groups are open to Christian students; the Italian Club is open to Korean students; and the Black Student Movement is open to white students," Moeser concluded.

Official recognition of the fraternity was withdrawn last August and Alpha Iota Omega filed suit.

The preliminary injunction puts Alpha Iota Omega "on the same footing as nonreligious organizations which select their members on the basis of commitment ... ," Bullock wrote in his order. The nondiscrimination policy, the judge said, "raises significant constitutional concerns and could be violative of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution."

In the wake of Judge Bullock's ruling, Moesler is still standing firm in his support of the nondiscrimination policy, according to the Durham Herald Sun, telling a meeting of the Faculty Council, "No one has won at this point. We continue to believe in the merits of the university's position."

UNC was involved in a similar flap in 2002 when it withheld recognition for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship because the group required its leaders to be Christians. The uproar that followed was met with a change of mind by Chancellor Moeser at that time, and a policy was adopted allowing religious groups to require that leaders share the group's faith. However, membership had to remain open to all.

During 2002's summer session, UNC drew national attention for requiring its 3,600 incoming freshmen and transfer students to enroll in a class on Islam and attend group discussions around the mandatory text, "Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations."


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: academia; alphaiotaomega; christianclub; christianstudents; churchandstate; freedomofassociation; homosexualagenda; ruling; uncch
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To: TaxRelief; Helms; 100%FEDUP; 2ndMostConservativeBrdMember; ~Vor~; A2J; a4drvr; Adder; Aegedius; ...

NC *Ping*

Please FRmail Constitution Day, TaxRelief OR Helms if you want to be added to or removed from this North Carolina ping list.
61 posted on 03/14/2005 5:59:30 AM PST by Constitution Day (Go Wolfpack! Go away, Sendek.)
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To: little jeremiah

taught? the school's GSA's and GLSEN materials have sodomy as a mandatory participation.


62 posted on 03/14/2005 8:19:09 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE!)
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To: Constitution Day

It is providence that Judge Bullock is a Christian man who follows the constitution. He is a fine man.


63 posted on 03/14/2005 8:37:31 AM PST by goosie
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To: longtermmemmory

And the important thing is that the homo-promoters will not ever stop and say "Ok, we're tolerated/accepted/celebrated sufficiently. Now we'll just live our "gay" lives in peace and quiet."

They will not stop until they control the show. They are motivated by evil which wants to devour all.

They must be stopped. Our very civilization depends on it. And if someone thinks I'm exaggerating or focusing too much on homosexuals, the evil I'm speaking of includes mandatory fanatic secularism and forced hedonism of all descriptions. But the homosexual "rights" movement is the spearhead. If homosexual sodomy is considered normal, natural, and a right - then all else becomes acceptable - nay, mandatory - by comparison.

This is a war for the very soul of the world. The homo-activists and their cohort are internationalists.


64 posted on 03/14/2005 11:04:22 AM PST by little jeremiah (Resisting evil is our duty or we are as responsible as those promoting it)
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To: Constitution Day

bttt


65 posted on 03/15/2005 12:15:22 AM PST by lainde
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