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Students, Alumni Rally Behind Illinois Professor Fired for Expressing Catholic Beliefs
Foxnews ^ | July 16, 2010 | By Tess Civantos

Posted on 07/16/2010 7:58:46 PM PDT by topher

Thousands of supporters are rallying behind Dr. Kenneth Howell, the University of Illinois professor fired for expressing his Catholic beliefs, via a "Save Dr. Ken" Facebook group.

Faculty and students are rallying behind a University of Illinois professor whom they say was fired simply because of his religious beliefs.

Dr. Kenneth Howell, an adjunct professor who taught courses on Catholicism, was told recently that he could no longer teach in the university's Department of Religion. A student at the university accused Howell of engaging in hate speech when he stated in a class review session that he agreed with the Church's teaching that homosexual sex is immoral.

But Howell refused to leave without a fight, and now he has over 3,100 supporters fighting with him -- via a Facebook group called “Save Dr. Ken.”

...

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: catholic; churchteaching; drkenhowell; homosexualagenda; illinois; kenhowell; moralabsolutes
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See full article. LifeSiteNews.com has had two other articles on this which have been posted to FreeRepublic.

What is going on is bad news for the Gay/Lesbian group that raised this issue as well as the head of the Religion Department repsonsible for the firing of the professor.

I am fairly certain that FoxNews must excerpted...

1 posted on 07/16/2010 7:58:51 PM PDT by topher
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To: topher
Two other articles (LifeSiteNews) that have been posted on FreeRepublic on this subject:

U of IL to 'Review' Firing of Catholic Prof [U of Illinois]

U of Illinois Fires Catholic Prof for Explaining Church Teaching on Homosexuality

Since EWTN is televising this controversy, there may be other articles about this subject.

2 posted on 07/16/2010 8:03:34 PM PDT by topher (Let us return to old-fashioned morality - morality that has stood the test of time...)
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To: topher; Irisshlass; informavoracious; larose; RJR_fan; Prospero; Conservative Vermont Vet; ...
+

Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:

Add me / Remove me

Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.

3 posted on 07/16/2010 8:05:07 PM PDT by narses ( 'Prefer nothing to the love of Christ.')
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To: topher
The Thomas More Society is involved in helping with legal defense (if the Professor requests it). This was confirmed via an email to the Thomas More Society Law Center.
4 posted on 07/16/2010 8:05:07 PM PDT by topher (Let us return to old-fashioned morality - morality that has stood the test of time...)
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To: topher
I wouldn't say he was expressing 'Catholic' beliefs, as much as he was expressing Biblical beliefs. That is the Truth.
If you love someone, you tell them the Truth.

Homosexuality, and all sin, is an abomination to the LORD. We are all sinners, and Thank God the LORD Jesus Christ came for sinners -- but we are never to 'celebrate' sin nor encourage it.

John 8:3-11 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

5 posted on 07/16/2010 8:07:45 PM PDT by El Cid (Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house...)
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To: topher

Link to the facebook page (I am not Catholic, but am protestant Christian) so agree with his reasoning and source, please..


6 posted on 07/16/2010 8:08:04 PM PDT by JSDude1
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To: topher

The Other Side of Tolerance
How Homosexual Activism Threatens Liberty

http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF06J60.pdf


7 posted on 07/16/2010 8:13:42 PM PDT by massmike (...So this is what happens when OJ's jury elects the president....)
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To: topher
The Student Newspaper of the University does have an article on this, so I am including a link to it as well:

Instructor claims he was fired over Catholic beliefs

URBANA, Ill. — The University of Illinois has fired an adjunct professor who taught courses on Catholicism after a student accused the instructor of engaging in hate speech by saying he agrees with the church's teaching that homosexual sex is immoral.

...

Basically, the article says a professor was fired for saying that Homosexual sex is immoral...

8 posted on 07/16/2010 8:18:15 PM PDT by topher (Let us return to old-fashioned morality - morality that has stood the test of time...)
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To: topher

Normally, an adjunct professor serves at the pleasure of the department in question, and the contract is renewed on a yearly basis. This is in contrast with regular probationary faculty, who usually serve for three-year terms until they come of for consideration for tenure, or (of course) tenured faculty, who can only be fired for cause.

But it looks as if the administration screwed up on this one by making it publically clear WHY they were firing him.

I think if the students, faculty, and others keep the pressure on, there’s a good chance this can reversed. As it certainly should be.


9 posted on 07/16/2010 8:20:45 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: topher
Link to the FaceBook Page for the Save Dr Ken on the web. Here is the link to the Facebook Page:

Save Dr. Ken [Facebook Page]

10 posted on 07/16/2010 8:25:28 PM PDT by topher (Let us return to old-fashioned morality - morality that has stood the test of time...)
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To: Cicero
The Alumni, as well as Students and Faculty, can bring tremendous pressure to bear on this issue.

The fact that Dr. Ken Howell has been either on or discussed about on EWTN is a great positive. That means that millions of people will hear the story.

Finally, the fact that this was on the front page of FOXNEWS as a very important story is very good news for Dr. Ken Howell, and bad news for those DIRECTLY involved in the firing!

11 posted on 07/16/2010 8:33:47 PM PDT by topher (Let us return to old-fashioned morality - morality that has stood the test of time...)
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To: topher
Forget the meaningless rallies. A Federal lawsuit is the way to go.

A private university can do as it pleases.

A public, state government university is required, by law, to respect First Amendment religious rights and this action is a blatant First Amendment violation.

So, the University of Illinois is "reviewing" the case, is it? One of their lawyers must have discovered the U.S. Constitution in some dusty drawer.

Too little. Too late.

Let loose the lawyers!!!

12 posted on 07/16/2010 8:38:09 PM PDT by Polybius
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To: topher

U of I, class of ‘60, will be heard from.


13 posted on 07/16/2010 8:44:35 PM PDT by norge (The amiable dunce is back, wearing a skirt and high heels.)
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To: topher; 185JHP; 230FMJ; AFA-Michigan; Abathar; Agitate; Albion Wilde; Aleighanne; ...
Homosexual Agenda and Moral Absolutes Ping!

Freepmail wagglebee to subscribe or unsubscribe from the homosexual agenda or moral absolutes ping list.

FreeRepublic homosexual agenda keyword search
[ Add keyword homosexual agenda to flag FR articles to this ping list ]

FreeRepublic moral absolutes keyword search
[ Add keyword moral absolutes to flag FR articles to this ping list ]

It looks as though people are fighting back and this story is not going away. Mabye the professor won't go away either!

14 posted on 07/16/2010 9:01:14 PM PDT by little jeremiah
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To: El Cid

Well, while the condemnation of male-on-male anal sodomy is found in the Old Covenant Law, and the Holy Apostle Paul condemns homoeroticism more generally, the way Dr. Howell expressed it in terms of natural law theory is a mode of moral discourse particularly characteristic of the Latin church.


15 posted on 07/16/2010 9:08:12 PM PDT by The_Reader_David (And when they behead your own people in the wars which are to come, then you will know. . .)
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To: topher

Glad the Thomas More Society is helping with this case. He will win!

A Catholic who was hired to teach Catholics Catholic principles, and when he did, he was fired?

It doesn’t make sense — I think this prof is an upstanding Catholic. Prayers for him.


16 posted on 07/16/2010 9:24:56 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: The_Reader_David
...the way Dr. Howell expressed it in terms of natural law theory is a mode of moral discourse particularly characteristic of the Latin church.

Admittedly I didn't read the article. Just the posted excerpt:
"...A student at the university accused Howell of engaging in hate speech when he stated in a class review session that he agreed with the Church's teaching that homosexual sex is immoral".

If the Professor framed the argument from the viewpoint of 'natural law' as opposed to Biblical Truth - in this case they happen to line up.
Although 'natural law' certainly should be consistent with Biblical Truth (Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse...), given that our 'sight' and nature are corrupted after the Fall - it is better to explain things based on Biblical Truth rather than 'natural law'.

17 posted on 07/16/2010 9:41:17 PM PDT by El Cid (Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house...)
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To: topher
A student at the university accused Howell of engaging in hate speech when he stated in a class review session that he agreed with the Church's teaching that homosexual sex is immoral.

"A" student??

A single pervert caused all the chaos?

What did he expect in a course on Cathlicism? Disagreement on the teachings of that church?

18 posted on 07/16/2010 11:43:01 PM PDT by Publius6961 ("We don't want to hear words; we want action and results.")
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To: Publius6961

I wonder why no one fires muslim professors teaching Islamic studies. Their religion promotes the murder of Jews, the subjugation of Christians (or their murder if they don’t), the stoning of homosexuals and adulterers, etc. Oh, that’s different. Move along, nothing to see here.


19 posted on 07/17/2010 2:44:23 AM PDT by john drake (Roman military maxim; "oderint dum metuant," i.e., "let them hate, as long as they fear.")
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To: topher
A student at the university accused Howell of engaging in hate speech when he stated in a class review session that he agreed with the Church's teaching that homosexual sex is immoral.

Why would a student who considers that hate speech even be taking a class on Catholicism other than to set up an ambush like this? How can an administration hire a person to teach Catholicism who doesn't believe what he is teaching and then fire him for it? Is this another of those stupid zero tolerance things?

20 posted on 07/17/2010 2:51:11 AM PDT by Mind-numbed Robot (Not all that needs to be done needs to be done by the government)
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