Catholics tell Vanderbilt Goodbye

I explained earlier this month the flap at my Master degree alma mater, Vanderbilt, over religious rights in my post, "Don't let your children go to Vanderbilt."

My M.Div. alma mater, Vanderbilt, has told every Christian group of the university to toe the university's line of "diversity" or pack up and leave. ...

"Vanderbilt University has decided that Christian student groups that hold traditional Christian religious views are not welcome on campus."

Now the university's recognized student Catholic group, Vanderbilt Catholic, has decided to take the university at its word. They're out.

Vanderbilt Catholic announced to its members on Sunday that they will not re-register as a student organization at Vanderbilt University for the Fall Semester 2012.

According to Fr. John Sims Baker, Chaplain of Vanderbilt Catholic, “The discriminatory non-discrimination policy at Vanderbilt University has forced our hand.”

Student organizations must re-register in April and affirm that they will abide by the controversial non-discrimination policy, explained Fr. Baker. “The Administration is forcing religious groups to open leadership positions to all students, regardless of whether or not they practice the religion or even know anything about it,” he said.

“How could we sign such an agreement?” Fr. Baker asks. “Our purpose has always been to share the Gospel and proudly to proclaim our Catholic faith. What other reason could there be for a Catholic organization at Vanderbilt? How can we say it is not important that a Catholic lead a Catholic organization?”

FNC reports,



More:

The university says it is “deeply disappointed” by Vandy Catholic’s decision. But the administration is sticking by its guns. In a statement provided to Fox News, Vice Chancellor of Public Affairs Beth Fortune said, “We do not believe our nondiscrimination policy to be incompatible with religious freedom. Vanderbilt’s policy does not mandate whom student organizations should elect as leaders -- it simply allows for anyone to be eligible for membership and to seek a leadership position.”

Religious groups used to have an exemption from the university’s nondiscrimination policy, but that language was erased last year. The Christian Legal Society, which was cited as being out of compliance with the nondiscrimination rules, points out that fraternities and sororities are exempt from the “all-comers” policy and that religious groups should be, too.

Blue Collar Muse adds,

Other groups are either exempt or have not yet been subject to the new policy. The Vandy College Republicans are not prevented from having their President be a Republican. Ditto for the College Democrats. Women’s groups are not prevented from having their leaders be female. None of the fraternities or sororities on campus are required to open their leadership ranks to members of another Greek organization or to a student with no Greek affiliation at all. It’s just the religious groups.

You know what I think the Christian students at Vanderbilt should do? They should flock to join the Muslim Student Association by the hundreds, get a slate to run for all the offices of the MSA, and take it over. Then state that the following are official declarations of the MSA:

Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state.

There must be equal marital rights for women.

Christianity and Judaism are not inferior to Islam as a way of salvation.

Well, you get the drift. A little "community organizing" is is order here, methinks.