Sunday, March 29, 2009

California college denies funding to Christian club

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California has dealt yet another blow to religion. The Christian Legal Society (CLS) chapter at Hastings College of Law wanted school recognition in order to obtain certain privileges such as funding. CLS attorney Tim Tracey picks up the story."So they applied for recognition and Hastings said essentially, sorry, you can't be recognized because your membership requirements and leadership requirements violate our non-discrimination policy. So, requiring your members to believe in Jesus Christ and telling them that they can't engage in sex outside of marriage, those are discriminatory policies, and we don't have a place for you here," Tracey explains. CLS filed suit in federal court and lost the ruling, so the case was appealed to the Ninth Circuit. "They affirmed that Hastings had a right to deny recognition to a religious student group because it requires its officers and voting members to agree with its Christian beliefs," Tracey adds. Tracey finds it outrageous in light of other federal courts ruling that the clubs have a constitutional right to determine their philosophy and membership. The Supreme Court will be asked to take the case.
By Charlie Butts
As in the days of Noah...

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