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from Theological Issues
Christian Legal Society Fights For Right To Set Membership Standards
Numerous colleges are trying to force Christian-based groups to admit practicing homosexuals as members. A legal society has decided to fight back.
February 14, 2005 - Student chapters of the Christian Legal Society (CLS) have
recently filed lawsuits against five colleges for attempting to force the group
to admit homosexuals to membership.
The ABAJournal.com has reported that many universities are requiring Christian
religious groups to admit homosexuals or others who do not share the same
beliefs or values. The universities are using diversity and anti-discrimination
codes to force Christian organizations to violate their principles.
The CLS bylaws states that members must profess faith in Jesus Christ and adhere
to certain fundamental Christian beliefs, which includes a prohibition of sexual
intercourse between persons of the same sex.
Fran Marsh with the University of California's Hastings College of the Law, says
that the university non-discrimination code applies to all groups. Hastings is
being sued by CLS for attempting to enforce this code upon it.
Douglas Laycock, a professor of constitutional law at the University of Texas,
believes universities are on shaky legal grounds by forcing Christian groups to
accept practicing homosexuals. "I think the First Amendment clearly protects the
right of a religious organization to insist that its members and officers
subscribe to its religious teachings. If it can't do that, sooner or later it
will cease to be a religious organization."
Updated: 8 February 2008
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