An adjunct professor at the University of Illinois says he was fired for "hate speech." The professor who teaches a course in Catholic thought, says he was asked by a student if he agreed with the Church's teaching on sexuality--sex is appropriate only in the context of a marital union, which the Catholic Church defines as one man with one woman.
In an email, he said yes, "Natural Moral Law says that Morality must be a response to REALITY . . . In other words, sexual acts are only appropriate for people who are complementary, not the same."
The email was forwarded to his department head and he was fired, Fox News is reporting. Perhaps this isn't the whole story. But if this is what happened it's outrageous. But not totally unexpected.
When Ted Olson and David Boies read the Catholic Catechism into the judicial record as evidence of hatred and bigotry, we can expect powerful others to act like this too.
10 Comments
I think the days are over when people can hide behind religion to express their bigotry. Religious myths are just that, myths, and it's more important that schools create safe learning environments for students, rather than hostile ones.
To Jeffrey...YOU are the bigot for attacking people with religious beliefs, and thats what they are beliefs. How do traditional Judao/Christian values make for a hostile environment? Our country was founded on those values and the freedom we enjoy as a nation is because of those beliefs.
Jeffrey,
Why can't someone respectfully state the truth of the Bible? I agree with the professor. That does not mean that I hate homosexuals or I wish them any harm. To the contrary, I just believe that God has a better plan.
Some people I work with are gay. I have a great working relationship with them. If they asked if I felt homosexuality was right, I would need to say 'no, it is not God's plan'. Likewise, it is not God's plan to have premarital sex, commit adultery, live with someone prior to marriage, etc.
With regard to your comment on a safe learning environment, the student asked the professor a question. He respectfully answered it. The student does not need to agree with it. The problem with higher education is that students are not taught to think anymore. BTW, if you're wondering my education, I have one masters and working on the second.
Not everyone agrees that adherance to traditional family values constitutes bigotry, Jeffery. You act as though it is a universally accepted belief.
Such sentiments demonstrae distain for the civil and religious liberties protected by the first amendment of the constitution. It seems to me that the only use you have for that document is when it can be misconstreued in order to justify forcing your views on everybody.
I think you should do a bit of research on who wrote the constitution. The founding fathers of this country were bible believing Christians who never dreamed that our great country could be divided over an issue like this... God help us!
how then, Jeffrey would you explain those that are athiests and can still see that you can not plug a female light socket into a female light socket. Desire - no matter how disgusting it is - does not trump design even if you demand that everyone accept it. I for one, do not hide behind religion - I for one, do not believe that forcing an immoral way of life on someone creates a safe learning environment. It may create confusion and thus anger and thus hostility. I do not force you, Jeffrey to go my church, nor to accept my Jesus. I do not come into your home or workplace and force you to accept the One that shed His blood for you. I, as a Christian would humbly request that you do not force it on us.
Unfortunately people with loose morality tend to be quick to throw out words like "bigot" and "discrimination" in areas where, first, it is not present, and, second, where it is not applicable. Judgments and responses based on who or what another person IS is discrimination; judgments and responses based on what a person does is justifiable and recommended. If we did not make judgments based on actions, we'd have every rapist and murderer screaming for their rights. Natural law backs up the moral law of the sexual union of a man and a woman AND that of it existing solely within the context of marriage.
@Jeffrey - you would be correct if people are hiding behind religion to express their bigotry IF people are actually hiding their beliefs. Most Bible-believing Christians that I know (I am one) do not hide the fact at all that we find non-traditional lifestyles and marriage an abomination. We are called to broadcast it and the rest of the Gospel truth to the ends of the earth.
If by bigotry you mean we Christians don't like what you do nor the way you do it - we are also called to reveal that if it is contrary to the Bible - and it is.
So we neither hide anything nor are bigots.
You an the other hand appear to be bigoted against us and certainly don't hide that fact and try every method to put us and our 'myths' down.
It will never work - it hasn't for two thousand years and your rantings won't change it one iota.
As far as a safe learning environment - His teachings are much 'safer' than those espousing abortion, acceptance of SSM, turning a blind eye to moral decay etc.
I said religious bigotry is on the way out, not adherence to traditional family values. But clearly TFV is a bigoted point of view, saying only families headed by opposite-sex couples are superior to families headed by same-sex couples. That's factually insupportable and therefore bigotry.
It is factually supportable, actually. I have never heard of a same sex couple being able to have children together without resorting to artificial means. Nor are they able to provide both a male and female role model to kids.
A study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior observed that Same-sex parents are inclined to influence their children's sexual orientation. According to a study published in Adolescence, 29% of the adult children of homosexual parents have been specifically subjected to sexual molestation as a child by a homosexual parent, compared to only 0.6 percent of adult children of heterosexual parents. These findings were confirmed in a study published in the American Sociological Review.
You are just trying to rationalize your own bigotry and intolerance toward any kind of dissent to your views.