I recently looked at the ongoing lunacy at Liberty University located in Lynchburg, Virginia which was founded by homo-hater extraordinaire the late Jerry Falwell. Liberty University is but one of the Christian Right blights on Virginia - Pat Robertson's Regent University is another one - where theocracy is preached on a daily basis. Liberty University's latest instance of batsh*tery is the decision to yank the University's approval of the college Democrat Party Club since it aligns with the Godless national Democrat Party. Needless to say, the University's action has garnered wide spread news coverage which is less than flattering to the University and highlights the University's theocratic agenda. Now, according to the Lynchburg News Advance Jerry Falwell, Jr. (pictured above), is demanding that the Club retract statements to the media which said the University had said one could not be a Democrat and a Christian:*
Falwell and Childress said LU expects the club to retract a statement that accused Mark Hine, vice president of student affairs, of telling Childress and club officer Jan Dervish that a person could not be both a Democrat and a Christian. “Mark Hine personally is due an apology and retraction, and Liberty was slandered and lies were told, and it needs to be corrected,” Falwell said.
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Childress said Wednesday night that “we are working on a response” that should be ready in 48 hours, but the club hadn’t decided whether it would include a retraction and apology. Childress said during at least one interview last week that Hine essentially held that Democrats couldn’t be Christians. The comment was widely repeated in news articles and on Internet sites, and it led to Hine’s being dubbed by a cable TV commentator as one of the “worst people in the world,” Falwell said.
Childress said Wednesday night that “we are working on a response” that should be ready in 48 hours, but the club hadn’t decided whether it would include a retraction and apology. Childress said during at least one interview last week that Hine essentially held that Democrats couldn’t be Christians. The comment was widely repeated in news articles and on Internet sites, and it led to Hine’s being dubbed by a cable TV commentator as one of the “worst people in the world,” Falwell said.
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Lest there be any confusion, here via the Washington Post are highlights of what Mark Hine said in an e-mail to the Club:
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From: Hine, Mark (VP Student Affairs)
Sent: Friday, May 15, 2009 1:37 PM
Subject: LU College Democrats
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I must inform you that the College democrats' club is no longer going to be recognized as a Liberty University club. We are unable to lend support to a club whose parent organization stands against the moral principles held by Liberty University. I expressed these concerns when we met, earlier in the spring semester.
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The Liberty Way states, "It is the duty of every student to respect Liberty's Statement of Doctrine and Purpose. They may not engage in any activity on or off campus that would compromise the testimony or reputation of the University or cause disruption to Liberty's Christian learning environment."
The Liberty Way states, "It is the duty of every student to respect Liberty's Statement of Doctrine and Purpose. They may not engage in any activity on or off campus that would compromise the testimony or reputation of the University or cause disruption to Liberty's Christian learning environment."
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Even though this club may not support the more radical planks of the democratic party, the democratic party is still the parent organization of the club on campus. The Democratic Party Platform is contrary to the mission of LU and to Christian doctrine (supports abortion, federal funding of abortion, advocates repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, promotes the "LGBT" agenda, Hate Crimes, which include sexual orientation and gender identity, socialism, etc). The candidates this club supports uphold the Platform and implement it. The candidates supported are directly contrary to the mission of LU. By using LU or Liberty University and Democrat in the name, the two are associated and the goals of both run in opposite directions.
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We are removing the club from the Liberty website and you will need to cease using Liberty University's name, including any logo, seal or mark of Liberty University. They are not to be used in any of your publications, electronic or internet, including but not limited to, any website, Facebook, Twitter or any other such publication.
We are removing the club from the Liberty website and you will need to cease using Liberty University's name, including any logo, seal or mark of Liberty University. They are not to be used in any of your publications, electronic or internet, including but not limited to, any website, Facebook, Twitter or any other such publication.
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Sorry Mr. Falwell, but it looks to me that Mr. Hine DID basically state that Democrats are against Christian doctrine and that the Democrat Party is more or less the party of the Anti-Christ. If the truth hurts Mr. Falwell, perhaps you ought to take a good look at yourself in the mirror before slamming the Club and its members. Oh, and for laughs and giggles, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State has filed a complaint with the IRS about Liberty University's political activities which is what likely is really behind Falwell, Jr.'s hissy fit (nothing hurts a Christianist more than hitting their wallet). Here's a portion of what Americans United had to say:
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Americans United filed a complaint with the IRS yesterday about Liberty University’s decision to revoke the official status of the LU student Democratic club, while continuing to give student funds and official status to the student Republican club. Such partisanship, AU contended, seems to violate the school’s nonpartisan tax-exempt status and give an in-kind contribution to GOP candidates.
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Falwell Jr. responded – not by correcting the mistake – but by attacking AU. Americans United, he told the Lynchburg News & Advance, is “a Democratic front group.” “We are planning to file a complaint against AU,” Falwell said. “AU seems to only file complaints against other 501(c)(3) groups that don’t support AU’s liberal agenda,” Falwell said.
Falwell Jr. responded – not by correcting the mistake – but by attacking AU. Americans United, he told the Lynchburg News & Advance, is “a Democratic front group.” “We are planning to file a complaint against AU,” Falwell said. “AU seems to only file complaints against other 501(c)(3) groups that don’t support AU’s liberal agenda,” Falwell said.
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Wrong! The fact is, Americans United has been scrupulously non-partisan in its complaints to the IRS about partisan politicking by religious groups. When we get credible evidence of improper activity, we act – regardless of the political affiliation of the candidate in question.
Wrong! The fact is, Americans United has been scrupulously non-partisan in its complaints to the IRS about partisan politicking by religious groups. When we get credible evidence of improper activity, we act – regardless of the political affiliation of the candidate in question.
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Liberty University is in my view a de facto arm of the GOP and needs to lose its tax-exempt status - as does Regent University. It is ridiculous that these rapid support organizations for the GOP get by with the charade that they a non-partisan and entitled to tax-exempt status.
1 comment:
They day Liberty decided to accept gov't money in the form of student loans and grants it no longer had the protection of separation from gov't interference. It brought any repraisal upon itself by shunning the Democratic club.
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