Liberty University puts an end to the school sponsored Democrat club, saying “We are unable to lend support to a club whose parent organization stands against the moral principles held by the university.” Way to go Liberty University!
A student that chooses to enroll at Liberty University knows exactly where the school stands before they choose to attend. Anyone that spends more than ten minutes on campus will know. I spent four days at Liberty in March and it was quite obvious that the University stands firm on the Word of God and they expect the same from their students.
Liberty University’s Democrat club was formed last October and has only managed to attract thirty members on a campus with 18,000 students. That’s in an election year when the Democrats were enormously successful.
Liberty students are strong in their Christian faith and they know this is in direct conflict with the Democrat party. This explains why only 1 in 600 Liberty students joined the College Democrats.
I applaud Liberty University for taking a stand against the moral depravity represented by the Democrat party’s social platform. We can have our disagreements as Christian’s on the validity of welfare, healthcare reform, the war on terrorism and tax increases, but there should be no room for debate in the Christian community when it comes to the sanctity of marriage and the unborn.
As expected, the news of Liberty University’s new policy banning the Democrat club has liberals screaming about first amendment rights. This argument shows a complete lack of understanding of the Constitution. Liberty University has not violated anyone’s first amendment rights, or any other constitutionally protected rights, by banning the school sponsored democrat club.
In fact, Liberty University is not capable of violating anyone’s Constitutional rights. The Constitution protects our God given rights from being violated by the government, not a private Christian university. Now if a public University, like Southern Cal were to implement the same policy it would be a different story.
Let me know what you think. This should be interesting. But a quick warning… any comments that contain profanity will never be posted. Disagree, but keep it clean.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I am a Christian. However, I have never been able to reconcile the conflation of “Christianity” and Republicanism. This paradigm assumes there is only one interpretation of the covenant, and that is not a discussion that must be had in the political arena. It is a theological discussion.
The true interpretation of the covenant is an age-old debate that goes back to the 95 Theses of Martin Luther. We must agree that Christianity is a vibrant and organic community that is always attempting to seek out new ways in which to address the needs and concerns of the ever-changing world. As the circumstances of God’s children change, so does Christianity because it seeks to be an inclusive faith.
Evangelical Fundamentalism has only been around for a little over a 100 years and was a movement that sought to address the changing needs of those pioneers in the western expansion of the US. Evangelicals were initially marginalized by the “mainstream” Calvinists of the north and the established Protestants of the south. In this sense, the Evangelical Fundamental movement has truly benefited from the 1st amendment of separation of church and state because the power base in politics was grounded in those that identified with other Christian paradigms but understood that outright oppression (denial of all rights) towards the Evangelicals would be unconstitutional.
Historically, the Evangelical movement was one of the most progressive entities in terms of social activism. Many Americans would have perished during the Great Depression if it weren’t for the good work of the Evangelical Christians in the midwestern states. However, at some point in the mid 20th C, the Republican Party recognized there was an untapped resource in their power base. Even though economically, the party represented the interest of the wealthy, people in rural areas tend to be good, trusting, salt of the earth kind of folk and they were an easy target if the Republicans could formulate an agenda that resounded with just one or two of the Evangelical’s beliefs. So the Republican Party took up the banner of being opposed to abortion and gay rights (something they had never given a fig about prior to this) and it stuck. But let me ask you something…….the Republican party has had enough power to overturn Roe v. Wade at least 5 times in the past 15 years, and they have never quite been able to pull it off. It actually would be a disadvantage to the Republicans to remove the issues of women’s and gay rights because if they were out of the way, much of the Evangelical movement would move to the Democratic Party because in every other way, it reflects the basic beliefs of Evangelicals. Why do you think these are called “wedge issues?” Under the Clinton administration, non-marital birth and especially teen birth numbers dropped dramatically. Under the Bush administration, they have crept back up to 40%. Abortion dropped during the 90’s and climbed again after 2000. But I digress….
Liberty University does have the right, as a private institution, to promote a campus culture that fits with its own purpose. However, as a place of higher learning, it has an obligation to host debate and critical thinking, provide an opportunity for students to grow and realize their own potential, and take on leadership roles. I believe it is the mantra of the conservative movement that “obligations always trump rights.” In this sense, Liberty can’t have it both ways and shouldn’t be hypocritical. Furthermore, students that go to Liberty receive federally funded grants and Virginia education stipends. If SACS did not make these available due to their accreditation, then Liberty would lose much of their student body. Liberty is accountable to the government in this sense.
Regarding the “1 in 600” membership of the club, let me point out that Virginia Tech, who turned its rural county blue this past November, has over 100,000 students and an official roster of about 120 Young Democrats. Garnering 30 students in the short span of a few months on a small campus like Liberty’s is pretty impressive and it’s condescending of you to purport that they were not successful in their efforts. Let me also point out that everyone within the Virginia Young Democrats on all campuses were welcoming of the Liberty students. They were even awarded the “Up and Coming Club of the Year” award by the organization.
My daughter, an active Young Democrat on her campus at a public university in Virginia and devout Episcopalian, met the Liberty Dems at the convention this past spring in Charlottesville. She was curious about their decision to form the group and met with them to find out how they had come to the decision. She was impressed with their response and agreed to create the first ever Virginia Young Dems Faith Caucus with them. These students are very committed to their Christian mission and believe that participation in the Young Dems was an expression of that.
Liberty has made the mistake of conflating politics and religion. They communicate that their students cannot be a Christian and a Democrat at the same time, yet there are millions of Christians who are Democrats. That notion is a fallacy and they know it. What they are saying is that their students cannot be a certain kind of Christian and a Democrat at the same time. In this sense, they are not seeking to define their student’s politics, but they are attempting to define their student’s religion through politics. In addition, they are doing with it public funds. It was a big mistake on Liberty’s part, and I think they will suffer deep consequences as a result.
Excellent post, however I must take exception with several points you made.
You said “As the circumstances of God’s children change, so does Christianity because it seeks to be an inclusive faith.” This could be at the heart of why their is division in the Christian community when it comes to many issues.
God NEVER changes and His Word never changes. Therefore true Christianity should never change. Christianity does not seek to be an inclusive religion if that means changing to accept principles which are against God’s Word.
Homosexuality is an abomination to God. Christianity can never be tolerant to an abomination. Abortion is the taking of an innocent life created by God. Christianity can never be tolerant of this.
You also say that Liberty should be accountable to the government because students receive federal grants. This type of policy would handcuff all colleges and universities and force them to teach only what is approved by the government. Colleges, especially private ones, should be free to offer the programs they believe best promotes the mission of their school.
One last thing, you stated Virginia Tech has over 100,000 students. According to College Profile they have approximately 21,000 undergraduate students, slightly more than 10% larger than Liberty. Yet, their College Democrat party is 300% larger.
Actually the university of “Southern Cal” is private
Wow, thanks Austin. I had to look that up to make sure but you’re absolutely right. I never realized that USC was a private university. Thanks for correcting me on that.
I am so thankful that they are some Universities that still are not willing to compromise but are still separated unto the Gospel of Christ. They are too many Churches, Colleges, Universities, and pastors also church leaders willing to say that certain things are alright such as Homosexuality and abortion and to compromise instead of taking a stand against sin. The word of God reminds us that we are a separated people “that we are in the world but not of the world, that we are a separate people separated unto Christ”. Keep standing on the principles that you stand on now and you will continue to be blessed by the Lord Above.
I preached a message just the other Sunday night on Forsaking Sin to Live a Righteous Life Before God. Eph. 1:1-9. Not that we are righteous but because we that are saved (Us that have excepted the Lord as their Savior) and our sins are covered by the blood of Christ. We can live a Righteous life before Him by Forsaking the Sin That So Easily Beset Us.
Shame on you for even insinuating that if you were a Democrat you could not be Christian. I have been a democrat all my life and a Christian since I was 13. We are as God fearing, God woshiping, God centered as any Republican I ever met. More so than most.. So for my part, I would be direlic in my duty as a Christian to not say, wrong, wrong, wrong. How often do you pray for the president whether Republican or Democrat? If not daily then you have missed the instructions that God gives us all. Perhaps that is where you should examine not only your University but your heart.
I am a Christian and have served Christ’s Church as a Deacon, Adult Sunday School teacher, member of the choir, lay preacher, and member of two pulpit committees. I take my faith very seriously and I take my Christian walk very seriously. I firmly believe that the “religious right” has done a tremendous amount of damage to Christianity by directly associating themselves with the Republican Party.
I am currently reading an excellent book called “The Myth of a Christian Nation, How the Quest for Political Power is Destroying the Church” by Dr. Greg Boyd, senior pastor of the Woodland Hills church in St. Paul. His major point is that Jesus repeatly made it clear that He did not come to establish a kingdom here on earth but rather a heavenly kingdom. Kingdoms of this world, even the best of them like the United States of America, derive their control over their citizens and their power in the world through the use of the sword (automatic weapons, fighter aircraft, nuclear weapons, etc.) These worldly kingdoms have nothing in common with Christ’s Kingdom of Heaven.
Christ’s Kingdom, which He established for Christians not only in Heaven but here on earth, is radically different. It derives its power from loving God and our fellow man, not just our neighbor but also our enemy It always turns the other cheek. It submits to persecution even to crucifixion . It forgives not seven times but seventy times seven. There is never any justification for Christ’s Kingdom to take up arms and kill the nation’s enemies in the name of Christ. Those who suggest this are much like the zealots in Jesus’ time who wanted Him to lead a revolt of the Jewish people against Rome. Christ gave the “religious right” the final answer on this dream of theirs. He simply did not come to do that. He came to seek and to save that which is lost. The two objectives are completely incompatible. How can you hope to save someone who you are attempting to kill for the “glory of God?”
Christians need to wake up from this long nightmare. We need to obey Christ’s command that we must be in this world but not of this world. Rather than murdering Muslims we should be sharing the gospel with them.
The preceding says nothing about what the defense policy of that kingdom of this world, the United States, should be nor should it. We should be good citizens of our nation, the home of the free and the brave. But please, please never forget that we are really aliens in a strange land. We literally must march to the beat of a different drummer. By attempting to use the methods of the kingdoms of this world to advance Christianity we have done incalculable damage to the Kingdom of Heaven.
I do not think that Liberty University ” has made the mistake of conflating politics and religion.” Liberty U. is a Christian institution which took a position on moral issues, by Christian standards. Rather than supporting the Republican party, the University was making a stand against immorality. Their statement, “We are unable to lend support to a club whose parent organization stands against the moral principles held by the university” says nothing about Democrats or Republicans.
As our President likes to say, “Let me be perfectly clear.” Sin is missing the mark — separation from God’s standards. I am saved by the Grace of God and the Blood of the Lamb, not by my morality. However, my relationship with Christ makes moral issues more clear to me. If there was a campus club which supported strip clubs at Liberty, would you also encourage them to permit that club to meet? Abortion, homosexuality, and strip clubs– are all reflections of sin, and, along with scores of other “causes,” should not be encouraged or tolerated by a Christian Organization.
In response to patgdc, John 14:6 reads, “I am the Way, the Truth and the life. NO ONE can come to the Father except through me.” (NLT, emphasis added). Furthermore, the most quoted scripture, John 3:16 is followed by verses 17 and 18, which read: “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it but to save it. There is no judgement awaiting those who trust him. BUT those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. (NLT, emphasis added). These are but a few passages that demonstrate that Jesus and therefore Christianity, is not “inclusive” not to speak of the fact that following Jesus Christ was NEVER to be a “religion”. Jesus spoke out against the “religious” (Pharisees and Saducees) of his day on several occasions in not so inclusive terms, on one such occasion he referred to them as “you brood of vipers”. As so clearly stated by Jeff White, Christianity is NOT to be inclusive if we are to be true followers of Jesus Christ, who subjected himself to a brutal death to make it possible for us to have a right relationship with God. The Word says that we cannot be a friend of the world and a friend of God, we MUST choose. This is anything BUT inclusive.
I applaud your decision to ban the club…I pray all Christians will ban together and stop decisions that are being made in Washington…
Ok, I’m confused. How can you be a Democrat and be a Christian? Domocrats think that abortion and being gay is ok right? Both of those are against God’s word right? So how is it possible to be a Democrat and be a Christian?
Good for Liberty University!!! I agree with their decision 100%. I just wish we had enough dedicated Christians all over America to do the same thing.