A Voice in the Wilderness In Defense of "Mere Conservatism"

Faith and The Robber

At a gas station in Pompano Beach, FL an armed gunman was talked out of committing a robbery by the station's manager, 20 year old Nayara Goncalves.  Ms. Goncalves is a Christian and shared her faith with the would-be assailant and eventually the perpetrator calmly left the store.

Don't believe me?  Here's the video to prove it:

It's not every day that reminding someone of the personal God of the universe will stop them from committing a crime...but on the days it does work, I sleep a little more soundly that night.

We Swear We’re Tolerant

A Christian student in the counseling program at Eastern Michigan University was expelled because she believes in the traditional definition of marriage and consequently did not feel comfortable being forced to counsel same-sex patients.  Julea Ward in turn sued the school, and yesterday a federal judge in Michigan threw the case out, siding with the university.

U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh dismissed Ward’s lawsuit against Eastern Michigan University. She was removed from the school’s counseling program last year because she refused to counsel homosexual clients.

The university contended she violated school policy and the American Counseling Association code of ethics.

But I thought that college campuses were the bastions of free thought and moral relativism?

Eastern Michigan University hailed the decision.

“We are pleased that the court has upheld our position in this matter,” EMU spokesman Walter Kraft said in a written statement. “Julea Ward was not discriminated against because of her religion. To the contrary, Eastern Michigan is deeply committed to the education of our students and welcomes individuals from diverse backgrounds into our community.”

In his 48-page opinion, Judge Steeh said the university had a rational basis for adopting the ACA Code of Ethics.

“Furthermore, the university had a rational basis for requiring students to counsel clients without imposing their personal values,” he wrote in a portion of his ruling posted by The Detroit News. “In the case of Ms. Ward, the university determined that she would never change her behavior and would consistently refuse to counsel clients on matters with which she was personally opposed due to her religious beliefs – including homosexual relationships.”

So everyone is welcome, all religious beliefs are on the same level playing field, but because Julea Ward would not "change her behavior" (aka "change her religious beliefs") she is not able to be accredited with a degree in counseling?  Putting aside how one feels about gay marriage (or homosexuality in general), what in the world do Julea Ward's personal religious convictions have to do with her ability as a counselor?  Counselors and psychiatrists can choose to see (or not see) any client they want.   You can decide to not see a client because they are obnoxious, or you don't care for the perfume she wears, or they are White Sox fans.

There is a cultural battle waging in this country, whether we like harsh terms like "battle" and "war" or not.  Groups like the Alliance Defense Fund are actually joining in the debate.  If you're not familiar with ADF, you should be.  Even if you aren't willing to give of your time or effort, support those who are.