Happy Easter and a crazy expulsion story
Happy Easter!
Angela and I went to a packed service this morning at Cathedral of Hope. It was powerful and moving and really helped us experience the joy of the resurrection. Awesome. We had to jet right away because I had to be on the air at 11, but Angela went to Easter in the Park after she dropped me off and has been texting pictures so I can be there in spirit. We'll probably celebrate Easter later with some cheese pizza. We're non-traditional in a lot of ways.
While I was doing show prep on mtv.com I ran across this story. The lack of understanding is almost comical. How can they say these things? Whose "Christian principles?"
Student Expelled After Revealing He's Gay On MySpace
04.10.2006 2:04 PM EDT (mtv.com)
Jason Johnson is asked to leave Baptist college for 'sexual behavior not consistent with Christian principles.'
The headlines have come fast and furious in recent months about kids being busted for everything from threatening teachers to plotting to burn down churches on their MySpace and Facebook pages.
But at a small Christian liberal arts university in Williamsburg, Kentucky, last week, 20-year-old Jason Johnson was expelled not for a threat, but for admitting he is gay.
University of the Cumberlands spokesperson Larry Cockrum said he wasn't allowed to discuss matters pertaining to students or faculty, but the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper confirmed that the expulsion happened recently. Cockrum said the 117-year-old school has a policy that allows administrators to expel a student who "promotes sexual behavior not consistent with Christian principles."
Johnson isn't the first gay student to face such a fate. In January, Michael Guinn, a student at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, was asked to leave the 87-year-old university when administrators at the Christian liberal arts school became concerned about some of the things he posted on his Xanga journal. Guinn, 22, whose parents both work at the small school, was dismissed after being told he violated campus lifestyle guidelines, according to Andrea Phillips, the school's director of communications.
Those guidelines ban smoking, drinking, gambling and having sex outside of marriage." He was dismissed, which is different than being expelled," Phillips said. "He was asked to leave campus, but he is eligible to return if he chooses. We were aware of his orientation when he came to JBU and didn't learn about it from a Web site, but we did find some things on the site that were of some concern." Phillips would not specify what those things are, but she said the postings were a factor in his dismissal.
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Much love for ya Jason. Something tells me you'll be better able to experience the power of the resurrection out here in the margins, where you can live truthfully and unashamed.
Thank God for myspace. Sometimes anyway!
Angela and I went to a packed service this morning at Cathedral of Hope. It was powerful and moving and really helped us experience the joy of the resurrection. Awesome. We had to jet right away because I had to be on the air at 11, but Angela went to Easter in the Park after she dropped me off and has been texting pictures so I can be there in spirit. We'll probably celebrate Easter later with some cheese pizza. We're non-traditional in a lot of ways.
While I was doing show prep on mtv.com I ran across this story. The lack of understanding is almost comical. How can they say these things? Whose "Christian principles?"
Student Expelled After Revealing He's Gay On MySpace
04.10.2006 2:04 PM EDT (mtv.com)
Jason Johnson is asked to leave Baptist college for 'sexual behavior not consistent with Christian principles.'
The headlines have come fast and furious in recent months about kids being busted for everything from threatening teachers to plotting to burn down churches on their MySpace and Facebook pages.
But at a small Christian liberal arts university in Williamsburg, Kentucky, last week, 20-year-old Jason Johnson was expelled not for a threat, but for admitting he is gay.
University of the Cumberlands spokesperson Larry Cockrum said he wasn't allowed to discuss matters pertaining to students or faculty, but the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper confirmed that the expulsion happened recently. Cockrum said the 117-year-old school has a policy that allows administrators to expel a student who "promotes sexual behavior not consistent with Christian principles."
Johnson isn't the first gay student to face such a fate. In January, Michael Guinn, a student at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, was asked to leave the 87-year-old university when administrators at the Christian liberal arts school became concerned about some of the things he posted on his Xanga journal. Guinn, 22, whose parents both work at the small school, was dismissed after being told he violated campus lifestyle guidelines, according to Andrea Phillips, the school's director of communications.
Those guidelines ban smoking, drinking, gambling and having sex outside of marriage." He was dismissed, which is different than being expelled," Phillips said. "He was asked to leave campus, but he is eligible to return if he chooses. We were aware of his orientation when he came to JBU and didn't learn about it from a Web site, but we did find some things on the site that were of some concern." Phillips would not specify what those things are, but she said the postings were a factor in his dismissal.
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Much love for ya Jason. Something tells me you'll be better able to experience the power of the resurrection out here in the margins, where you can live truthfully and unashamed.
Thank God for myspace. Sometimes anyway!
posted by Jen Austin at 2:43 PM
1 Comments:
Hurrah for living truthfully!
Hear hear for Jason!
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