Christian students were punished for believing the Bible’s commands on sexuality.
A professor at a state-funded college has come under criticism for giving her class an assignment that required students to wear a gay pride ribbon all over campus. In response a group of Christian students who felt their rights were violated by the assignment have sought legal counsel to counter the professor’s pro-homosexual agenda.
Dr. Linda Brunton, a psychology professor at Columbia State College in Tennessee, gave the assignment. According to the reports:
This spring, Linda Brunton, the lead faculty member in CSCC’s Psychology Department, required her students to wear Rainbow Coalition ribbons in support of homosexual behavior for at least one day. Students then had to observe public reaction and write a paper about how they were allegedly “discriminated against” while wearing the ribbons.
When several students objected to being forced to support conduct that violates their faith convictions, Brunton brushed aside their concerns, described their views as “ignorant and uneducated,” and explained that she hoped this assignment would cause them to change their beliefs. Regardless of their convictions, students had to express the views she mandated in order to receive class credit. (source).
Professor Linda Brunton allegedly called Christian students “ignorant” and “uneducated.”
Brunton told students they were barred from offering any reasoning in their assignment or in class as to why they disagree with homosexuality and specifically forbade any student from “throwing Bible verses at her.” In addition to the assignment, it was alleged that Brunton regularly attacked the Christian viewpoint on homosexuality as “hatred” and said that it was her job to “educate the ignorant and uneducated elements of society”, a reference to those who hold to the Biblical view of sexuality and marriage.
The offended students contacted the Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal advocacy group that defends the religious freedom of Christians, for legal assistance in this matter. The attorneys sent a letter to the school, informing the administrators that the assignment, by forcing students to adopt a particular viewpoint, even outside of the classroom, was a violation of their First Amendment rights to free speech and free exercise of their religion. The letter requested that the assignment be removed from the school curriculum and that Professor Brunton be punished for such a flagrant violation of the free speech of the school’s students.
State Sen. Joey Hensley is an alumni of the college and is chairman of the senate higher education committee. He told Fox News such lessons are inappropriate in Tennessee universities and colleges:
“It’s highly inappropriate for a professor to require students to advocate for something they do not believe is morally right,” he said.
Hensley said he’s planning on discussing the matter with the college’s president.
“If the teacher really did this – she needs to be reprimanded at the minimum and terminated the maximum,” he said. (source).
Columbia State College has since issued a press release to Fox News which stated:
“When the allegations were brought to the attention of college officials, Columbia State Community College began an investigation, which is currently ongoing and congruent with Board policy and applicable laws,” the statement read. (source).
Prophesied Anti-Christian Sentiment
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. – Jesus Christ, John 15:18-22.
Jesus Christ prophesied that the unbelieving world would hate Christians who believe in Biblical Christianity. Why? For the same reason the world during the time of His earthly ministry hated Him – because the Word of God puts a light on the sins of humanity. The unsaved world does not want to be told that they are in sinful rebellion against God or will one day stand judgment before Him. And thus the response to the Word is to lash out just as Professor Brunton did – not even tolerating a Bible verse to be mentioned in a college class room, a place that is supposed to be the “marketplace of ideas.”
This assignment is similar to one given by a Professor at Florida Atlantic University who told students to write the name of Jesus Christ on a piece of paper, throw it on the floor and stomp on it. Disrespect of the Christian faith was present in both situations.
Pray for the students who took a stand against this assignment to stand strong in their faith in what is clearly a controversy at the campus. And for the college to respond to the letter from the Alliance Defending Freedom by rightly punishing Professor Brunton for such egregious behavior. As the tide in society moves more and more against the Bible, it becomes that much more critical for true, Bible-believing Christians to stand up for their faith and proclaim it in love and truth.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…” – Romans 1:16.
Great post B&E!
I encourage everyone who reads it to take the time to go to Columbia State University and major in Liberalology to fight to cure liberalism in our lifetime.
And while at it, take the time to minor in BSology because if you’re going to be dealing with liberals it would be good if you could speak their language!
Now medical doctors fight to cure cancer of the body. Liberalologists fight to cure cancer of the soul.
Now just as cancer if allowed to run its course will kill the body…..so liberalism, if left unchecked, will kill the soul… for eternity!
So those of us who care about people are speaking out and liberalology is becoming one of the most important professions in America.
Now the best medicine for liberalism is a good dose of God and country. So Mrs. Brunton can gay pride it up all she wants, but that’s not going to stop us liberalologists from speaking up and proclaiming that we are “One nation under God!”
Praise Lord Jesus!!!!
I’ve actually met Linda Brunton and she’s absolutely fantastic! I think this assignment was beyond appropriate, as it gives students a first hand look at what it means to be discriminated. If you’re a Caucasian Protestant who is male, heterosexual, and part of the middle class living in America, you’ve probably never experienced (or experienced a very little amount) of discrimination during your lifetime. In reality, the ones who should be persecuted instead are Christians, who have truly backwards beliefs. America is progressing a socially accepting nation, and normal people are not going to sit waiting for Christians to “come around to accept others.” Everyone else is going to leave them in the dust extremely bitter, while everyone else lives their life as they please. This isn’t rocket science, and every Christian who throws a fit about a college assignment, such as this one, needs to 1.) understand he or she is ignorant and outrageous, 2.) recall that he or she is in school to learn, and 3.) get a life. I understand that this might have made some students uncomfortable (who cares if someone thinks you’re gay for wearing a pride ribbon?), but to claim one 24 hour assignment “infringed on your rights?” Please… There are more serious issues to be heard elsewhere. These are university students for crying out loud, not children. Besides, these Jesusophiles should have checked the syllabus and inquired about future assignments before taking the course. This situation is just another prime example of how Christians fail to handle modern life. If you don’t like the culture, leave the country.
I think it’s important to also include other “ignorant” and “uneducated” or “bitter” individuals whose core beliefs also disagree with homosexuality as an acceptable standard, to include Judaism, Mormonism and Islam. They would also be considered close-minded as well. And if an individual of Islamic faith had made a comment against this issue citing infringement on their religious practice, I am sure that you would have the same comment to say. But on a more serious note, I love my chlld, I don’t think having a dirty room, wearing unclean clothes and avoiding a bath is an acceptable life-style, but is still a lifestyle. My speaking against this, or reminding a fellow co-worker with similar habits change because it is more than socially unacceptable, but is also affecting those around them is not hatred. Telling someone that their life style is sinful is not the same as telling that person that you hate them or wish they were dead. Tolerance and acceptance are two different things; tolerance means that I will help you where needed, but will not support your decisions where they conflict with my beliefs (i.e., I won’t let you out of this assignment wearing the rainbow ribbon in support of homosexuality because this is my requirement for this lesson). Acceptance means that I will support you in whatever endeavor because I don’t care what you believe/feel, I just want to be your friend and want you to like me (i.e., I’ll let you out of the assignment because I don’t want to ruffle any feathers). I use the example of the teacher, because too often Christians are painted as uncompromising or intolerant, which is exactly how Ms Brunton was behaving when an alternative assignment wasn’t provided for those whose religious/personal beliefs were being disregarded. I pray that those who haven’t really read and understood the Bible would have their understanding opened to see that it is a message of love with requirements for a healthy love relationship versus the kind of love that expects or requires nothing in return and offers absolute freedom from responsibility to others, oneself, and GOD (this is the definition of an unhealthy relationship bound to leave at least one member completely unsatisfied). If you love your wife/husband, you will make your relationship with them more important than the relationship with your co-worker. If you love your mother/father, you will honor their guidance and direction above that of your friends/peers. A parent will make sure that he/she tends to the basic needs/nurturing of their own children first before taking care of another household. So it is with those of us who have come to know our condition without Jesus, lost in our sins, and the joy in accepting his sacrifice on our behalf so that a broken relationship can be restored. We are compelled to keep the relationship healthy on our part, and furthermore share with others this joy we have found and lead them to the same. This is my prayer for you Ms Silverman (forgive me if I used the wrong gender), and anyone else who feels that Christians preach hate instead of love, that you understand and experience that love that comes from the FATHER (John 3:16, 17).
I wouldn’t wear the ribbon either! I could careless what people say. But how about if I wear a ribbon representing my faith and how I get discriminated for believing in God.
Right I agree this is absolutely unacceptable we should all go to that university and protest!!!Not just that we should stone that teacher to death or have our self a good old fashion people burning, boy where are the gay old times when you just needed to yell “witch!!” on any woman that pissed you off and have her put to a good christian death?. Terrible what current kids are forced to, things like seeing the other side of the argument, exploring all view points, nothing like that in my time we all knew that we were right ’cause if someone said we weren’t we just killed him (or grilled him?). This world is heading to a truly dark place, one where reason and acceptance rule….what a disturbing idea
I’m not sure how wearing a ribbon equates to being discriminated against, especially in a university campus setting. Also attempting to run what equates to a “research experiments on humans” would have required IRB or SRC approval and if the human subjects were being forced to undergo what amounts to psychological or emotional trauma, which is the assumption the teacher is making, this would be considered an unethical experiment on those grounds alone… I’m not sure why it isn’t being addressed on that level. This professor should have a better understanding of experimental research ethics and protocol to say the least.