Water may be the only wet thing at Christian fraternity Slip-n-Slide parties, but their existence on college campuses has been met with resistance across the country.
You would think by not drinking, rejecting hazing, and promoting public service they would be a college administrator’s dream, but only accepting Christian members has earned them an exclusionary reputation. As if all fraternities weren’t!
The University of Florida refused to grant Beta Upsilon Chi official status for that exact reason. The Christian fraternity filed a federal discrimination suit against the school because they could not have a meeting place or recruit on campus without official fraternity status. For the rest of the story, read more.
But while Beta Upsilon Chi fights to be recognized, at the University of New Mexico another Christian fraternity’s unofficial status was the loophole it needed to turn down a Mormon. Because it runs through the Student Activities Center — and is not part of the Interfraternity Council — it is not subject to regulations that would otherwise prohibit it.
A UNM student activity organization must follow Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on race, color, or national origin; however, Christian fraternities argue that the First Amendment protects their right to associate.
Phew! Sounds like they have to decide which is more important — the right to associate with whomever you choose or the right to not be discriminated by religion. What do you think?
Diane von Furstenberg
Brand Alley
Stiefel
It's discrimination, plain and simple. If they want to be recognized by the schools then they need to start accepting people from other religions. They cant just exclude people based solely on religion, that's like a fraternity only accepting white males. It's discrimination no matter which amendment you look at. Associate as much as you want but the school has a choice whether to associate with a prejudice fraternity or not.
1Why are black fraternities okay but not Christian ones?
2Actually, "black" Fraternities and Sororities, except other races.
3Ah, gotcha. So they could be unofficially known as a Christian frat as long as they occasionally accepted other religions?
4I find this argument to be funny instead of commenting on the argument at hand we turn the argument around. Black Fraternities and Sororities as well as Historically Black Colleges have always excepted other nationalities. I wish people would stop hearing about things from others or have their preconceived notions and research.
5It was a genuine question, bella. No need for snippiness.
6Foxie, I didn't take it as a question. And other thing you need to stop always thinking everyone is being snippy with you when in reality you are the one being snippy.
7And it's applicable because "black" fraternities are prominent and obviously able to work with/around the anti-discriminatory system. Christian frats should just take notes and follow suit.
8Good for you!!!!
9There's no need for animosity, I'm just trying to discuss the issue at hand.
10There is none, I just notice you play the victim alot. If your third comment was preceded by your "question" then I would have giving the benefit of the doubt but it wasn't. It sounded as if you were asking why one and not the other. Obviously historically black Fraternities and Sororities have been around for ages, if they were being discriminated or doing horrible things that were unjust, I bet we would be hearing every story. It may even happen but as a whole the Fraternities and Sororities except everyone.
11Aaaanyways, back to the topic..
12I WAS asking why one and not the other. I was trying to understand how it is that a group can be exclusive and yet non-discriminatory at the same time. Once again, if the Christian frat would just operate as black frats do, they'd probably get their university's endorsement and not have to fight with them. It's all about working the system.
Fallen you called it -- it is a form of discrimination. But where does separation of church and state fall in this??
And point me to the "Spiritual but not practicing" group on campus please. Why are we making this a "black and white" issue -- there are MANY other race based orgs on campus.
I'm sooooo glad I went to Art school and avoided all this sh*t! Artist just wanna love everybody
13The church/state separation doesn't have anything to do with this. This does not establish a religion.
14All the religious groups on my campus are open all denominations. My favorite is the Jewish group. Mmmm...Chabbad dinner
.
I guess the idea is that while fraternities and sororities are selective they select their members from he entire population and not just one. I personally feel this might be anti-discrimination over kill. We don't have fraternities or sororities at my school so I'm not expert on the dynamic and influence they have on campus, but I don't think a Christian one would be the end all be all.
15Now that I read read citizens post I this be a school specific problem and not an ideological problem.
"but only accepting Christian members has earned them an exclusionary reputation."
Whether I think it's too much a large enough group of people must have felt excluded for this to become a problem.
"We're almost in a bubble because we're surrounded by all this. That's why we're here on Jefferson Avenue, to minister to these guys," said chapter president Daniel Weaver. "We want to be a light on this campus."
I imagine the rest of the campus got peeved at this aspect and this attack may have not been unprovoked. Most college students are pretty chill and too caught up in their own lives to worry about other people. I think there might be more to this story then meets the eye.
16All of this makes me feel like I missed out but not going to a normal school
- oh well.
17*by
18I personally don't see the problem with this. It seems every little group has their own fraternity (like engineering frat, chemistry frat, service fraternity, and so on). Many of those are very exclusionary, and no one is raising any concerns. So what if a group of Christians want to have a frat on campus?
19[ So what if a group of Christians want to have a frat on campus?]
Exactly -- just as long as they don't knock on my door and tell me and my BF that we are living in sin.
We have a group of people at work that have bible study on Thursdays during lunch -- and good for them
20Are you living in sin?
21foxie- even the Black Students Union on my campus allows students of all races to join. The pres. of the BSU at my school told me I should join...but he was the only friend I had in it, I think it would have been so awkward! However, I was part of Aditi- the Southeast Asian (almost all Indian) group. They threw some awesome events at my school.
I am pretty sure the Supreme Court has already dealt with this sort of thing recently, and almost always comes out on the side of the religion. They upheld the right of prayer groups to meet on elementary school campuses, and lately have been upholding the right of religions to do more on the basis of free speech and the right to associate. Honestly, I really like the free speech approach to religion- it takes the religious bit out of it, and the whole exercise/establishment mess can be so hard to figure out.
If the fraternity does exclude on the basis of religion, I don't think it should get frat. status on the basis that this is a public school, and that would be religious discrimination and therefore shouldn't be funded by the state. However, Christians are usually all about proselytizing, so I would be shocked if they refused to let others join.
22With all due respect to those of the Christian faith this is not directed at you but rather specifically at the Christian fraternity at the University of Florida, Beta Upsilon Chi in question. I think their full of $#!+. Never in my life have I been into a church Mormon, Evangelical, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic where I was told or it was suggested that I was not welcome to be part of their group. The attached article even states that one of their objectives is to show others a Christian way of life. Well correct me if I'm wrong but one who is already a Christian doesn't need much convincing at all there for it makes no sense to block membership to non Christians who are intrigued and interested about the group. This is their opportunity to share with the willing and through their ignorance have shot themselves in the foot. Each group has it's own rules and I would have no problem with the group if they wanted to revoke a membership to someone who did not follow those rules but to preemptivey block membership to non Christians is ridiculous.
23Oops- I just read that the frat only accepts Christian members. That does change my mind as this is a public school, and the frat shouldn't get public offending if it is exclusive of students based on religion.
24Hypnotic- I agree...my poor reading comprehension aside, I just couldn't imagine a Christian group that would exclude on the basis of religion!
I mean, even my church youth group always encouraged us to bring friends whether they were religious or not. Funny story, I used to take a friend to Vacation Bible School at my church, because her parents didn't take her to church and I was convinced she was going to hell (when I was 10). Six years later I got to stare at her "abortion is murder" sweatshirts in high school, and I was an atheist. Fun times. So, this frat sounds pretty crazy, because you never know how you'll suck someone into the fold.
25Hypno - I've been to a Catholic Church and was told I wasn't welcome. There are anti-inclusionary people in all groups.
The Fraterntiy System is exclusionary. Members of each house vote on wether or not to accept someone, and exclude someone else. Shouldn't the entire system be thrown off campus then?
26Dave I think that the frat system is like hiring someone for a job. The boss picks and chooses, but is not allowed to pick and choose based on sex, race or religion.
27Yes UnDave but the other groups do so within the bounds of Federal law. That is what we're talking about here. As for your experience at the Catholic church was it a parishioner that shared those sentiments or was it a member of the clergy? In either case they were wrong to do so but if it was a parishioner I would have gone straight to the clergy and made it any issue.
28[Are you living in sin?]
29Black fraternities, Jewish sororities, etc. are perfectly legal and kosher (heh) because they're just traditionally and historicaly [minority group]. There's no rule against letting someone not in the group in, it's just that they tend to attract mostly from their own group.
30And they're within their rights to organize as a group of Christians, but the university and IFC are within their rights to choose whether or not to grant them certain status.
31This story sounds strange to me, maybe there's something else to it. I'm a Christian and while I associate with other Christians for friendship and things like bible study, the point is to minister to people who may not know about Jesus.
32Why would someone want to join a Christian frat if they aren't a Christian or have no intention of becoming one?
33>Why would someone want to join a Christian frat if they aren't a Christian or have no intention of becoming one?
Well,for preferential housing, scholastic programs, social networking, etc, etc, etc.
34Florida’s Indian River Community College discriminated against and punished a Christian student group for attempting to show Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ on campus. In November 2004, the college banned the Christian Student Fellowship from showing the film because it was R-rated, They were afraid someone under 17 "might" show up on campus. Less than a month later the college hosted a play entitled “F**king for Jesus” that describes simulated sex with “the risen Christ” and a woman masturbating to a picture of Jesus. No worries about ratings there. No carding done at the door. And guess what, no comment made either.
35Oh ok, I don't know much about how the fraternity/sorority system and all the perks (there aren't many in my country).
36This is crazy, if it were a minority group there would be an uprising...
37I'm sure there are aren't minorities in a Christian group.
38I am speaking of a group specifically for minorities...
39Do you know that for a fact or are you generalizing.
40Ban all frats and sororities. Exclusionary b s.
41I am speaking about the fact that there are 'hate-crime' laws in place to protect minorities...
42I'm sorry what does hate crime laws have to do with this story.
43You were questioning me when I mentioned a minority group...
If a person is not a minority, they do not have protection under the law
44I disagree meringue. I don't think this has nothing to do with hate crimes or hate crime laws.
45that's fine, we can disagree
46ohh I know. The oppression you must feel seems overbearing.
47explain please...
48To have a feeling that laws do not protect you and always favor others - that promotes a feeling of oppression and one usually loses hope with the system and with the laws as a whole.
49I agree with Janneth. Either ban all greek, or let all greek be involved on campus. The Greek system can be a very positve experience, expecially with the system trying to improve the image.
50Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.