Comments on: Equality Ride: Starting a dialogue?

By: Throckmorton

Throckmorton — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 21:19:00 +0000

This post from Triscar seemed relevant to this post…

I want emplore you to read and see the news releases on ER’s web site, the Pilot on-line at hamptonroads.com, and WAVY 10 at WAVY.com. I hope you see the reality of what took place amidst all the hoopla. But what you won’t read in the news is that 15-20 Regent students went out to dinner with half the ER riders last night. You also won’t read that Mark Yarhouse joined them as well. You won’t read or see in the news much about the relationships that have formed and the bridges that have been built. Reconciliation is happening.

I am one of the students that has spent most of my time in the last 3 days interacting with the ER riders. I also have a homosexual orientation and a strong Orthodox Christian faith. In your blog you accused Melissa of speculating about many things, you also made quite a few speculations yourself. As far as my experience goes in the School of Psychology and Counseling, Melissa is not remiss in her “speculations”. I cannot speak for other departments on campus, but I can for ours.

Dr. Throckmorton, thank you for your commitment to open, intelligent dialogue, and academic freedom.

By: Throckmorton

Throckmorton — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 01:46:00 +0000

For Equality Ride it is dialogue with a purpose of changing policies which they believe to be unjust and contrary to an accurate interpretation of scripture. For the schools which choose to discuss this issue it is dialogue aimed at understanding and getting opportunity to clarify their interpretation of scripture.

I think you said it pretty well; SoulForce wants to change the way the people who make up these schools think. It is only one side who thinks the school need to clarify anything. I suspect the schools were pretty clear on their beliefs before this.

Can you have forced dialogue? Ordinarily, I think of dialogue as mutual somehow. Now when my wife says, “we need to talk now” I do so because we have a special relationship. I don’t usually respond well when it is someone else, do you?

By: Michael Smith

Michael Smith — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 23:59:00 +0000

As someone who works for the CCCU of which most of these schools are members, I consider myself “close” to the issue. As someone who attended Wheaton College and witnessed the close-mindedness of the school on many issues including homosexuality, I consider myself close to this issue. And as someone close to this issue, it is about dialogue.

The schools which refuse to even discuss the issue, even if they have done so before, are the only ones who think this is not about a dialogue with a purpose. They are certain this is some vast gay activist conspiracy to take over the world or to corrupt the innocent minds of their students (who apparently have not been equipped to think for themselves).

Having heard from the Equality Riders who spoke to the CCCU, they at least want their stories to be heard by these campuses. The people close to this issue understand that and see no harm in it.

By: Throckmorton

Throckmorton — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 19:46:00 +0000

Private property is still private whether it is a home or college. Students are adults but they (and their parents) are the clients of the college. Most schools/institutions/businesses that value their future wish to care for and protect their clients.

Regent offered dialogue. Liberty had dialogue last year. This is not about dialogue; everybody on both sides who are close to this knows that. If SoulForce wanted dialogue it did and could have it.

By: Michael Smith

Michael Smith — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 10:49:00 +0000

This comparison to conservative activitsts insisting on invading someone’s home to talk to their children is way off the mark.

It’s imporrtant to understand that Equality Ride is taking the discussion to institutions of Christian higher education. That’s a very different context than someone’s home. And while these students on these campuses are someone’s children (as we all are), they are actually adults — not minors who need some parental consent to speak to strangers.

The genius of Equality Ride is that if an institution of higher education shows itself unwilling or unable to engage in the free exchange of ideas, it proves itself to be a weak excuse for education at best, and a bigoted social club at worst. Sure, private schools have the right to exclude people. But is that the best thing for Christian higher education? Does that serve the believers’ mission of love and justice in the world? Does that serve the pursuit of truth in higher education?

The silliness of the schools which have chosen not to engage in dialogue on this issue is being proven as Equality Ride travels. Today at Regent, students on the campus were restricted from even walking off their own campus grounds to talk to the Riders. So is Regent a castle defending its territory, or a literal prison for the students who chose to enroll there?

Thankfully, the schools with better leadership have chosen to welcome the Riders and engage in dialogue. It’s long overdue.