Religious Freedom Isn't About Freedom for All: Seattle Pacific University, Religious Freedom, and Discrimination Against LGBTQIA2S+ People

The idea of "religious freedom" has become a well-known phrase, and way of framing a new method of discriminating against LGBTQIA2S+ people. People in public offices--elected or appointed--serving people in the role of clerks as well as other administrative roles, can say that they do not want to help out or assist LGBTQIA2S+ people in their civil role like providing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, because one's "religion," does not condone same-sex couples getting married. "It's in the Bible," is their excuse or rationale, and their authority, even though it is a literal and not historical, let alone intellectual, way of understanding the Bible. Most likely, a pastor or religious leader told them how to think about such matters, even though Jesus never talked about so-called "homosexuality," let along LGBTQIA2S+ people.

The latest use of the phrase, "religious freedom," has come up in a legal case brought against Seattle Pacific University (SPU), a private Free Methodist institution of higher education in Seattle, from the state of Washington, concerning SPU's practice of not hiring LGBTQIA2S+ people. SPU is suing the attorney general of Washington State, saying his investigation into SPU's anti-LGBTQIA2S+ hiring practices is a violation of (ready?) religious freedom. SPU is arguing that the state is wielding "state power to interfere with the religious beliefs of a religious university, and a church, whose beliefs he disagrees with."

What is SPU's policy that is causing the problem for them? SPU will not employ people who are in same-sex marriages, and expects employees to adhere to its policy that sex is only between a man and woman, and is reserved exclusively for their marriage. Extra-marital affairs or pre-marital sex are also forbidden.

I first blogged about SPU when Jeaux Rinedahl, an adjunct nursing professor, who is gay, sued SPU in 2021, because he was denied tenure. Interesting: his case was settled out of court.

Nevertheless, SPU affirmed their policy on sexual practices in May 2022, fearful that if it didn't it would lose its affiliation with the Free Methodist Church if it withdrew its policy. LGBTQIA2S+ allies responded by staging a sit-in outside the president's office and handing him miniature Pride flags at the graduation ceremony in June 2022.

In response to their stand at SPU, the attorney general started this investigation. SPU defends its position as a matter of "religious freedom," otherwise known as the freedom to discriminate against LGBTQIA2S+ people. 

Attorney General Bob Ferguson's office stated that the filing of a lawsuit against his office by SPU "demonstrate that the university believes it is above the law to such an extraordinary degree that it is shielded from answering basic questions from my office regarding the university's compliance with state law," according to the Seattle Times. And the Washington state law? No discrimination is allowed against LGBTQIA2S+ people in terms of hiring practices, housing, or healthcare.

Here's a link to the story: https://www.advocate.com/religion/2022/8/01/christian-school-sues-over-washington-ags-probe-anti-lgbtq-bias

Also here: https://religionnews.com/2022/07/29/washington-state-attorney-confirms-probe-into-seattle-pacific-universitys-anti-lgbtq-hiring-practices/

"Religious freedom" is the new (and old) way of being able to discriminate against LGBTQIA2S+ people. Under federal law,  a church, mosque, or synagogue can use "religious freedom" in terms of favoring members of their own faith in hiring practices for religious leaders, such as clergy. However, such is not the case with an church-connected institution of higher education, which also receives state and federal monies, to use "religious freedom" as a way of discriminating against LGBTQIA2S+ people. And many conservative church-related institutions of higher education have been using "religious freedom" as a way of discriminating quite a bit of late.

And if they use "religious freedom" to discriminate against LGBTQIA2S+ people, couldn't they use the same term and idea in discriminating people based on gender, race, religion, age, or ability?

Stay tuned on this case!





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reflections on the Day The United Methodist Church Came Into the 21st Century

Welcome, members of The United Methodist Church (UMC), who, this day, May 1st, 2024, joined the 21st century, affirming the presence and welcoming those of us who are LGBTQIA2S+ people to be ordained, to serve churches, to marry, and to officiate at other weddings of same sex couples. Heck, you can now even use funds from within the UMC to pursue funding programs that assist people who are LGBTQIA2S+ in being and becoming more of the body of Christ through the practices of Methodism. Imagine: You can now focus on other issues that are facing Christendom! Hunger. Poverty. Peace-making programs. Gun control. Global climate. Houselessness. You name it. Praise God. Here’s a link to the news:  https://religionnews.com/2024/05/01/united-methodists-strike-down-ban-on-ordination-of-gay-clergy/  This day was, indeed, a long way in coming. 1972 is when that horrible language was published as part of your Constitution. Richard Nixon was President. HIV/AIDS was not yet an issue.  I’v...
Read more

The Threat of Stoning a Black Gay Man in Oregon! Time to Rise Up!

 As reported by Rachel Shatto in the Advocate.com website on Aug. 5, 2021 (that is 2021), Eric Osterberg, who is assistant to the city manager of Klamath Falls and staff-lead for the city's equity task force, was about to deliver a report on equity in the city before the city council when a man stood up with a stone the size of his hand and said to Eric: "Oh, so you think we are all racists? You think you are the second coming of Christ?" The man then accused Eric of spreading HIV and AIDS, saying he was blasphemous for being a Black gay man. The man continued: "You are a sinner and you need to be stoned. That is why I brought this stone."  The man with the stone was simply escorted out of the building by Klamath Falls police chief Robert Dentinger and simply released and sent home rather than being arrested, though Dentinger said he may have to talk with the man with the stone more in the future. You think? "The incident left Osterberg shaken. 'I felt ...
Read more

Discriminating in the Name of God at Calvin University

I read this article on advocate.com, by Trudy Ring, about an assistant professor on the faculty of Calvin University, who was fired from his position at Calvin because he officiated at a wedding of a same sex couple. The by-line? " Joseph Kuilema lost his job with Calvin University after officiating a queer couple's wedding. He's disgusted that the school discriminates in the name of God. ” That about says it all. Yes, the University is discriminating against LGBTQIA2S+ people and allies. I don’t get it. There are a lot of  smart, creative, insightful people at Calvin University. They don’t have to “buy” into the conservative politics of the Christian Reformed Church, of which they are connected. They are an institution of higher education. Surely, they can see discrimination when it is around them in the Grand Rapids area.  But apparently they are all right with openly practicing discrimination among themselves, especially when it comes to LGBTQIA2S+ people.  F...
Read more