Administrators at a Christian school
located southeast of Edmonton, Alberta, are concerned that parts of the
Bible, specifically those that deal with sexual
ethics, could be censored if they're deemed as offensive speech according to the province's human rights code.
ethics, could be censored if they're deemed as offensive speech according to the province's human rights code.
Trustees from the Battle River School
Division said that a number of Bible verses were expected to be included
in a handbook for students at the Cornerstone Christian Academy in
Kingman, but now they might be banned for potential violations, such as
"targeting vulnerable minorities."
The passage in 1 Corinthians 6:9–11, for instance, states that neither "the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."
Besides 1 Corinthians, concerns were also reportedly raised about a similar passage in Galatians 5, which states: "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
The passage in 1 Corinthians 6:9–11, for instance, states that neither "the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."
Besides 1 Corinthians, concerns were also reportedly raised about a similar passage in Galatians 5, which states: "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
A man holds a rainbow colored Canadian
flag attached to a hockey stick during the "WorldPride" gay pride Parade
in Toronto, June 29, 2014.
As CBC News reported
on Wednesday, school officials have agreed not to feature those
specific verses, but are concerned that Alberta's human rights
legislation could prevent them from teaching the entire Bible.
Deanna Margel, board chairwoman of the Cornerstone Christian Academy Society, revealed that talks between the academy and the board have been going on for six weeks.
Margel added that the verses in question are part of a scriptural footnote in the school's updated statement of faith.
"It's a restriction on freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, it's a violation of our constitutional freedom in Canada," Margel positioned.
The Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms said through its President John Carpay that the school will not allow others to dictate which parts of the Bible are presented to students.
Deanna Margel, board chairwoman of the Cornerstone Christian Academy Society, revealed that talks between the academy and the board have been going on for six weeks.
Margel added that the verses in question are part of a scriptural footnote in the school's updated statement of faith.
"It's a restriction on freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, it's a violation of our constitutional freedom in Canada," Margel positioned.
The Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms said through its President John Carpay that the school will not allow others to dictate which parts of the Bible are presented to students.
"When the board starts to try to
dictate that scriptures that some people might find offensive cannot be
taught in the classroom, that's going completely contrary to the goal of
diversity, which is to have schools that are actually different from
each other," Carpay said.
Battle River School Division spokeswoman Diane Hutchinson suggested that if an agreement is not reached, the Christian school, which has about 160 students in kindergarten through grade 12, could cut ties with the division.
"We asked them to not include it, but perhaps use a different piece of scripture," Hutchinson said, according to Metronews.ca, referring to the verse in Corinthians.
"There is a lot of love in the Word of God. We were concerned about that specific piece of scripture, given today's legislation and sensitive environment."
She added that changes to provincial human rights legislation could deem the Bible verses as harmful by "targeting vulnerable minorities."
Battle River School Division spokeswoman Diane Hutchinson suggested that if an agreement is not reached, the Christian school, which has about 160 students in kindergarten through grade 12, could cut ties with the division.
"We asked them to not include it, but perhaps use a different piece of scripture," Hutchinson said, according to Metronews.ca, referring to the verse in Corinthians.
"There is a lot of love in the Word of God. We were concerned about that specific piece of scripture, given today's legislation and sensitive environment."
She added that changes to provincial human rights legislation could deem the Bible verses as harmful by "targeting vulnerable minorities."
No comments:
Post a Comment