Psalm 100 is a Christian a capella group at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that, like almost all campus groups, receives funding from tuition fees. Which means when the singing group voted to oust gay member Will Thomason, in addition to being major asshats they were violating UNC’s non-discrimination policy.
Wow, North Carolina is not the place to be a homo these days.
How did the group defend its actions? Well, thankfully the Lord provided Psalm 100 director Blake Templeton with a divine rationalization revelation enabling him to explain that Thomason was removed for his views on homosexuality, not for his personal sexual orientation.
“It’s really easy in this situation for the focus to be on this one thing—the homosexuality,” Templeton told the Daily Tar Heel. “It wasn’t about that. It was really about a disagreement with something that was clearly written in Scripture and in the Bible and we just have to base all of our decisions, constitutionally… on the Bible.”
How about we take this to the next level?
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UNC administrators have begun looking into the incident:
“We are on notice that there is a question as to whether or not a student organization has acted in compliance with the policy or not,” Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Winston Crisp told the Tar Heel. “We take that very seriously and that will be investigated.”
While we would assume a person’s creed would be protected by any anti-discrimination codes, UNC’s policy states that student groups can limit membership to those who share beliefs but they can’t exclude based on personal characteristics like sexual orientation. Says Crisp:
“Our commitment to non-discrimination is bedrock strong but so is our commitment to the First Amendment rights of freedom of association. The non-discrimination policy for student organizations tries very hard to balance those issues.”
Thomason, a senior who’s been with the group since his freshman year, is surprisingly demure about the whole situation:
“I’m especially appreciative of the willingness of the larger UNC community to openly engage in the dialogue and I trust there will be continued respect for all parties involved.”
Jeez, buddy, try growing a pair.
In a recent podcast, Dan Savage made an excellent point: if Psalm 100 is truly following the word of the Bible, how can they allow females to sing in a choir—or to vote on the expulsion of a male member?
As it is written in I Timothy, 2:11:
“Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.”
Oh you didn’t think we could pull New Testament verses out of our ass, did you?
If anyone reading this goes to UNC or has a friend or family member there, please encourage them to file a complaint with the University. Clearly, Psalm 100 is a horde of God-hating hypocrites and they must be stopped.
Stoned even, if we’re really gonna get biblical about it.
Pat Duffy
A Gay person thrown out of a Christian group…SHOCKED!!!!
Puleeeez. Folks that decide to sit on railroad tracks have no Right to be surprised when a train comes….
MikeE
if you were pleasuring that train while you were on the tracks it has every right to come.
Josh
@ MikeE: LMFAOSHIDMT
n00b
”Women should remain silent in the churches.” (1 Corinthians 14:34)
”If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.” (Deuteronomy 22:28-29)
“If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head.” (1 Corinthians 11:6-7)
”If a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him.” (1 Corinthians 11:14) (like Jesus)
”Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.” (1 Peter 2:18)
”As the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” (Ephesians 5:24)
Cam
Easy way to solve this. Stop taking money from the school and be a private organization. Otherwise shut up and keep your twisted version of religion to yourself.
The crustybastard
You’d never know homosexuality didn’t make God’s Top10 List.
God doesnt regard being gay as grave a sin as being greedy or lying.
AFruit4Thought
There’s a petition to UNC about this: http://www.change.org/petitions/unc-chapel-hill-administration-investigate-the-expulsion-of-a-gay-unc-student-from-university-funded-group
It’s unconscionable for a publicly funded university to give funding to a group that discriminates. There’s a fine line between freedom of association and discrimination. I think the it’s-not-his-sexual-orientation-it’s-his-beliefs-about-his-orientation argument can be clearly construed to mean that no homos are allowed in. I guess it would be okay if he were gay and hated himself for it, but deity forbid he actually accepts himself.
Dave
I see opinions like Pat Duffy’s on practically every story Queerty does about an excluded LGBT individual. Each time, I’m left wondering: Are these the opinions of trolls who don’t frequent Queerty for the reasons most of us do? Are they the opinions of very naive queers who believe that LGBT problems can all be solved by trying really, really hard not to bug anti-queer bigots? Do such posters realistically believe that unilateral withdrawal of queers from any segment of society in which anti-queer sentiment is present, is workable? Are they suggesting a separate-but-equal “solution”? Are they just really…well, dumb? Or blinded by militancy? What gives?
12345deviant
Wait, I’m confused, it’s not cause he’s gay … it’s his views on being gay?