Recently, we’ve seen report after report after report after report of teachers at Christian schools getting fired for coming out as gay, getting married to a person of the same gender, or just supporting same-sex marriage. Sadly, here’s a student who says he was barred from returning to his Christian college after coming out as gay.
Chase Martinson had been attending Hannibal-LaGrange University in Missouri. The Riverfront Times reports that Martinson “took a break from his studies at Hannibal-LaGrange University to manage his health issues,” and re-applied to return to his studies.
Martinson reapplied to Hannibal-LaGrange, a small school about 120 miles north of St. Louis, a few months ago, quickly getting an acceptance letter and even a note saying he was eligible for the honors program. Everything was on track — until the next letter came and put his application on hold:
“Admittance is open to academically and morally qualified students,” the school wrote Martinson on March 4. “Admission is open to students who are in agreement with the HLGU Student Life Guidelines.”
The school directed Martinson to pages twenty and 27 of the student life guidelines, where the school’s sexual impropriety rules are spelled out. Both pages explicitly forbid “homosexual activities.” Page 27 even prohibits appearing to be gay.
Apparently, this post by Martinson had something to do with him being booted from Hannibal-LaGrange University.
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Indeed, the rules at Hannibal-LaGrange do prohibit “homosexual actions.”
Hannibal-LaGrange University upholds the traditional biblical view that it is God’s intent that heterosexual union is the only acceptable expression of sexuality and must be reserved for marriage… Misuses of God’s gift will be understood to include, but will not be limited to, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual assault, homosexual actions, incest, adultery, fornication, and sex outside of marriage as defined by the State of Missouri is prohibited.
And they prohibit even the appearance or support of being gay.
Sexual impropriety includes but is not limited to participation in, or appearance of, engaging in premarital sex, extramarital sex, homosexual activities, or cohabitations on or off campus. The promotion, and advocacy of, or ongoing practice of a homosexual lifestyle is contrary to institution expectations and is therefore prohibited.
Martinson says he has chosen a different school now, and writes on Facebook:
It is very unfortunate that such a university, which stands so prominently on their Christian values, rebukes those who are not within those guidelines., selectively, of course. Well good thing Jesus Christ was never associated with sinners, thieves, prostitutes, cheats, the lame, etc. Hannibal-LaGrange University should be ashamed of itself, it’s repugnant. Even if invited back, I would never return to a university where I was bullied, ridiculed and put down just because of the way I am. That’s all.
Image via Facebook