Oxford students vote against Christian group's residential camp

[MineralMan]

Where do you draw the line? When should potentially toxic religious messages be turned away. Students at Oxford University answered that question, recently, at least for their campus. Their decision raises some interesting questions, I think. Perhaps we can discuss them here. More at the link...

https://www.christiantoday.com/article/oxford-students-vote-against-christian-groups-residential-camp/130786.htm

Oxford students vote against Christian group's residential camp
Thu 25 Oct 2018 16:37 BST

Oxford University students have voted against allowing a Christian group's residential camp to take place at one of their colleges over concerns that it is a threat to the 'mental safety' of students.

Christian Concern had sought to hold its four-day Wilberforce Academy at Lady Margaret Hall next summer but the plans have been resoundingly voted down by the Junior Common Room (JCR) committee.

{snip}

Christian Concern lobbies for traditional marriage and the protection of Christian freedoms, with its legal wing, the Christian Legal Centre, having been involved in numerous high-profile cases, including most recently that of NHS nurse Sarah Kuteh, who lost her job for sharing her faith with patients and offering prayer.

According to its website, the Wilberforce Academy aims to equip students and young professionals 'for servant-hearted, Christ-centred leadership in public life, having been equipped with a robust biblical framework that guides their thinking, prayers and activity in addressing the issues facing our society'.

[OnDoutside]

1. Good. I've come to the conclusion that liberal society needs to assert itself in a far

more strident way.

[MineralMan]

2. It's interesting that Oxford students control access to the facilities.

Such a thing probably wouldn't fly here in the US, where university administrations generally have control.

[OnDoutside]

3. That's true, and there are first amendment issues too, though there needs to be a

line against neo nazis.

[MineralMan]

4. There's also the issue of "Academic Freedom," which

is pretty closely guarded at the University level. The idea, of course is to allow and consider all points of view. That often leads to conflicts. How to limit that "freedom" without sacrificing the concept is a difficult question at times.

On the other hand, students can respond to whatever nonsense shows up on their campus. I remember "Holy Hubert" showing up, day after day at lunchtime in the quadrangle to harangue students by calling the women students "whores" and the men students "whoremongers."

The students responded by mocking him mercilessly and trying to incite him to a higher and higher level of screeching. He finally moved on to some other campus. "Holy Hubert" is famous in California.

http://www.brojed.org/cms/who-are-we/tibutes/holy-hubert/159-holy-hubert-lindsey

https://www.amazon.com/Bless-Dirty-Heart-Hubert-Lindsey/dp/B003K1HM3Y

[OnDoutside]

5. Thanks, that was something else !!!

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. They don't, in this case; this is them expressing their wishes to the governing body

From the article:

The students voted 81 to 8 against the residential camp, with two abstentions, although a final decision will be made by the college's governing body next week.

And the linked Oxford Student newspaper:

In its 3rd week meeting on Sunday the LMH JCR debated whether or not to voice its dissent to the potential hosting of the conservative Christian organisation Christian Concern. The debate was consultative and the governing body will make its final decision in 4th week but the JCR voted to oppose Christian Concern with 81 votes for, 8 against and 2 abstentions.

https://www.oxfordstudent.com/2018/10/23/lmh-debates-hosting-conservative-christian-camp/

The decision should have been made by now, but I can't find an update, just this from 10 days ago:

The Lady Margaret Hall spokeswoman said it had sought assurances from Christian Concern that it will "indemnify LMH for additional security costs" and "agree to engage in meaningful 'evidence, questioning and argument'" before considering its request.
...
Lady Margaret Hall's governing body will meet this week to consider the booking, if Christian Concern accepts the two conditions.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-46021629

[MineralMan]

7. Thanks for that information.