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Education

Yale May Refuse to Recognize Christian Fraternity Over Requirement That Members Believe in Jesus Christ

Oct. 2, 2012 2:01pm Billy Hallowell

Photo Credit: BetaUpsilonChi.org

Universities may be well-intentioned when they create non-discrimination policies, but to the chagrin of some free speech advocates and religious conservatives, the restrictions that often result are problematic. TheBlaze has already extensively covered this issue as it has played out on the Vanderbilt University campus. Now, a similar drama is unfolding at Yale University, where a new Christian fraternity may be denied recognition — and funding — over its requirement that male members believe in Jesus Christ.

World on Campus has more about the battle that Beta Upsilon Chi (BYX), a national fraternity with a new chapter at Yale, is facing: “Just days after the leaders of Beta Upsilon Chi (BYX) announced the Yale chapter’s formation, the student newspaper reported that the group ‘will have to change its membership rules if it intends to comply with Yale’s anti-discrimination policies.’”

According to the Yale Daily News, the campus’ student-run newspaper, undergraduate groups must adhere to the university’s “equal opportunity policies.” This essentially means that, aside from accepting same-gender sports teams and select clubs, every organization is banned from discriminating based on sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation. In the case of BYX, the religious clause presents a problem.

Yale May Refuse to Recognize Beta Upsilon Chi Over Christian Requirement

Photo Credit: Yale University

The university has been relatively tight-lipped about the issue, with both sides admitting that it is currently being discussed and debated. From the fraternity’s point of view, though, faith is central to the organization’s structure. As a result, there is only so much compromise that can be made before a line is crossed and certain values must be unfairly given up.

“Every fraternity has an ideal candidate that they’re looking for in their pledges,” BYX executive director Jason Hoyt told World on Campus. ”Part of ours is that the candidate wants the same things that we want, and what we want is to develop our relationship with Christ.”

Despite rules that require members to be Christians, BYX opens its social events to everyone — a factor that may help the organization’s cause. Fraternity leaders have said that they don’t want controversy, as Victor Hicks, the student who founded the Yale chapter, did so in an effort to reach out to the campus community and to help inspire fellow students.

WFSB Channel 3

The pressures present on campus to drink and break one’s own moral code are profound, so the fraternity is an opportunity for young people to escape those elements, leaders contend. So far — there’s no official word on how the situation will be handled or whether the group will be forced, like some other fraternities, to avoid official membership in order to maintain its central faith components.

“I want to make sure people know that we don’t think we’re better than anyone else,” Hicks said of BYX. “We are just different people, each choosing to live different lifestyles.”

(H/T: World on Campus)

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Comments (73)

Lost Rebel
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 6:13pm
I don’t think tonight is too early for the return of Jesus!!!!

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- 1snake1
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 11:02am
  Christians one week after the ‘death’ of ‘Christ’ -HE’LL BE BACK REAL SOON
  Christians one year after the ‘death’ of ‘Christ’ -HE’LL BE BACK REAL SOON
  Christians one century after the ‘death’ of ‘Christ’ -HE’LL BE BACK REAL SOON
  Christians today -HE’LL BE BACK REAL SOON
  
  Report this comment
Meyvn1
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 5:47pm
WTF? Over.

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SidneyDave
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 5:21pm
Does the gay frat allow straight men to join their fraternity? If so, how many straight members do they have? Answer: all of them when they get excited. Ha, ha.

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LibertarianYankee
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 5:18pm
so if you aren’t christian, dont join! how hard is that?

bet they’d have no problem with an islamic group.

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- starman70
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 9:49am
  Can you even imagine what would happen if a born again Christian student even tried to join an Islamic fraternity? Of course he would be rejected!!! How would Yale handle this one? Would Yale approve or disapprove of a Muslim, Hindu, Buddist, Shinto, Wiccan or any other fraternity applicant who wishes to exclude everyone who is not a member of their belief system? My guess is that they would, as long as it’s not Christian. Biblical prophecy being fulfilled before our eyes. “They will hate you because of ME”.
  
  It’s high time these PC IDIOTS realize that you can’t put everyone in the same barrel. The sheer stupidity of these “Highly educated” dopes, morons, etc. who are disapproving this goes far beyond clear thinking.
  
  People have the right under the Constitution to associate with anybody they please and they shouldn’t be excluded just because they are Christians wno believe in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
  
  Report this comment
- LibertarianYankee
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 10:35am
  Starman – exactly my point.
  
  I dont believe in any supernatural powers, but not bothered by anyone that does. What business is it of mine what happens in these fraternities and clubs? None at all.
  
  Not sure what these brainiacs are looking to accomplish by discrimination against Christians. What do they hate so much anyway? (To me, all religions seem pretty strange in terms of beliefs, christianity included). But why the sympathy towards Islam and hated towards Xtianity? It ain’t hard to tell that Xtianity, Judaism, Buddhism, etc, are the persecuted and Islam is the elevated.
  
  Report this comment
- deadend
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 6:42pm
  they do not have that problem, they just kill the infedells.
  
  Report this comment
jimbo_from_suwanee
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 5:11pm
I wonder if Muslim groups would have such requirements.

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- 1snake1
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 11:03am
  Of course they DO have that requirement blazebot
  
  Report this comment
LeadNotFollow
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 4:15pm
…
This college brainwashing has been going on longer than anyone wants to admit.
I just ran into a local Baptist Pastor and his wife Saturday. They are both almost 80 years old. They both graduated from college. They both were wearing Obama T-Shirts. They both said they love Obama and are going to vote for him again.

They were both raised by conservative Republican parents.
It has been nearly 55 years since they were in college, and they are still brainwashed.
The Pastor attends a “Progressive” church, but I still find it very hard to believe, that any “man of God” could ever vote for Obama.

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- palerider54
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 4:51pm
  You are absolutely right, NO MAN OF GOD would ever vote for Obama.
  
  Hang a peach tree sign on an apple tree and you will still get apples.
  
  You will be known by the fruit you bear.
  
  Report this comment
LeadNotFollow
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 3:59pm
…
College indoctrinates (brainwashes) people into the socialist America and God is thrown under the bus.

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LorilandTX
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 3:25pm
Isn’t a belief in Christ the definition of Christian? Christianity? To prohibit that requirement disallows them from having a Christian fraternity. They have had the same problem with faith based clubs on campuses. Though the clubs allowed anyone to join, they were not allowed to have a belief in Jesus Christ as Savior a requirement to be a club officer. AND in that case if I recall correctly, race-based, gender-based and Muslim-based groups were allowed such restrictions.

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deedsundone
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 3:14pm
Christian Fraternity may be an oxymoron. Read James 5:12, written by Jesus’ half brother and ask the frat if there is another way to join.

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fluffychainsaw
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 3:14pm
i was part of an all black frat back when I went to college. Also had one just for band members. Wouldn’t those also be illegal under these terms, or does that only apply for a more commonly conservative frat like a all Christian one?

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kdshell1
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 3:08pm
I wonder whether Yale has any Muslim groups to which Christian students could go and proclaim Jesus the Christ as the “only way.”

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- The_Jerk
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 3:13pm
  “I Like Me.” … ’bout says it all.
  
  http://inlikeme.com/jewish-students-at-colleges-universities/
  
  Report this comment
- Hanner
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 3:28pm
  Jesus actually thanked the Father that he had hid his wisdom from the wise and revealed it to babes. These Ivy League “leaders” haven’t got a clue. You would think that these over educated geniuses would understand the need for a “Christian” frat to demand a member of said frat to actually believe in Christ. These people don’t seem to understand what the term “Christian” should actually stand for. The Ivy League leaders must be Obama supporters. Our dear leader has a misunderstanding of what being a christian is also.
  
  Report this comment
- drs1969
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 4:04pm
  Yale is 20-25% Jewish, via Jerk’s link.
  
  Report this comment
- zenjak
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 7:37am
  I’ll bet a “Muslim Brotherhood” fraternity would immediately get a waiver on this rule from Yale.
  
  Report this comment
right field
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 3:06pm
It is discriminatory to discriminate against anyone on the basis of religion. So, the Yale policy is, in fact, defeating its own purpose – self-contradictory circular logic – a Catch 22 –
Higher Education is an oxymoron.

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- oneshiner
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 3:28pm
  Does that mean if I join the Muslim group I have to deny Mohhamad?
  
  Report this comment
thegreatcarnac
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 3:03pm
Yale and other Ivy league schools are so far off the mark of what the founding fathers taught, and of what America stands for, that they may as well be a university in China. Yale is so liberal that they paint themselves into corners and make stupid laws and mistakes. Christian fraternities automaticallly believe in Christ. A muslim fraternity automatically believes in the moon god. I wonder if Jewish fraternities have been affected? What about the muslims? Like someone said…what about ‘black fraternities’? Aren’t they breaking some racial rule. Yale is anti-christian because the liberal professors all are.

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randy
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:46pm
Yeah but if you believe in beer, bongs, strippers, illegal drugs and parting all night, Yale would not have a problem with you starting a Frat.

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WhiteFang
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:45pm
Do we not have a right to free association, that is, we can choose who we want to associate with? This looks like someone else will decide who we can and cannot associate with.

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- The_Jerk
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:51pm
  http://inlikeme.com/jewish-students-at-colleges-universities/
  
  They are 1.3 % of the population. They are the anti-Christian campaign in America.
  
  Report this comment
RJJinGadsden
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:33pm
For some odd reason, I bet that one has to be gay to join any of the Yale gay fraternities.

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- booger71
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:43pm
  I bet the mooselime frats require you to have carnal knowledge with a goat.
  
  Report this comment
- JQuentinEvermann
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:51pm
  Notice that the Yale Club only allows Yale alums, faculty and full time grad students from joining. Here’s the wiki page on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yale_Club_of_New_York_City
  
  I think that even though I didn’t go to Yale, I should be allowed into any of their clubs. As they receive federal subsidies, I paid, at least in part, my tuition…and theirs! As a self-declared alum of Yale, I demand my membership! I may also demand a diploma.
  
  Report this comment
- johnjamison
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:52pm
  So dozens of whites should pledge the black frats then sue for discrimination when they can’t join.
  
  Report this comment
- midnightvelvet
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 11:55am
  @johnjamison
  If this bunch can’t see what’s wrong with what they’re doing now, they’d dismiss white students trying to join a black fraternity out-of-hand. Also, why bother some uninvolved and innocent black fraternity?
  
  Report this comment
carl_in_ohio
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:29pm
wasn’t Yale founded as a Christian school??

with this logic, anyone should be allowed to join any club. Whites could join all-black fraternities.

Men should be allowed into all women fraternities. They could claim they are lesbians trapped in a man’s body!

and the list could go on. This is just silly.

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- Exrepublisheep
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:43pm
  Agreed.
  
  Report this comment
- DimmuBorgir
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:49pm
  Honestly that kind of thing already happens. They just usually involve the ACLU and a transgender something or other
  
  Report this comment
- GaltLine
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 8:22am
  According to Wikipedia: First “Incorporated as the ‘Collegiate School’, the institution traces its roots to 17th-century clergymen who sought to establish a college to train clergy and political leaders for the colony.” Sounds like the school is violating its original charter.
  
  Report this comment
elosogrande
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:29pm
There’s probably no one at Yale that understands the requirement. They just never knew that Christians believe in Jesus Christ as their savior, or about His connection with Christianity. Maybe they spent all of their time worshippnig the earth…or the moon…or the oceans.

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Flag-Man
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:26pm
Another example: My wife says all the time, mostly about politicians,
how can people so educated be so stupid

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- TheCalmOne
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 5:30pm
  Has your wife ever heard of David Dunning and Justin Kruger?
  
  Report this comment
MicahJank
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:23pm
Translation: You must not be a Christian Fraternity if you want to be recognized as a Christian Fraternity.

At least say what you mean, come on.

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LA_WriterChick
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:21pm
So no Christianity? But Yale is using religion to push “climate change”: http://aprilbaby.typepad.com/a_california_life/2009/01/new-religion-climate-change.html

Look at the Yale objectives I pasted in my blog post.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:35pm
  You’ve over looked the fact that libs think that free speech only applies to libs.
  
  Report this comment
SREGN
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:18pm
I wonder if they will refuse to recognize the LGTV club because of the requirement to be a gay?

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- contkmi
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:28pm
  This is the proper response. Can a male join a female sorority?
  
  The hypocrisy is nearly breathtaking. Or it would be if it weren’t so common and obvious.
  
  Report this comment
kickagrandma
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:17pm
Yale,

They say, “Ignorance is bliss.” There you go. Another satanic conundrum.

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DEMOCRATS.ARE.EVIL
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:14pm
Yale University allows the Yale Muslim Students Association (www.yalemsa.org) to meet on campus. What’s the chances any Christians or Buddhists belong to that group?

******
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

…prohibiting the free exercise thereof?
…the right of the people peaceably to assemble?

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- darmeen
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 3:47pm
  While I agree with your sentiment, last time I checked, Yale is not Congress. The Constitution doesn’t come into play. It was written to lay out the rules and limitations that the Federal Government must abide by (even though they don’t), not person to person or organization to organization.
  
  What this does demonstrate is Yale’s ineptitude at common sense and lack of logical reasoning…a CHRISTIAN Fraternity, much like a Black Fraternity is for a specific group of people…much like you would have to be black to join a black fraternity, you would need to be Christian to join a Christian fraternity…what can I say…Ivy League Idiots!
  
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- DEMOCRATS.ARE.EVIL
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 4:06pm
  DARMEEN – I know, I just get frustrated with the drift away from our founding principals and wish the universities would look to our constitution as guidance instead of setting themselves up as something akin to sovereign kingdoms.
  
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amerbur
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 2:13pm
Yale, you are a sad statement for a college.

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