Christians at Vanderbilt Will Distribute 4,000 MP4 Players on Campus With Religious Freedom Protest Message
- Posted on April 18, 2012 at 7:56am by
Billy Hallowell
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Christians at Vanderbilt University aren’t taking the ongoing affront to their religious freedom lightly. As The Blaze has reported, students and faculty, alike, have been speaking out — sometimes in creative ways — to get their message out to the masses.
Today, religious groups at the university will come together to distribute 4,000 MP4 players at locations across the campus. The video consoles will include a seven-minute clip that explains the religious debate unfolding at Vanderbilt.
A press release sent by Pieter Valk, a junior Chemistry major at the school and an opponent of the university’s newly-enforced non-discrimination policy (which requires religious groups to allow non-believing individuals to become leaders), describes the initiative:
The video [which will be made available later today] highlights how the administration has changed its nondiscrimination policy at least twice in recent months and how it selectively enforces its newest policy against religious groups while allowing fraternities and sororities to discriminate on any basis in selecting leaders and members.
Meanwhile, the students are also delivering the message-carrying MP4 players to the members of Vanderbilt’s Board of Trustees, who will be meeting on campus at the end of this week. The represented groups hope that this appeal from students will prompt the board to restore Vanderbilt’s longstanding policy of allowing religious students the opportunity to preserve their communities of faith that are so important to them during their time at the university.
The point of the MP4 distribution, the release claims, is to showcase the reasons why religious groups at the university should have the right to “reserve leadership to those who share their faith.” Traditionally, this freedom has been protected and the 11 religious groups that have come together to take Vanderbilt on wish to see this freedom restored.
Watch past coverage of this controversy, featuring Vanderbilt law professor Carol M. Swain, on GBTV, below:
The video showcases how the administration has allegedly changed its non-discrimination policy at least two times in recent months. Additionally, it will highlight the exemptions that are granted to fraternities and sororities, despite the university’s choice to force faith groups to comply. The MP4 players will also be delivered to Vanderbilt’s Board of Trustees, who are holding a meeting at the end of this week.
We’ll have to wait and see how the creative form of outreach resonates with students, faculty and the trustees.
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iluvlabbies
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 6:36pmInterestingly, Dinesh D’Souza is speaking on campus tomorrow night. His topic is “How Christianity Shaped America: Religious Liberty and Liberal Intolerance”. How opportune, right? I plan to attend, but expect that there will some uncivil screamfests from left-leaning students and public attendees.
Report Post »inblack
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 10:56amLet me get this straight.
The supreme court allowed the University to ban the right of freedom of association as long as they consistently violated the right to freedom of association.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 9:40amGood for them! Seems a much classier (and more popular) way to make your point compared to, say, atheist student groups handing out porn in exchange for Bibles. I hope it goes well.
Report Post »CougarNick78
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 9:03amGood for these students. I doubt they’re going to be accused of being timid any longer.
And a question, to the trolls, Since Vanderbilt a private university, how will that my taxes don’t fund Christian crap arguments fly?
About as well, as the other feces you lefties toss. Keep it up, you crazy howler monkeys!
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 8:55amExcellent, stand up for what is RIGHT and TRUE; not for the PC garbage of the world.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 8:44amGOD, Country, and Family…
Report Post »TEARS FOR AMERICA
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 8:35amThank you for standing up against tyranny because it is your future, your children’s future that is at stake. Do not be silenced!
Report Post »tzion
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 8:35amYou know it makes you wonder…would the Society for Women Engineers have to allow a male psychology student to be a leader?
Report Post »Voter_Fraud
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 8:33amI‘ve been reading the Blaze since it’s inseption and just recently signed up to be able to comment. Why aren’t my comments being posted? They are not against the Policy I’ve read before agreeing to this, So what’s up????
Report Post »TEARS FOR AMERICA
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 8:37amThere are so many on Blaze that your comment get’s blocked, that is all, O.K.?
Report Post »Locked
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 9:39amTwo reasons from what I’ve seen. There seems to be a list of forbidden words that will automatically not post a comment. You can guess what they are. The other is that people will report them, especially if you break the profanity filter.
Also, sometimes it takes about 5 minutes for comments to post on new or popular articles.
Report Post »God_Family_Country
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 8:33amReligious freedom is being assaulted on every side. It is time to stand up for our fellow Christians and for their rights guaranteed by the Constitution. People of all faiths need to band together to fend off this vicious attack. http://www.mormonvoting.com/religious-freedom/
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 10:00amSeems it’s ok for Muslims to have their own “HATE” organizations on campuses and even distribute eviction notices to Jewish students, so what’s the problem here?
Report Post »PATRIOTMAMA
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 8:17amAnd, God Bless these brave men and women out there fighting the good fight. Not their way, but God’s way. It may look like it can’t win, but that’s the funny thing about God. He uses the foolish of this world to confound the wise!!! Just you wait and see what happens when He shows up. Don‘t say we didn’t warn you.
Report Post »Dde13
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 8:46amRIGHT ON!!!! Mama
Report Post »PATRIOTMAMA
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 8:16amYa know, they just don‘t realize no matter what they do we’re not going to go quietly into the dark night!!!!! They can scream, shout, intimidate, manufacture crisis’, throw all the political tantrums they want. Most of us are parents, responsibile parents, and we know what a toddler tantrum looks like and they’re not going to get us to back down easily. Listen, our ancestors fought the greatest fighting force in the world with pitch forks and long riffles. Before that our faith and that of the Jewish faith before Christianity has experienced non-stop persecution for centuries. Fighting tyranny is in our DNA folks. Try to take our freedom now whether it be religious or economic freedom and you aren’t going to hear a lot screaming and shouting, we won‘t throw a fit but we sure as hell are going to fight but what you don’t understand is that we; we will win. We aren’t going to let you get away with this attack on our freedom. PERIOD!!! You’re on notice. We will not go quietly into that dark night. We‘ve tasted true freedom and we’re not going back. No more needs to be said. God Bless Uncle Ted!!!
Report Post »momrules
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 9:30amWell said…….The left has truly underestimated us. We can be quiet but once riled too far we don‘t mind the fight and we won’t back down.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 8:12amGOD BLESS you, Students! HE WILL GIVE you HIS WORDS if you ask HIM.
Good for you!!!
Report Post »angelcat
Posted on April 18, 2012 at 8:12amGood for them! The message needs to be spread far and wide, and this is an innovative way to do it. They are not using the nasty tactics of the left, but something positive, non-violent, and creative. All of us who believe in religious freedom need to be spreading the message of how it being threatened all over the country. Catholics have recently released an awesome commercial about religious freedom.
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