[5]A Georgia University Orders Student to Change Her Christian Beliefs to Earn Degree.
By Oregon Family Council [6]
In another blatant (and increasingly common) example of religious freedoms being assailed in the “land of the free”, a counseling student at Augusta State University in Georgia was told that her Christian beliefs were “unethical” and “incompatible with prevailing views” of the counseling profession. If we accept Augusta State University’s position, then it would be reasonable to assume that any Bible believing Christian, and by inference Jesus Himself, would be unfit to counsel.
Jennifer Keeton, age 23, was told to stop sharing her beliefs with others and to change her beliefs if she hoped to graduate from the University’s counseling program.
Furthermore, the university ordered Keeton to undergo a “re-education” program or be expelled from the Counselor Education Program.
According to University officials, her Christian beliefs make it impossible for Jennifer “to be a multi-culturally competent counselor, particularly with regard to working with gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (GLBTQ) populations.”
Re-Educating Away the Christian Faith
The plan mandated for Keeton requires her to take steps to change her beliefs through additional assignments and additional “diversity sensitivity training.” It also orders her to “work to increase exposure and interactions with gay populations. One such activity could be attending the Gay Pride Parade in Augusta.”
Each month, Keeton is required to complete a report on how the “remediation” assignments have influenced her beliefs so that faculty can “decide the appropriateness of her continuation in the counseling program.” The plan concludes by noting that “failure to complete all elements of the remediation plan will result in dismissal from the Counselor Education Program.”
If Christian beliefs are “unethical” and “incompatible with prevailing views” as counselors, how long will it be before Christians are deemed unfit to teach school, coach youth sports, work in social services, serve as journalist or news professionals or hold any government position? And how long before Augusta-style “re-education” is mandated at all levels of education. Some might argue it’s already begun.
Jennifer Keeton’s cause has been taken on by the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), a non-profit organization dedicated to defending religious liberties. This is one of several similar cases that ADF has undertaken.
Read about a similar case: Eastern Michigan University [7]