Do Catholic Universities violate Muslims' 'human rights'?

[Locutus]

News: Muslim college students are shocked ... SHOCKED ... that they are surrounded symbols of Christianity. Fark: At Catholic University




The Washington, D.C. Office of Human Rights confirmed that it is investigating allegations that Catholic University violated the human rights of Muslim students by not allowing them to form a Muslim student group and by not providing them rooms without Christian symbols for their daily prayers.

The investigation alleges that Muslim students “must perform their prayers surrounded by symbols of Catholicism – e.g., a wooden crucifix, paintings of Jesus, pictures of priests and theologians which many Muslim students find inappropriate.” A spokesperson for the Office of Human Rights told Fox News they had received a 60-page complaint against the private university. The investigation, they said, could take as long a six months.




more...


Do Crosses at Catholic University Violate “Human Rights” of Muslims? | FOX News & Commentary: Todd Starnes

 

[petros]

Universities were created by the "Universal Church" aka Catholic Church. They've had 1000 years to complain.

 

[captain morgan]

I wonder if this Human Rights office will look into my right to have a special prayer facility inside my local mosque to accommodate athe pagan faith... There's a little bit of a blood sacrifice ritual and a few minor orgies, but that's it.

Think they'll help me out?

 

[petros]

Is a "prayer space" not multi-faith in a university the same way they are in hospitals?

MSA a

 

[mentalfloss]

Of course, this is FUD for the real news story.

Leave it to FOX (and Locutus) to enjoy spreading the FUD.

The latest complaint, filed a few weeks ago with the D.C. Office of Human Rights, focuses on the school’s policy of not giving official status to non-Catholic worship groups. While the school has an official group for Jewish law students, a Muslim undergraduate profiled in a Washington Post article last year said he was told that he could not create a group dedicated to Muslim worship.

Catholic University is sued over Muslim students’ rights - The Washington Post

This "Catholic" school is setting a dangerous precedent by accommodating select groups even though they have a policy that deems otherwise.

They should either give freedom for all groups or enforce their policy to accommodate Catholics only (as they should since they're supposed to be a Catholic school).

But let's not let FOX's endorsement of the absence of truth confuse us here. Doing so might taint our view of muslims a little... negatively, shall we say?

 

[captain morgan]

The admin of the school could easily make the argument that Christianity is directly related to Judaism... It's a thin argument, however, it is getting so retarded when you continually see event after event of those that seek to invoke their individual rights by stepping all over the rights of others.

 

[mentalfloss]

The admin of the school could easily make the argument that Christianity is directly related to Judaism...

I would accept that as long as they can show that the policy is indeed within the context of Christianity.

 

[petros]

Do any Catholics go to Muzzie Universities?

 

[mentalfloss]

Not yet.

I can't wait until that train gets moving, btw. Then we can hear about Sharia again! Yaaaay!

 

[petros]

Not yet.

I can't wait until that train gets moving, btw. Then we can hear about Sharia again! Yaaaay!

Bring it on!

 

[captain morgan]

I would accept that as long as they can show that the policy is indeed within the context of Christianity.

No doubt.. Like I said, it would be pretty thin - like escaping a guilty verdict based on a technicality, but it seems that this kind of dancing around is what it will take to invoke one's rights.

Do any Catholics go to Muzzie Universities?

The question should be: Do any Catholics that go to recognized Muslim Universities demand similar accommodations?

 

[karrie]

They should either give freedom for all groups or enforce their policy to accommodate Catholics only (as they should since they're supposed to be a Catholic school).

Just to clarify here. It sounds to me like they've made the same accomodations any Catholic school or church would. You are welcome, and you may pray. But, you're the guest, we're not changing things to suit you. Thus the complaint that they've been surrounded by images of Catholicism.

Is what you're really meaning by 'accomodate', 'allow in'?

 

[mentalfloss]

Just to clarify here. It sounds to me like they've made the same accomodations any Catholic school or church would. You are welcome, and you may pray. But, you're the guest, we're not changing things to suit you. Thus the complaint that they've been surrounded by images of Catholicism.

Is what you're really meaning by 'accomodate', 'allow in'?

Providing rooms. They've provided rooms specifically for jews and not muslims. That creates some clear tension between the groups. As captain morgan said, they might be able to get around it if they can show how jews are entitled to a preference within the historical context of christianity.

 

[Colpy]

Of course, this is FUD for the real news story.

Leave it to FOX (and Locutus) to enjoy spreading the FUD.

Catholic University is sued over Muslim students’ rights - The Washington Post

This "Catholic" school is setting a dangerous precedent by accommodating select groups even though they have a policy that deems otherwise.

They should either give freedom for all groups or enforce their policy to accommodate Catholics only (as they should since they're supposed to be a Catholic school).

But let's not let FOX's endorsement of the absence of truth confuse us here. Doing so might taint our view of muslims a little... negatively, shall we say?

I gave you a thumbs-up for that.....unexpected stand in favour of the right of a private Catholic university to discriminate.........

However, these are moderate Muslims, I think you will agree, with unreasonable expectations to be accommodated. They consider Islam the ONLY acceptable religion, or political philosophy, and have entered this university with the expectation of altering it at its core in the continuing (in this case peaceful) jihad against non-believers.

Why the Hell else would they go to a CATHOLIC university????

Our view of Muslims is not being tainted, but becoming ever clearer.

Providing rooms. They've provided rooms specifically for jews and not muslims. That creates some clear tension between the groups. As captain morgan said, they might be able to get around it if they can show how jews are entitled to a preference within the historical context of christianity.

Obviously, they should not have provided rooms for Jews either.

Perhaps a nice single unadorned all-faiths chapel room where the Jews and Muslims can go worship together.......

How do you think THAT would work out??????

(I mean I can't see a problem.....

The Jews could bang their heads on the wall, while the Muslims bang their heads on the floor.....)

 

[mentalfloss]

I gave you a thumbs-up for that.....unexpected stand in favour of the right of a private Catholic university to discriminate.........

However, these are moderate Muslims, I think you will agree, with unreasonable expectations to be accommodated. They consider Islam the ONLY acceptable religion, or political philosophy, and have entered this university with the expectation of altering it at its core in the continuing (in this case peaceful) jihad against non-believers.

Our view of Muslims is not being tainted, but becoming ever clearer.

Jesus Christ, Colpy, can you calm down on the jihadist rutting for just one friggin second?!?

It's clear that this is a response from the muslims for being treated unfairly after the school gave a nod to jews for their own prayer rooms - which don't have christian crosses in them (by the way).

If you're a school that is going to play nice, then play nice. Don't pick favourites.

Obviously, they should not have provided rooms for Jews either.

I agree.

But they set a dangerous precedent by doing so and now THEY have to own up to it.

 

[captain morgan]

Providing rooms. They've provided rooms specifically for jews and not muslims. That creates some clear tension between the groups. As captain morgan said, they might be able to get around it if they can show how jews are entitled to a preference within the historical context of christianity.

Do we know if the rooms provided to the Jewish group/club has imagery or elements of Catholicism throughout?

To me, it didn't sound as if the university was not providing rooms for Muslim prayer as much as the provision of rooms devoid of Christian symbolism.

 

[karrie]

Providing rooms. They've provided rooms specifically for jews and not muslims. That creates some clear tension between the groups. As captain morgan said, they might be able to get around it if they can show how jews are entitled to a preference within the historical context of christianity.

Try as I may I can't find where it says they've provided rooms for Jews.

What the articles DO say is that a cultural group was allowed to form a student association for law students associated with that culture, but that they turned down a petition by the Muslims to open a student association group dedicated to worship of another religion. I see no conflicting message there personally.

 

[captain morgan]

It's clear that this is a response from the muslims for being treated unfairly after the school gave a nod to jews for their own prayer rooms - which don't have christian crosses in them (by the way).

I believe that the article made reference to the school recognizing a group for Jewish Law Students, I didn't see a reference to a specific prayer room.

Also, the article goes further in saying:

"The details of that situation were not clear Thursday, but professor John Banzhaf said he filed the complaint with the city based on the article and had not received any complaints from Muslim students."

 

[mentalfloss]

Try as I may I can't find where it says they've provided rooms for Jews.

What the articles DO say is that a cultural group was allowed to form a student association for law students associated with that culture, but that they turned down a petition by the Muslims to open a student association group dedicated to worship of another religion. I see no conflicting message there personally.

The Office of Human Rights has given CUA President John Garvey until October 27th to provide a written response to new allegations that he and CUA illegally discriminated against Muslim students by denying them equal access to the benefits CUA provides to other student groups.

The Office also wants him to reply to suggestions that he may have lied to cover up his true motive. The allegation is that "an attempt was made to cover up the animus in such a decision against Muslim students, based solely upon their religion, by falsely claiming that the reason for the discrimination was that CUA 'should [not] be sponsoring an organization that is not Catholic,' whereas the University does in fact have a student organization for Jewish students."

Catholic U's President Must Answer New Allegations of Illegal Discrimination | PRLog


That's from the press release.

Sorry, I was wrong on how this relates to prayer, specifically, but more accurately, they have something to go on if they are directing resources to one religion and not another.

 

[karrie]

The Office of Human Rights has given CUA President John Garvey until October 27th to provide a written response to new allegations that he and CUA illegally discriminated against Muslim students by denying them equal access to the benefits CUA provides to other student groups.

The Office also wants him to reply to suggestions that he may have lied to cover up his true motive. The allegation is that "an attempt was made to cover up the animus in such a decision against Muslim students, based solely upon their religion, by falsely claiming that the reason for the discrimination was that CUA 'should [not] be sponsoring an organization that is not Catholic,' whereas the University does in fact have a student organization for Jewish students."

Catholic U's President Must Answer New Allegations of Illegal Discrimination | PRLog

I know you can spout off his logic, but I don't think his suit will hold water. They didn't grant any other religion a student association devoted to worship.

"The details of that situation were not clear Thursday, but professor John Banzhaf said he filed the complaint with the city based on the article and had not received any complaints from Muslim students."

Wow. I wonder how the Muslim students feel about that.