Political correctness gone too far?????

[DaSleeper]

Woman seeking Christian roommate accused of discrimination


A posting on a church bulletin board has now become a case for the courts:

A 31-year-old woman who placed an ad for a Christian roommate on her church bulletin board has been charged with housing discrimination.

The Alliance Defense Fund, which is representing the Christian woman, has called the complaint filed by the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan "absurd."

"Christians shouldn't live in fear of being punished by the government for being Christians," said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Joel Oster in a statement Thursday. "It is completely absurd to try to penalize a single Christian woman for privately seeking a Christian roommate at church - an obviously legal and constitutionally protected activity.

"Not content to just lock Christians and their beliefs into the four walls of their church or home, some groups also want to invade those walls and force their own ideas upon them by force of law

Read More: Woman seeking Christian roommate accused of discrimination - The Deacon's Bench


I debated with myself about posting this in the joke forum....

But real life is sometimes nuttier than comedy

 

[mentalfloss]

How is it politically incorrect to want a christian roommate? That's like saying you should be arrested for wanting a roommate that likes pie.

 

[DaSleeper]

How is it politically incorrect to want a christian roommate? That's like saying you should be arrested for wanting a roommate that likes pie.

I choose to believe that you missed the point on purpose.....
You can't be that (adjective removed)

 

[karrie]

I think the Fair Housing Centre is overstepping its bounds. They should not be involved in any case where someone is discriminated against in reference to a roommate situation. Religious freedom and all that jazz aside, when it comes to selecting a room mate, 'fair' doesn't factor into it. It's such an intimate, personal situation, that personal comfort MUST be a primary factor, and if shared beliefs is what makes this woman comfortable with a room mate, so be it. She also shouldn't have to have a male room mate if she doesn't want one. Or a black room mate. Or a roommate who likes garlic. Or a smoker. She should be able to pick who she can live with, whatever her prejudices, fears, or likes, may be.

 

[DaSleeper]

If she had posted in a public newspaper..I would say that there "might" be a cause to yell discrimination based on religion....But this was posted on a church bulletin board, which a reasonable person would expect to be read mainly by Christians, so someone would have to be realy looking for a cause, to find objection in this....hence the title...and it could be considered a joke if this didn't end up costing the poor woman a lot of money!

 

[JLM]

How is it politically incorrect to want a christian roommate? That's like saying you should be arrested for wanting a roommate that likes pie.

So a guy runs an ad looking for a woman, does that mean he could get sued for discriminating against gays? :lol:

 

[lone wolf]

Who was offended by the ad and why were they in a Christian church anyhow? These are the same type of people who go into a peeler bar then whine because there's alcohol being served and ladies taking off their clothes. Is here any escape from nutbars with too much time on their hands?

 

[Tonington]

So a guy runs an ad looking for a woman, does that mean he could get sued for discriminating against gays? :lol:

Only if there is an act like the Fair Housing Act that covers personals... :lol:

 

[Nuggler]

I choose to believe that you missed the point on purpose.....
You can't be that (adjective removed)

:lol: yes he can.

 

[mentalfloss]

I think the Fair Housing Centre is overstepping its bounds. They should not be involved in any case where someone is discriminated against in reference to a roommate situation. Religious freedom and all that jazz aside, when it comes to selecting a room mate, 'fair' doesn't factor into it. It's such an intimate, personal situation, that personal comfort MUST be a primary factor, and if shared beliefs is what makes this woman comfortable with a room mate, so be it. She also shouldn't have to have a male room mate if she doesn't want one. Or a black room mate. Or a roommate who likes garlic. Or a smoker. She should be able to pick who she can live with, whatever her prejudices, fears, or likes, may be.

This is the point I was making. I'm not sure what you guys are going on about.

 

[Bar Sinister]

Sounds like the discrimination complaint doesn't have much weight to it. When choosing a roommate it is quite legal discriminate on many grounds; race, religion, and gender included. I expect this is a case of an overly zealous bureaucrat with too much time on his hands.

 

[karrie]

This is the point I was making. I'm not sure what you guys are going on about.

That's what I read from you mentalfloss... DaS's response made me scratch my head.

 

[DaSleeper]

That's what I read from you mentalfloss... DaS's response made me scratch my head.

The OP header about political correctness was in response to the civil rights complaint filed against the poor woman...

My apology to mentalfloss for taking his response as liberal sarcasm...

 

[mentalfloss]

Yea, I normally try to be a proponent of civil rights myself, but this isn't really infringing on much. I mean, yes, it is discrimination - of course it's discrimination. But does it really warrant any serious consequence? Is the effect of that discrimination worth some public or legal punishment?

I definitely think the party renting is a paranoid android but what else is new. I'm sure a cup of coffee with some of her closest friends might help change her mind. It doesn't need to be a grandiose, public affair. There are much bigger fish to fry when this sort of mentality affects countless waves of individuals.

 

[Goober]

Yea, I normally try to be a proponent of civil rights myself, but this isn't really infringing on much. I mean, yes, it is discrimination - of course it's discrimination. But does it really warrant any serious consequence? Is the effect of that discrimination worth some public or legal punishment?

I definitely think the party renting is a paranoid android but what else is new. I'm sure a cup of coffee with some of her closest friends might help change her mind. It doesn't need to be a grandiose, public affair. There are much bigger fish to fry when this sort of mentality affects countless waves of individuals.

Now why is she as you say a paranoid android? Because she wants a Christian room mate?

 

[mentalfloss]

Because she only wants someone that shares the same fundamental values that she does. It's a bit restrictive, no?

 

[karrie]

Because she only wants someone that shares the same fundamental values that she does. It's a bit restrictive, no?

to want to be around people with the same fundamental values? no, I don't think that's restrictive, I think that's human. A bit naive perhaps to assume that being Christian is the only way to get that, or that another Christian will truly be like her, but, normal nonetheless.

 

[TenPenny]

Because she only wants someone that shares the same fundamental values that she does. It's a bit restrictive, no?

If one is looking for a roommate, doesn't it make sense to try to find one that you are compatible with?

I suppose your theory would make marriages more interesting - don't pick a spouse you are compatible with, pick someone you don't understand and don't like, that would broaden your hoizons.

 

[mentalfloss]

to want to be around people with the same fundamental values? no, I don't think that's restrictive, I think that's human. A bit naive perhaps to assume that being Christian is the only way to get that, or that another Christian will truly be like her, but, normal nonetheless.

Okay. I can deal with that.