Oxford College Bans The Christian Union From Its Freshers’ Fair Over Fears It Would Be “Alienating” For Students Of Other Religions.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/864492/Balliol-College-Oxford-University-Christian-Union-banned-freshers-fair-homophobic

Why wasn't it deemed unlawful under the Religious discrimination act?

Well it would have been if they had banned Islam.

[jim360]

Yeah I guess it was broken. But still, I agree with Naomi (oh my god what's wrong with me!!!) -- it's tedium in absurdum watching you two at each other literally all the time, and it takes you both to contribute to that.

[andy-hughes]

jim - I entirely agree, it takes two to make, or indeed stop a spat.

Unfortunately, I am someone who never backs down from even a hint of being patronised, so I will stand my ground.

Equally unfortunately, AOG appears to have an over-developed sense of personal dignity, combined with an under-developed sense of humour, which makes him combative in the extreme.

Add the two together, and this is where we are.

Anyone who finds it tedious is entirely welcome to ignore it - other threads are available.

[naomi24]

andy-hughes, //AOG appears to have an over-developed sense of personal dignity, combined with an under-developed sense of humour//

^You really don't see what you're doing, do you? That is provocation.

//Anyone who finds it tedious is entirely welcome to ignore it - other threads are available. //

People should be obliged to find other threads for a bit of sensible discussion. What you are doing shouldn't be happening - and you shouldn't need to be reminded of that.

[naomi24]

People *shouldn't be obliged*

[andy-hughes]

Naomi - // You really don't see what you're doing, do you? That is provocation. //

Since this thread has lost any semblance of following its OP, and is probably moments away from deletion, I see no issue with doing what AOG, and you, and others do, which is having a little personal dig at things and people that irritate me on here.

I do it occasionally, some people make it a profession - no names ...

[Togo]

The "students" at Oxford University, Balliol College, exclude the Christian Union from partaking in the Freshers Fair annual vomit fest.(Can't imagine many of them would want to mind). No such blackballing of the Islamic Society though. Any one care to guess why our brave boys and girls would single one out, but not the other. Cowardly lot.

[andy-hughes]

Togo - your inference that the students may be singling out Christianity as a 'fuddy duddy reactionary' faith, while ignoring Islam and seeing it as a 'cool right-on welcome' faith may well have a strong basis in truth.

It is that kind of pointless irrational thinking that identifies students as people with little life experience, and a lack of opportunity to think through their ideas properly, caused simply by their your and immaturity.

But that is what being a student is all about - finding your way, learning how the world works, growing up, and so on.

[Mamyalynne]

Numpties.

[andy-hughes]

Mamya - a cogent and straightforward view there - as brief as it is to the point!!

[Togo]

//caused simply by their your and immaturity. // ?
Ehh I had nothing to do with it, I am not by any stretch of the imagination immature either.

[THECORBYLOON]

"No such blackballing of the Islamic Society though."

Was the Islamic Society present?

[andy-hughes]

Togo - // //caused simply by their your and immaturity. // ?
Ehh I had nothing to do with it, I am not by any stretch of the imagination immature either. //

Apologies, another PC-induced typo - that should have read 'youth and immaturity'.

[Togo]

The decision to ban the Christian Union specifically was undertaken, according to J.C.R President Hubert Au(reading Chemistry?) was reached “in light of both concerns raised by members [of the Welfare sub committee] and by an undergraduate survey conducted last term, which indicated a lack of familiarity as to where non-Christian societies, events and services were located”.
So all other "faiths" are conducting themselves in a covert manner? Who would have thought. :))

[anotheoldgit]

Berniecuddles2

/// pistols at dawn to settle it ! ///

No, H. is more your cup of tea and a chat sort of person.

[sp1814]

Can anyone see the glaring problem with the story?

I can't see anything in the piece which confirms whether other faith based stalls will be allowed at the fair.

Was the motion to ban just the Christians, or every faith?

I ask, because there is now to be a 'multi-faith' stand. If that's the case, then it sounds likely that other faiths were also not going to be initially represented (why have a multi-faith stall, if there are already plans to host Hindu, Islam etc)?\

I think the story stinks to high heaven. It sounds like it's been twisted to suit an agenda.

[Togo]

Did you read @ 12.21 sp?
Thought not. Here let me be of help.
//indicated a lack of familiarity as to where non-Christian societies, events and services were located”. //

[Mamyalynne]

Better signposts then.

[jno]

looks as though they wanted to give all faiths equal standing then.

“We didn’t want to monopolise the presence of any individual faith/belief society at the Balliol freshers’ fair.”

Outrageous. Students might go looking for Christians to discuss the gospels with and be accidentally recruited to Isis.

As Mamya says, signposts are the way forward.

[anotheoldgit]

jno

/// As Mamya says, signposts are the way forward. ///

Perhaps so, providing that English is included in the many languages they are written in.

[jno]

do you have some evidence of signs at Balliol not being in English?