Brian D. MacArthur
President. Crandall University, Moncton, New Brunswick
Dear Mr. MacArthur,
A friend forwarded me your website, and in particular your page concerning your “Statement of Moral Standards”.
In point number 3 you state: To be sexually pure, refraining from such activities as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, and the use of pornographic materials; (Exodus 20:14; I Corinthians 6:18-20; Ephesians 5:3). First of all I do not understand this statement as God made us to procreate, otherwise sex would not feel so good. I think He made it feel so good so that we would multiply on a regular basis thus ensuring the survival of the species.
Second, I noticed that you state that one should refrain from homosexuality. Could you please explain how one refrains from homosexuality? Can it be done the same way that one refrains from being white, black, or Mediterranean? Can one refrain from having blue eyes or red hair? Yes I understand that you can buy coloured contact lenses and hair dye, but is this what God intended, to hide His creation?
I am sure you will agree that God is perfect and makes no mistakes, and by agreeing with this you are forced to admit that homosexuals are God’s creations, and therefore perfect. I agree that homosexuals can keep right up there in the sinning department with their heterosexual brethren, but to single them out is really quite hypocritical, don’t you think?
I have also noticed that you quote the Old Testament quite often; is the New Testament too modern and full of rebellious ideas for you? I understand that it is quite young being only a couple of thousand years old.
I have also noticed that you have a number of female professors at your educational institution, which confuses me because the Bible clearly states: "Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." (I Timothy 2:11-14).
The bible also clearly states: As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the church. 1 cor. 14:34
I also notice from the pictures of your female professors that they all have their heads uncovered. Once again this confuses me because the bible says: If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. 1 cor. 11:6. Could you please tell me if these females are wearing wigs to cover their shorn hair?
Finally, the bible is also very clear on the following points:
Judge not, that you be not judged. Matthew 7:1
Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Luke 6:37
Who are you to judge another’s servant....or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ. Romans 14:4, 10.
I understand your love of quoting the bible in justifying your misunderstandings of God’s created human beings, but could you possibly be just a little more consistent and apply the word of God as is written? I fully expect you to fire all of your female professors posthaste and am patiently waiting for your reply.
I have put mayor George Leblanc in cc as I noticed from your website that he endorses your university.
regards,
James
Dear Mr. Jones,
I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your email in which you share your views regarding one policy at Crandall University.
I do so with the assumption that you are who you say you are, as I note your email did not include any identifying information with regard to yourself apart from your name and email address. I would also presume that you are the James Jones listed in the Moncton phonebook whereas you cc’d your views to Mayor George LeBlanc. As a general practice, I normally respond only to emails and letters wherein there is adequate disclosure of identity to confirm the authenticity of the communication.
I recognize and respect your freedom to hold values and views that differ from those stated by Crandall University. At Crandall we seek to be transparent and open with who we are so that students and their parents can make an informed decision and determine for themselves if Crandall is the right choice for them. It is challenging for some people to understand how a university can both promote itself as being Christian and then provide an atmosphere that encourages students to think critically and learn to analyze information, developing their own values and views in the process. We seek to expose students to all leading theories and philosophies, including various interpretations of Scripture. We are committed to providing an education at least equal to what a student would experience at any university, and also to add the historic Christian perspective to the classroom debate. It is this liberty to add the Christian perspective to the classroom experience that we are seeking to maintain at our university, which also gives us our distinctive in comparison with many other universities. Given the nature of our mission, we do not seek operational funding from government such as other universities receive, but limit our requests to capital grants wherein there are immediate economic spinoffs due to construction.
With regards to the issue of homosexuality, we are not the homophobic institution that some seek to make us out to be. We do not apologize for the fact that in our belief system we hold to a traditional view of marriage as being between a man and a woman and that we believe God instituted marriage as the safe relationship within which the gift of sex is to find expression. This one word does not define our institution even though some choose to see it as the full representation of our university. We deal regularly with students who are struggling with all kinds of issues, including sexual identity and behaviours, and we seek to do so with compassion and understanding. However - creating an accepting environment does not mean that we affirm all life-style choices students make nor the behaviours in which they choose to engage. This is as true for heterosexual students as gay and lesbian students.
I must confess that I could not follow the logic of your argument in seeking to establish that because we hold a certain view on one subject we must therefore automatically agree with, and abide by, other positions in order to be consistent. As a basic principle of hermeneutics we do not encourage building one’s belief/view on a subject based solely on one verse/passage of Scripture. We are well aware that Scripture can be used and abused to justify just about any view. We seek in humility to be faithful to what we understand the Bible to say, fully acknowledging our own limitations and frailties as we strive to live out the love of Christ with authenticity.
You have clearly indicated your views and the importance of them to you and I respect your liberty to hold such views and to interpret the Bible in the manner you have chosen. I am intrigued by your assumption and reasoning that God made all people perfect and therefore their sexual identity is validated on that premise alone. While aware of the theory that people are born as gays and lesbians and that there is research in process regarding this theory, to date I have not come across any research that conclusively proves that sexual identity is genetically predisposed. I fear where this line of reasoning/research may lead us if applied to pedophilia in the same manner.
With regard to Mayor Leblanc’s endorsement of Crandall University, I would note with appreciation that our civic leaders show great respect for the diverse community they serve, knowing that our greater community gathers together many cultural distinctives, as well as many political, philosophical, and religious views. The University has sought help from the City with its recent expansion based on the economic and educational benefit to Greater Moncton whereas the City itself identified in a study on economic development (November 2005) that greater options for post-secondary education within the Anglophone community are needed to help maintain the economic vibrancy of Moncton. Crandall University is contributing to that need.
It is on this basis that the Mayor and members of City Council have been supportive of Crandall University, but the University has never been of the view that such endorsement is implicit approval of all policies, practices, and viewpoints held by the University or its representatives, anymore than that we would conclude that the City’s practical support of Gay Pride Parades is an endorsement of all policies, practices, and viewpoints of its organizers and proponents. The Mayor and his Council members are respectful of the diverse community they serve, and have been responsive to various groups within that diversity without, in my opinion, compromising the greater good of the community as a whole.
In conclusion, I would say again that I recognize and respect your freedom to hold values and views that differ from mine and trust that you will accord to me the same respect and liberty.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Brian D. MacArthur
President and Vice-Chancellor
Dear Mr. MacArthur,
First of all, thank you for taking the time to answer my email.
The logic of my argument is that I fail to understand how people of faith can pick and choose which bible passages they believe in. I have heard over and over again people quoting Leviticus in order to justify their stance against homosexuality, but wilfully ignore any other verse that does not coincide with their beliefs or is simply not convenient for them to do so. You say you follow Christian beliefs, but I challenge you to find one passage or verse in which Jesus condemns homosexuality. I am sorry, but I call this hypocrisy.
About your statement that you don't believe gay people are born gay: did you really equate homosexuality with pedophilia? Really? Did you not know that 90% of all pedophiles are heterosexual men? In fact a study made by the Department of Behavioural Sexology at the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry puts the ratio of heterosexual to homosexual pedophiles at 11:1. Other studies put pedophiles in their own class, set apart from heterosexuals and homosexuals altogether.
You are right about respecting others' freedom to hold different values, and I do respect yours, but remember that ignorance, wilful or unintentional, can cause a great amount of damage, wilfully or unintentionally.
P.S. No I am not the James Jones in the Moncton phone book. I now live in Montreal but lived in Moncton for many years and still return to visit friends.
Regards,
James
Mr. Jones,
Thank you for your feedback.
Just to clarify, my point on pedophilia was not accusatory against homosexuals as if to suggest that it is more prevalent among homosexuals than heterosexuals , but rather to say that if we discover a pedophile is genetically designed to be a pedophile, and therefore – to use your argument – “God’s creations, and therefore perfect,” what does that mean for society in accepting and accommodating the practical expression of their full sexual orientation – whether they are heterosexual or homosexual in their preference of children? Perhaps it would have been safer had I used polygamy instead of pedophilia as my example.
I regret if the wording of my argument was interpreted as slandering to homosexuals.
Sincerely,
Brian MacArthur
Dr. Brian D. MacArthur
President and Vice-Chancellor
Mr. MacArthur,
This will be our last correspondence as you will agree that we will not agree. I just want to write one last time hoping this will touch you in some way.
I am, as you probably already guessed, a gay male. What you do not know is that I have always been a gay male since I can remember. I grew up in the 80's which was far more difficult than today, but that does not take away from what young gay people are living.
What I would really like you to understand, as a Christian leader in today' society, is that if any of us had a choice to be gay or straight, do you really think anyone would choose to be a person that is demonized on a regular basis? Do you really think any one of us would choose to live a life of prejudice and hate if we had any choice? Being gay is not a choice. Who would choose such a difficult life? And before you say that homosexuality can be cured by religious therapy, remember all those religious leaders who said the same thing just before they were caught in bed with their gay lovers. And on the same note, pedophilia is considered a psychiatric disease, homosexuality is not. Polygamy is truly a choice, homosexuality is not.
I have been living in a committed long term monogamous relationship of 11 years with the same person, and what you need to understand is that it is not at all about sex; it is about love. Being gay is not about whom you want to have sex with, it is not about sexuality, it is about who you love with all your heart, who you want to share with, who you want to grow old with, and finally, who you want to spend your last days with after a lifetime of love. Sound familiar?
Because of Christian beliefs, especially in the U.S., there are more and more young people committing suicide because non gay people are taught that it is alright to belittle and bully gay youth, and these teachings are spearheaded by the church’s non-denial of such actions. I ask you sir: what kind of religion, based on the teachings of Christ, encourages violence (whether passive or aggressive) on someone who is different from them? Once again, please do not say you do not condone violence against gay youth when your website clearly states that homosexuals are not welcome. What message do you think this projects on your students or on parents who do not know that their child is gay? Do you realize that every time the church says that being gay is not right you teach people with lesser capacities that it is alright to discriminate? Please be aware of your power, and responsibilities, over the masses and teach the words of truth.
If the church does not agree with homosexuality because of six verses out of a million, then that is its prerogative; but please, at least follow the word of your saviour and teach tolerance, and please do this proactively. If there was one single person in the history of mankind that believed in tolerance and acceptance, it was the founder of your church.
Please make him proud.
Dear Mr. Jones,
This too will be my final correspondence. I think we are agreed that we will not agree on this issue. However, I find that dialogue with people with whom you have a difference of views can still be productive and respectful, even though viewpoints are not changed.
What I find difficult in engaging with some homosexual individuals and those who advocate on their behalf is that they repeatedly accuse us of intolerance or hate mongering just because we hold a different view. What if we are sincerely trying to adhere to what we believe is the truth of Scripture?
Crandall University has seemingly become the target of choice by several gay activists in the greater Moncton area. Much of the publicity generated has been based on inaccurate information and false innuendo. Without being dismissive of the sins you have cited that have been perpetrated in the name of Christian purity, given our experience of these local activists, I find your preaching of tolerance to be rather hollow and shallow.
Respectfully yours,
Brian MacArthur
Dr. Brian D. MacArthur
President and Vice-Chancellor
Mr. MacArthur,
I am very sad that this discussion had to end on this note. I have never in my life been called hollow and shallow. I do not know any activists in Moncton, I only know sincere gay people who wish to live their lives free of prejudice and hate. Thank you for showing your true colours with your last email. May your crown wear heavy on your head.
