Queen’s must address blatant discrimination

FOLLOWING the democratic decision of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland to loosen its link with the Church of Scotland, because of differences on moral issues, Queen’s University Belfast announced it would no longer be using Union Theological College for its theology students (although the decisions of the assembly had no effect on the college curriculum, which the university had previously agreed).

Now, we find the university announcing a link with — of all places — a university in Saudi Arabia.

Amnesty International has, rightly, highlighted the gross abuse of human rights in that country. Women are looked upon as little more than chattels and homosexuals face the most severe penalties and discrimination. This is contrary to the university’s active promotion of the LGBT agenda within the campus.

Ontopofthat,wehave prominent academics at QUB making no secret of their Irish republican credentials in statements to the Press. The university appears unwilling to distance itself from those comments.

Furthermore, details from Queen’s own website (www.qub.ac.uk) reveal that, in most employment categories, the number of staff from the Protestant community employed by the university is declining.

There is no information to suggest that the university has taken any action to ascertain the cause of the decline, let alone adopt measures to counteract it.

We now have a serious situation where our leading university is perceived by many as institutionally anti-Christian, anti-unionist and anti-Protestant. QUB has been turned into an icebox for those who profess Christian principles or unionist leanings.

Taxpayers should not be funding an educational establishment that exercises discrimination so blatantly. If the university does not address the consequences of its own intolerance, then an independent inquiry should be established to do so.

CONCERNED UNIONIST Name and address with editor contestant Matthew Grech, who, as a result of becoming a Christian, changed his lifestyle by the grace of God.

This is the central essence of the Gospel: God changes the lives of those who come to trust in him.

What a pity that those who demand equality for themselves do not also demand equality for others — particularly for Christians.

REV BRIAN KENNAWAY By email