Pro-Gay Group Plan Visit to Falwell's Liberty University
In an April 22, 2005 article on Soulforce's visit to Liberty University, the Christian Post misreported that the university was unaware of the visit. The university was aware of the visit by Soulforce. The Christian Post apologizes for any inconveniences incurred by the inaccuracy.
About 60 students from a Lynchburg-based gay and lesbian rights group planned an "uninvited visit" to Liberty University - a conservative institution founded by Jerry Falwell.
On Monday April 25, "Soulforce" members from a dozen colleges will spend the day at the Virginia campus "exchanging views about sexual orientation and gender identity" with the students faculty and staff.
Jake Reitan, the Director of Youth Programs for Soulforce, Inc., will bring the letters from gay and lesbian students at LU to Falwell to address the homosexuality issue.
"Liberty's gay and lesbian students are forced to live closeted lives, always fearful that if found out they will be expelled with their transcripts locked and their tuition lost," Reitan, who compared the "gay rights movement" to the civil rights movement, said Reitan.
According to the Associated Press, Liberty University released a statement saying they were unaware of the "uninvited visit" by Soulforce.
The statement also said that Liberty respected the group's right to "hold views contrary to the university's Biblical stance on issues, but the administration has an obligation to maintain order on campus," AP reported.
"It is university policy to prohibit demonstrations of any kind in the interest of safeguarding the order a campus community deserves," the statement continued.
Liberty University declined further comments.
According to Reitan, Soulforce has agreed to follow the school policy and is not planning to hold a protest on campus.
"We're going to work within their system," Reitan said.
According to the Soulforce leader, he attended Liberty's convocation this week during which Falwell announced to the students about their campus visit on Monday and told the students, "Be kind to them, as I know you will."
