The twisted logic of evangelical colleges welcoming straight atheists and rejecting gay Christians

[rug]

David Wheeler
June 21, 2016

At evangelical colleges, is being straight more important than believing in God?

You might expect that announcing your lack of faith would carry the worst possible social stigma at Asbury University, a conservative Christian college in Kentucky where chapel attendance is required and most classes begin with prayer. But for Taylor Darden, coming out as gay was worse.

"I was much more secretive about my sexuality than my agnosticism," said Darden, who graduated from Asbury in 2010.

Although I was teaching at Asbury while Darden was a student, our paths did not cross until after he graduated. Darden told me he eventually came back to the Christian faith, but considered himself agnostic in college. "It's definitely easier to be a non-believer than to be gay at places like Asbury."

http://theweek.com/articles/629008/twisted-logic-evangelical-colleges-welcoming-straight-atheists-rejecting-gay-christians

[Press Virginia]

1. The odds of converting one are higher than the other

[rug]

2. Indeed.

Atheism is a fluid position.