Felix Ngole, from Barnsley in south Yorkshire, claimed that he was merely expressing a traditional Christian sentiment. Ngole was on a two-year Social Work Masters Degree course at Sheffield University in February 2016 after writing what the university deemed “derogatory” comments about gay and bisexual people on facebook.
Ngole, wrote during a debate on Facebook that;
“the Bible and God identify homosexuality as a sin”, and added that “same-sex marriage is a sin whether we like it or not. It is God’s words and man’s sentiments would not change His words.”
He claimed that he was lawfully expressing a traditional Christian belief and claimed that university unlawfully prevented him from completing his postgraduate degree. But after reviewing rival claims at a trial in London this month, the deputy high court judge, Rowena Collins Rice, ruled against him.
Ngole said his rights to freedom of speech and thought, enshrined in the European convention on human rights, has been violated. His case was backed by the Christian Legal Centre, part of the campaign group for Christian Concern.
The university lawyers argued that Ngole showed “no insight” and said the decision to remove him from the social work course was fair and proportionate.”
They said the university had to consider his;
“fitness to practise as a professional social worker because Social workers have considerable power over the lives of vulnerable service users and trust is a precious professional commodity.”
The judge was told Ngole had written comments during a debate about Kim Davis, a state official in the US state of Kentucky, who point blank refused to register same-sex marriages. Ngole said he had argued that Davis’s position was based on the “Biblical view of same-sex marriage as a sin” and said that he was making a “worthwhile contribution” to an important public debate in which he was entitled to freely express his religious views. Ngole said “I stand with Kim Davis”, a reference to the Kentucky county clerk who was jailed for refusing to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples.
Ngole plans to appeal the decision, adding:
“I am very disappointed by this ruling, which supports the university’s decision to bar me from my chosen career because of my Biblical views on sexual ethics.
The universities solicitor Collins Rice said:
“Public religious speech has to be looked at in a regulated context from the perspective of a public readership.
The judge added: “Universities also have a wide range of interests in and responsibilities for their students – academic, social and pastoral. Where, as Sheffield does, they aspire to be welcoming environments for students from a diverse range of backgrounds, they must expect to be inclusive and supportive of that diversity.”
Officials at the Christian Legal Centre Said the Decision Was Wrong and Would Have A “Chilling” Effect.
Andrea Williams, the chief executive, said:
“That whiles Mr Ngole is entitled to hold his Biblical views on sexual ethics, he is not entitled to express them. This ruling will have a chilling effect on Christian students up and down the country who will now understand that their personal social media posts may be investigated for political correctness.”
Visit Us
Godinterest Community Fellowship is dedicated to proclaiming Christ and set apart to save and empower lives. Sign-up to receive inspiration to draw closer to God each day.
Our Location: The Advent Centre, Crawford Place, London, W1H 5JE
Regular Meetings Divine Service: Every Saturday from 11:15 AM
Godinterest is sponsored by Jamaica Homes
There must be more to this story. On the surface, it looks like the Christian student was discriminted against and treated with intolerance, which isn’t the only irony. Also ironic is this happened at a university which is where we send young people to learn to be open minded and willing to consider the world view of others.
I don’t recall anyone beening Expelled for races remarks.
Sorry for typos.. typing from my phone…
I think it is definitely double standards here and hypocrisy too. GOD’S WAY IS THE ONLY WAY!!! So that is not even debatable! I admire this brother who took a stand for not only what he himself believed in, but what for what GOD states in HIS HOLY WORD regarding the matters of sin and homosexuality. This brother in CHRIST is being condemned for sharing the truth found in GOD’S WORD. That is just Satan, that’s all it is. Rather if GOD’S WORD aid accepted or not, GOD’S WORD reveals that homosexuality is indeed a sin. GOD’S WORD reveals over and over that sin is unacceptable to GOD. When we do not accept GOD’s word for what it is, that is taking it all in at face value, I truly believe we create a false GOD to worship. We cannot take what we like/agree on from GOD’S word and live by just what we think applies to us. That’s not right nor is it biblical either. It’s all or nothing at all. One day coming sooner than we may think, unless the rapture comes before our own death(s), one day we will face CHRIST face to face. We will give account of we were and how we lived our lives here on earth. THERE WILL BE ABSOLUTELY NO JUSTIFICATION ACCEPTED! So justify it now if you who do that so wish, or take the truth NOW while you can, while we are still living UNDER GOD’S GRACE. Live out the truth while you can too by living out who GOD has called us to be, not who the world does.
Thank you LORD GOD for this brother who took a stand for you GOD. I pray right now for him to regain employment. LORD GOD, I pray that all that he has lost will be given back 100 fold. I claim out anything more trying to come against him for it to be broken down in your name JESUS. I pray a double blessing for him has his family too.
Thank you for sharing this story. I am going to add him and his family to my daily prayers.
GOD BLESS YOU TOO
Of course he condemned the sexual act! I just pointed out the hypocrisy concerning sexual sins.
But I don’t think he should have been dropped from the course for the FB post. .
He didn’t Condemn the sexual act. He is merely stating what the bible says around homosexuality. If you are upset about this then you’ll need to take it up to God.
Gays are a small minority that have been around from the Time of Leviticus. As a group, any fair minded person would have to recognized in those thousands of years, they have been a persecuted minority as much as Jews have been in all that Time.
When Christianity starts employing the same zeal in condemning straight people as sinners who sin in adultery and fornication, then there will be a balanced view of sin instead of being partial.
The Prophet Ezekiel said what the sin of Sodom was in Chapter 16:48.
It was pride, fullness of bread and abundance of idleness was in her and her daughters and she was haughty. Neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. It had nothing to do with sexual activity.
If you’re going to believe those words in Bibles, we’re all in trouble, and in danger of hell fire for this world being like that TODAY!
I understand why Christ Jesus says, ‘Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
John 5:39
For those who believe God is Omniscient, it would be logical for Christ, knowing the prevailing attitudes Today to have said and have it recorded in Bibles, That a rich man or gay man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
And again I say to you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man or a gay man to enter into the kingdom of God.
If you don’t believe that’s your choice and you can speak freely as well. No one should lose there job for simply starting their beliefs.
It’s wrong for them to fire the man that is his belief just like it’s those individuals beliefs to be gay. It’s a double standard. flightministries.com
But what if you don’t believe in God?
there is no doubt that Christians are now being actively acted against…I believe that we have the right to state what we believe – it is not an act of hatred, simply a statement of our feelings.