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Pentz
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2006
Total Posts : 59

Posted 4/8/2006 11:11 AM (GMT -6)

Two editors at North Central University's student newspaper have been dismissed after refusing to publish the paper because of what they call censorship by the Minneapolis Christian college's administration.

Chuck Bahr, news editor of the Northern Light, said the staff decided this week to stop production rather than comply with orders "to only publish things that cast North Central in a positive light" and to have stories read and edited by university officials.

North Central responded by dismissing Bahr and editor-in-chief Hope Bahr, his wife, he said.

The staff "has dealt with censorship issues for years," he said, but administration demands intensified recently after publication of an opinion column on the Assemblies of God doctrine on speaking in tongues and stories about the administration's decision not to allow Soulforce gay-rights advocates to visit the campus April 17.

North Central is owned and operated by the Assemblies of God.

Chuck Bahr acknowledged that as the paper's publisher, the administration has legal authority over its operation, but he said, "The principle of the matter is that as Christians and journalists, we have to publish stories that are true and accurate."

North Central spokeswoman Susan Detlefsen said Northern Light will continue to publish under different editors.

The university also issued a statement saying it could not comment at length on its actions because they involve student records but that they were prompted by "conflict of interest" issues and "a cumulative series of events and actions." It also said that Chuck Bahr was not fired, but rather demoted to staff writer.

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/358893.htm

_______________________________________________

"To only publish things that cast North Central in a positive light."

You gotta love it.

Nate

NCU Grad '07

PotOnWheel
Registered Member

Date Joined Jul 2001
Total Posts : 9890

Posted 4/8/2006 5:41 PM (GMT -6)

Pentz said...

Chuck Bahr acknowledged that as the paper's publisher, the administration has legal authority over its operation, but he said, "The principle of the matter is that as Christians and journalists, we have to publish stories that are true and accurate."

Looks like only the administration that is empowered by the board of trustees has the "authority" (emphasizing here to make a point) to "authorize" writers and editors to exercize their own personal principles of truth and accuracy through the medium of the school newspaper. The owners of the college and all that is part of it (including the student newspaper) are the sole and final authority on that. And their positive interests and responsibility extends far beyond the extent of a newspaper.

Any employee, or "authorizee," who fails to know what their boss wants and what the needs of the organization is USSUALLY GETS FIRED.

At least in the real world.

Sounds like some students thought they were holding mommy's apron strings...

IF they'd been REALLY SMART, though would have known their bosses better, and found a way to do something creative that BOTH served the interest of their own ideas AND helped their bosses in the corporate mission.

But it seems they were not that smart, OR that realistic.

So...seems this turned into an education for them.

(o)

Post Edited (PotOnWheel) : 4/8/2006 5:44:47 PM (GMT-5)

Sir_Edward
Registered Member

Date Joined Oct 2005
Total Posts : 66

Posted 4/8/2006 6:43 PM (GMT -6)

Sorry, when your a newspaper for the college you have to do what the college says -- especially in the AoG. I understand there are some objections to certain things but this si not the way to conduct yourself i nthe face of them. Tongues is an issue that will dog us for some time -- sorry the homosexual thing is their right as a Chrsitian College to refuse people who support it. As an AoG minister I would be shocked if they allowed it.

Hate to say it --they the boos and they can fire and hire who they want to.

Blessings. Trinity Bible College Grad of '93 -- 'Hey it's NCU, what can you expect -- holiness. Right!"

Sir_Edward -- Knight of the Theological Roundtable - 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Post Edited (Sir_Edward) : 4/8/2006 10:53:52 PM (GMT-5)

Pentz
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2006
Total Posts : 59

Posted 4/9/2006 2:47 PM (GMT -6)

Ed, I do agree, but I think that the school cannot expect the student newspaper to be voice of the Administration. Nevertheless, the editors seam that they wanted to force the schools hand in an effort to show how persecuted the newspapers editors are.

Nate

Sir_Edward
Registered Member

Date Joined Oct 2005
Total Posts : 66

Posted 4/9/2006 8:22 PM (GMT -6)

Nate,
Just looking at it on the surface it does seem that the editors were trying to get an 'in yourface baby" -- your censoring us and you know what they did it. Problem -- the only one that is going to care it people on campus and the mainstream press would just add it to their list of the church doing more censorship. What is the editor's motive do you think -- it was either personal or their trying to make a statement to do what exactlly? I can tell you the more conservative elements on the AoG are gonig to look at them as flaming liberals who want to destroy the denom...err.... I mean 'movement'

Those more progressive elements will see these people as a martyr for their cause. I think this is what they were trying to do. All it really shows to me is that there is a rift comming in the AoG -- a big one too between traditional federalists and those radical secessionists.

So Nate and Tom are we blue or grey?

Blessings

Sir_Edward -- Knight of the Theological Roundtable - 2 Timothy 4:1-5

PotOnWheel
Registered Member

Date Joined Jul 2001
Total Posts : 9890

Posted 4/9/2006 8:25 PM (GMT -6)

I'm Bethel Grad. You might want to listen to the Provost and the President's talk to the student body. http://www.bethel.edu/prayer-initiative/prayer-points.html They--the students--were told that the mission of the college includes loving those who struggle with orientation. As such they--the students--were instructed NOT to wear t-shirts berading the "Soul Force" people. While Bethel's mission requires voluntary commitment to a certain shared community beliefs and behaviors, the mission of being a Christian both undergirds and extends beyond mere details. As a community Bethel invites the Soul Force people to a limited selection of campus events and venues -- some to participate in and others only as viewers.

My point (and I'm guessing one with some irony as I'm presuming that the newseditors at your school were against their administration's possition) is that Bethel's administration INSTRUCTED the students to act like Christians, and act as MEMBERS OF A COMMUNITY and not merely as individuals.

I'm guessing that your college wants community members to act as a community too.

(o)

Post Edited (PotOnWheel) : 4/10/2006 3:27:36 PM (GMT-5)

cbahr
Registered Member

Date Joined May 2006
Total Posts : 1

Posted 5/21/2006 12:12 AM (GMT -6)

I love how so many of you Christians are able to be "inspired" by God to make broad assumptions about my motives as a fellow brother in Christ, when your only knowledge of me is from a 4-5 paragraph news article copied and pasted onto a message board devoid of context, likely possessing no interaction with the NCU campus in the last several years if at all, and without question having never interacted with me personally.

I find it so encouraging to see the ways fellow members of my faith make use of the internet to engage in friendly, constructive, uplifiting, edifying, and most of all, Christ-like dialogue. Thanks for helping me use this situation as a "learning experience" to learn just how Christians are supposed to act.

All this when, with a little effort, my contact info would have been very easily acquired.

Sad.

--Chuck Bahr

p.s. I thank you in advance for any further deriding comments made about me in response to this somewhat embittered statement of alienation in the face of the professing members of my faith.

Sir_Edward
Registered Member

Date Joined Oct 2005
Total Posts : 66

Posted 5/21/2006 4:54 PM (GMT -6)

Chuck,

I would be glad to here your side if your willing -- like I said I was making a conculsion based on what was reported on the surface. If you would like to tell your story in a more informal way here I would be glad to listen. But the way all this is reportted it did look like simple rebellion to me. But if you have a different take on it fire away.

Blessings.

Sir_Edward -- Knight of the Theological Roundtable - 2 Timothy 4:1-5

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