Post by NEWSBOT on Mar 24, 2023 12:29:34 GMT -5
Cliff College in Derbyshire, England, suspended then fired Dr. Aaron Edwards for "bringing the college into disrepute" with a Feb. 19 post on Twitter against homosexuality.
The college revealed on March 8 that it is also considering referring Edwards to Prevent, the United Kingdom's counter-terrorism police.
Edwards also responded in February to multiple users that replied to his original tweet. In his replies, Edwards said the "threat [of homosexuality] to the Gospel (and Church Unity) is enormous." He also told a user that referred to God as "he(r)" to instead "address your prayers to the God of the Bible. All of Him: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."
According to Edwards' legal team, his tweets caused "distress" in the British Methodist Church, including one senior staff member who said the tweets "could be extremely damaging" and "impact the college's core work" and "business plan."
"The reaction to my tweet and the unjust treatment I have experienced by Cliff College and the Methodist Church in Britain completely illustrates the problem my tweet addressed," Edwards said.
"The tweet was not defamatory; it was not an attack on any colleague or individual; it was not abusive; and it was not an extremist religious view. It was addressed to evangelicals as a point of doctrine, and it has been misunderstood by many who wish to cause personal and institutional trouble for those who express that view."
Cliff College did not respond to requests for comment by Fox News or The Blaze.
The college might send his information to the government, where he could be registered as a terrorist for holding a biblical view of sexuality.
Edwards was suspended from the school pending an investigation and the college revealed during a disciplinary hearing on March 8 that it was considering referring him to Prevent, which polices allegations of terrorism in the U.K.
Edwards was reportedly asked during the hearing what he would do if he were asked to pray with a student about their same-sex attraction, which he believes was an attempt to trap him into affirming "conversion therapy," which the U.K. Parliament has debated criminalizing.
Edwards must move out of his home in 8 weeks. He and his wife have 5 kids.
The college revealed on March 8 that it is also considering referring Edwards to Prevent, the United Kingdom's counter-terrorism police.
Edwards also responded in February to multiple users that replied to his original tweet. In his replies, Edwards said the "threat [of homosexuality] to the Gospel (and Church Unity) is enormous." He also told a user that referred to God as "he(r)" to instead "address your prayers to the God of the Bible. All of Him: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."
According to Edwards' legal team, his tweets caused "distress" in the British Methodist Church, including one senior staff member who said the tweets "could be extremely damaging" and "impact the college's core work" and "business plan."
"The reaction to my tweet and the unjust treatment I have experienced by Cliff College and the Methodist Church in Britain completely illustrates the problem my tweet addressed," Edwards said.
"The tweet was not defamatory; it was not an attack on any colleague or individual; it was not abusive; and it was not an extremist religious view. It was addressed to evangelicals as a point of doctrine, and it has been misunderstood by many who wish to cause personal and institutional trouble for those who express that view."
Cliff College did not respond to requests for comment by Fox News or The Blaze.
The college might send his information to the government, where he could be registered as a terrorist for holding a biblical view of sexuality.
Edwards was suspended from the school pending an investigation and the college revealed during a disciplinary hearing on March 8 that it was considering referring him to Prevent, which polices allegations of terrorism in the U.K.
Edwards was reportedly asked during the hearing what he would do if he were asked to pray with a student about their same-sex attraction, which he believes was an attempt to trap him into affirming "conversion therapy," which the U.K. Parliament has debated criminalizing.
Edwards must move out of his home in 8 weeks. He and his wife have 5 kids.