Mommy, what does "pervasive" mean?

No Compromise

Colorado Christian University (CCU), a 1,600-student school near Denver, filed a lawsuit in federal court in December. The suit challenges the state's designation of the school as "pervasively sectarian" -- making its students ineligible for the College Opportunity Fund.

CCU president Larry Donnithorne said, "This is discrimination on the basis of religion. The First Amendment rights of our students are being violated."

Nothing quite like idiots misunderestimating the 1st amendment. "We have a RIGHT to get free money from the gummint so that we can indoctrinate the masses into our fairy tale!" Sadly (for them) no. The 1st amendment doesn't guarantee students the right to government subsidies so that they can go to Christian schools. It guarantees that they can go to a Christian school, if they so choose, neither hindered, nor helped by the government.

The nondenominational university contends that it is actually less "sectarian" in many respects than is Regis University, a Jesuit college in Denver. Regis passed the eligibility test. Naropa University, a Buddhist school in Boulder, has also qualified for other state assistance.

However, Donnithorne acknowledged that Regis made concessions to pass the test -- such as teaching other religions, hiring non-Christians, and making chapel services optional.

In other words, CCU teaches nothing but Christianity, hires only Christians, and requires students to attend Christian chapel services as part of the curriculum. Geeze, for the life of me, I just can't understand how that could ever be construed as pervasively sectarian!