Students at a Welsh university have voted to ban the tradition of putting Bibles in their halls of residence in the name of ‘multiculturalism’.
Student John Morgan, who put forward the motion to the Aberystwyth Student’s Union, made the claim that the “compulsory inclusion of Bibles in university bedrooms is inappropriate in a multicultural university such as Aberystwyth."
Referendum
Of a 10,000-strong student body just five per cent of students voted, with only 300 students for and 175 against the idea of banning bibles.
University bosses will now decide whether to accept the students’ demands, a spokesperson for the university said: “The University is aware of a recent referendum vote that took place on the matter, and the referendum’s result.
“Aberystwyth University has a proud history of working with the Students’ Union on a wide variety of issues, and will work with representatives from the Students’ Union to facilitate students receiving spiritual texts which reflect their personal choice.”
‘Ploy’
One student at the university said commented: “As a soon to be graduate of Aberystwyth University, I find it distressing that my successors will potentially no longer find a Bible in their university accommodation rooms, and deeply concerned that the Student's Union (Undeb Myfyrwyr) is attempting to put up barriers against Christianity and the freedoms of Religion afforded in our Christian country.
“Often, students find comfort and solace in the fact that they have a Holy Bible to turn to for guidance during highly stressful and emotional times of the academic year, such as during essay and exam periods; the student representative body in the university is trying to take this away from thousands of students.
“The campaign to ban Bibles has been hurriedly pushed through, with less than one in ten students voting for or against the motion in a short voting window, and is seemingly a ploy based around the personal grievances and beliefs of the small number of new Union representatives. I would urge the University governing body not to enact this motion for the sake of not only the university reputation, but also for the wellbeing of future students.”
Bible bans
Aberystwyth is one of the latest university to have banned Bibles, following Huddersfield University in 2013, which said it wanted its properties to be “ethically neutral”, and Stirling University Students' Association, which claimed it was “presumptuous” and offensive to different religions on the campus to place Bible’s in university halls of residence.
Last year, one of Britain's largest hotel chains - Travelodge - removed bibles from all its bedrooms for “diversity reasons”. It said the policy was implemented “in order not to discriminate against any religion” – despite having had no complaints from guests at any of its 500 hotels.
Benefit
Speaking to LBC radio when the motion surfaced in February, Andrea Williams highlighted the immense benefit that Bibles have brought to various institutions and organisations.
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Listen to Andrea Williams highlight the immense benefit that Bibles have brought to various organisations and institutions
Bibles at risk at Welsh university
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Students at Prince Charles' old university vote to ban Bibles from halls of residence for not being 'appropriately multicultural' (Mail)