University sparks religious controversy

EDINBURGH, Scotland, May 27 (UPI) -- Scotland's University of Edinburgh is at the heart of a religious controversy after a pagan organization received permission to hold a conference there.

The decision by university officials to allow the Pagan Society to schedule its annual meeting on school grounds prompted the Christian Union to complain, citing the college's ban of one of its previous events, The Scotsman said Sunday.

Christian Union official Matthew Tindale said the school's acceptance of the pagan group's conference comes after it shut down one of his group's events about the "dangers" of homosexuality last year.

"This seems to be a clear case of discrimination," Tindale said. "It's OK for other religions, such as the pagans, to have their say at the university, but there appears to be a reluctance to allow Christians to do the same. All we are asking for is the tolerance that is afforded to other faiths and organizations."

Officials for the pagan group responded by alleging that, unlike the union's planned event, its conference will conform to the school's policies regarding equality, The Scotsman said.