February 27, 2011 | 10:46 pm

LAT: Some Christian colleges aren’t cool with homosexuality

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

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Here’s a real barn burner that I almost forgot to mention: this story from the LA Times earlier this month that seemed a bit shocked to learn that some Christians disapprove of homosexuality. The newshook was an open letter in the Westmont College student paper by a group of gay and lesbian alumni of the Christian school. The LAT reported:

Although LGBT — an umbrella term for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender — is a commonplace designation at schools across the United States, many Christian colleges have struggled with just how much to condone homosexuality, which is seen by some of their religious leaders as scripturally prohibited.

At the leafy campus near Santa Barbara, there are no gay-pride events or clubs in which gay students can socialize openly. The small, nondenominational school requires incoming students to sign a campus code that forbids “occult practices, sexual relations outside of marriage, homosexual practice, drunkenness, theft, profanity and dishonesty.”

Such restrictions would generate loud protests at mainstream schools, but at Westmont, even now there’s barely a raised voice. Instead, parties on all sides are issuing declarations of love and respect, with calls for a campus-wide dialogue.

Shocking, I know.

Of course, what is shocking is how surprised the reporter seemed by the environment at Westmont or other non-“mainstream schools.” I’m not even sure what those are: non-religious schools, more conservative schools, private schools?