Spring Break
The Daily OrangePublicly trumpeting religious beliefs unnecessary, unacceptable behavior
Abstract:
Some people wince when they see public displays of affection. Maybe it's the little kid inside of us that says "ew" at the sappy parts of movies. I dare say this feeling is so well-known that it influences what society deems acceptable behavior.
Personally, I get anxious when I see public displays of personal faith....
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Prospective SU
posted 3/29/07 @ 12:10 PM EST
I definitely don't think you should have to keep your faith to yourself - so what if you wear a t-shirt that says you're Christian? Plenty of other people wear t-shirts about being a fan of video games, or superheroes, or whatever. On a more serious note, what about campaigns for human rights in Darfur? For gays? There is nothing wrong with thinking you are right - I suppose everybody who is not agnostic or is some deadbeat with no opinions or values is "arrogant" because they think they're right?
I'm surprised a writer on a college newspaper is telling people to keep their opinions to themselves! I thought we lived in America, not somewhere where the secret police will lock us up if we proclaim our faith or political beliefs.
That said, I'm a firm believer in showing your faith through actions, not some stupid t-shirt. But to each his own. It's certainly nothing like rolling around on the campus quad naked. What a crappy analogy.
~Gay, agnostic, and proud...and proud others can witness their own persuasions
I'm surprised a writer on a college newspaper is telling people to keep their opinions to themselves! I thought we lived in America, not somewhere where the secret police will lock us up if we proclaim our faith or political beliefs.
That said, I'm a firm believer in showing your faith through actions, not some stupid t-shirt. But to each his own. It's certainly nothing like rolling around on the campus quad naked. What a crappy analogy.
~Gay, agnostic, and proud...and proud others can witness their own persuasions
G Peters
posted 3/30/07 @ 12:48 PM EST
You know what makes me nervous? Members of the press wanting to suppress the freedom of expression. Did this author seriously write an article against freedom of expression--because he didn't like a shirt?
And just to be clear, it IS Craig's religion the author has a problem with. Most, if not all, Christian religions ask their followers to spread the word of the Lord. That's all Craig and the green shirts are doing. And it seems like they're being fairly unobtrusive about it. They're not going door-to-door to witness. They're not hitting you up for donations. They're just wearing shirts! You know what? If the author didn't like Craig's "manifesto" in the DO, all he had to do was turn the page! If he didn't want to read it on Facebook, he could have just gone back to googling old girlfriends names.
The author takes some drastic leaps in his argument that if you "read between the lines" Craig's real message is "I'm right and you're wrong." If anything says "I'm right and you're wrong" it's this article. Obviously the author doesn't believe in Craig's religion, or how Craig is showing his faith, and has gone so far as to tell you the "right" way Craig should be having his discussion ("I think discussions of faith and religion should..." blah, blah, blah.) It's amazing how hypocritical one can be in such a short article!
In the end, I think the author of this article is misinterpreting what Craig and the green shirts are saying. I don't think they're saying "This is what I believe and I'm right" it seems more like, "This is what I believe. What do you believe?" If anything, they're trying to get a discussion going about faith and to get people to question their own beliefs. But the question isn't "Is my religion the correct one?" but more like "What do I believe? Why do I believe that?" The fact that the author is so "uncomfortable" with Craig's shirt leads me to believe that he is exactly the audience Craig's shirt is aiming for. Hopefully, he actually does take the time to question his own beliefs, if only to discover why a green t-shirt upset him so much.
G Peters
Class of 2000
And just to be clear, it IS Craig's religion the author has a problem with. Most, if not all, Christian religions ask their followers to spread the word of the Lord. That's all Craig and the green shirts are doing. And it seems like they're being fairly unobtrusive about it. They're not going door-to-door to witness. They're not hitting you up for donations. They're just wearing shirts! You know what? If the author didn't like Craig's "manifesto" in the DO, all he had to do was turn the page! If he didn't want to read it on Facebook, he could have just gone back to googling old girlfriends names.
The author takes some drastic leaps in his argument that if you "read between the lines" Craig's real message is "I'm right and you're wrong." If anything says "I'm right and you're wrong" it's this article. Obviously the author doesn't believe in Craig's religion, or how Craig is showing his faith, and has gone so far as to tell you the "right" way Craig should be having his discussion ("I think discussions of faith and religion should..." blah, blah, blah.) It's amazing how hypocritical one can be in such a short article!
In the end, I think the author of this article is misinterpreting what Craig and the green shirts are saying. I don't think they're saying "This is what I believe and I'm right" it seems more like, "This is what I believe. What do you believe?" If anything, they're trying to get a discussion going about faith and to get people to question their own beliefs. But the question isn't "Is my religion the correct one?" but more like "What do I believe? Why do I believe that?" The fact that the author is so "uncomfortable" with Craig's shirt leads me to believe that he is exactly the audience Craig's shirt is aiming for. Hopefully, he actually does take the time to question his own beliefs, if only to discover why a green t-shirt upset him so much.
G Peters
Class of 2000
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Brittney Papke
posted 3/29/07 @ 10:44 AM EST