| Opinion | Apr. 23, 2008 | 10:42 pm |
Are religious groups on campus too pushy?
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When religious groups set up at the Rock, as they did this week, and hand out quarter sheets, are they being friendly and welcoming? Or are they alienating those of different faiths? This week, we discuss the varying degrees of religious presence on campus.
Marcus Mason said,
April 29, 2008 @ 11:49 pm
First and foremost, I really just want to say thank you so much for having this chat. I think that it was well put together and a lot of good topics were addressed. I also should mention that I actually was a part of the group that was at the Rock. I guess what I first would like to say is, I’m sorry if we came across as pushy, especially in the sense of trying to force our beliefs or religion on you.
However, I do kind of wish that maybe you might have stopped by to talk to us, especially at the “Confess Our Sins” booth. The idea behind the “confession of our sins” was not for the campus or anyone for that matter to come and confess the wrongs or sins of their personal lives. It was actually a reversal confession booth. It was meant to give Christians an opportunity to apologize and confess the sins we have committed as a people who profess to be followers of Jesus, and to also confess the sins and wrong doings of the Christian Church as a whole. We recognize that in the past and even in this present day we are guilty of the things that some of you bring up in this discussion, and of things you didn’t even mention. So the hope of the booth and of the prayer was not so much to convert people or make people believe what we Christians believe, but rather to say we’re sorry, and to engage people in conversation, much like the conversation you all had in this forum.
So again I really am sorry that you perceived us the way you did, it is honestly not what we were attempting to do. Yet, when misconceptions and misperceptions arise, sometimes the only thing left to do is to have conversation, and as I already said, much like the one you all had. I look forward to more discussions such as this, especially if they will lead to reconciliation, not blame, or condemnation.