August 27th: Stand Up, Not On

During the first week of classes, everyone is trying to sell something. Coupon books are popular, textbook vendors are enthusiastic, and sidewalk chalk offers a seemingly endless choice of opportunities.

Most emphatic of these sales spokesmen are the Christian religious organizations, looking for participation in their programs. Young representatives of the Christian Crusade for Christ, Christian Religious Union, and others stand guard at academic buildings and street corners, offering food and pamphlets to help welcome students and assist with their adjustment into college.

While I personally don’t believe in proselytizing, I do understand the need for recruiting. I appreciate the fact that the religious organizations are actively seeking out new membership, and are trying to make their product as appealing as possible. Hillel does it; we offer free food and fun programming to help make religious observance more enticing. The difference is the force with which ideas are pressed upon a perspective attendees.

Walking down the street this afternoon, I saw an all-too-familiar sight: a pair of preachers standing under the iconic Indiana University clocks, discussing their views on Jesus and today’s society. A group had gathered, and at first I thought it was a collection of interested, engaged listeners. It was only upon getting closer that I realized that this was a hostile audience. The students were asking questions, either mocking the preachers or snapping at them. The preachers, meanwhile, were attempting to answer all of the questions as they arose. They tried to answer honestly and passionately.

As I passed, I could only hear bits and pieces. What I did hear made me pretty sad. Again, I don’t support the content that these men were preaching. Their form of Christianity is one of rigidity and fear. I don’t believe that anyone who does not accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior is damned. I don’t believe that God is a vengeful deity, who will smite the sinners.  I do, on the other hand, believe that a man should be allowed to stand in the designated location for protests and petitions and present his ideas. I do believe that he should be able to say what he wants, free of ridicule and disrespect. And I do believe that the students who are trying to prove how worldly they are by embarrassing him and belittling him are actually proving how immature and ignorant they truly are.

Frankly, by arguing with these guys, you are actually playing into their hands. More than anything, these proactive religious recruiters are looking for a conversation. They want you to stand there as long as possible, so that they can get more words in. They would rather you staying to put up a fight than to walk away quietly. Which means that is exactly what you should do. If you don’t agree with their beliefs or their way of spreading it, simply walk away. Don’t talk. Don’t listen. Just walk right on by. It is much harder to do, but it is the strength of walking by that directly combats what you are opposing when you see those who are pushing their beliefs. Standing up for what you believe in does not necessitate standing against the beliefs of others.