When spring finally arrives on Michigan State’s campus, it gets everyone outside in the sun for the first time after a typical, harsh Michigan winter.
The warm weather also brings a rise to the number of religious groups on campus.
The groups all work their way around campus hoping to find students interested in their religion and beliefs in order to spread their word. Some pass out Bibles or flowers. Then there are the more extreme people, like the infamous Wells Hall preacher who screams at you to repent.
Religious freedom is a major pillar of the United States. Many foreign religious groups face persecution and disrespect in their home countries, only hoping to one day be able to express their religion freely.
Each person in the United States has a right to religious liberty. So, even though the Wells Hall preacher is impolite and extreme in his concepts, he does have a right to express his view.
I do not agree with what he preaches, but if you consider how it must be for those who can’t even publicly worship in other parts of the world, I can learn to ignore his angry rants.
The simplest way to deal with these groups is to be polite and decline if they offer information that does not interest you. If any of these people do go on and begin to press you more, it is okay to smile and go on your way.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints walk around with their own Book of Mormon, speaking to people on behalf of their religion.
The Mormons go out and share the information about their church to get people to join. But you don’t have to take their pamphlets or choose to speak to them. If we take away the freedom of speech and religion on college campuses, it would create a harmful downward spiral.
However, religious freedom does not mean freedom to discriminate against other people.
For instance, what is currently going on Indiana has again brought religious freedom up for debate. The U.S. Constitution protects this right, so why was the Religious Freedom Restoration Act passed?
The act will do more harm than good if you ask me. When this nation constantly pins two sides against one another, the legislative system becomes a joke.
Human beings should be allowed to profess their faith and the LGBTQ community deserves public respect and equal rights.
