Religion is an influential factor in millions of peoples’ lives. Worship, beliefs and related practices may even define the structure of weeks, as well as social interactions within them.
ASU offers a multitude of religious clubs to cater to needs, including peaceful places for meditation and worship such as Danforth Chapel.
Despite the various ways religion defines the lives of so many, it still appears to be a somewhat sore subject.
Religion has the tendency to serve as the “elephant in the room” on campus.
An article from The Atlantic suggests reasons why college students are essentially losing their religion — why “God isn’t doing well.”
“If four years of college undo 18 years of parenting and religious affiliation, perhaps the faith community’s tenuous hold is the problem,” said Conor Friedersdorf of The Atlantic.
Friedersdorf’s assessment strikes me as particularly interesting, being someone with twelve — yes, twelve — years of Catholic schooling and little to show for it in terms of personal beliefs.
Although I remain considerably spiritual, the religious upbringing never resonated with me on a meaningful level. ASU and the college experience have certainly not changed that.
College has not caused anyone I personally know to lose their religion. At the same time, nobody has become more religiously active. Yet, these four years have the reputation of being crucial in terms of personal enlightenment, and rightfully so.
Wouldn’t it make sense to develop spiritually, or at least test out religious waters?
People are so afraid of not offending, of being politically correct and sticking with the norm, that talk of religion is taboo.
It seems precautions are taken to the point where conversation strays from religion altogether, seriously hindering the chances of new perspectives. Nobody wants to say the wrong thing, which ironically leads to the right thing never being said.
Another reason for hesitation when it comes to religious discussion is all the negativity in the news.
When acts such as vandalism to the Phoenix mosque occur, people tend to close their mouths and shy away from discussing anti-Muslim crime, a legitimate issue. The U.S. is no stranger to religious figures tied with accusations of sexual crimes either.
CBS News recently reported about a pastor from South Carolina who has been charged with the kidnapping and raping of several women at gunpoint.
He is a husband and father of two daughters, and his preaching credentials are suspended because “the misconduct alleged against him is forbidden by God.”
This is only one of the several cases to recently come about. These atrocities are reoccurring in the news, sparking speculation and even more bad feelings that lead religion to be a touchy subject.
Religion faces unfavorable odds, and these odds will only increase if opinions and beliefs are not brought to the forefront.
College students are the perfect candidates for opening up minds by legitimate discussion. These years truly are indispensible, and the promise of personal discovery is worth the conversation getting a little awkward.
Reach the columnist at inovak@asu.edu
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