Forum on religion sparks discussion of spirituality

Jennifer Holmes Arizona Daily Wildcat Alan Breckenridge, an Episcopalian priest, discusses the benefits of religious diversification. "Religion draws us together a creating significant community or can pull us apart," he said at a Tuesday forum. Religious Awareness and Diversity Club is planning activities for the week of Sept. 28 to Oct. 2.

The Rev. Allen Breckenridge, of the Episcopal Campus Ministry, said many students consider themselves spiritual.

Breckenridge is a member of the Religious Awareness and Diversity group, which sponsored a forum on religious diversity Tuesday in the Memorial Student Union Cactus Lounge.

The group's president, Sat Bir Kaur Khalsa, defined religion as "being associated with a named religion," whereas spirituality is "a more inner-identified relationship to something considered larger than themselves."

The UA religious diversity group encouraged students to ask questions about faiths outside of their own, "rather than take stances," Breckenridge said.

Breckenridge and others said that many people are so immersed in their own religious beliefs that they are not receptive to other ideas.

"One thing we need to do at times is suspend beliefs and look at others," said Tim Wernette, UA coordinator of diversity education.

The six attendees, mostly adult members of the diversity group and various other religious organizations, agreed it is important to respect and tolerate different beliefs while promoting diversity by listening and sharing ideas.

"It is important to lay down ground rules for respect," Breckenridge said. "Speaking in absolutes stops conversations and makes people feel insecure about themselves."

While many UA religious groups are open to various beliefs, some individuals on campus insult students, criticizing them for their faith, or lack thereof.

Pre-education sophomore Jessica Whitley said she was offended when an overzealous UA Mall preacher shouted insults at her.

"Some woman I've never met called me a whore and said that my womb was going to shrivel up," Whitley said.

Psychology sophomore Alice Webb said she has also been a target of religious persecution.

"Yoshua (a Mall preacher) pointed to me and a bunch of other girls and said 'You are probably a bunch of masturbators,'" Webb said.

Despite the insults some students receive, other on-campus religious communities are open to believers and non-believers alike.

Belinda Lasky, outreach director at the Hillel Foundation, and Matt Lewis, president of Wildcats for Christ, both encouraged students to attend religious meetings regardless of personal beliefs.

"Students with no religion and students who have been involved with Judaism all their lives come to Hillel and connect with Judaism," Lasky said.

Definitive statistics on the number of UA students who belong to various religions are elusive, but Hillel estimated that about 3,500 Jewish students are on campus.

Campus Crusade for Christ said it has about 175 members, but emphasized that it is difficult to keep track of members because attendance is not always consistent.

Lewis encouraged students to examine their beliefs while at the UA.

"College is the perfect opportunity to make decisions about religion and your relationship with God," he said.

Stephanie Corns can be reached via e-mail at Stephanie.Corns@wildcat.arizona.edu.