If you’ve been going to UW-Platteville for a couple years, you have probably seen the familiar sight of a man standing outside the Pioneer Student Center preaching to anyone who walks by him between classes. Over the years the message preached has kept the same main philosophy; college students are going to Hell if we do not repent now.

I am not bashing religion at all, but just because you believe in something does not mean you need to try to force your religious beliefs on others, let alone accuse them of being condemned to Hell.  How does that person know I am going to Hell?  Do they sit outside my house with binoculars and watch everything I do, or follow me around from place to place skulking in the shadows?

Freedom of speech is a constitutional right, and I am a supporter and user of that right.  However, a person standing outside of a college student center yelling about their personal religious beliefs and bearing false witness against their neighbor is not an appropriate use of that right.  Plus, one of the Ten Commandments instructs believers to not bear false witness against one’s neighbor. Wouldn’t accusing people of sins you don’t know they have committed fall into that category? Additionally, doesn’t it say somewhere in the Bible, “let him who is without sin cast the first stone?”

What needs to be understood is that on this campus, and any other college campus, there are people of different faiths, creeds and beliefs.  If a person wants to change their faith, they will not do so because someone is yelling at them and trying to use ineffective scare tactics.  They will look at other belief systems and possibly change what they believe in on their own terms.  They’ll look at the various systems and make an informed decision.

I do not understand why people of certain faiths feel the need to yell at other people.  What gives their religion the ultimate say?  For example, I heard one of these men preach that people who are members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered and Questioning community are going to Hell.  However, the United Church of Christ condones gay marriage. If that religion condones it and those people believe in that institution, are they still going to Hell?  I believe no, and I say “believe” because there is no irrefutable evidence that a specific religion is the right one, or if there should even be a religion.

In essence, religion is just a belief.  You can say that it has a book that speaks the words of the Lord, but where’s the proof?  You cannot say without a doubt that the Lord inspired these people to write the Bible, the Quran or any other religious book.  The whole religious debate is somewhat of a waste of time.  Until someone can provide irrefutable evidence about one religion or another, the argument about who is right and who is going to Hell is going to keep going back and forth till the end of time.   When compared to other problems that should be debated and preached about, it seems ridiculous.  Why not use that time to talk about people going hungry or getting people to donate items to the homeless? Don’t most Christian religions advocate helping the less fortunate more than yelling about damnation?