LETTERS: Respect for other religious faiths

To the Editor: If we need to learn something about God (and I believe we do), what we need to remember is God's compassion and mercy shown without prejudice toward all people, regardless of race, religion, gender, age, social/economic condition or sexual orientation. My God is a God who created diversity. I am thankful to be part of the rainbow. The Rev. Andrew Barasda, Jr. Associate Minister The Christian Association u To the Editor: Amar Kosaraju's column ("'Learn Something' about God," DP, 4/3/97) points out some difficulties he has with the insert on Jesus Week. I write to respond. Kosaraju says this of "Learn Something,"-- the title of our insert: "Let's follow the message by not only learning about our individual faiths, but open our minds to understand the faiths of other people so we can better understand and appreciate the different paths each of us takes to our gods." Yes. Thank you. That's what the insert is for, to tell people about our faith so they may better understand it. However he also says, "I was supposed to 'learn something,' but it seemed to me I was supposed to learn why I should become a Christian." Kosaraju comes to that conclusion on his own. Part of the purpose of Jesus Week was to tell people what we believe and why. Hence, the insert. Without straight-forward presentation such as this, how can one ever "better understand and appreciate" the differences of which he speaks? There are misconceptions about Christianity. We seek to clarify some of those misconceptions not to make you believe (because we cannot), but at least so whatever thoughts you have or decisions you make about it might be better informed. Sadly, some people would rather stay mis-/uninformed than risk altering long-standing paradigms. Every one of us who has taken a class by a professor with whom we have disagreed knows this: hearing someone else's view cannot itself encourage you to change your own. As for those with whom we have agreed, we never would have had the chance if we had never heard what they had to say. Some of what we had to say was this: "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) To learn more about what we believe, please get a copy of the insert, or check out the Jesus Week Homepage at http://futures.wharton.upenn.edu/~jason17/JesusWeek.html. Nicole Maloy Wharton '96 Jesus Week Planning Committee Too critical of students To the Editor: This letter is in response to Sarah Giulian's article "Imaginary Learning Land of Penn," (DP, 4/8/97). I think Giulian is underestimating the intelligence and desire to learn of all students at Penn. I am here at Penn to write papers, take exams and to get "that job interview" you criticize people for wanting. What's wrong with wanting to be successful and use what we have learned productively? I am much better off being employed and making a contribution to society than spending hours contemplating the theories of existence. It seems interesting and all, but it just doesn't pay the rent. The greatest things I've learned at Penn so far haven't come from overpriced books, classes that I can't remember and professors who I don't want to remember. The lessons I've learned have come from talking with real people "over a good beer on tap." Don't underestimate the students here. They know more than you think and may think more than you know. Chrisann Sevoian College '97 Clarifying 'Take Back the Night' To the Editor: In response to the controversy surrounding this year's "Take Back the Night," we would like to clarify the goals of the event, ("Students gather to Take Back the Night," DP, 4/4/97). Our goals included empowering and providing a safe space for survivors and supporters, increasing awareness about the issue of sexual violence at Penn and creating an environment in which sexual violence is not tolerated. In order to best achieve these goals, changes were made to the format of the event. We chose to make the Speak-Out closed-mic and for survivors only in hopes it would be more healthy and healing for all survivors. All survivors -- both female and male -- were invited to sign-up to speak out at the event. We also chose not to censor the words of any of the speakers because Take Back the Night is one of the few forums in which they may feel comfortable talking about their experiences. It is disheartening that some felt alienated by this year's Take Back the Night. We hope it is clear this was not our intent. Everyone who feels passionately about this issue have the same goal of stopping sexual violence at Penn and in all communities. It is unfortunate this is often overlooked. Katie Cunningham Wharton '97 Juan Diaz College '97 STAAR -- Executive Board