OPINION & EDITORIAL
A delicate topic
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Also by Andy Granias and Jason Smathers:
- Tackling Taboos (December 3, 2007)
- A delicate topic (November 26, 2007)
- Engaging deeper dialogue (November 12, 2007)
- Opinion section sets sail (August 31, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Engaging deeper dialogue (November 12, 2007)
- Tackling Taboos (December 3, 2007)
- Cultural differences run deep (February 4, 2004)
- Extremist lectures harmful to UW education (October 19, 2006)
- Modern society troublesome for 'Christian nation' (November 30, 2007)
by Andy Granias and Jason Smathers
Monday, November 26, 2007
This week we continue our three-week series "Exploring the Issues: Race, Religion and Sexuality," which aims to take a deeper, often more personal look at these wide-ranging issues that pervade American society. Our columnists will continue to bring their own personal experiences and philosophies to contemplate various aspects of these umbrella topics, including religion, the issue at hand for this week.
Religion, no matter how it is approached, is a divisive and intensely personal subject that must be handled with kid gloves. Not only has religion become an instrumental influence on national policy — abortion, gay marriage, foreign policy — but it also greatly affects the personal and public lives of many Madison residents and students. The shouting matches on Library Mall between extremist evangelists and students, the ongoing debate about segregated fee funding for the Roman Catholic Foundation and the presence of groups like the Freedom From Religion Foundation in Madison often make religion the subject of impassioned debate.
And so, we aim to continue this debate about religion — attempting to reflect on truth and implication, faith and practice, conviction and dogma, among others — as we cultivate an ever-important discussion in the public forum.
Our topics and their writers are as follows:
Today:
Gerald Cox - Religious belief in Madison
Adam Lichtenheld - Jesus' teachings influencing politics
Tuesday:
Andy Granias - Religion and the stem cell debate
Kyle Szarzynski - Tolerance for religion
Wednesday:
RCF-UW and Jason Smathers - Point-counterpoint on segregated fees for religious organizations
Thursday:
Bassey Etim - Liberal Catholicism
MSA - Current state of Muslims in America
Friday:
Andrew Wagner - Westboro Baptist
Rob Phansalkar - America's political and religious roots
Enjoy.
Anonymous (November 26, 2007 @ 5:00pm):
Apparently, the topic is so delicate that you couldn't even post this article for several hours. Kudos!
Anonymous (November 26, 2007 @ 8:59pm):
I applaud you for taking on these topics and I look forward to your entries. I hope that they energize greater interest in and support for your Religion Program, which needs to be upgraded to a department. The university sends a clear message about its view of religion as an area of academic study by maintaining the current "second class status" of religious studies on campus. On this issue, U-W is not progressive.
Michael Grace (November 27, 2007 @ 9:49am):
Religion should not have a seperate department but be part of the MBA program. Look at the dead Fallwell and Dobson and that guy in Houston who preaches in some former sports arena. All worth zillions, flying around in private jets, etc. Relgion is big bucks and its not taxed. Imagine having a theatre open every Sunday that collects money and you don't have to pay taxes or put on a new show. And you don't have to invest in much presentation to drag them in but you tell the same story over and over again. This is a gold mine. And its all based on hogwash and people buy it. The religion business is the business to be in.
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