Posted on 05/23/2004 8:09:02 AM PDT by chance33_98
Separation of Church and Club
BY NICK MORTEN 2004-05-18
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No one likes spam. I hate opening an e-mail and reading, “Hey, it’s Jenny from high school,” only to realize that this Jenny wants to naturally enlarge my penis or boost my credit. I didn’t ask for either, and if I were interested, I wouldn’t get anything from this piece of deception.
Like many other Cal Poly Pomona students, I’ve noticed the disturbing increase of spam on campus.Most are easily avoidable; groups soliciting their fill-in-the-blank agenda are easily identifiable from a distance.
There is, however, one group on campus who spams using somewhat more advanced techniques.
This group has had a lot of time to perfect its techniques and is a master of social engineering. I’m talking, of course, about the Christians.
Case in point: A few of my friends and I were enjoying a quiet Cal Poly lunch together when two gentlemen approached us wanting to ask some questions. I asked with what class or group they were with and they claimed it was for their own personal interest. At first the questions were benign—“Sum up how you feel about life in three words; if you could change any one thing about yourself, etc.”
Suddenly the questions changed tone and direction.
“If you were standing before God at the gates of heaven, what would you say to convince him to let you in.”
Now we had already disclosed a good deal of personal information, including the fact that over half of the group wasn’t Christian. I pointed out that the question assumed that God and heaven exist and that we believe in both, to which our questioner responded, “Yes it does.” This line of loaded questioning continued until “Jenny from high school” revealed she wanted to help us by “enlarging” our faith in Christ.
The Campus Crusade for Christ had spammed us.
At that point, I politely ended our conversation the same way I’d deal with any piece of spam—Delete, Alt-F4.
We may not be able to stop spam in our home lives, but on campus it’s a different story. It starts by demanding a change in policy. We must demand that religious clubs restrict their recruiting processes to exclude converting students. We must let them know that organizing like-minded people is the job of a club, while trying to change someone’s religion is the job of a church. If religious clubs adhere to this one practice, a good deal of campus spam will vanish.
But we need to show we’re serious. Until these clubs pledge to strictly adhere to a process of recruiting already established members of their faith, we need to boycott their club activities, we need to complain to the school and we need to tell those spammers we don’t support them.
It’s our responsibility as Cal Poly students to let these clubs know we’re not stupid, we’re not naive and we won’t put up with their tactics.
The next time a religious club is selling food, tell them you do not support spammers.
Nick Morten is a computer science junior.
Well, when the SC finds the constitutionally grounded "right not to be offended" then maybe he'll be happy. Until then I'm afraid he will have to deal with the free speech rights of Christians and everyone else.
I wonder how "Campus Crusade for Islam" might have approached them.
With a dull butcher knife and the cry "allahu akbar!"
In any case, what they're talking about in this case is both a direct limit on speeach and religion. Telling them to 'strictly adhere to a process of recruiting already established members of their faith' is a limitation I don't think the anti-war, pro-abortion, or pro-communist/lesbian/feminist/gay/facist/enviro-peaceniks would adhere to, either. Unless, of course, they're saying that Christians shouldn't have the same rights as anyone else BECAUSE of their religion....and they may be saying exactly that.
By air??
"We must demand that religious clubs restrict their recruiting processes to exclude converting students."
Poor students. No minds of their own. They'll believe anything you tell them. Naturally, it's vitally important to protect these innocent vulnerable children from the hazards of thinking.
Current educational mission statement: The university stands for diversity, as long as it excludes judeo Christian concepts, capitalism, and democracy, and promulgate hatred of the US, especially white people.
We've had 2000 years to get it right.
I've invited about a dozen non-believers to a bar-b-que at our church today. I don't care if they think it's spam. I don't care if they call me every name under the sun. I'm gonna praise God and pass the ribs.
Hallelujah...!
Send me an invite next time! :)~ mmmm ribs (although something about Ribs and Jesus seems odd....I am sure you could open a lot of conversations with it)
"I wonder how 'Campus Crusade for Islam' might have approached them."
You brought up a good point. How would you react if a group of Islamic spammers came up to you and tried to convince you to join their religion? Would you be upset? Would you demand that they not use the same kind of tactics as the Christian spammers were using?
I have no problem with how you are doing it.
You are inviting these people to an event and it is their choice to attend or not.
( And I hope you enjoy the ribs! )
I dislike it when people come and bang on my door, be they salesmen or peopl trying to convert me.
"I dislike it when people come and bang on my door, be they salesmen or people trying to convert me."
SO DO I! The religious spammers travel in packs around my neighborhood, and I refuse to answer the door when they ring my door bell. I used to answer the door, but these folks can't take a hint when I tell them I am not interested in converting. I hated to do it, but I had to become rude and actually shut the door in their faces.
Instead of trying to shut people up by using the force of the State, did you ever think of saying 'no thank you, please leave me and my friends to eat our lunch in peace '?
I just point at the "No Soliciting" sign", smile and close the door without speaking.
Apparantly, some religious groups think that being treated rudely is a sign that they are earning points in heaven.
At least he won't have to worry about being spammed in hell.
They tend to frown on the word crusade. Probably Campus Jihad for Islam would be more accurate.
I absolutely agree. And that cuts both ways. Being told to get lost is not equal to persecution.
They have. (Along with people of other faiths) I listen politely and tell them no thank you.
Would you be upset?
Why? Do I look like some kind of shrinking violet to you. Am I some shaking in my boots weenie? Can I not say "thank you but no?"
Would you demand that they not use the same kind of tactics as the Christian spammers were using?
See above.
I dearly wish people would grow a spine.
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