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Show Wednesday, September 15,2004 Editorial Editor-in-Chief: Natalie Clemens Phone: 626-7121 VIEWPOINT Study for school, study for elections College students have many important decisions to make before graduation, such as what to major and minor in. Everyone does their homework and research before making these decisions. How much money should they expect to make? Where will they have to live? Is there a demand in the field to ensure a job following graduation? How many of us put that much time into making the decision to vote? At the age of 18, people are given the power to make a difference in the world around them. They decide who tells them how much to pay in local, state and federal taxes. They have a say in who spends those tax dollars and what they are used for. This one little privilege gives people the power to determine the future state of their communities. How many take that privilege for granted? Would you choose a major because it's the major your friends are choosing? Would you decide based on the salary you could potentially make? Or would you decide based upon all the facts, the environment in which you will be working and living in, the flexibility you may have for time with your family, the option to see the world, or because it's something you are passionate about and can make a difference in peoples' lives? Over the next few months, Americans have some important decisions to make. Maybe some are Kerry supporters and feel the United States should have never gone to war with Iraq. Others may support the war and vote for Bush. Is there an issue in your community on the ballot that has the power to affect your way of life in a negative or positive light? Do your homework, find out the facts and then make an educated decision. Organizations like MTV have come out strong in the last several presidential elections to urge the student generation to vote. The Bush and Kerry sisters made separate appearances on the MTV Video Music Awards a few weeks ago, and through the cheers and the boos, urged taking control of the future. Many feel, "My one vote won't make a difference." However, many an election has been won or lost on just one vote. Use the power you have been given, do your homework, and get out to'vote on Nov. 2. - The Signpost Editorial Board The ^Fm^ A Weber vveuer State scare University university Signpost Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Sports Editor Copy Editor Features Editor Entertainment Editor Business Editor Photo Editor Graphics Editor Online EditonAdvertising Manager Office Manager Advisior Distribution Publisher Signpost Fax Natalie Clemens Maria Villasenor Shane Farver Ryan Howe William Hampton Roy Pyatt Colleen Batchelor Candice Dallin Mo Williams Samuel T. Platt David Adams Devon Cms Georgia Edwards Allison Hess William Hampton Dr. Randy Scott 626-7121 626-7641 626-7655 626-7983 626-7659 626-7621 626-7105 626-7624 626-6358 626-7661 626-6358 626-6359 626-7974 626-7499 626-7974 626-6464 626-7401 The Signpost is published every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the semester. Subscription is $9 a semester. The first copy of The Signpost is free, each additional copy is $.50. - The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees partially fund the printing of this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. • The Signpost welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include name, address, telephone number and the writer's signature. Anonymous letters will not be printed• The Signpost reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of space and libel and also reserves the right to refuse to print any letter. Letters should not exceed 350 words. Bring letters to the editorial office in SUB 267, mail to: The Signpost, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, 84408-2110. % Attn: Editor in Chief, email thesfgnpost@weber.edu Hip to the Lord: New generation of changing how America blog called "Submergence" that she regularly posts her thoughts on. By April Seipp As with everything done to draw the Knight Ridder Tribune interest of my generation, the music of this Christian movement is critical. The thought of church today may Many churches have gotten rid of conjure up images from the opening hymns and now have their own bands. scene of "Footloose." Parents and A worship gathering called the Passion grandparents listen attentively to the Experience recently had 3,000 young minister while young people stare into people in attendance in New York - not space or squirm uncomfortably when to hear the band but to sing to God. the preacher attacks their favorite Some people have criticized this activities. The music is off-key and new kind of Christianity, saying it's too boring, nobody is smiling, and nobody self-focused or too watered-down. is excited. Neither is true. Contrast that with the image of This new kind of church is breaking 600 young people, their arms lifted, away from the typical Sunday service eyes closed, singing at the top of their attendance, where people go to be lungs. They're not just singing the reminded that there's a God somewhere words projected onto the three huge out there and that they need to be video screens - they're proclaiming careful how they behave so they don't their devotion to God. This is the scene get sent to hell. every Wednesday night at Generation The old-style church is like taking Church in Kirkland, Wash. This is not an hour or two to "visit" the realm of church as usual. God, and then quickly moving back The conventional idea of church is into the comfortable activities of fading and the new style - one with everyday life. cutting-edge music, multimedia and The new message is more personal a variety of meeting places that are than that. It goes beyond just having sometimes surprising - is drawing a religion. Many in my generation thousands of young people across incorporate their faith into every the nation back into the Christian aspect of their lives. Several of my faith. peers at Generation Church, the Call it a new, hipper kind of church. youth ministry of The City Church in Call it a movement. Kirkland, have started Bible studies These church groups sometimes and prayer groups at their schools. meet in coffeehouses, schools or They invite their friends to come and people's homes. The purpose is to see what's so important to them. appeal to those who might not feel Many of them don't have Christian comfortable in a regular church parents. They were invited by friends setting. and stayed because they found a faith Skate Church in Portland, Ore., that related to them. meets in a warehouse that's been This new, hipper version of transformed into a skate park. It's a the Christian movement can't be ministry of Central Bible Church that disregarded as something that will reaches out to skaters in particular, pass. These young people are serious offering them a place to skate and about what they believe. They are the attend Bible studies. future of the American church. Christian ministries are also using For those who think ^hey know the Internet to reach young people. what church is like, look again. For my Karen Ward, pastor at Church of generation, there is no such thinjas a the Apostles in Seattle, has her own typical church. |