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Show Thursday, January 16, 2003 THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE Starbooks: Spilled Milk """ 11 i - & jiawHyiKpwsigr- 1 i V -- uJi il Chris Yeates Chronicle Feature Columnist , - - J.lt Fanaticism, Not Religion, Fuels the Fire of Terrorism V V ' '. til i I , , 111 ' ft 1 f If i if r'r !t V V my y. II I It feels dirty defending religion. A bit like justifying trashy romance novels as good literature or pretending that reality television was produced by anything smarter than a wedge of cheese. Anyone who reads rants regularly knows that religion bugs me. But if there's one thing that bugs me more than just religion, it's one religion falsely giving the finger to another religion. PBS recently aired a documentary called "Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet." This pissed a lot of people off because they've been brainwashed and coaxed through fear of terrorism to believe that Islam is a mean religion. Even some of my favorite thinkers and writers have become increasingly hostile toward Islam. Their beef with the documentary was that it didn't show all of Muhammad's teachings. They were quick to add that Muhammad was paranoid of nudity and that, were he alive today, he would be guilty of statutory rape and polygamy. These people like to dig through the Quran so they can recite violent scriptures. There's no doubt in my mind that the stuff that's been found in the Quran is actually there, but it's not as if Christianity has any high moral ground here. As tenaciously as these people sought out the dirty stuff in the Quran do the Christians tenaciously ignore certain passages of the Bible. There are simpiy some scriptures you don't learn in Sunday school. Killing people of other religions? Oh, wait, Jesus told the good Christians to do that in Luke 19:27. A peaceful religion? "I came not to send peace, but a sword," says the Prince of Peace. And I couldn't count using my hair follicles how many times the Bible demands death for various adulterous acts. Let's not forget that before reason and rationality reigned, the Christian civilizations weren't exactly hunky-dorAs the Christians conquered, the Dark Ages began. I don't like religion. I'd be happy if everyone tossed down their scriptures and said, "Good fiction. Now, onto reality!" But people seem to like religion so let them indulge in it at leisure. Religion should be a hobby, like collecting shoes something a gal can do in her spare time and recognize as something very irrational that the entire world does not need to enjoy or even under- ,o ; i I i MH V Ui r:!j ' Jason Shults picks up a hot cup of coffee to go from d . - i .r-- ' COPY CENTER continued from page 1 building and for our students, and we think this will be great for our students," she said. Hollis said the rededication and reopening of the student copy center is just one of what he hopes will be several upcoming changes for the build- -- the new cafe near the first-lev- "About 78 percent of the LPs student body will come to the Union at least once a week, so it's important for us to be able to accommodate them," he said. Among the changes will be the renovation of Union restrooms, changing the Cork Room into a homebase for el : ,,.,, entrance of the Marriott Library. wp jUpp) the U's clubs and organizations and continually honing and improving Union programs and services. abensonchronicle.utah.edu ing. SCIENCE GRANT BILLS continued from page continued from page 1 trend of science in the future," Keener said. "The opportunities for people who have mathematic skills and understand biological processes is quite strong." Students interested in the doctoral program in mathematical biology must apply for graduate school in mathe; matics and submit a letter of interest in the mathematical biology program. More information can be found at: www.math.utah.edugradmathbiol. jgoldsmithchronicle.utah.edu 1 With, "so many thousands of computers on campus," even actions as simple as turning off computers for the night if they won't be used can save, "hundreds of thousands of dollars a year," van der Have said. Some students don't mind it. In addition to faculty, "Students use the energy up...The amount's so nominal that I don't mind," history junior Dan Wiest said. id! " rnysm ahasnainchronicle.utah.edu Agonizing over an issue? M TU stand. The trouble is, in some countries, Islam is not a hobby. But that doesn't make it intrinsically evil. If reason did not reign supreme in our society, the religious right would be hanging homosexuals, atheists and Hollywood producers from every suburban tree. Islam may be the vehicle by which the terrorists brought violence into our lives, but that doesn't mean it's the fuel. The fuel is fanaticism. Slapping an "evil" sticker on Islam is about as convincing as those stupid "Jesus fish" people slap on their cars. As though, as I'm driving to work, I'm going to think, 'That whole evolution bit just doesn't make sense. Thanks, Mr. Jesus Fish." But then, maybe just don't get Creationism. After all, I'm not a wedge of cheese. c yea tes (chronicle, utah. edu Maybe you just need to get it off your chest. Oi l. L. si ' m t; f !b Letters to the editor can be addressed to: letters(5)chronicle.utah.edu Maybe we can help. Of at least, I maybe we can print your letter, at the Women's Basketball game on Saturday against Colorado State during the first half. One name will be called from the list near the end of the game. It's that simple. Just sign in 3 |
