Dear Editor,
As a Buddhist (Zen), I must admit to understanding the worry expressed by many over the content of the “Walking by Faith” articles. Let me be blunt. As a member of an atheist religion (Buddhism) I see the attachment to the concept of a divine entity as a misplaced distraction in our day to day lives. While we have been bickering, we could have instead been doing good things for our fellow humans and dedicated ourselves to living amicably. If one needs that security blanket in order to do good deeds, then more power to them, for at least they are acting compassionately, but many atheists cannot help but question whether many of the major religions are indeed compassionate.
Morality does not require divinity, that is evident is the ubiquity of similar morality worldwide. This attachment to a parental god figure is a major cause of disharmony in the world and is a demonstrable fact regardless of whether those that perpetrated those atrocities were “true believers” or not. The flyers I have been seeing around campus promoting a debate on whether or not Islam is a “Religion of Peace” greatly sadden me. The actions of the vocal minority (the crusaders/jihadists, the bigoted televangelists, Islamic misogynists, and other religious extremists) give otherwise peaceful religions a bad name.
Instead of attacking each other, focus your attentions on those figures within your own faiths who make you look bad. They are the ones sowing evil and disharmony, and keeping the cycle of hatred and intolerance turning, and are your true enemy. But they can only be defeated through expressions of loving compassion. Demonstrate to the world what your faith means, and do not idly debate it.
-Jason Murray

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