Local religious leaders speak on diversity
Diversity Week is proving to be a great teaching tool for students.
Six religious leaders from all corners of Cache Valley spoke at Utah State University on Tuesday about their religions and answered questions presented by the audience.
The six representatives acknowledged the need for their congregations to reach out to the college-age youth of Logan and the valley.
“We assist anyone on their journey so they can be an integral part of our community,” Father Clarence Sandoval said.
Most congregations represented on the panel, besides Stake President Thomas Cherrington’s of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have small memberships in Logan. Many of their larger memberships meet in Ogden and Salt Lake City.
“We don’t have as many resources as other religions locally, but we do have a worldwide aid organization,” said Pastor Kevin James of Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Student input included a question of each religion’s stance on homosexuality. Pastor Kreiensieck of the Lutheran faith and locally of the Prince of Peace congregation was the only panel member to state his denomination’s acceptance of the act and the person. All other panel members mentioned the need to accept people and follow Christ’s or God’s example, by loving all regardless of lifestyle choices.
“The lifestyle is against God’s will but every individual is loved by Him,” James said.
Guy Serbin, the Jewish representative on the panel, acknowledged the different movements in Judaism and the acceptance of homosexuals by reformed and conservative members but not by those of Orthodox movements.
Each religious representative spoke of their beliefs and the origins of their religion and also the activities offered by them for the public and the college community.
Cherrington presented pass-along cards offered by the LDS faith to receive more information and referred interested students to the LDS Institute across the street from the Taggart Student Center.
Husain Al-Lawatia of the Islamic Center in Logan mentioned that their Friday prayer service at 1 p.m. is open to the public and a good chance to come and find some more information about Islam.
Saturday afternoon lunches and hikes in Logan were offered for all by James, and Sandoval mentioned the USU campus minister for his St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic congregation, Jennifer Kennedy Croft.
Serbin said it is best to get in touch at 757-8459, but said he helps organize trips to Jerusalem for Jewish students and sometimes they are free.
Kreiensieck is always at Carousel Square on Mondays to answer questions and speak with students about any of their issues. He is also involved with the USU student body as an advocate for the rights of gays and lesbians on campus.
Mohammad Almasri, studying for a doctorate in water resources engineering, said he knows what needs to be done to improve the knowledge students have about other cultures and also said no one can make diversity without people from all cultures
represented.
“There needs to be more activities held that allow students to participate and elaborate on their ideas and backgrounds,” he said.
Angie Hammond, campus diversity vice president, read previously written questions and questions from the audience during the panel discussion. Diversity Week has the chance to bring religious leaders onto campus and present the reality of the USU community, she said.
“There was a small religious panel last year,” she said. “This is the first time Diversity Week has included one.”
Hiruy Abdu, a graduate student studying irrigation engineering, understands the importance of diversity and the need to present it to the USU student body.
“It’s not something you can force,” he said. “It takes people interacting.”
-ireneh@cc.usu.edu