COLUMN: Understanding needed of religious diversity

I’m not Mormon. Does that make me weird?

Regardless of what anybody at Utah State University thinks, religious biases are still a big issue on campus. And the potential is in the facts: 90 percent of the students at USU are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In an April 2 article in The Herald Journal, reporter Arrin Brunson talked to Andrew Dilley, and ONLY to Andrew Dilley. He was quoted as saying non-members of the LDS Church feel a “little isolated.” Like he has any idea what it is like to be a non-Mormon at USU.

Now, this isn’t to say Dilley’s opinion isn’t a valid one, but to only talk to one person of the dominant faith is crushing to the argument. Although Dilley is a convert to the LDS Church, he has no idea what it is like to attend USU as a non-LDS student.

He, and most other converts, are now active in the church and are part of the majority. As a result, Dilley cannot in any way be considered a good spokesperson for other faiths. It would be like me giving an opinion of how a black student would feel at a school that is 90 percent white.

In order to get a good idea of religious diversity on campus, it might be a good idea (call me crazy) to talk to a diverse selection of students, LDS and non-LDS combined.

USU is a state-funded, public university. We are not a private school where people choose to attend based on religious offerings, but by looking at campus dynamics, an outsider might think otherwise. In other words, USU’s student activities are operated along the lines of the majority, often with uninformed decision-making.

Take the school-sponsored Mardi Gras party last month as an example. Mardi Gras, also known as “Fat Tuesday,” is the wild party before Ash Wednesday. This somber holiday marks the beginning of the 40 days of Lent, symbolic of the suffering leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

While many of the people who celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans every year are undoubtedly not celebrating for religious reasons, it is held as the precursor to Lent. Having a Mardi Gras celebration halfway into the Lenten season, which is when the USU party was held, completely disregards the idea of Mardi Gras for those who honor Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season.

The argument does not revolve around a Mardi Gras party. The real point is the lack of attention paid to other religions because they are not the majority. Many campus leaders are members of the LDS Church, a good representation for most students, and as a result don’t need to see most other religious issues.

Please, don’t get me wrong. I am not bashing the LDS Church, nor am I condemning USU or the people who organize such events. All I am suggesting is awareness. The ignorance of the majority obvious to the minority, and although most of the student body doesn’t notice, a large handful of USU students do feel isolated on their own campus. It’s not that these biases are intentional – they just come with being the majority.

Dating is a perfect example. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been shunned in the dating world I’d probably have enough for a down payment on a car. People don’t judge me on my dazzling personality alone; they have to consider my religion and if I’d make a good wife before they even think about a date. I mean, really, why do people have to think about eternity to go to dinner and a movie on a Friday night?

With all that said, I love USU and I love being an Aggie. I wouldn’t have stuck it out here for four years if I didn’t. Regardless of this, I still think student leaders and the administration need to pay attention to the “little” details that so often cut non-Mormon students out of the dynamic environment of campus.