I didn't appreciate the comment about Intervarsity Christian Fellowship in your calendar last week. I realize it probably went along with the article about Jesus hecklers, but you don't know if those kids were from IV or represented its general interests. If one of your reporters wrote an article about being mugged by a group of students who happened to be black and then you wrote something derogatory about the BSA meeting, you guys would definitely get into shit over it. I am a Christian who happens to be against heckling of any kind, but that's irrelevant. Just recognize that there's a double standard in the way that you bash people. There are good Christians out there. The reason you don't see them is that they aren't pretentious and showy with their beliefs. I recognize that you make your name with cynicism and satire, but realize that going overboard with it can really turn people off.

Morgan Guyton

Be relieved: this letter is not about greeks. It's about Jews. Well, one Jew in particular. I'm writing in response to Ben Chadwick's polemic against proselytization in the April 9 issue of The Declaration. Mr. Chadwick's point was that Christian proselytization of Jews is disrespectful to the cultural and spiritual integrity of Jews at the university. And because disrespect is damn intolerable at Mr. Jefferson's university, this issue ought to be sorted out.

The fundamental issue here is the legitimacy of proselytization. Chadwick feels that active missionary efforts on the part of certain Christians at U.Va. is unfair and "goddamned disrespectful." To his credit, Chadwick does not assert the superiority of Judaism. But he does claim that at least Jews leave others of differing religious faiths alone. In his own words, Jews have "the dignity not to proselytize." Chadwick seems not to understand that a fundamental aspect of Judaism is Jewish ethnic and national identity. Being Jewish encompasses religion, culture, ethnicity, and peoplehood. Jews have never proselytized because such an action would require an ethnic conversion on the part of proselytes, which is quite difficult and often painful (circumcision). An analogous situation in Christianity is the Armenian Apostolic Church. Proselytizing to non-Armenians is rarely done, as one of the unwritten requirements for members is that they be ethnically Armenian. Similarly, Jews, who consider themselves God's people, do not look outward for members.

Chadwick regards proselytization as a "patronizing and subversive insult." Many of us who have encountered the angry Christian apocalyptic mountain-men would agree. But I see a deeper motivation. Call me an optimist, but I think proselytization is done out of compassion. "Felix and Nimrod" felt profound spiritual peace, happiness, and joy. Out of compassion (agape, karuna, whatever) they sought to share the source of their peace with Ben Chadwick. I would argue that, for the most part, the sign-wielding prophets of the amphitheater have the same motivation (albeit less subtly applied). They care about people enough that they are willing to share with them what they consider to be the secret to happiness, now and forever. When people like Felix and Nimrod approach me, I try to appreciate their motivation. Whether or not I believe what they say, I try to understand that they care enough to share with me their message. It is important to empathize, to see where a person is coming from and why they are doing what they are doing. This works both ways, of course. The missionary needs to be sensitive, empathetic, and respectful to the proselyte.

Other than the missionary stuff, Chadwick thinks Christianity is fine. Yet one cannot overlook the fact that from its beginnings, Christianity has always been a missionary religion. John the Baptist, Jesus, Paul, and Peter all were proselytizers. This is because Christians want to help expose as many people as possible to God's saving grace. A Christianity without proselytization is simply not Christianity. What about other religious traditions? For most Buddhists, the highest spiritual accomplishment is embarking on the bodhisattva path. The bodhisattva vows to alleviate the suffering of all sentient beings, ultimately by teaching all beings the sacred Buddhist Dharma. Buddhists may be more patient and subtle in their missionary activity because the idea of rebirth gives people infinite opportunities to receive the teachings of the Buddha. Similarly, Islam has a long and proud tradition of missionary activity. Proselytization is not something unique to Christianity. Yet in all cases, compassion is the motivation. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said that it is important to encourage people to explore their own faiths. Yet by encouraging Christians to plumb the depths of their religious convictions, we paradoxically but necessarily encourage them to expand their missionary efforts.

Perhaps the greatest legacy of Judaism is the idea of universalism: all of humanity, regardless of race or ideological persuasion, exist under the same Reality (God). Since antiquity, Jewish religion has taught us that all of humankind are from the same "family," under the same God, accountable to and responsible for each other. Nevertheless, there seems to be a human inclination, more prevalent now than ever, to alienate ourselves, to leave each other alone and pretend that we don't have a stake in one another. I would argue that "leaving people alone" is a mealy-mouthed rationalization for selfishness. Selfishness is the root of objectification, elitism, and cruelty. Using compassion as a tool, people of all ideologies can relate to each other and enjoy the peaceful realization that we are all ultimately connected. Compassion is guided by wisdom, allowing us to see the positive in all situations and all actions. If the proselytizers and proselytes of the world would openly receive each other and recognize the inherent, universal utility of compassion, then the specifics of the missionary message cease to be important, and all can reap the benefit of a conscious unity of humanity.

Eric Jarandeh