Issue date: 9/12/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Bridget Jones A question posed by Dave Simmons, a Jehovah's Witness, at his kiosk today [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Bridget Jones The Jehovah's Witnesses visit campus about once a week. [Click to enlarge]

What does God mean to you? At Sacramento State, the concept of God is discussed widely on the University Union's path. Various religious representatives wait for prospective students seeking advice and answers to questions about religion itself or just the vast concept of the Almighty.

Dave Simmons, a Jehovah's Witness, was on the Union path Wednesday providing information about his religion and the concept of God. I spoke with him as he packed up his kiosk. I wanted his opinion on why college students should be aware of different religious options.

"Because then they'll have a broader knowledge of what's out there and then they can basically judge…on what they've heard…to make a decision," he said.

But what do students really think about religious representatives on campus? Are they beneficial to a student who may be searching for something in his or her life? Bryan Gray, a junior mechanical engineering major, said yes.

"There are people that aren't sure what they believe, and it gives them ideas of what others think and they might find themselves in what someone says, or what someone else is going through," Gray said.

However, Julia Wood, junior international relations major, said religious representatives should be somewhat limited in how they approach people.

"It's one of those things you have to find on your own. It's not something that should be recruited. It should be there in case somebody wants it…" Wood said.

Let's face it - we're not in high school anymore and we may sometimes encounter new situations that we're not used to experiencing on a college campus.

"I think religion's gonna appear on campus regardless of whether sponsors (do) or what not…Religion's just sort of something that happens," said Mark Wilkie, junior mechanical engineering major.

Does that mean running into religious groups on campus may be a negative experience? Maybe for some, but there are definite positives as well.

"It adds to peoples' tolerance," said freshman journalism major Alexis Witherspoon.

What do you think? Are religious options and advice positive factors on campus, or are they annoyances you'd rather avoid?

Bridget Jones can be reached at bjones@statehornet.com

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