In Josh Newton’s column, “This debate about religion is going nowhere” [Oct. 1], he asserted that “true atheists should not believe in creationism, and true Christians should not believe in evolution.” This is a false oversimplification, as Christianity only denies macro-evolution.

Furthermore, Newton writes that “as much as one may want to ‘disprove’ religion, it is impossible by definition.” While this is true-nothing we can say can totally disprove (or prove) religion, educating ourselves more deeply on why we believe what we believe is 1) a core value our University so strongly advocates, and 2) guaranteed to either answer or raise questions. It is what we do with these questions and answers that makes all the difference, and this is where prayer, and eventually, faith, take root. Afterwards, if truth is still too difficult a pill to swallow, even in the undeniable spotlight of our own erroneous thought, we might as well accept existentialist ideals.

The only way “this debate about religion is going nowhere” is by pushing it out of our radar. Yet our society is influenced in so many realms by the fear this tyrannical resolve renders, that we retreat, and by doing so, we handicap ourselves from progressive and civilized problem-solving.

We must share our moral differences if we are ever to achieve a world where spiritual truths transcend its sanctioned cynicisms.

With regards to the current discussion on religion, I would challenge Josh to practice the tolerance that he has defined as “a concept we have been taught all of our lives, yet it is often the hardest concept to act upon,” by refraining from his intolerance of the free speech of his colleagues.

– Angela Wasserman Junior, Psychology