A seminar being held Tuesday has sparked controversy between several Ohio University student organizations.
The OU chapter of Ratio Christi, in conjunction with Cru and Christian Business Leaders, is bringing Frank Turek, speaker, author, founder and president of crossexamined.org, to OU for the second time to finish his “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist” seminar.
“I want to show people the evidence of Christianity is true,” Turek said. “This faith is all reasonable truth. We don’t want to waste our time on something that isn’t.”
Last year’s seminar had a great turnout, and this year’s expectations are even larger, said Josh Welch, president of the OU chapter of Ratio Christi and a fifth-year senior studying computer science and piano.
Turek’s visit, however, has caused some controversy between the Senate Appropriations Committee and Open Doors, OU’s LGBTIQQA union, due to his opposition to gay marriage.
SAC was unaware of Turek’s views when it decided to fund his visit during Fall Quarter, and no one objected to the funding during their open forum, said Chris Wimsatt, SAC treasurer and a senior studying political science.
“It is a bummer that this has erupted, but there is nothing that we can do about it now,” Wimsatt said. “I know that I, personally, and others in SAC, will attend his event to make sure it meets SAC standards. No one on staff is anti-gay, and the allegations are something we take seriously.”
Despite the debate, Wimsatt said he does not believe there is anything that could have been done legally to stop Turek from coming to speak.
Katie Meisky, the female co-chair of Open Doors and a junior studying Spanish, said that their goal isn’t to slander Turek or his beliefs, but to bring to light how his views could harmfully impact the campus community.
“We have no issue with religious affiliations or views, but we are mostly bringing to light this issue and how we don’t want the university to represent intolerance,” Meisky said. “We don’t intend to do a massive demonstration, but rather bring to light that we aren’t comfortable with him.”
Meisky stressed that Open Doors began communicating with SAC after several other groups also raised issue on the funding process.
Meisky said some members are planning on attending the event to see what he has to say.
Joseph McCall, a member of Ratio Christi and a graduate student studying middle school education, said that Turek wasn‘t brought in to talk about the issue of gay marriage, but that McCall understands and respects all views.
“Bringing in Turek doesn’t mean that I have to agree with everything he has to say,” McCall said. “Any group on campus has the right to protest any event, and we celebrate that freedom to exchange ideas.”
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