Bibles Replacing Beer On College Campuses

Researchers Find Many Students Entering Colleges Say They're On A Spiritual Quest

(CBS)  You don't have to look far to see why the University of Wisconsin makes the Top 10 list of party schools year after year, CBS News correspondent Kelly Cobiella reports. A trip down popular State Street says it all.

But these days, another kind of bingeing is catching on, one that is less about beer and more about the Bible.

Rae Gillen used to follow the party crowd. Now she leads prayer groups in the dorm. She made the change after breaking up with a boyfriend two years ago.

"It was just probably the most difficult time of my life that I've ever had, just really sad all the time, really depressed. And didn't really know how to fix it," Gillen says.

She found her fix in Campus Crusade for Christ, a student organization whose services resemble a kind of college party for God. Their membership at Wisconsin has tripled in the last five years.

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An interview with Tony Arnold, leader of the Campus Crusade for Christ.

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That mix of higher education and a higher power isn't unique to Madison. Campus Crusade for Christ says it has expanded to 1,200 campuses, and has seen its membership almost double during the last decade.

UCLA researchers found the vast majority of students entering college say they're on a spiritual quest. Nearly 80 percent say they believe in God, nearly 70 percent pray, and they're looking for a new way to explore faith, outside of the traditional church.

A half-dozen college ministries are spending millions to build private, religiously themed dorms close to campus like one in Madison that has an underground passage to the Presbyterian church next door.

"Students will be able to come right underneath and come up and worship in their pajamas if they want," says Pastor Mark Eldson.

What Gillen really wanted was a sense of belonging and a deeper connection.

"People who desired to really know me and not just me as the person who was crazy enough to do something that, after a few beers I was willing to do," Gillen says.

It's not that today's students are giving up the party in favor of prayer. But when the party's over, some search for more than just a ride home.

[randalds]

Quote:
God save us from religious indoctrination.

Posted by RandalDS at 10:30 PM


I was being ironic. Though I'm not surprised that irony goes over your head.

As for why comment at all, why not? Surely someone with the, ironic, screen name of missamerica wouldn't deny an American, even an atheist, the right to free speech. Or would you?

[missamerica4]

RandalDS

WOW, way cool.
This story even has atheist praying, LOL

Quote:
God save us from religious indoctrination.
Posted by RandalDS at 10:30 PM

Wonderful.
Question please.
If "I don't believe in any religion " , " I simply don't believe a God is possible," , " it is a case of religion is not logical to me." , "Man created God in his own image and likeness," , "I have no doubt at all that the idea of a god is a creation of men," , "If I could be said to have any faith at all it would be the faith to say there is no god. "
With that said why are you posting ? If you are a non-believer , who does not care what others believe why take the opportunity of a positive story on some people seeking and apparently finding God to express a negative, your non belief?

[newtothis2]

Two great articles:

Six reasons it is legitimate to conclude God exists: http://everystudent.com/features/isthere.html

and why many believe Jesus is God: http://everystudent.com/features/faith.html

Merry Christmas!

[randalds]

Since I don't believe in god I don't believe in meeting some sort of written down standard. I know when I'm doing good or bad and what makes me happy with myself, so that all I care about. If I could be said to have any faith at all it would be the faith to say there is no god.

[mialucia7]

I was once struck with the question: what does it mean to be a "good" person? How can you tell how you measure up in God's eyes (cuz he's the one who makes the final decision, right?)

Then what is God's standard? In the book of Isaiah, he says our "righteous acts are like filthy rags". In other words, our best attempts at goodness are not good enough to God--he has a higher standard that us. His standard is perfection.

So the issue is not if we're good enough to go to heaven, it's that no one's good enough since clearly no one is perfect. Isaiah 59 says a lot about this & that the penalty for sinning is separation from God, which continues throughout eternity if we don't do something about it.

My point: we are not condemned because we don't believe in God, we are condemned because we are not perfect aka sinful.

[randalds]

Well then I guess I can stop giving to charities.
Christians are the only one with morals & a kind hearts to give to others.

Posted by Baye13 at 06:40 PM : Dec 15, 2006

I heard that. Funny but every time I've given money to charity or helped someone out they never stopped to ask if I was an atheist and I never stopped to worry if they were Christian.

[baye13]

Well then I guess I can stop giving to charities.
Christians are the only one with morals & a kind hearts to give to others.

[randalds]

Doesn't seem to me that I put any words in anyone's mouth and what my statement means is that I to do not believe a God would condemn someone to hell if they were unaware of his existence. Also since, as I have stated, I don't believe in god it is by definition impossible for me to slander him or her, not that I said anything slanderous anyway.

As to if I do or do not exist to someone who has never met me, well that's a philosophy question, not a religious one. Personally I have no idea if I do exist to them and actually don't care one way or another. I don't believe god exists, not because i can't see him or her, but because the concept makes no sense to me. besides I have no doubt at all that the idea of a god is a creation of men, not the other way around. But hey, believe what you want to believe.

[random_radar]

"if there were a God the he or she would not operate that way."

Posted by RandalDS at 01:00 PM : Dec 15, 2006
---------------
Hmmm...so the fact that some people don't know about religion implies that God doesn't exist and religion is false?

Does that mean that you don't exist because some people don't know about you?

Or that radio waves don't exist because some people don't know about them?

I personally don't believe that God would condemn a person to burn in hell just because they hadn't heard of God, but I know that some people do believe that.

I don't like you putting words in my mouth and claiming things about my religious beliefs that are flat out lies. You are trying to hurt me with your calumny. If you are such a wonderful, intelligent person, why would you hurt me?

But my opinion of religion and your opinion of religion don't matter at all. The only opinion on religion that matters would be God's opinion. So I would recommend that we spend more time looking for God than slandering God. God is the last person in the universe I would risk offending.

[nadeau4201]

VAPastor... look up www.worldslastchance.com and please tell me what you think!

[randalds]

Oh and by the way I for one think you expressed yourself fine.

[mikeneigh]

The Hebrew alphabet is numerical. YHWH(Yahweh),the Israeli name of God, is the number 26. When the name of Jesus is spoken to a Microsoft voice activated calculator the number 26 appears. Check out by searching for words secret temple name. Merry Christmas to all.

[randalds]

Also I don't believe in any religion because they all tend to exclude all other ones. For instance take an example of a person living on an island. He or she is born, grows up, lives a quiet peaceful life and is an all around wonderful person with a full life, except they have never heard of God or Christ. If I were to believe Christianity then I would have to believe that this absolutely wonderful person is going to burn in hell for all eternity because they were never born again. I completely reject that concept. if there were a God the he or she would not operate that way.

[randalds]

Oh I freely admit to having crutches, I think all people do. My wife is a huge crutch for me. I depend on her for love and morale support. However I disagree with the idea that atheists don't want to believe in a God. I certainly can't speak for all atheists, but I simply don't believe a God is possible, so it's not a rejection of religion or God as much as it is a case of religion is not logical to me. I tend to look at the universe and life in general in scientific terms ala Carl Sagen, etc., rather then as mystical.

[jrlordjr]

If there is no God, but you live your life if there is one, you'll at least manage to live a good life. If there is a God, but live your life if there isn't one, you're in huge trouble!

[howardcrut-2009]

Great story. I think it accurately portrays the millennial generation's longing for something more substantial to live for.

[howardcrut-2009]

Great story. I think it accurately portrays the millennial generation's longing for something more substantial to live for.

[nettleton-2009]

My view of the "crutch situation" is psychological rather than social. All human beings would have to admit to having social "crutchs" if they have any relationships or friendships whatsoever, whether these people are religious or not. But the psychological argument would be either: 1. Theists don't want to believe in a world without a benevolent God, because it would destroy their worldview and make their life more difficult or 2. Atheists don't want to beleive in a world with a benevolent God because it would destroy their worldview and force them to confront difficult issues. So essentially, the argument could go either way, for this reason, I don't agree with either argument.

I'm not trying to start a debate just clarifying my previous post, hopefully doing so in a respectful manner.

[randalds]

Personally, no I don't believe Christianity is true in the sense that, as I said I don't believe in a god, so I can't believe in Jesus as the son of god. However I have no problem with anyone else thinking he is and I don't think less of them because of it. For instance my wife is Jewish, so I certainly don't have a problem with her not believing in Christ as the son of god. As for atheism being a crutch I don't really see how it can be since its not a belief or an alternate form of religion. I know some people who are religious say that they see it as the same as a religion, but it's not like non-believers get together once a week and talk about not believing and I don't personally even know any other atheists.

[nettleton-2009]

As a student at the University of Wisconsin, with experience with the group profiled here, I feel like posting something is worthwhile. The view of religion as a "crutch" is an interesting one. However, on the converse, one could argue atheism also can be used as a crutch, so a much more useful question is: Is it true? Whether or not its a crutch, whether or not it makes college kids better people, whether or not it does anything, if Christianity is true, its important, and that's what these groups are about, truth and helping people seek that out.