Mmm, that double negative.

Anyway, last week at my University, the Christian Union was running an 'Uncover Jesus' week (Yes, this is a religion journal. Please bear with me though :P).

While I am not a Christian (Agnostic, touching on Pagan), I decided to go. Okay, I admit, I initially did this for the free food - I'm a student, it's a valuable commodity among us, just like pens, legendary Pokémon and seminar questions (Trading rates TBC) - But after the first session, I kept going; my main motivation now was to find out about the religion.

However, this wasn't because I was considering conversion. On the contrary, I feel no inclination to join Christianity, even after the sessions. So why did I go?

To find out what they do and believe, and why.

A huge problem in this world is ignorance - ignorance of the facts, of others, etc.. And for a few years now, I've always been willing to find out what I can about other cultures, other religions, to gain an insight into those areas. Why? Because ignorance breeds fear and dislike.

So what did I learn?

I learnt about what many of them believe, regarding how the Bible should be followed, how the world was created and evolved, how they think lives should be lead, what constitutes a good life, and what they think about Homosexuality (Fun fact on the last one: I didn't find a single view against it, which surprised me).

And then we have the flipside - lately, my friend Karaway has started up a YouTube Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/Karaway93) with his own views against religion. His videos are short (3-6 minutes) talks about what religion has done, and responses to various videos and common points of view in religion in general (Though, for now, mainly Christianity). Karaway has been a great friend of mine for a long while now, and I always enjoy debating with him and going over points of views.

Of course, this was just one week, and one YouTube channel. I have barely scratched the surface, to use a cliché, on the vast experience of humankind regarding this nature. But I've already learned an important thing - many views against one group or another tends to misrepresent them, sometimes demonise them. By going into both sides and actually talking these things over has taught me that sometimes, things aren't what you expect. Not everyone with a Bible wants to implant their own philosophies and ways of life into you, and not everyone who disbelieves wants the world eradicated of all forms of religion.

We should never stop questioning, and that's on both sides of any debate, not just regarding religion. So therefore, I urge you:

> Go to talks by religious and non-religious groups.

> Watch a few Youtube videos, both by my friend and otherwise.

> Do the research for yourselves.

Ignorance, especially willful, can never hope to build a stronger society both for today and for the future.

We should never stop questioning.