I don’t agree with Josh.

It’s nothing personal; I think he’s a really great guy (see That Guy: Josh), and I admire his willingness to make himself so vulnerable for something that he believes in. Still, I don’t think there’s an essay in the world that could change my mind about the absurdity of organized religion and most of the beliefs these religions hold.

Despite that, I find Josh’s assessment of our campus to be dead on. While it’s second nature for many of us to talk about the ethics of time travel or to have heated debates on the morality of local and national politicians, once the conversation turns to matters of religious faith, many of us (myself included) become decidedly uncomfortable. And then we shut up.

In a parallel situation, many of us feel that same creeping sense of discomfort—and then shut right up—when conversation turns to matters of sexual orientation. (Serious conversation, that is; we generally seem to be at ease with joking remarks and flippant stereotypes.) I can only imagine how difficult it must be to come out (see Coming Out at RIT) when the typical response is a resounding, awkward silence.

This is a problem—the silence, that is. Not the discomfort. People need to feel discomfort from time to time; it’s like Miracle-Gro for their karmic well-being. It keeps you from getting stale and closed-minded. It stimulates personal growth. Shutting up when confronted with challenging and uncomfortable situations, however, doesn’t do anyone a bit of good.

Fortunately for us, the RIT student body provides a near unending stream of awkwardness and discomfort, if you venture far enough to find it. The admissions office has done a pretty good job of gathering up a diverse group of people to populate our classes and hang out along the Quarter Mile. All you have to do is step outside of your comfort box a bit and talk to them.

So even though I don’t agree with Josh, I have a lot of respect for what he’s doing. Guerilla marketing for God? Brilliant. I’m not sure how many converts it will garner, but it’s sure to get people talking.