Gay marriage, abortion, evolution — these are topics that spark controversy and polarize opinions across the nation. This year, the Roots Christian Club is seeking to bring those topics to their club meetings through a new hot topic series, where speakers will come to discuss controversial topics and Christian values. Junior Tiffany Yu, core team member and officer of the club, states that the series addresses the Christian perspective on controversial issues and helps members discover their stance on them.
“We wanted to open up the club to non-Christians as well,” Yu said, “since we noticed that the majority of people who come to Christian club are Christians who go to church regularly.”
Every Monday lunch, Roots Christian Club has meetings in history teacher Margaret Platt’s room, C104, to have discussions about Christian faith in their everyday lives. The officers hope the hot topic series will bring insight into these controversial topics for both Christians and non-Christians alike.
“It’s good for us to think about these controversial topics so we can understand more about what to do in those situations,” Yu said. “I think it’s really important to understand the other point of view as well as your own.”
Co-president senior Michelle Hsieh hopes the hot topic series will provide insight and answers to peers who are curious about the Christian perspectives of these issues. She invited her church’s pastor, Yuji Ogura from Home of Christ 5, to be the speaker on gay marriage on Oct. 18. He spoke of what the bible suggests about the topic, its history and changing perspectives in society as well as his personal perspectives on the issue. Ogura answered students’ questions regarding gay marriage, and believes that students should really think about their perspective and take a stand in what they believe in.
Ogura uses a metaphor of drinking alcohol to show students where he believes the sin lies in homosexuality.
“You may always want to drink alcohol because you were an alcoholic,” Ogura said, “but it’s a sin to dive into drinking again, and losing self control. That is the sin, not the fact that you’re tempted to drink alcohol. Everybody has certain temptations to certain somethings that are not good, that they may not have chosen, but I would definitely say that I know a lot of people that have a temptation to homosexuality that is stronger than others.”
The HOC 5 Pastor shared his perspective that there may be different factors causing some to be homosexual, but in the end, they still need support.
“And for whatever reason that [homosexuality] came about, whether it was the way they were upraised, whether it was genetics, honestly, does it matter? […] The fact that matters is, when you talk to them, that’s what they’re struggling with, that’s what they’re dealing with,” Ogura said.
Senior Evan Zhang, a non-Christian, listened to the gay marriage discussion lead by Ogura. Though he may have a different viewpoint on homosexuality, he thinks that the hot topic series gives an opportunity for him to learn about different perspectives.
“I’m not going to speak against what he [Ogura] said because that’s his opinion,” said Zhang, “but I’m going to take what he said and I’m going to reevaluate my own [opinion].”
The series intends to give people a chance to inquire about and reach a better understanding of these topics surrounding Christianity.
“I think the hot topics series is a good idea,” Zhang said. “I’m not Christian, but because they have the series I can listen on what other people have to say about the subject.”
Exposure, investigation and understanding are what Roots Christian Club is trying to achieve through this new series.
“We don’t want people to come and feel that we are trying to force anything on them,” Yu said.“We are just trying to present the different sides so people can make the decision for themselves. ”
