If you didn’t mark a religious affiliation on your application to MU, chances are likely that you received an email from Betty Amatangelo, assistant director of Campus Ministry and Interfaith program coordinator, last month asking if you would be interested in joining fellow students for an “open mic” student forum to discuss various opinions on religion and religious affiliation.

Due to the amount of interest Campus Ministry received in response to the email, they have decided to host the forum and have named it “Religious? To Be or not to Be.”

All students are encouraged to attend the event which is being held on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 5:30-7 p.m. in the Student Union.

Although this is an “open mic” of sorts, students do not have to speak in order to attend, but rather are welcome to listen to what their peers have to say on the topic of religion in hopes of being exposed to new insight on the vehemently debated subject.

According to Amatangelo, the forum will “give students the opportunity to participate in dialogue” and will appeal to all those who find diversity intriguing.

Religion is an issue that we have grown to shy away from discussing because of some unwritten law that it is taboo, similar to talking about sex or politics at a dinner party.

The objective here is not to point any fingers or shame anyone based on their affiliation or lack thereof, but rather the forum aims to elicit understanding and thought-provoking discussion amongst the student body.

“Hopefully, students will walk away with a sense of unity rooted in intelligent dialogue rather than division rooted in ignorance,” Amatangelo said.