Letter: McKay's conduct reflects his destructive religion

Editor,

I am amazed to see the sheer ignorance and blatant disregard for the principles upon which this country is founded exhibited by letters to the editor by Ulrike Visser and Lindsay Holloman. Both wrote in to support coach McKay against accusations levied by the ACLU suggesting he uses his position as coach to preach religion to his players.

Visser said there is a difference between religion and a personal, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus is only recognized as a supernatural being by the various factions of Christianity, so, on that simple level, this is a ridiculous statement. Furthermore, McKay should not encourage or recommend to his players that they develop a personal and life-changing relationship with Christ, even if he makes it clear that it is not religion.

Holloman said good for McKay, it is about time a Christian is willing to stand up for his faith. I am sure McKay signed a contract when he was hired that expressly forbade him from doing the things he has been accused of doing. The fact that people like Holloman support him demonstrates the very quality that makes Christianity as a whole one of, if not the most, belligerent and destructive religions in history.

Consider, for a moment, if McKay was a Buddhist. He used his coaching position to suggest to the players that they should meditate often and they should do good deeds and be good people, so their good karma would earn them a positive rebirth. The ACLU would still be after him, but now, because this kind of encouragement to do good deeds is not supported by the supposed words of Jesus, I have no doubt that many Christian groups on campus would also be calling for a reprimand.

I believe McKay should help his players to be better people and to get themselves out of bad situations. I believe this because it is right from the perspective of what is good for humanity and what is good for those players as human beings.

He does not need to do it because it is what a 1,700-year-old book says he should do. Being a humanist and supporting people because they are people is much stronger, more intelligent and more beneficial to society than doing so in the name of a supernatural power.

Nathaniel Schneider

UNM student