Martin challenges students to think critically
Carolina Linares
Issue date: 10/28/08 Section: News
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About four hundred FCCJ students, faculty and community members attended the event, held at the Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts.
Martin described himself as a devout Christian. He made sure to clarify with the audience that he was "neither a Republican, a Democrat, conservative, nor liberal, but a man with a brain."
Martin said that when it comes to religion and politics people need to begin thinking critically.
With an energetic tone and affable attitude, Martin presented the issue of how faith and religion intercept with politics.
He said many people of faith are interested in more political issues than abortion or homosexuality.
"There's more to care about such as the war in Iraq, the environment, education, and so forth," Martin said.
He encouraged listeners to ask themselves: "What is really my moral view?" and "How will my decisions impact our future generations?"
Martin said that when a person runs for office he or she has to swear on a Bible to uphold and protect the Constitution and not his or her religious views, and sometimes his or her theological view is going to be in direct opposition with his or her constitutional view.
"Political figures shouldn't use their political office to oppress people of other faiths," said Martin. "They are sworn to defend the Constitution. That covers every one of all faiths."
He emphasized the importance of choosing a candidate in the upcoming election based on the issues that the person cares about the most, and what candidate has a solution or a plan to resolve these issues.
"We wanted to bring somebody that had a different perspective and that could share different ideas of what's going on," said Robert Greene, chairman for the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning. Greene is a member of the committee which organized the event.
The presentation was followed by a question and answer section directed by Steve Piscitelli, a Downtown Campus professor of History, in which students from North and Downtown Campus stepped to the stage and asked the speaker about his opinion concerning constitutional matters as well as the role of faith and religious beliefs in politics.
"I though it was very thought provoking," said Piscitelli. "What he did is what professors try to do in the classroom - make the students think critically."