hat Clemson sits in the middle of a geographic area nicknamed "The Bible Belt" known for its strong religious beliefs. In the Pop music industry, which is popular with young adults, religious groups are beginning to gain popularity. Greg Graffin, the co-founder of one of punk-rocks most venerable bands, believes " when youre 18, some kids want more then just bland pop culture , they want something with a little more substance." (3) And that substance can be pop music with religion tied into it. Violence among young adults is also becoming a greater problem. More is being done to combat violence by introducing religion. Jan Arnow is a mother from Louisville, Kentucky who conducts seminars for parents to reduce violence with religion. Her goal is pretty simple, "To teach children how to grow up in a world of hate without hating" (5). To put emphasize her point, Ms. Arnow makes pins out of spent bullet casings that contain peace prayers from eleven different religions My other topic, religion and sex, is also a broad topic that I will only briefly cover. In Blanco, Texas on January 14, 1999, two monks have been charged with indecency with a child. The monks are from The Christ of the Hills Monastery founded 30 years ago. It is known for its weeping icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which attracts thousands of visitors every year. Luis Vera, a lawyer representing the monks, said his clients are innocent and that he is outraged by the charges (11). Vera also states that the local authorities have not told him exactly what the accusations are or who made them. It just shows you that misconduct is everywhere, even in an Orthodox Church. Another twist in todays world is that landlords can now refuse unmarried couples leases. A Federal Appeals Court has ruled that landlords with strong religious convictions can refuse to rent to unmarried couples (8). The ruling was upheld in a 2-1 decision by the 9th U.S. circuit Court of Appeals in Alaska. On J...
