Christian forum spreads message of truth, tolerance at universities nationwide

A university is a place in which knowledge is spread and, hopefully, truth is discovered.

In 1992, a group of faculty and students at Harvard University founded the Veritas Forum to inquire about the truth of Jesus Christ. Veritas is the Latin word for truth.

The forum is held at universities nationwide, but was never held at Penn State until this week. Today is the final day of the forum at the University.

The forum includes Christian speakers from across the nation speaking on issues such as tolerance, diversity, success, religion and science -- all combined with truth.

Tolerance was the topic Tuesday night when Kay Cole James presented "Truth and Tolerance: Why Can't We All Get Along?"

James held positions as the assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the deputy director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and now serves as the dean of the Robertson School of Government at Regent University in Virginia.

The practice of segregation, James said, played a major role in her life as she grew up. The practice made no sense to her. She never understood why, when she first helped to integrate a school, there were policemen with their dogs and angry parents shouting "Niggers!" at her and her family, she said.

Although she still faced discrimination in her new school, James said she was always taught to look at herself not as a victim, but a survivor.

"If you're black in America, you have to live with it," she said.

Society cannot progress until attitudes change, she added.

"The people of God must make this conciliation," she said. "People need to change inside, and until we get our acts together, it's hard to preach a message of racial unity."

The turning point in James' life came when she saw the Rev. Billy Graham on television when she was 17 years old. Graham spoke of the need to surrender one's life to Jesus Christ before anyone could hope to change who they were. Soon after, James decided to "give God a year" to do something in her life.

James said she was then determined to change who she was because she knew she couldn't do anything with the world until she was changed inside.

"Until we understand what God has placed in our hearts . . . we will never be credible in the outside world," she said.

God is an essential part of achieving racial unity, she added.

"Without God, it's impossible to get along," she said.

Students attending the forum said they were pleased with what they learned there.

"I absolutely loved it," said Patrick Helm (sophomore-finance). "The recounting of her past experiences really helped me to identify with her."

The forum concludes today with three presentations. The first, "A Quest for Success" will be held at noon in Findlay Commons.

"Truth and Religion on Campus" will be presented at 4 p.m. in the HUB Fishbowl.

The final presentation of the forum will be at 8 p.m. in the Schwab Auditorium. The discussion will involve whether or not there is scientific evidence for an intelligent designer of the universe.