Over 100 Penn State students crowded into the Pollock Recreation Room last night to discuss religion with eight different spiritual leaders from the area.

Even though the "Religious Rumble" lasted nearly two hours, many students still had unanswered questions and were forced to stay afterwards in order to talk with the speakers.

The speakers first described briefly the major tenants of their faiths and then answered questions posed by event organizers and students.

One major topic discussed was the moral implications of recreational sex.

Daniel Skiles, from the Silver Circle, Penn State's Pagan Society, said recreational sex is a way to represent a loving bond within existence. This doesn't necessarily mean within a marriage.

Gary Cattell, the Willard Preacher representing Orthodox Christianity, countered this idea and said sex should stay within the bounds of marriage and is about creating life as well as becoming one with your partner.

"The average Penn State student goes out and fornicates and that is really me, me, me, and not really loving the other person," he said.

Rick Grunden, from Campus Crusade for Christ, was just married two months ago and said waiting to have sex within marriage is a glorious thing.

"Believe me, it's worth the wait," he said. "It is not a punishment, it is God's gift to man."

Tuvia Abramson, executive director of Hillel, a Jewish organization, said God made sex because it is pleasurable and should be done in a responsible, consensual manner regardless if it is within the confines of marriage.

"Religious institutions use sex to control people," Abramson said. "I don't care if you are homosexual, heterosexual, lesbian, pro-sexual, anti-sexual."

Another topic discussed was why bad things happen to good people.

Nathan Grube, from the Penn State Bahá'í Faith Club, said that the faith is founded in the tenant of unity with God and among humanity.

He said it is easy for people to say they are good, but God tests one's goodness by putting that person in an imperfect situation. Grube said rewards would be granted in the eternal life.

Hamdan Yousuf, spokesman for the Muslim Student Association, said the world is made up of God and his nemesis Satan. The trials of this life are a testing phase for what happens in the afterlife, he said.

"God has a long-term plan that we cannot comprehend," he said. "All we can do is be thankful for what we do have and trust in God."

Chas Muckenthaler, resident assistant for Pollock Halls, was a co-sponsor of the event. He said they chose the speakers by sending out e-mail messages to different religious groups on campus and inviting those who responded to come represent their faith. He said he thought the event ran well, but thinks more time for interaction and questions from the audience would have been better.

Jeremiah Ergas (freshman-architectural engineering) said he came to the event because of the diverse opinions that would be present and allow him to make his own decision about the different religions.

Dan Thetford (freshman-microbiology) said he was from the same church as Cattell and wanted to see the difference between religious faiths.

"Because of the disparity with what is presented, it is going to be interesting to see how an Orthodox Christian compares with a pagan," Thetford said. "It is interesting to see what other Christian groups have done with Christianity."