La Voz

Issue date: 6/19/06 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Image courtesy of www.chick.com Saltworks Christian Fellowship often hands out comic books published by Chick Publications to students passing by their information table in the Campus Center. The above image is from a Chick comic book tract entitled, "Flight 144."

Monday, June 19, 2006


Note from editor: Saltworks Christian Fellowship requested that their guest perspective be published unedited. However, corrections were made for punctuations and AP journalism style.


Saltworks Christian Fellowship agrees that change is needed. In the positive sense, change is a sign of growth.

It is a response that comes from an understanding that the status quo isn't good enough. Areas of concern need to be addressed. Action must be taken to make things better. However, for change to be profitable it must be founded on truth.

Recently the editorial staff at La Voz felt led to charge Saltworks with some very serious accusations.

They claim that we believe in a Jesus who "can't wait to send you to hell" and that if he was a student here we would try to save his soul. Not only is that not true, it is a gross perversion of what we hold dear - a savior who said he had not come to judge the world but to save it, who loves us all enough to die for us.

The bulk of the article is spent trying to identify what we believe with some of the extreme teachings of Jack Chick which we have repeatedly condemned.

We have shared many different types of materials at our booktable from many different authors. The information we are being associated with was admittedly pulled from a website by the editorial board and not from any literature we have passed out or support.

It is regrettable that later in his ministry Chick definitely came to some wrong conclusions. However, to say that we should be shunned because we have used a few of his earlier tracts that do line up with the Bible is like saying that De Anza should be boycotted because they support some of the theories taught by a man like Charles Darwin who also expressed some racist views.

In a college atmosphere, the need for discernment is understood, as we often must distinguish the quality of the message from the fallibilities of the messenger. So then, why was there this need to construct a straw man that could easily be torn apart? Why not challenge us on what we truly believe? What motivated the inflammatory tone of this editorial?

We attempted to speak with the La Voz Staff on the subject, but they said they were unable to comment. Why didn't they contact us for an interview? We would have loved to explain what we believe and address any concerns they may have had. Again, no comment.

We wish they would have sat in on one of our meetings as La Voz reporter Sherry Sanguinet did last year. Her La Voz online exclusive is the result of taking the time to seek out and find the truth.

It's ironic for La Voz to say that they support "the moderate religious clubs at De Anza who want to practice and promote their faith while still showing respect and tolerance for those they disagree with."

La Voz has shown a lack of respect for Saltworks by harshly labeling us with a message we don't agree with and don't promote. They have also shown a lack of tolerance by not being willing to dialogue with us about our true message. What is far worse, they have encouraged their readers to be intolerant as well.

Saltworks agrees that change is needed. There needs to be an understanding that the status quo isn't good enough.

Areas of concern need to be addressed. Action must be taken to make things better. We hope the La Voz editorial staff sees this as well.

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