So I’ve mentioned my qualms with Jesus Week. I was not impressed by their slogan “Absolut Truth” and thus I took action. Besides my little t-shirt protest, I also sent an e-mail to the Multi-Faith Resource Centre, the Central Student’s Association, the CSA Human Rights office, the Human Rights and Equity office, and to all of the Christian organizations on campus. This was the e-mail I sent out:


I am a first year student at Guelph and I am writing in regards to the slogan and symbol chosen for Jesus Week this year. First let me say that I fully support celebrating faith and bringing faith into campus life. However, I find the slogan "Absolut Truth" to be offensive. I realize it is a spoof on the Vodka adds, but I feel that this proclamation of the Christian faith as “Absolute Truth” is not particularly funny. As a non-Christian student I find this to be an oppressive statement as it puts down all other belief systems. I feel that the slogan connotes that everyone should be Christian and gives no respect or acknowledgement to other faiths. Beyond the posters I am further outraged at the fact that shirts were made with this slogan as well as with “University of Guelph” printed along the sleeve. I feel that this University has a strong focus the importance of inclusion and that these shirts contradict this ideal. As a student of this University I feel misrepresented by the insinuation that at Guelph Christianity is the truth. In the future I would hope that slogans to promote events will be of a more inclusive and less oppressive nature.


So I got a response back from the Human Rights and Equity office, and I gave them copies of the posters, and photos of the shirts. Then I got a response back from the head of the Multi-Faith Resource Centre who gave me the e-mail address of the head coordinator of Jesus week. So I sent her a copy of the e-mail.

And in her reply she told me that the Human Rights and Equity office and the CSA had contacted the Jesus Week folk and told them that the shirts they made are no longer allowed to be sold on campus. And those who own them already are not allowed to wear them unless they cut the sleeves off to get rid of the University of Guelph logo. Awesome! So I’ve had me a little victory! And I likes it!

In the rest of her e-mail however she kind of missed my reasoning behind why I found “Absolut Truth” offensive. She just told me that truth was referring to the word of Christ. And then invited me out for coffee to discuss my views and Jesus’ word. Convert much? But I wrote back to clarify why I found it offensive, so we’ll see what happens.

But anyway, I’m right proud of myself. I think I’ll put on my Jew shirt and do a happy dance!