If you’ve been on campus, you have probably noticed chalk writing lining the sidewalks.

These displays range from pictures of Pokémon and Batman to advertisements for student clubs or messages asking the student body to buy shirts or frozen yogurt.

These messages range from being useful and creative to unnecessary but harmless.

Some of these messages, however, can potentially be a large bother to students.

For the past few weeks, someone has written Bible verses all around campus, primarily around the amphitheater area between the University Center and forum building.

Most of the verses include excerpts from the Beatitudes and the Books of Matthew, John and Luke – most speaking about God’s forgiveness and love.

When I first came across these messages, I thought little of it.

Being Catholic, my thoughts were something like, “Oh, those are Bible verses. OK then.”

As weeks have gone on, with the rain washing away the writing and it being rewritten the next day, I began to find them more obnoxious the more they were rewritten (and this is from someone who comes from a family who proudly owns 15 Bibles).

As a Catholic, I think it is fine to have religion in your life, but when it starts to annoy or bother others, you need to ease up.

It would be one thing if organizations such as Religious Life and the Newman Catholic Community were writing these while advertising the organizations, since that would fall within the university’s policies for chalking (Student Rights and Responsibilities section 2.e states, “Chalking may be utilized by registered student organizations and University departments”).

But these Bible verses seem to be there for the sake of writing verses from the Bible on campus.

Here lies my issue with this: USI is supposed to be a non-religious campus, where religion should only be displayed within areas of religious contexts, such as places of worship and gathering and classes discussing the ideas and beliefs of theology.

When you go outside of these parameters, you are intruding on students’ rights to freedom of religion by enforcing Christian beliefs on those who don’t observe Christianity.

In many situations, chalking like this could be easily ignored. But since it is being written on the sides of the amphitheater (Note: in a way that isn’t easily washed away from the rain, violating campus policy which states that chalking may only occur in “areas that are exposed to the weather and can be easily washed away by rain. No chalking on the side of buildings or walls/ramps.”), it is not so easily ignorable.

The party doing the chalking needs to take responsibility.

If it is an organization, write your organization’s name alongside the verses.

If it is an individual, you should cease the chalking.

For the devout Christians who take offense to this and think that I am blowing this out of proportion and believe that the Bible deserves to be proudly displayed, take this into consideration: it could make many feel uncomfortable and make people who don’t fit into a set group to not feel welcome at the university.

A great deal of college revolves around inclusivity, and when we heighten certain groups above others, we lose some of what makes being a student enjoyable.