Opinion Topics:

Religion or Terrorism
Choose one of the writing prompts below and write 6-8 thoughtful and thorough sentences in support of your opinion.

1. Although most states have issued “shelter-in-place” directives and have forbidden social gatherings of any kind,
some church congregations are still holding services with dozens of people in attendance. Some states have
arrested pastors for endangering public health and violating the social distancing rules. These pastors have
argued that their church members have the right to practice their religion and are exempt from these health
guidelines. Do you agree with the pastors? Choose ONE side of the argument and support your opinion with at
least two solid reasons for that opinion.

2. Shortly after the pandemic began, some individuals began using the virus as a means to frighten people. A recent
disturbing trend on social media involved teenagers filming themselves in grocery stores deliberately coughing on
food in the produce department; some adults were caught purposely coughing on food as well. Another form of
this behavior saw people approaching individuals and coughing directly on those individuals. (One bus driver
actually died after a passenger intentionally coughed on him.) Law enforcement officers have arrested some of
the guilty parties, and those people have been charged with making terrorist threats through their actions. Do
you agree or disagree with this classification? Do you think that what they have done qualifies as terrorism?
Choose ONE side of the argument and support your opinion with at least two solid reasons for that opinion.

Be sure to write in complete sentences, and remember to use proper grammar and formal language. Use capital letters
and punctuation!