Those lucky students who participated in the mass migration Spring Break rituals most likely found that the beach resorts and towns that hosted them were fully prepared to tolerate and even encourage the mass mayhem and chaos in exchange for lively profits. Nevertheless, there are still many who view the Spring Break phenomenon as a vile societal flaw, and are taking radical methods to stamp out what they view as lascivious immoral college life. These people are known, ridiculed, and feared as the “Crazy Christian,” and the Fire and Brimstone preacher, whose impressive vocal chords are only outdone by their aggressive religious message: “You are going to hell, if ye do not repent!” University Police Captain Michael Coleman explained that because of the First Amendment, these preachers are within their legal rights to appear on Grounds, so there is nothing that the University can do to keep them out. However, their open hostility, anger, and disrespect to students mark them as intruders in our academic community. As such they should be obligated to follow certain rules of decorum, such as using acceptable language and volume in their sermons.
While it is healthy to challenge one’s personal belief system, these preachers eschew honest, open self reflection in favor of a strongly judgmental and antagonistic approach. The preachers know their crowd, and they revel in attacking controversial subjects that they know will quickly enrage and engage people. While the favored message of these preachers is, “You are going to hell, you heathens!,” other topics discussed — well, shouted — include homosexuality, lust, sin, pre-marital sex, drinking, dressing promiscuously, and cursing. The preachers do not hesitate to call girls “whores,” which seems to cross the line from preaching to sexual harassment. Christians often espouse the acronym, “W.W.J.D.?” for, “What Would Jesus Do?” Yet a recent scene could not have been more drastically opposed from my idea of Jesus preaching the gospel. Battle cries erupted, with the self-proclaimed, hot-blooded preacher screaming, “Whore! Whore!” Expletives then followed from the booing crowd.
Students’ reactions are mostly divided into two groups: the infuriated and the amused. “You have to come check out the crazy preacher!” a girl told her friend as they walked down the Lawn. Mark Goldberg, a first-year in the College, said that he thought the preacher was “interesting and fun to watch. He knows how to keep an audience.” These preachers are most often transformed into objects of ridicule and mockery. Even the very space that many of these preachers use, the Amphitheater, is traditionally a place for performers and entertainers. Yet by clustering around the preacher, the audience is enabling the foul mouthed and hostile entertainer. Alexander Gurney, a third-year visiting from Georgia Tech, said in response to an open air pastor on March 16th, “It’s an embarrassment to religion. He’s ostracizing himself, in spite of his claimed purpose, because everyone is against him.” Indeed, the pastor’s particular religious views seem to separate him from even the most zealous Christians. According to the pastor, drinking on St. Patrick’s Day, masturbation, wearing mini skirts, and wasting time watching movies or TV are all sins. When someone asked, “What about the film, The Passion of Christ?” the pastor responded, “What of it? I am a good Christian, a pilgrim in fact. I pray, go to church, and read the Bible. That is all.” The preacher maintained his ‘holier than thou’ act from morning until sunset, and never ceased his condemnations.
To perhaps make the preacher’s unpreventable spring visits more productive and bearable, I would like to suggest a few ground rules. Name-calling such as “whores,” “godless fornicaters,” or “demon worshippers” should be permitted only in the context that the preacher is not singling students out with his offensive remarks. Girls, homosexuals, smokers and other students are often verbally attacked through this method. In addition, there should also be some noise regulation rules. Since the Amphitheater is near Bryan, Minor and Maury, the preachers indefatigable vocal chords can sometimes be heard through thin windows and walls.
The amphitheater is intended to be a place for students: a restful sanctuary where one can study, take a break between classes and catch up with friends. It is then quite distracting and perturbing when in the place of friendly student chatter an otherwise beautiful University day is pierced with the incessant calls of, “You’re going to burn in hell for that, you unrepentant whore!” While these preachers are protected by the right to free speech, when their obnoxious calls invade our classrooms and Grounds, it might be time to relocate the fanatical Bible thumper if they can’t adhere to some basic Miss Manners’ rules of politeness.
Kendra Kirk’s column appears Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at k.kirk@cavalierdaily.com.
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