Christian advocate sparks rally with name calling
Morgan Gray, junior recreation and communication major, reacts to Ron’s condemnation of homosexuality. Photo credit: Ryan Corrall
An advocate of the Christian faith caused waves on campus Wednesday as he sermonized in the free speech area.
His words sparked an emotionally-charged crowd to gather carrying hand made signs in protest of his message. Signs read “He doesn’t even go here,” “all you need is love,” and “we’re here, we’re queer, get over it.”
Eventually, individuals in the crowd began standing apart and calling for the gathering to disperse.
“Hey guys! Lets celebrate love and lets not celebrate hate. All he wants is attention. Take away his attention,” said Ifechinyre Agbodike, senior inter-varsity Christian fellowship club member. “He gives christianity a bad name.”
“I find it kind of sad. As much as this man believes in his religion, he’s going to go home believing that he did a good job,” said Jason Melborn, sophomore guitar performance major.
Eric Couderc McGuire can be reached at [email protected] or @ericcoudercmcg on Twitter.
Ronald // Apr 15, 2016 at 11:38 am
It’s amazing (but understandable) that the students would react this way – they love their sin and do not love the Lord Jesus Christ or understand what He came to do – to save sinners from the penalty and power of sin in their lives. The preacher never even brought up the subject of homosexuality – it was the students. He simply preached the gospel of Jesus Christ, and actually said that he himself was filthy without Christ, no good and deserving of nothing but hell, and that this is the case with all mankind. He didn’t say that Jesus didn’t get angry, but that He had had a righteous anger toward the religious hypocrites and when He turned over the tables of the money changers. And the preacher was actually quite biblical when he stated that the saints in heaven would rejoice over God’s judgment in sending those to hell who didn’t love Christ. That’s in the book of Revelation, chapter 18 I believe. And the preacher was also quite biblical in stating that everyone’s knee would bow and tongue would confess and worship Christ on the Day of Judgment – that everyone will recognize Jesus as Lord and God – to their salvation or damnation. That’s in the bible in Philippians 2 – that if people don’t repent and believe in this life, it will be too late on Judgment Day. He never called people pigs, and actually said that all of us are Christ-haters (by what we say, think and do – and he included himself) until we come to saving faith in Jesus – because Jesus changes everything. As far as the Catholics go, the preacher was also quite biblical in stating that there is no path but hell for Roman Catholics, because it is a system of works and man-made traditions, through the Roman Catholic Church and the sacraments – whereas the only true salvation in the universe is through the cross – repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. The students should be ashamed of their behavior, because they did to to the preacher exactly what Jesus talked about in Matthew 5:11-12…reveling him, persecuting him, and uttering all kinds of evil against him falsely on the account of Jesus (even right here on the comment board). And yet the preacher said they could be forgiven of that, too, all sins, including homosexuality. And that when the sinner falls in love with Jesus, he/she leaves a life of sin – and abandons everything they think, say or do that doesn’t line up with Christ and what He taught. And that Jesus promises to graciously bring us into new and eternal life if we repent and believe in Him. All that preacher did was love the students that day, but their pride and love of sin has blinded them. They were full of hate and intolerance. I doubt that they would take the preacher’s words (even though he read directly from the bible ) – but they can always read it for themselves, and go directly to the Lord Jesus Himself. So sad…these students had such a precious Opportunity before themy that day at Chico State – but chose sin, death, darkness and satan instead.
Jasmin // Apr 15, 2016 at 3:44 pm
The preacher? So… you? Can you take responsibility for your actions or are you trying to make it appear that someone else supports the idea that the students took the first step towards a hateful exchange?
Bri // Apr 15, 2016 at 7:13 am
I wish you guys would have posted a different video. The students were getting pretty emotional and heated after he said things like he would rather gays die and that even Catholics are going to hell–and then turning around and saying he was doing this because he loves ‘us.’ For the most part, students were coming together peacefully– we chanted “don’t bring hate to Chico State,” and at one point sang Macklemore to the extremist. These are the videos that should have been shared.
James // Apr 14, 2016 at 11:43 am
It is the free speech area. He was exercising free speech. I watched him for a pretty long time, he never initiated any of this. His speech was certainly charged and had emotion behind it (as anyone evangelizing should), but from what I saw it was students who confronted him. I never even heard him bring up the topic of gay marriage. (I could be wrong but that was my experience) Students were the ones who began to question him about his views and the church’s views on homosexuality. Even before a large crowd gathered individuals would go up to him and argue. He never tried to start a riot, argument, or any sort of upheaval. This is his religion. He has a choice to believe what he wants to. He has a right to try and spread the word of god just as anyone else has their right to preach love and peace. The interactions that were initiated by him were tame. The interactions initiated by students were the opposite. Constructive, informed, and cordial debate is what our society, campus, and all other realms of life should strive for, and use it to encourage people to challenge beliefs and not take things at face value. However, attacking someone and swearing at them is neither of those things.
Rose // Apr 14, 2016 at 1:28 pm
I was there when the topic of homosexuality came up. He asked the crowd “Do you know what love is?” and a woman in the crowd responded “Love is what I feel for my girlfriend” (a legitimate response to the question, seeing as if she had said “boyfriend” instead, he wouldn’t have had any kind of negative reaction). After confirming that she was a lesbian, he started hurling horrible names at her and others in the crowd who came to support her (highlights included “filth,” “evil,” “pigs,” “Christ-hater,” and the phrase “I’ll rejoice when you’re in hell”). He also announced that all Catholics would burn in hell. Even before homosexuality came up, he refused to engage students who had honest questions, in favor of shouting at bystanders that God would force their knee down on the day of judgment. He mocked a student for being nervous to talk in front of a crowd and said that she shouldn’t be angry at what he was saying because “Jesus didn’t get angry” (literally anyone who knows the Bible knows that that’s not true). If none of that counts as “tame”, I think you ought to take a good look at your definition of “tame.”
Rose // Apr 14, 2016 at 1:29 pm
If *all of that counts as “tame”
Oliver // Apr 15, 2016 at 6:58 am
+1
Susan Dalyee // Apr 15, 2016 at 1:40 pm
Thank you for speaking the truth instead of trying to blast this man for his beliefs. Why can’t he have his right to believe what he wants to like all the gay people can? . Why do they INSIST that everyone has to agree with them and if you don’t, YOU are the bad guy! Doesn’t make sense
Alyssa // Apr 14, 2016 at 11:20 am
This isn’t freedom of speech this is hate. I wish campus security could have taken him out of here.
Jason // Apr 14, 2016 at 4:52 pm
hate speech, however hateful it is, is free speech. you can’t compromise our principles no matter how offensive it is.
Rick // Apr 13, 2016 at 11:22 pm
This person should not be on campus, he disrespected my gay roommate (I’m straight myself) and told him that his feeling would send him to hell. This guy should be banned from campus.