The following was written by guest reporter Tim Deatrick.
What started out as a serene, almost summer-like day on the Indiana University Southeast campus turned into a mid-afternoon conflict pitting the controversial Old Past Path Baptist Church of Campbellsburg, Indiana against approximately one hundred university students at the university clock tower, an area that according to university police is considered a free speech zone.
The demonstrators from the church, which included several women and children, engaged students in shouting matches and according to one eyewitness, Student Government Assocation Senator and graduate student Winston Wilson, a near fight that required university police to separate the student and demonstrator.
“You could see that it was escalating,” Wilson said. “The IUS police had to push the student back. I will give the police credit; they stepped in and stopped what could have become a bad situation.”
According to the recently hired IUS Police Chief, Jason Goodrich, the church group was allowed on campus due to a policy established by Indiana University that designates a free speech zone in recognition of first amendment rights.
“They don’t need a demonstration permit because of official IU policy that establishes the free speech zone,” Goodrich explained. “ If the students would just ignore them they would more than likely leave because they are trying to incite them and get them upset.”
The church group, with its conflict tactics and inflammatory signs, has a record of arrests but according to its pastor, John Lewis, the group has learned from its past mistakes and does not apologize for its tactics.
“We used to get arrested but we have learned how to not get arrested anymore,” he said. “We are here to preach the gospel and according to the Apostle Paul, the truth is confrontational.”
Some IUS students didn’t see it Lewis’s way. Sadie Scott, an IUS sophomore, said the group offended her. “These people are a horrible witness for Christ,” she said. Taylor Eversold agreed. “I'm ashamed that IUS kids who don’t believe in God have to see this.”
The campus Christian Student Fellowship neither approves of Lewis's group nor agrees with the group's tactics, according to president Rebecca Howie and campus minister Tim Elliott.
“We do not approve of what they did,” Howie said. “They are saying that God hates and that isn’t true.”
Elliott concurred. “We don’t like it when they come here,” he explained. “We have no affiliation with them whatsoever and we have to spend weeks cleaning up the mess they leave after they come here. The Christian Student fellowship students invest their time here and really care about this community, (and) this group -- if they really cared about spreading the word of God, would spend more than an hour here for a shouting match and preaching hate.”
Attempts to reach Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Ruth Garvey Nix, who was present during the demonstration, were unsuccessful, but Vice Chancellor for Administrative Affairs, Stephen Taksar, stated that the university had no comment.
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19 comments:
Is this the bunch that is anti-gay? Or are these anti-abortion? Or both? Or more? Or different and sundry?
I lose track of all the stuff the various religious groups go around yelling at people about.
All of the above, Annie.
I haven't heard this particular bunch tell female students that they're going to hell for wearing pants like some others but I never have much time to sit and listen, either.
The funniest response I've seen from students thus far involved a portable stereo playing Dueling Banjos.
As with any group, there are those on the radical fringes that do not represent the true meaning or purpose of the organization.
As a Christian, I do not condone this type of behavior. It is no different than radical Islam, radical abortion rights activists or radical homosexual, or any other radical movement. They all are divisive and never contribute to the betterment of any society.
Unlikely. IUS is "higher" education.
Dana's point is well taken.
John, someday we'll return to a feature on your own personal experience with intolerance, if you care to have it discussed.
The definition of intolerance is the unwillingness to recognize and respect differences in opinions or beliefs.
This group certainly would fall into that definition, but Christianity in general does not.
Christianity may not agree with certain life choices, but it does recognize and respect differences in opinions or beliefs.
Having disagreement is not the same as intolerance. If that were true, than we would be intolerant of smoking, ignorance, laziness, political affiliations, and a host
of other thngs.
Clever disclaimer about "life choices," always the Christian's greatest source of intolerance.
I will restate this again.
Disagreement is not the same as intolerance.
We can continue to disagree but I certainly am not intolerant of your views and I would hope to get the same courtesy.
You have the same courtesy. My comment was general and meant to be taken as such.
ceece really, you watching that kind of reality TV is not in the character that you pen on this blog.
How does anyone watch that stuff? As far as the IUS Christian rant, best way to deal with those so radical is as earlier stated, ignore it. They wish for confrontation.
DanainNewAlbany
Certainly there are biblical examples of extreme intolerance in the Bible and more so in the Old Testament.
But when you take the whole Bible and the entire Biblical message, it is one of the fruits of the spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Taking passages out of context is what causes so many of the problems.
No that you personally are responsible, HB, but all of that would be much easier to buy into if so darn many "Christian" groups didn't spend so much time exhibiting traits other than those mentioned.
I also think that fairness plays into that overall vibe somewhere and that really seems to be something with which a lot of Christians struggle.
Tim,
You certainly could be right with your comment:
somehow i feel Hindus, native americans buddhists and whatever will make it as long as their is a spirituality to them
There is no absolute proof about the way to Heaven that is without argument in any religion.
That requires faith on your belief system just as Christ being the way to Heaven for Christians.
As I have said several times; each person needs to choose what he/she believes and try to live their life accordingly. I have no intolerance to people choosing these other paths and my beliefs will continue to lead me in the direction I believe is correct.
But if you are right and just being spiritual gets you to heaven, then all these people in all these religions and beliefs will be just fine.
But if you are wrong, and there really is only one way to heaven; there may be a problem.
It would appear that being a spiritual Christian is the best choice by your rationale.
danainnewalbany,
You are correct that the bible does specifically talk about God hating certain things.
But related to your latter comments, and as stated earlier, the definition of intolerance is the unwillingness to recognize and respect differences in opinions or beliefs.
Disagreeing on whether homosexual unions should be treated the same as traditional marriage is not intolerance. It is a disagreement.
Persons on either side using violence or other radical measures would be considered intolerant.
But using the legal system that we have in place to maintain or change the current situation is what should be done. This will allow discussion and hopefully someday a democratic vote in which the majority voice will prevail.
But this is a completely different topic.
Funny how this particular subject matter brings out so many post.
Radical religions are not one of my major passtimes and I work real hard to stay away from those who think their way is the only way, just ask a certain individual I work with everyday. To be able to be with ones own belief and practice his or her specific beliefs are what make this country unique. But, when we are led to believe that Christianity is "Americian" by our elected officials, that breeds terror of the worst kind and shall be our own worst enemy and ultimate destruction as a nation. Racism is the leading hate group in this nation, but religous crazies are closing in fast.
danainnewalbany,
I agree that this group is intolerant.
But again, as stated earlier, they are a radical fringe group when compared to the mainstream.
Homosexual marriage is still a completely different topic. And at the present time in our country, they have the same rights to marry.
They can marry just as I can. They just have to marry the opposite sex, just as you or I have to for it to be recognized by our current legal system.
Not to stir the pot, but I have a hard time understanding this separation of church and state issue.
When the pilgrims fled England, one of the reasons was that the King was also head of church; you lived by the Kings way or no way! I am not a scholar on the subject, but I thought our country was born on Christian principles, but also allow for others to worship as they choose.
I guess I don’t understand all the hub-bub over separation, as long as the President of the United States can’t tell me I have to worship his way or leave the country or face jail.
What I am saying are we making more out of this than needs to be, seems like the further we get from what our fore fathers wanted for this nation, the further it appears this great nation is self destructing.
OK, now I said my piece, let me have it!
My intention is not let anyone "have it" just an attempt to briefly state my feelings.
My most basic belief as a US citizen is Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. I attempt to make my civic decisions based upon that. I attempt to make my life decisions based upon my own personal values and beliefs.
The issue of homosexual marriage. I have no personal values or beliefs that prohibit me from voting yes. From a civic view I think it falls under LLH. Yes again.
Now, if I had personal values or beliefs that homosexuality was wrong (such as many Christians do),I would HOPE my response would be:
1. I will not marry within my sex
2. I may advocate that other do not marry within their sex.
3. I may pray that others do not marry within their sex.
4. As a US citizen I will not vote against the right of others to marry within their sex under the principal of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Marriage is a civil matter. You have to get a license from the civil authority for it to count.
I am not arguing that a Christian who belives homosexuality to be wrong and immoral has to change their views. I am saying that they also need to remember that they are US citizens. Not asking anyone to condone anything but don't use the power of government to force Christian, in this case, beliefs. I would be just as adamant if the government tried to make churches perform the above marriages.
Really not trying to debate the gay marriage thing. Just trying to show my understanding of seperation of church and state. Ended up not so brief. Sorry!
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