Open letter to the Preacher at my school

[ArenaBoy]

Preacher Dude, I admire your persistence. It takes a lot of guts to stand out in the middle of a Michigan winter and speak. It really does. But that's not why I'm writing this. I'm writing this more or less because you're getting on everybody's nerves. Myself included. You stand in the busiest part of the campus and talk and unfortunately we have to hear you. You ever listen to Carlin? He has one thing to say and it's KEEP THY BELIEFS TO THY SELF! Do you see me preaching the benefits of running to a crowd at McDonald's? No. I respect your beliefs but please stop. Just stop. It's getting on our nerves and I'm sure the professors are starting to get annoyed too.

PS: If you keep saying we're going to hell, don't worry. My buddy says he has a down payment on a condo there, I'm looking at a lake house myself.

[AFPheonix]

From his point of view, he's trying to do you a favor. He honestly thinks you guys haven't heard The Good News of Jesus yet, and that's why you aren't all going to church and whatnot.

It really hasn't occurred to him that you have heard it, considered it, and went merrily along your way.

[crazeyal]

Sorry.. but it's his JOB to understand other people's opinions and beliefs. If he is in DENIAL so far that he thinks that standing in the middle of a BUSY INTERSECTION and spouting religous babble ISN'T RUDE... then he deserves the hate thrown his way.

I have little sympathy for brainwashed idiots.

I have less sympathy for arrogant elitists who "know better" than you.

Religion is a CHOICE.
It's a personal view of the world.
You may share your version of it, but you have to take no for an answer. There is no moderation to this fact. If you force your POV on someone.. you are a NAZI.
or simply no better.

[Boozy]

If you force your POV on someone.. you are a NAZI.
or simply no better.

Piece of advice: Please stop referring to everything you find distasteful as Nazism. At best, no one will take you seriously when you do so. At worst, you can deeply offend people. Comparing the "evils" of street preaching to the institutionalized slaughter of 6 million innocents does not serve to aggrandize the former; you are only making light of the latter.

[Rapscallion]

Sorry.. but it's his JOB to understand other people's opinions and beliefs.

By your version of his job, sure. There are many preachers who don't care what you believe as long as you end up believing what they tell you afterwards.

Back when I was in retail, I was approached by a religious proselityser. She refused to acknowledge that there were any other religious texts around - she'd never read any of them.

Mind you, she also told me that dinosaurs didn't exist and that they must have meant small lizards, which is what she'd seen in Jersey, and that a plane would crash into a large building in Jersey in the year 2000 (this was in 1996 or so) to show god's displeasure with man'sgreed. She'd been told this by a passage in the bible.

Rapscallion

[ArenaBoy]

We just ignore him anyway. I don't have a problem with anyone's beliefs but there are better ways to get your ideas across, standing on a stool in the middle of the day during the winter while people are trying to get to class or inside because they're cold is not one of the better ones. There's a reason why I tend to bring my headphones to school.

[AFPheonix]

Oh I don't know about that. He got you thinking about it enough that you made a thread. If that's not good viral advertising, I don't know what is.

[ArenaBoy]

Well, I haven't been bringing in my headphones as of late but yeah it's gotten to me somewhat. Like I said, I don't have a problem with one's beliefs but trying to force it like he is or like the customers we get that do the same in the manner of tracts breaks the Carlin rule of "Keep Thy Beliefs to Thyself!" The only thing I can make out is Jesus and the like as I tune him out when I walk by anyway.

[myswtghst]

ArenaBoy - I'm now trying to remember if you ended up at my alma mater, as we had a rather infamous (at least around campus) preacher (known as the Wells Hall Preacher, or similar) who was constantly wandering the busy areas of campus, often with signs, to let us all know that we were going to hades. It was almost entertaining, but mostly annoying when he'd try to stop me on my way to class.

[ArenaBoy]

ArenaBoy - I'm now trying to remember if you ended up at my alma mater.

Don't go to MSU, I'm a UM boy but I don't go there either. I was in East Lansing visiting friends last weekend though.

Either way, this guy just stands on a stool and shouts (And manages on windy days). But my friend told me about this preacher who does the same thing except that it's just because they're college students. Only at universities.

[myswtghst]

Don't go to MSU, I'm a UM boy but I don't go there either. I was in East Lansing visiting friends last weekend though.

Gotcha. I do think it happens on lots of college campuses. Plenty of sinners for them to target, no?

[DexX]

Here in Melbourne, Australia we have a couple who like to set up shop on corners in the central business district. Some of them have microphones and little amps, like spruikers. The latter type piss me off - I don't need to be deafened by some godzombie when I'm trying to enjoy my lunch break.

[Zyanya]

What idiots like that don't realize is they drive more people away then they bring in.

[LadyMage]

one: Why in the middle of winter of all times? You would think he would do it in the summer when people stay outside longer normally.

two: What is his problem, doesn't he know most college kids will argue with him if they have the balls (I would, I am that insane) or just think 'idiot' and be on there way? Personally I think the priest might be more likely to go to hell, since I think his 'good book' says not to try and force people to think the way he does.

Just ignore him, or if bored get a polite, friendly debate going, don't insult him or anything, just have a talk with him, then tell us all about it.