I have several classes this year at a building on campus at PennState called Willard. One of the first times that I attended a class there, I noticed a guy standing just outside the building decrying abortion. In fact, several times a week this guy is standing there and preaching on various topics. Well, apparently, he is a permanent fixture of campus life at PennState and is known as "The Willard Preacher". He simply parks himself outside the doors and preaches. Sometimes nobody listens to him and he just preaches away anyways; sometimes there are students sitting on the steps who seem to be listening; and, sometimes there are students debating him. Apparently, he is from an Episcopalian background or something and not the hellfire and brimstone type. It's interesting to say the least...
Also, this last week, a group (not associated with the Willard preacher) was stationed nearby, representatives of the "Family of God" with large signs: Obey Jesus or Perish. These were the hellfire and brimstone types, that's for sure, and appeared to be a sectarian group of some sort. Personally, I find the antics of such groups somewhat embarrassing. They always seem to elevate law over gospel. But, I did find one thing interesting... as I walked by them, a couple of students behind me started complaining about people who push their religion on others, suggesting of course that this group was doing just that. Y'know, though, I don't see this that way. Why shouldn't they be able to preach on public property? They aren't forcing anyone to adhere to their religion. They are simply declaring their beliefs and inviting people to listen to them. As long as they aren't on private property or advocate criminal behaviour, I say let them alone.
This begs the question, though... why is it that people are immediately offended by this? I would venture that people don't like to be confronted by religious messages because they are insecure in their beliefs. I think they see a sign like "Obey Jesus or Perish" and somewhere inside them they worry that it might be true. Yet, rather than seek out the Truth and test their own convictions, they prefer to remain ignorant.
The Willard Preacher
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