|
|
The Wells Hall Preachers and the Counter-Demonstration by Joe Terry
MSU student Vince Washington has a beef to settle with God. Let me rephrase that, Vince Washington doesn’t so much have a beef to settle with God as the evangelists who “represent" God in the commons outside Wells Hall. Washington, a business administration freshman, performed a counter-demonstration to the Soulwinners Ministries on Tuesday, Feb. 21. The conflict began on Valentine’s Day when Washington received a card with a condom attached and gave it to Brian, one of the evangelists. “I thought it would be funny,” said Washington. Reportedly, Brian approached Washington in a car later in the day and began bombarding Washington with scripture as he followed him down the street. "I wasn’t going to take that.” That day Washington, with fellow floor mate Jonathan Stamm, began to plan his retaliation. Using wood left over from personal projects, Washington, also an art minor, created his own sign. The sign was meant to cause a stir. Basically a sketchpad on a wooden post, the sign boasts many offensive comments, some which could be considered blasphemous. (Watch the video to see what Washington produced and how it went over.) “These demonstrations aren’t meant to be blasphemous,” said Washington of his work. “They are meant to exploit (the evangelists). What they are saying is not in the Bible. They shouldn’t be judging others.” “It has to be done. I’ve seen people talk to them. Talking doesn’t work. You have to fight fire with fire,” said Washington The Soulwinners, whose founders began evangelizing, or recruiting Christians, in 1991, have traveled the country preaching to college campuses, prisons and other public events. Founder Michael Venyah told me they were at the Super Bowl earlier this year. Venyah, who also preaches with his wife Tamika and a close friend, has been at MSU all semester. return to SpartanEdge.com home page |
|
