Traveling preachers Jeremiah Baldwin and Jed Smock seem to have caused quite a stir around campus the last couple of days. While I applaud efforts of good men and women everywhere who try to help make others’ lives better, through humanitarian efforts or sharing religion (I am myself Christian and would happily share my views with anyone who asks), what these two men are doing on campus is wrong. One of the Ten Commandments says, “Thou shall not bear false witness.”
When these two men speak falsely in the name of God, they bear false witness. God loves each of us, whether we call Him God, Allah, Buddha or any other name. I have studied several religions in my life. I’ve read the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Koran and the Book of Mormon. I have found nothing in these scriptures (or texts, not to offend anyone who doesn’t believe any of these to be scripture) that condemns followers of any particular religion to hell. The Koran states a respect for all “people of the book” and one of the Articles of Faith in the Book of Mormon states that all people have the “privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of (their) own conscience.”
These two preachers may be within their rights according to the law, but if they’re going to come uninvited to our campus or any other college campus around the country and proclaim false doctrine, my suggestion for students who disagree with their words is simply to walk away. As long as they get a response, they’ll continue to preach. These men thrive on causing a stir. Look at the title of Mr. Smock’s book: “Who Will Rise Up? A Call to Confrontational Evangelism.” He wants people to yell at him. One look at Mr. Smock’s Web site (you can Google it very easily) reveals ample opportunity to give him money for his cause. If I may quote Bono from U2, “The God I believe in isn’t short of cash, Mister!”
Last time I checked, nobody owned the patent on God. At the same time, Mr. Smock would seemingly promote prostitution; according to an Emerald article, Smock said that “he would respect Duck women more if they charged men money for sex.” (“Traveling preachers stir campus,” ODE, May 31). Christ didn’t give Mary Magdalene money; he told her to stop being a prostitute.
My apologies for the long-winded nature of this commentary. But I felt impressed to make my voice heard to someone. In short, my advice to students is to just walk away. Don’t give these men any reason to stay here, and maybe they won’t come back. For those who would follow them, more power to you, but I would exhort you to come to Christ on your own terms, not anyone else’s.
Nathan Walters is a University student
Traveling evangelists’ sermons amount to bearing false witness
Daily Emerald
May 31, 2006
0
More to Discover