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...For a number of reasons, including the fact that I wear pants.
Yep, it's that time of year again. The crazy preachers have come out of the woodwork and are damning people to hell right and left. Brother Jed is the one currently here at the ASU campus. Anyhow, I discovered today that I'm irresponsible because I avoid commitment (i.e. I'm not married yet) and that I need to find myself a husband and start having babies! (No word on whether I'm permitted to work on a degree while raising kids. But I bet if I went for a doctorate, that'd be grounds for burning for eternity too.)
What's really disturbing though, is that Brother Jed thinks he's irresistible to college women. Seriously. He also made some rather explicit references to female anatomy in order to tell us all what we should be doing with said body parts (make or feed babies, depending). He also preached a lot about not protesting against the government, how the war on terror is really important and that Muslims are evil. (I swear, I'm not exaggerating. He said, "Muslims are children of the devil.") He sort of tangentially mentioned God, too. Anyhow, has anyone else seen this guy? Apparently he travels. I just had to share, because he really is entertaining. At the same time, I'd like to make this Public Service Announcement:
Most Christians think guys like Brother Jed are, well, crazy. Most of us would prefer that people like him stop preaching because he distorts the message of Christianity and gives all of us a bad name. We do not support his hatred or his focus on the wrath of God to the exclusion of all the other teachings of Christianity (things like love, forgiveness, or self-sacrifice, for instance).
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If it helps, I don't wear pants, have produced a kid or two, am not Muslim . . . and bet ol' Jed wouldn't be too thrilled with me either. Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I'm willing to bet Brother Jed wouldn't be thrilled with me, either. You know, being LDS and all, I'm usually called the devil incarnate. Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I met Brother Jed many a year ago at UCSB. I'm apparently going to hell because I was wearing shorts, and the guy I was with was both going to hell for wearing shorts and because he was gay (this because he had an earring).
I didn't check the link -- is he still touring with Sister Pat?
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I'm wondering if he thinks I serve the antichrist or the whore of Babylon. It's so hard to keep up.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Wow. Brother Jed looks nothing like the crazy campus preacher dudes I've seen in my life. You get a whole different -- and cleaner-cut -- variety of preacher dude out west.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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He was on campus here (UofAZ) a few weeks ago, or maybe last week. I'm not sure when exactly. I just know that he supposedly got annoyed and pushed a female student when she started arguing with him.
I stayed away from where he was preaching because just reading the article about him in our school paper annoyed me.
Posts: 378 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Oh, don't you wish, Teshi. I remember some of the wholesome rants I was subjected to when thousands of Baptists decended upon my small home town once a year. You think a plague of locusts is bad? You ain't seen nothin'... nothin'.
Posts: 3243 | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote: I was subjected to when thousands of Baptists decended upon my small home town once a year.
...yeah, central Toronto's university campus is such a mass of vice and sin that I think it repels nutters like people with nut allergies.
Oh! In the Summer there was some sort of religious parade thing and a man came up to a friend and I and pressed on us a little leaflet instructing us to convert. We were good and recycled it .
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
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There's a guy like that that comes to our campus about twice a year, not Brother J though. He's in good shape and very neatly dressed (though not in Sunday best). I'm definitly damned for following false prophets, he told me so. Ohh, and athiests are athiests because they hate God and want to twist a knife in Him but can't (because He's God) so they use their unbelief as their only means of causing Him pain.
To be fair though, along with the full helping of ridiculous he did say some pretty good things. Few and far between but they were there.
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Brother Jed has avoided Wisconsin ever since a United Methodist campus minister (male) kissed him. On the lips. Right in the middle of his sermon about how disgusting it is when men kiss each other.
Edit: I guess I should acknowledge that this is only what I've heard. But, having met the clergyman in question, I find it easy to believe.
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Teshi, he's afraid of being contaminated with the dreaded Toronto Curse. Don't laugh--that's how it spreads.
Uhleeuh, not sure if this is what you're referring to, but here is where Brother Jed gives his side of the UofAZ incident: damned girl pies Brother Jed
At that link, the good brother got at least one UofAz coed to admit she's a whore, supposedly:
quote: There are so many things that go on during my campus meetings of which I am not aware. Roy reported one of these to me. He heard a group of girls complaining about some of my comments concerning the morals of the coeds. When a scantily dressed girl said, “Brother Jed is right. The girls on this campus are whores; I am a whore.” Roy was shocked that she would say that, but I was encouraged that the truth is getting through to some.
A post on Brother Jed's bulletin board denouncing his book Gold in the Furnace: Africa on Trial as an apartheid apologia. Jed responds (lamely) on separate posts. http://www.brojed.org/newboard/Posts/6627F.html All links fron Brother Jed's webpage. Morbo
Posts: 327 | Registered: Oct 2003
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I totally interpreted it as a boast, and I think he knew it was, but decided to use it to his advantage.
Posts: 116 | Registered: Jul 2003
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The visiting preacher at the first college I attended at campus said one good thing, which I promptly ignored, so as not to interrupt my routine of classes, work, parties, parties, work, parties, classes, parties, parties, parties, work, class, parties . . . .
It was a discussion on "relationships" and the only part I remembered was the part that it was not two "halves" coming together to make a whole, but two "wholes" coming together to form a new "whole" . . . .
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My mistake--the pieing was different from the pushing incident:
quote: The students were subdued on Wednesday. I had finally tamed them. For seven days they had done everything they could, short of violence (except for the pie incident), to intimidate me; including the first day enclosing around me in a menacing way, when my (now) friend, Elizabeth, mistakenly accused me of pushing her, as I maneuvered out of the crowd.
And I love the way sinners are either scantily dressed or unwashed:
quote: The only real stirring was when about six unwashed students circled me with their bikes. They were having a demonstration against police brutality on campus
quotes from the previous U of Az pie link.
Posts: 6316 | Registered: Jun 2003
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The driveway to my parent's house keeps most people away. The Jehova Witnesses finally resorted to using a Jeep. That stopped after my Grandfather (ex army) kinda stopped them short when they pulled in behind him on a holiday. I don't think I should quote the conversation on that one.
I have never had this at a school in my area, nor has my sister said anything. I have had some friends who were very strong with the Bible thumping.
quote: "Muslims are children of the devil.")
All I can think of is the movie Waterboy when I read this.
Posts: 2208 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Two of my friends on campus tried to convert me the other day. It was the first time I was on that end of the table and I found it very disconcerting. They couldn't seem to understand that I knew the script that they were reading (and they were going by the script and hell and damnation wasn't going to move them from it) better than they did, and I knew the theology to back it up (which it was readily apparent they did not) and I didn't believe.
Eventually I told them that I was going to end the conversation there because I was afraid if I continued any further I would attempt to convert them away from Christianity and I didn't want to do that. So I read my book while they kept on talking to my boyfriend Mike and our friend Athurva. Who are both VERY happy with their current spiritual place. Needless to say the standard script didn't work on them (the script that most people use to witness with is sort of aimed toward people who are already searching, and doesn't help much for people who aren't, in my experience) and the guys talking to us didn't know enough of what the script was based on to make things clear. I tried to explain in terms I knew Mike would understand, but my contributions for their side were clearly not appreciated, so I subsided.
It really annoyed me on some levels though. Even though I'm no longer Christian, there are certain reasons I really wish I were. They don't outnumber the reasons I'm not, but there are parts of Christianity I find almost unbearably beautiful. The Christianity that was being preached to me sucked all those parts away, discarded them. It felt like something important to me had been defiled. How can people expect their words to bring people to Christ when by both their words and their actions they destroy every reason someone would want to come?
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002
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When it gets really interesting is when the visiting hellfire preacher becomes the subject of ridicule from the lesbians/atheists/etc, is seen to be under seige by some Christians on campus who come rally to his defense, and a near riot develops.
Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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There's a fellow like that at the Murray State campus around here, although I have never seen him myself. (I think his name is Fred, but I can't remember for sure.)
Also, a few years ago before I got sick, I encountered a pair of guys at the University Christian Student Center who were attempting to convert us to their variety of Calvinism. It turned out they were Christian Reconstructionists--followers of "Scary Gary" North. After several very unpleasant exchanges, I finally told them they worshipped the devil and would find no converts among us. They left.
Posts: 1114 | Registered: Mar 2004
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We have Christians from the Consuming Fire Fellowship (I'm not making that up) on our campus every alternate Tuesday. They are the highlight of my month.
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I can't believe Brother Jed is still doing this after so many years. I use to see him at the University of Florida 20 years ago.
He always told everyone they were whores and whoremongers. I never understood how he could believe that his style of preaching would bring anyone over to Christianity. He had so much venom in him.
Shig, did he have Disco Cindy with him?
Posts: 4625 | Registered: Jul 2002
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quote:When it gets really interesting is when the visiting hellfire preacher becomes the subject of ridicule from the lesbians/atheists/etc
In my experience, these responses usually devolve into attacks on all Christians - I've seen it more than once. Even the ones who condemn the preacher's message or tactics.
quote: To be fair though, along with the full helping of ridiculous he did say some pretty good things. Few and far between but they were there.
A stopped clock is right twice a day, as Ron used to remind me when I listened to Dr. Laura.
black wolve - I once had a former pastor of mine try to use a script on me, which was especially funny because I'd been in the same class with him while it was being taught. So he asks me the opening question - word for word- at my father's funeral. I hadn't been to his church in a great while (mostly because I had moved to Chicago).
Anyway, it made me laugh when I really needed to, so I don't bear him a grudge. It was also kind of a shock to realize that this man I had once admired was really stupid enough to use a script on me when he should have known I knew it by heart. But whatever.
Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Oh, I went to a Presbyterian college, and we had one guy sort of like this one, but not that bad. He sort of dissed Amy Grant as being 'fallen' which was my first clue that he was nuts.
Then he said that two people having premarital sex were each 100% responsible for their own actions, butthat the man was more at fault because it was the natural place for the man to lead the woman. I still haven't decided how I feel about that.
The most distracting thing was that he made the sign language sign for the F-word very, very frequently while preaching on relationships. I'm sure he didn't know what he was doing, but our sign language class found it very distracting. Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote: In my experience, these responses usually devolve into attacks on all Christians - I've seen it more than once. Even the ones who condemn the preacher's message or tactics.
I agree. It's not fair, but it's kind of understandable when the preacher is saying 'You suck because the Bible says X' for someone to reply 'Yeah, well the Bible is stupid/dumb/idiotic.', which of course sucks everyone in.
By the way, Brother Jed was at UGA 20 years a go. We used to have a wandering, how should one say, mentally challenged person living in his own reality, that had named himself Zeus who promoted his own brand of wacky Greek pantheism, complete with signs in a kind of mock Greek alphabet. He and Jed got into it one day. It was kind of funny, but mostly just sad because Zeus was egged into it by the students and he was obviously very uncomfortable.
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I don't consider attacks on the Bible to be the problem. It's more about the "All Christians are bigots" kind of thing.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Yeah, Mormo, the push incident was different than the pie incident. I hadn't even heard of the pie thing until just now.
But here's the article where I read about the student supposedly being pushed and then there was this one that talks about some of the students' reactions to him.
Posts: 378 | Registered: Aug 2004
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How exactly does one start that conversation, "Excuse me - please don't take this the wrong way, but you're going to Hell unless you see the light and repent your evil ways"?
There really isn't an easy way to step into that kind of discussion.
quote:The driveway to my parent's house keeps most people away. The Jehova Witnesses finally resorted to using a Jeep. That stopped after my Grandfather (ex army) kinda stopped them short when they pulled in behind him on a holiday. I don't think I should quote the conversation on that one.
For what it's worth, while JW's will do everything possible to hit every house at least once (unless/until they are asked by the householder not to), I wouldn't dare presume to think I - or any other JW - was anything close to Brother Jed's caliber.
The ability to know who is eternally damned is clearly a special gift given to only the few.
Posts: 7600 | Registered: Jan 2001
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I've never had JW's come to any house I lived in more than once. Sometimes I turned them politely away, others I chatted for a while, but I was always clear I wasn't interested and they always respected that. Same with Mormon missionaries, for that matter.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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However much of an ass this guy clearly is, he's devotion is at least impressive, I don't think I would have the courage to stand up in front of 150 college students, most of whom clearly despised me, and tell them they're wrong.
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Brother Jed was out there again today, but I didn't get to go see him because I had class. Some of my friends were planning to go sing "God Loves Me More Than You." I tried to convince one of my male friends to wear a dress, but alas, it did not happen. And I'm sure kissing would definitely be out of the question, though I would pay good money to see it.
So far as I know, Brother Jed isn't touring with the rest of his family, but there's some other guy with him. I didn't catch a name.
quote: Now that's just uncouth. Maybe you could get him arrested for sexual harrasment
On a college campus, probably not. After all, there's going to be a performance of the Vagina Monologues next week. He probably shouldn't have been talking about this in public with the girl scouts selling cookies about 100 yards away, though. Also, I don't think it was very respectful of his wife to say that he likes getting her pregnant in part because her breasts get bigger.
quote:Two of my friends on campus tried to convert me the other day. It was the first time I was on that end of the table and I found it very disconcerting.
Blacwolve, I felt the same way when the Sunday School class at church studied a book on how to convert people. It felt scripted and cheap. Also, the arguments you were supposed to use pretty much assume that the person you're trying to convert *already* has a Christian worldview.
quote:When it gets really interesting is when the visiting hellfire preacher becomes the subject of ridicule from the lesbians/atheists/etc, is seen to be under seige by some Christians on campus who come rally to his defense, and a near riot develops.
Which is why it's good for people to see Christians actively arguing against what he has to say.
Posts: 3546 | Registered: Jul 2002
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quote:The ability to know who is eternally damned is clearly a special gift given to only the few.
Ralphie, you are so cool.
I always am amazed at the arrogance of people who think they can tell by a glance that a certain person is doomed to hell.
What's funny is to think that if Jesus himself were to walk down the street this Jed guy would probably damn him to hell for being a "long-haired hippy type." Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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quote:What's funny is to think that if Jesus himself were to walk down the street this Jed guy would probably damn him to hell for being a "long-haired hippy type."
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