Alex Palmieri – News Writer
Cross Country Evangelism made an appearance at Southern on Wednesday, Oct. 5 to proclaim their faith of Christianity. Several people stood in front of the Buley Library to discuss Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Mike Stockwell, full time evangelists sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with people, was one of the people that came to the university. Stockwell said the police showed up and talked to them about the degree of volume the Cross Country Evangelism presented, while preaching the word of God. Stockwell said he was just trying to get his point across.
“Sometimes, the message that we preach,” said Stockwell, “gets cloaked in volume, when in reality they just don’t like the message that we’re preaching.”
Stockwell said people were complaining about the message to them directly. Though this was the case, Stockwell said the police said their message and volume were just too loud. He added people across the university did not like what they were doing.
“We had people complain to us ‘you’re forcing your beliefs on people,’” said Stockwell. “I say ‘is that what you believe?’ Then I say ‘well, you’re forcing your beliefs on to me now.’”
Stockwell was handing out cards that said Judgement Day was coming. He said they had a message to send to everyone. Because he said he has free speech, Stockwell said he had every right to stand there and do what he did. He did not agree with people telling him that the Cross Country Evangelism making an appearance was in the wrong.
“So if one person has a rule over many people because they don’t like something, and then it gets shut down,” said Stockwell. “That’s not freedom of speech; that’s regulated speech.”
To get his message across, Stockwell said he was even willing to be arrested as long as people can here the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
“To what degree are we willing to stand for this? Are we willing to get arrested? We hope it doesn’t come to that,” said Stockwell. “I have in the past.”
Robert Parker was another person to make an appearance at the university. Parker, like Stockwell, said he wanted to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He said sins can be forgiven through what Jesus Christ did on the cross. Since Parker said Jesus took the raft of God for everybody’s sins, everyone can be forgiven.
“It’s good news man,” said Parker. “No matter what you’ve done your whole life, your sin can be forgiven.”
Parker said one lady came up to him, saying they were a disruption to people across the university. Parker begged to differ.
“No, we’re not disturbing people,” said Parker. “This is a public campus; this is our First Amendment right, freedom of speech. Police said we were too loud, it’s a First Amendment issue.”
Parker said there is a lot of bias towards the religion. He said if he were to talk about football loudly, he would get a crowd of people around him chanting. If he was talking about the Southern football team, Parker said nobody would be complaining about anything.
“Nobody would be complaining about how loud it is or the sound level,” said Parker. “They’d probably be jumping up and down celebrating. But we’re talking about Jesus and it offends people.”
Photo Credit: Alex Palmieri – News Writer
