This is what Purdue’s campus looked like last Monday:
Crazy campus preachers are fairly typical in the fall. One, it’s still warm, which is conducive to standing around outside yelling at people. But two, they hope to prey on the confused and lonely freshman. Because, according to this group, going to college is the work of the devil:
“Satan has a job to do…and you are it! The tremendous emphasis put on education these days is demonic. Satan knows his time is running out. Resounding throughout the halls of Aristotle are the voices of demons imposing their curriculum from hell. They insist ‘Memorize and regurgitate. Better this world. Self-esteem. Defy God! Exalt Babylon!”
“Deny God! Exalt Babylon!”? Shit, they found the Biology Department’s curriculum!
But my godless alma mater, the Society of Non-Theists, has a light-hearted way of dealing with our standard street preachers: our annual Pastafarian Preaching on Talk Like a Pirate Day.
Mike has a great summary here, describing the overall positive reaction of the event. Our Pastafarian Preaching is a silly satire of all the hateful preachers who come to campus, so it really does put a smile on people’s faces. And they even made the day of this little pirate fan:
Great job, Purdue Non-Theists!
Brother Jed has been around for a VERY long time. I pied him at Indiana University ca. 1980.
the first photo isn’t working, at least for me. “The tremendous emphasis put on education these days is demonic.” dem folks shur dun’t liike de edgemcation.
I think the best on-the-fly protest I ever saw to one of those guys was a girl who made a quick “Cthulhu loathes you” sign.
I think it was Rev. Ted and Sister Sarah at UW Madison, very big on ho-mo-sex-shu-al-ity. And Simon, a purple-robed Black Southern Baptist, full of hellfire and brimstone! He was so bad he was cool.Poor, misguided kids occasionality tried to reason with them but, guess what? Didn’t get far, those guys know their scripture (even if they don’t live it).Could have used a group like your Pastafarian Pirates!
Ok, looked it up and was almost right. It was Brother Jed and Sister Cindy after all. Geez, that was 20 years ago and still going strong! http://www.skepticfiles.org/at…
Where were you people when I was in college???
I was high.
My university has next to no student life/culture so this kind of thing never happens. We don’t even get crazy Christians to give grief to… =(
Chrome doesn’t like Mike’s great summary. Are you trying to give me malware, Jen?
These guys come to UNL campus at least once a semester. We print fundie bingo cards, covered in religious buzzwords like ‘salvation’, ‘hell’, ‘homosexual’ and ‘fire’. People are encouraged to try to sway the preacher’s ranting towards their target words, and to yell ‘bingo’ very loudly when they get five words in a row.
ARRRRR!.. that be washin’ ashore my hearty’s it make’s my old heart beat in davy jone’s locker…