Post by Miles Lewis on May 12, 2007 21:29:27 GMT -5
Controversial preacher met with debate from students
By: Wes Rahn, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 5/4/07 Section: News
Media Credit: Cristian Gomez/Collegian
Equipped with a Bible, a New York preacher drew a large crowd while lecturing about morals near a sex festival at the University of Massachusetts yesterday.
Near the steps of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, the preacher spoke his often fiery interpretations of scriptures to anyone who cared to listen. Nearby, students took part in "Sex on the lawn," an annual event put on by Vox: Students for Choice, which encourages safe sex.
While the preacher spoke, students took part in the sex festival about 50 feet away, handing out condoms, playing music and displaying various sex toys.
The preacher, a young man, was clean cut, dressed in a blue suit and tie with a state of Texas pin on the lapel. He was identified by his mother Victoria Lewis as Miles Lewis. Lewis, 22, is an "open air preacher and a member of the group "Open Air Outreach," which was founded in Lewis' hometown of Syracuse, N.Y. The group considers it their duty to "take the gospel where it belongs," and has traveled around the nation and visited over 60 campuses.
Open Air Outreach's demonstration at UMass was a random stop on their way to New Brunswick, and was unrelated to the sex festival.
Victoria Lewis held a sign that read "know the God of the Bible" and "trust Jesus."
"We heard that this was a big campus in this area and we thought we would stop here on our way to New Brunswick," said Victoria Lewis.
Lewis preached a hard line interpretation of the Bible making comments about God as "having infinite power, infinite wisdom and that we're all created out of his image." He responded to those who shouted claiming they were "good people," that nobody was good in the eyes of God and listed all offenses against the "laws" of God.
"Nobody is good in the eyes of God," said Lewis, "unless you follow the laws. If you've broken one point in the law then you are cursed. The law is good but it doesn't save us."
Lewis said the only way to be saved from this was to repent sins through Jesus. "I love everybody" he said, "God loves everybody, but that does not mean he accepts the actions of everyone."
When asked to explain the evidence for these things being true he said "God's not on trial here, you are. Many of you guys spend your time on playing X-Box and masturbation, but you should take an hour out of your life and read the scriptures."
Lewis's view of religion was strict and damning. Holding a Bible in his hand he said, "you don't have your whole life. You don't know when you're gonna die and stand before God. It's a blessing if you follow and obey my commands. But if you commit all kinds of fornication and fulfill the lusts of your heart, if you sew to your flesh sin, you will reap death and destruction."
"This is heresy; you're almost as eloquent as Hitler," one young woman shouted in response.
Lewis's preaching drew a lot of attention, most of it negative.
"A lot of you guys have a sewer in your heart and that's why you've got a toilet in your mouth," declared Lewis. He repeatedly responded to swearing by saying, "watch your language, there are ladies present."
Lewis's condemnation of gays and lesbians caused a disgusted response. At one point two young women embraced in a defiant kiss directly in front of him. Lewis later recited his "homosexual song," with the words, "it's not OK to be gay, it's not OK to be perverted, it's not in your DNA, so repent and be converted." A woman in the crowd shouted back, "It's in my DNA."
Although most of the crowd seemed to despise what Lewis had to say, many found it irresistible to watch the spectacle.
"I think he's a nut," said one observer, "but it's really entertaining and I don't believe anything he says."
One passer by shouted, "you're giving Christians a bad name."
The passer-by then joined the crowd which at one point swelled to more than 30 people. Many students were calling friends on their cell phones and taking pictures. One student made a pentagram out of sticks in front of Lewis, and placed dandelions on the star. Lewis was gradually stepping back from the crowd, until he was almost standing in the shrubs. People said that he was threatened.
"I'm not threatened," he said, "I'm standing here and you guys seem a little upset."
When asked how he responded to all the criticism thrown at him, Lewis said, "I welcome the challenge, I welcome criticism and I always expect an open dialogue."
Wes Rahn can be reached at wrahn@student.umass.edu.
By: Wes Rahn, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 5/4/07 Section: News
Media Credit: Cristian Gomez/Collegian
Equipped with a Bible, a New York preacher drew a large crowd while lecturing about morals near a sex festival at the University of Massachusetts yesterday.
Near the steps of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, the preacher spoke his often fiery interpretations of scriptures to anyone who cared to listen. Nearby, students took part in "Sex on the lawn," an annual event put on by Vox: Students for Choice, which encourages safe sex.
While the preacher spoke, students took part in the sex festival about 50 feet away, handing out condoms, playing music and displaying various sex toys.
The preacher, a young man, was clean cut, dressed in a blue suit and tie with a state of Texas pin on the lapel. He was identified by his mother Victoria Lewis as Miles Lewis. Lewis, 22, is an "open air preacher and a member of the group "Open Air Outreach," which was founded in Lewis' hometown of Syracuse, N.Y. The group considers it their duty to "take the gospel where it belongs," and has traveled around the nation and visited over 60 campuses.
Open Air Outreach's demonstration at UMass was a random stop on their way to New Brunswick, and was unrelated to the sex festival.
Victoria Lewis held a sign that read "know the God of the Bible" and "trust Jesus."
"We heard that this was a big campus in this area and we thought we would stop here on our way to New Brunswick," said Victoria Lewis.
Lewis preached a hard line interpretation of the Bible making comments about God as "having infinite power, infinite wisdom and that we're all created out of his image." He responded to those who shouted claiming they were "good people," that nobody was good in the eyes of God and listed all offenses against the "laws" of God.
"Nobody is good in the eyes of God," said Lewis, "unless you follow the laws. If you've broken one point in the law then you are cursed. The law is good but it doesn't save us."
Lewis said the only way to be saved from this was to repent sins through Jesus. "I love everybody" he said, "God loves everybody, but that does not mean he accepts the actions of everyone."
When asked to explain the evidence for these things being true he said "God's not on trial here, you are. Many of you guys spend your time on playing X-Box and masturbation, but you should take an hour out of your life and read the scriptures."
Lewis's view of religion was strict and damning. Holding a Bible in his hand he said, "you don't have your whole life. You don't know when you're gonna die and stand before God. It's a blessing if you follow and obey my commands. But if you commit all kinds of fornication and fulfill the lusts of your heart, if you sew to your flesh sin, you will reap death and destruction."
"This is heresy; you're almost as eloquent as Hitler," one young woman shouted in response.
Lewis's preaching drew a lot of attention, most of it negative.
"A lot of you guys have a sewer in your heart and that's why you've got a toilet in your mouth," declared Lewis. He repeatedly responded to swearing by saying, "watch your language, there are ladies present."
Lewis's condemnation of gays and lesbians caused a disgusted response. At one point two young women embraced in a defiant kiss directly in front of him. Lewis later recited his "homosexual song," with the words, "it's not OK to be gay, it's not OK to be perverted, it's not in your DNA, so repent and be converted." A woman in the crowd shouted back, "It's in my DNA."
Although most of the crowd seemed to despise what Lewis had to say, many found it irresistible to watch the spectacle.
"I think he's a nut," said one observer, "but it's really entertaining and I don't believe anything he says."
One passer by shouted, "you're giving Christians a bad name."
The passer-by then joined the crowd which at one point swelled to more than 30 people. Many students were calling friends on their cell phones and taking pictures. One student made a pentagram out of sticks in front of Lewis, and placed dandelions on the star. Lewis was gradually stepping back from the crowd, until he was almost standing in the shrubs. People said that he was threatened.
"I'm not threatened," he said, "I'm standing here and you guys seem a little upset."
When asked how he responded to all the criticism thrown at him, Lewis said, "I welcome the challenge, I welcome criticism and I always expect an open dialogue."
Wes Rahn can be reached at wrahn@student.umass.edu.