In recent days, you may have seen some commotion going on on campus. A religious group, who calls themselves “Bible believers” and promotes the URL ChristianInterviews.com, has been protesting such practices as homosexuality and Islam. This is not the first time they have popped up at Drexel or in the Philly area in general. The group has been active in Philadelphia at colleges, universities and local businesses, especially over the past seven months.
Their arrival is always controversial, as representatives of the organization, who apparently belong to an undisclosed church in North Philly, call out sinners and condemn them to hell over megaphones. On Monday, students gathered around the group in opposition to these messages.
Throughout the day, the group was ushered from one location to the next. I encountered the group outside of Saxbys on 34th Street and Lancaster Avenue. Not only was there a large number of students congregated around the group, but Drexel Police were also on the scene to ensure the situation didn’t get out of hand.
Group members were holding signs that had an exhaustive list of individuals who would be condemned to hellfire if they didn’t “repent and obey Jesus.” The list explicitly mentioned: “homos,” “Muslims,” “porno freaks,” “cow worshipers,” “Jews who disobey Jesus,” “racists (KKK, BLM, Obama),” “women MMA fighters,” “female enablers,” “money lover$,” “mama’s boys,” “baby killers,” “witches,” “gamers,” “cutters,” “brats,” “emos,” “rebellious women,” “whoremongers,” “ankle biters,” “drunks,” “liars,” “sissies,” “the Pope,” “masturbators,” “devil healer$,” “party animals,” “dykes on bikes,” “little monsters,” “gangster rappers,” “rock n’ roll freaks,” “so called Christians” and “occupational whores.”
According to the Christian Interviews website, the group’s mission is to warn sinners of their fate. The group’s “Salvation Plan” reads, “We love you enough to tell you the truth; you’re in big trouble on judgement day.” The website cites the Bible, specifically 1 Corinthians 1:9-10 and Revelation 21:8, in an effort to support these claims. The passages say that such sinners as fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners, liars, murderers, and whoremongerers will not “inherit the kingdom of God” and will dwell in the “lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.”
The students standing in opposition were yelling back messages of tolerance and acceptance. Some students made signs, others played instruments and same-sex couples deliberately kissed and embraced in defiance. In response to this, the men and women on megaphones pointed out specific audience members to personally condemn them to hell, call them names and ridicule them for what they were wearing, saying or doing.
After the events, many students took to social media to share their sentiments. Feelings of discomfort left some wondering what could be done, if anything, to halt these kinds of displays. There are rumors of students reaching out to administration about showing support for students who might be affected by these messages and potentially trying to bar the group from campus. The latter initiative, though, might be a difficult feat when considering laws on private and public property.