Over the past few days, a Christian Ministry group known as Campus Ministry USA has been coming to LSU in Free Speech Alley to preach their religious beliefs to anyone who will listen. This has been drawing a large crowd, sparking interest from students who disagree with the group’s confrontational approach. 

The group, which has been preaching at college campuses since 1984, uses strong language informing students that they are going to hell for their sins. Some students consider it hate speech.

“They say they’re out here to preach but it’s just a show,” political science senior Jenna Gibbs said. “It’s just a stage act to get views on YouTube and get a rise out of people.”

Gibbs also said that the group has been visiting the University since her freshman year and has been escorted off campus before. 

Psychology senior Sierra Roberson believes their purpose is not to debate, but to disagree with students.

“People will come out here and say logical things against them and then it’ll turn into actual fighting back and forth,” Roberson said.

For many passersby, the whole event seemed to be an unintelligible screaming match filled with vulgar terms. 

Some fellow Christians also thought this ministry group’s message wasn’t the proper representation of their religion.

“They keep hating on everyone here, and I don’t think they came here to spread the word but to tell us how they are more holy than we are,” pre-nursing freshman and self-professed Christian Meredith Davis said.

Davis said that her beliefs reflect God’s love and forgiveness rather than judgement. 

The group themselves said they want to save those who are continuing to live in sin. Founder and President of Campus USA Jed Smock spoke most of the day at the center of the controversy.
“We want to preach the death and resurrection of Christ,” Smock said. “Sin is evil and they [students] can be forgiven, but if they don’t ask for God’s forgiveness they are going to hell.”
Smock said the group would be on campus all week.