Pepper Sprayed While Evangelizing

[David Hunter]

Greetings, friends! Just wanted to share an experience my friend, Ricky, had while out and about evangelizing at Cleveland State University the other day.

He was talking with a young guy, and they were talking about abortion, crowd was gathering, and there was one gal who took out her pepper spray and sprayed Ricky in the face. He wasn't interacting with her or anything, she just didn't like what he had to say.

The police quickly caught her but he decided not to press any charges (I have mixed feelings about this).

Here's a picture and the video... Thoughts?

Let's continue to pray for safety (as this can happen to any one of us), for all the lost souls or that this gal will turn to Jesus before it's too late.

 

[caffeinated hermit]

Be careful out there. People are getting more and more reactionary, violent, and entitled when faced with opinions they don't like. It might not be a bad idea to have some kind of police presence nearby when you share the Gospel or even ideas on campus. Just to encourage things to stay civil.

 

[Delvianna]

Evil is becoming more apparent with people just not holding back. I think he should have pressed charges because its behavior like that, that escalates. When you think you can get away with it, it only gives more incentive to keep doing it. She wasn't involved in the conversation, she did it purely as an attack because she didn't like what was said. That's assault and charges should have been pressed. People being held accountable for their actions needs to happen more or there will come a time when too many people become like her, and it makes it impossible to stay safe having these kinds of conversations with others.

 

[bèlla]

Are you a student at the university? Was your presence approved or did you walk on?

~bella

 

[timewerx]

Let's continue to pray for safety (as this can happen to any one of us), for all the lost souls or that this gal will turn to Jesus before it's too late.

Don't waste your time on people who resist. There are more "fertile grounds". This is the sad truth about Christian evangelicals, often wasting time on a few highly resistant people when at the same time, they could have won 20 more.

Remember about

Matthew 10:14
If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.

Jesus did the same thing in His ministry. Don't repeat the errors of other people.

I hope you remind your friend of that verse too.

 

[Matt5]

Black Students CHASE OUT White Conservative Speaker at HBCU - YouTube

If you go to a university campus in order to evangelize, then you could be at serious risk of violent attack. You need to pay for security. Plus, you need to get permission in writing from the university.

 

[bèlla]

Street evangelism can be a mixed bag and some groups are overly aggressive. They‘re banned in our area due to harassment and we have a christian school in the neighborhood. We have a similar policy regarding musicians and the like. It preserves the area’s integrity and keeps residents safe. Having an opinion doesn’t give you the right to be disruptive.

~bella

 

[mourningdove~]

Let's continue to pray for safety (as this can happen to any one of us), for all the lost souls or that this gal will turn to Jesus before it's too late.

P.S. It sounds like it's getting pretty 'rough' out there.
Stay safe in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

 

[David Hunter]

Thanks, y'all!

Are you a student at the university? Was your presence approved or did you walk on?

~bella

No he is not. The is a public university and you do not need permission.

Don't waste your time on people who resist. There are more "fertile grounds". This is the sad truth about Christian evangelicals, often wasting time on a few highly resistant people when at the same time, they could have won 20 more.

Remember about

Matthew 10:14
If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.

Jesus did the same thing in His ministry. Don't repeat the errors of other people.

I hope you remind your friend of that verse too.

There were a bunch of other people listening. You never know if the seed was planted or watered.

 

[timewerx]

There were a bunch of other people listening. You never know if the seed was planted or watered.

If a seed is planted, it would be enough for them to follow through their new-found interest. We have internet now that makes things a lot easier.

The Lord's ministry is always on the move. They don't get stuck in one place until everyone has believed. They're always on the move. They're not hoping to get attacked. Jesus would leave if the crowd is becoming hostile towards Him

If the Lord's method may seem cold and efficient, but that's how they did it as written in the Bible.

If the Father did not required Jesus to die on the cross, there's no reason for Jesus to be captured and executed. He could have evaded them easily and left Jerusalem entirely (Matthew 10:14)

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

...

Here's a picture and the video... Thoughts?

...

My thoughts are, I have rules ...

Some of these rules are ...

a) I always try to hear both sides of the story before forming a judgement. Until then, I try not to jump to conclusions.
b) I try to identify when someone is "manufacturing and feeding" me a story. When this happens - I consider that the source is basically selling outrage entertainment.

My assumptions about this are, someone selects a place where they can get a reaction for being controversial. They then project a horrible image onto those people. Those people sometimes act like monkeys and throw their poop at the offender.
The offender then feigns deep hurt, shock and heartfelt sorrow at the poor lost fools who are flinging their poop at the offender.

Both sides are satisfied.

The offender gets their reaction and a shallow pat on the back for being a righteous "martyr" and the poop flingers get their rage satisfied.

My thoughts are, it's a silly game. Antagonism vs Indifference. It seems the antagonists are winning.

Im thinking a lot about projection lately.

A group projects their idea of god to the world.

I hope to show people god as best i can.

When you go to a church, they will show you their picture of god and say "this is god".
It's our choice to accept their image or not.
When I see a preacher on a corner, or an offender out there offending - Im always asking myself what their image of god is.
What is he like and is that image right? Am I accepting that image or not?? What do they mean when they say "love your neighbour" ???

 

[bèlla]

My assumptions about this are, someone selects a place where they can be controversial and get a reaction.

My thoughts were along these lines and wholly with the students. As I read your post I thought about another scenario and the perspective may be controversial for some. The students are there to learn and paid to do so and should be able to live in peace. Whether you admit it or not you’re disturbing them and I don’t think its right.

You can’t go to Google and do the same. They’ll make you leave and rightfully so. They’re there for other purposes and your presence interrupts that. Now that we have the internet I think it’s necessary to reconsider our approach.

~bella

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Greetings, friends! Just wanted to share an experience my friend, Ricky, had while out and about evangelizing at Cleveland State University the other day.

He was talking with a young guy, and they were talking about abortion, crowd was gathering, and there was one gal who took out her pepper spray and sprayed Ricky in the face. He wasn't interacting with her or anything, she just didn't like what he had to say.

The police quickly caught her but he decided not to press any charges (I have mixed feelings about this).

Here's a picture and the video... Thoughts?

Let's continue to pray for safety (as this can happen to any one of us), for all the lost souls or that this gal will turn to Jesus before it's too late.

View attachment 370625

If you aren't already, you might want to get up to speed on how some forms of Neo-Marxist ideology are being inculcated among the student populations in many college social science classrooms. Not all students these days are merely what they used to be----passive, money paying consumers of information in the name of education for the purpose of obtaining a degree. Some are in college and find themselves identifying with certain leftist college groups, becoming a part of what they think is a major movement for political change against an abusive bourgeoisie class of "others." These individuals will not be wandering around with a "red badge of courage" to identify who they are. Some students, too, enter college, already a part of various Leftist groups.

My point is this: When you're on campus, speaking to young people, you're no longer talking to predominantly peaceful, open minded students who are simply 'lost' and in need of Christ. No, a portion of them are now entrenched within a leftist political ideology that is virulent and predisposed to opposing the Gospel and to what it perceives is "the problem." When you combine this fact with the additional fact that a certain percentage of those same leftist students also struggle with mental health issues, you're facing a cocktail of volatile human perceptions that a confident and apologetic presentation of the Gospel message isn't going to reach through and awaken, no matter how friendly and rational you seemingly express it.

As other posters above have stated, you need to be taking well thought out safety precautions, much more than you once did.

Peace in Christ.

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

My thoughts were along these lines and wholly with the students. As I read your post I thought about another scenario and the perspective may be controversial for some. The students are there to learn and paid to do so and should be able to live in peace. Whether you admit it or not you’re disturbing them and I don’t think its right.

You can’t go to Google and do the same. They’ll make you leave and rightfully so. They’re there for other purposes and your presence interrupts that. Now that we have the internet I think it’s necessary to reconsider our approach.

~bella

I think it's just a bit of a game to be honest.

 

[mourningdove~]

The police quickly caught her but he decided not to press any charges (I have mixed feelings about this).

Here's a picture and the video... Thoughts?

My thoughts?

- I have mixed feelings, too, about not pressing charges.
It is the issue of the pepper spray; she used it as a weapon.
Too violent a reaction as to be acceptable, imo.
But ... I also understand why your friend chose not to press charges.

- I hope Ricky keeps preaching it!
It is not the time to go silent, keep what we know to ourselves.
Jesus is coming soon!

Go forth, and preach the Word ...
and may God continue to bless and protect!

 

[mourningdove~]

My point is this: When you're on campus, speaking to young people, you're no longer talking to predominantly peaceful, open minded students who are simply 'lost' and in need of Christ. No, a portion of them are now entrenched within a leftist political ideology that is virulent and predisposed to opposing the Gospel and to what it perceives is "the problem." When you combine this fact with the additional fact that a certain percentage of those same leftist students also struggle with mental health issues, you're facing a cocktail of volatile human perceptions that a confident and apologetic presentation of the Gospel message isn't going to reach through and awaken, no matter how friendly and rational you seemingly express it.

As other posters above have stated, you need to be taking well thought out safety precautions, much more than you once did.

These men are brave ... courageous ... to be going into these hostile areas to preach the Word.
So many of us do not have the courage ... the faith ... the passion ... to do what they are doing.
It is a 'calling' for sure ... to be willing to potentially lay down one's life for another.

One surely must be compelled by love ... love for Jesus, love for the lost ... to go out there and take such risks nowadays.
But the Apostles took many risks. And God was with them.
More safety precautions today when possible? Yes.
And God will be with these brave men, too.