Religious Open-Air Speaker on Campus
There is no question that the predominant religion of USU students is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In fact, according to Wayne Dymock, director of the LDS Logan Institute, the local Institute is the second or third largest and the second one ever built.
But in the first few weeks of school, there was a different religious tone on the patio of the Taggart Student Center, set by the presence of Eli Brayley, the born-again Christian itinerant preacher.
For several days, Brayley generated a crowd of curious onlookers. As he preached about finding truth in the Bible, several students began to question his teaching.
Junior in French Clark Abraham was one student who challenged Brayley. Abraham said he was not offended by what Brayley was saying but he was frustrated with what he saw as contradictions in Brayley’s message.
“(The preaching) is interesting. I just don’t appreciate that they stir contention,” Abraham said.
Other students shared this opinion and said they were OK with the preaching and respected Brayley’s opinion but had a problem with the contention that was caused by how he was saying it.
Brayley said, “Contention is not unbiblical,” and he added that contention was encountered by Jesus. He said it will divide followers from nonfollowers and that it is a way to make people think.
However, Dymock said contention is not an effective tool for teaching. Concerning LDS students challenging Brayley, Dymock said some individual members are overzealous, which brings a negative connotation to what the LDS Church is trying to do.
Some students said the open-air style of preaching was intrusive and distracting.
Nikki Zimmerman, freshman in vocal performance, said she was fine with it just as long as “they don’t badger you too much. Everyone has the right (to express their opinion).”
Abraham said he prefers the way LDS missionaries teach because they “aren’t pushy and sometimes teach through referral, and they don’t bash (other religions).”
Shaina Ronolfson, freshman majoring in English, had a very different experience last week when she said missionaries from the LDS Church began harassing her. She said that on her way home from work, she passed the Institute building and some LDS missionaries approached her and began asking her questions. She said she answered them, and they followed up by asking her if they could make an appointment. She said she did not want to be converted.
Ronolfson said it was at this point that one of the missionaries started “getting pretty aggressive” and pestered her about her beliefs.
“Having someone question and push you is really unnerving,” Ronolfson said.
Ryan Avila, junior majoring in business marketing, said it was the intent of LDS missionaries versus the intent of the open-air preaching that made the difference.
“(LDS missionaries) are there to convert,” Avila said, adding that Brayley’s intent was “to try and tell people the truth” and let them come to their own decisions.
-kimberly.a.h@aggiemail.usu.edu