Evangelist's message sparks discussion

Anyone who went to class Monday, or even walked across campus, probably noticed Evangelist Jim Gilles and a buzzing crowd of students gathered near the parking lot of the Indiana Memorial Union, between Woodburn Hall and Ballantine Hall. And if you didn't see them, chances are, you probably heard them.\nGilles loudly preached his interpretation of the word of God in a voice that carried quite a distance. It attracted many students who were walking to class.\nFreshman Patricia Walden had an hour between classes and decided to see what all the commotion was about.\n"He's crazy," Walden said. "And I am very offended by what he is saying. He said that most girls on the IU campus were whores and that none of them were virgins."\nGilles overtly condemned many students' behaviors. He told one girl who was smoking a cigarette that she was going to hell for it. At another point, he used the terms, "queer" and "lesbos" to refer to homosexuals on campus. Throughout the day, he was heard telling a lot of students they were going to hell.\nFreshman Laura Baldridge was upset and offended by Gilles' methods of delivering his message. When she told Gilles she was a lesbian, he responded, "So you're a lesbo," and proceeded to refuse to shake her hand because of her sexual orientation.\n"His exact words were, 'I don't shake hands with lesbians,'" Baldridge said. She said he is not showing the love he is preaching by his actions.\n"He is preaching that we shouldn't judge or stereotype, yet that's just what he's doing," she said.\nJim Gilles and Donnie Morris, his partner who has been traveling with him for four weeks, travel to different campuses to preach to the students there. \n"We just want to see people get saved," Morris said. "It's sad to see the students' behavior."\nGilles said he loved the students on campus enough to come out here and tell them about the love of Christ. He also said as soon as he accepted Christ, he became sinless. While most students were offended by his preaching, others were more tolerant.\n"Let him scream," said graduate student Renee Barlow. "If it gives him empowerment, let him scream. Every opinion counts. These are free speech areas on campus. He has a right."\nWhile some students opted to argue and make fun of Gilles, others felt the need to discuss some issues that were being brought up.\nWhile the big crowd of students milled around Gilles, a small group of three students sat by the creek discussing their different ideas. This group was composed of a Christian student, a Jewish student, and a metaphysical naturalist (otherwise known as an atheist). \n"This type of discussion is what is most important," said junior Nicole Green, a Christian. "We wouldn't be here discussing and exchanging ideas if it weren't for him." \nGreen said although Gilles is doing exactly what his religion commands him to do, it is a very inappropriate method for the atmosphere of the IU campus.\n"This is a diverse campus," Green said. "We need to create an environment to foster discussion and the mutual exchange of ideas, not anger and feelings of betrayal."\nAll three students found Gilles stimulating, but offensive at the same time.\nFreshman Shira Caplan, a Jewish student, enjoyed the discussion with students of other religious orientation. "We've found out that we actually agree on some things, and we can sit here and explain our differences to each other. But I was extremely offended by some things he had to say. Saying 'You're going to go to hell' to someone is a really offensive thing to say."\n"He has cookie-cutter arguments," said freshman Steve Jankovic, an atheist. "He refuses to acknowledge that he can be wrong."\nGilles grew up in Evansville and started preaching 20 years ago after being saved at a Van Halen concert. He describes how he was lost in a world of drugs, booze, sex, and rock and roll. He said all one needs to do to find these things is go to IU.\n"I'm here to beat you with the Bible and whip you with the word," he called to the crowd of students, many of whom snickered at what he had to say and shouted insults at him.\n"I'm saddened by how he turns the students hostile," Green said.\nMany students who were greatly offended by Gilles' preaching left with looks of hurt and frustration etched on their faces. Other students were saddened and simply listened quietly while still others argued angrily with Gilles. Whatever the reaction, Gilles certainly sparked a lot of thought-provoking discussion on campus as students made their way to class.