Hell is coming

I had heard a lot about the crazy religious zealots that come and preach on the IU campus. But until Monday, I had never actually seen any such demonstration. \nBy the clock between Woodburn and Ballantine there was a group consisting of a few men and women and about 15 rather brainwashed-looking children. \nThey basically slammed, well, everything. I guess we could call it a general you-are-all-going-to-burn-in-hell-type rally. \nThe group was carrying signs that read, "Come to Jesus or Burn in Hell" and "There is no laughter in Hell." \nMany of these signs were carried by small children no older than 4 or 5. What could they possibly know about heaven and hell? \nThe group ran the general gamut, starting with "Allah is not God, Buddha is not God." Really? And how do they know? Do they meet with God for coffee every Sunday afternoon? \nThen they proceeded to discuss abortion, talking about harlots and whores. Several signs displayed pictures of aborted fetuses. The most offensive and moronic sign, however, was one with pictures of dead Holocaust victims, above a picture of an aborted fetus. The sign read "Hitler's Holocaust -- America's Holocaust." \nYeah, that makes sense. There's a conspiracy of women who are going to abort 6 million babies for a twisted political agenda in an attempt to take over the world. Yup.\nThen some of my classmates were told they dressed like harlots. A harlot is, essentially, a whore. Now, I haven't perused many red light districts, but I'm pretty sure whores don't wear gray sweatpants, sneakers and Indiana Hoosiers T-shirts. \nWhen one student began to laugh, an old man came up to him and started shaking a Bible in his face. That's it. No words. Only shaking. Convert via osmosis, damn you! \nThe demonstrators also blamed the recent wave of natural disasters, such as last month's earthquake in South Asia, on the wrath of God. Last time I checked, earthquakes have something to do with tectonic plates. Maybe my teachers are wrong? Geologists are going to hell! \nThe last thing I heard before I headed to class was how they were going to go "preach" outside the "sodomite" business where two young men recently stole and burned the gay pride flag ("the filthy sodomite flag," according to them).\nOn Wednesday, a different group of people were preaching at the same spot. This time they called churches, priets, pastors and any Christians affiliated with those to be the anti-Christ. They promoted a Jesus-only policy. \nFirst they said God hates college, then they asked me what my religious affiliation was. And I was conclusively told I was going to hell. \nThis is America. They have a right to free speech, so let them say what they will. But whatever happened to "Judge not lest ye be judged?" \nBottom line is, yes, everyone has his or her own respective faiths and beliefs. But I'm sorry, you don't chill with God at the food court; you don't know what's in store for everyone. \nRespect, and be respected. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'll face "the wrath of God." \nIn that case, see you in hell.