Aidan Vanhoof

Aidan Vanhoof, Staff Writer

October 22, 2025

“People aren’t persuaded by fear and discomfort; they lash out against it.” (Alexander Cruz / Graphics Editor)

I don’t think many of us like hecklers. It doesn’t matter who —  be it a salesman, a political organization, or a preacher. Having a person shout at me to manipulate me in their own favor is a genuinely dreadful experience. 

So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that I’ve grown to dislike the preachers. It’s nothing personal. I’ve spoken to them, and they seem like lovely people. But their message, supposedly the good news, is nothing except an attempt to scare what they call sinners, i.e., college students deviating from a set mold, into submission. 

Daily, I see LGBTQ+ kids rushing past them. Sometimes, someone gets daring and steals something or kicks a sign over. One even ripped a sign in half a few weeks ago. While I certainly don’t advocate for vandalism or violence, I get it. Truly. 

Watching as two men rave about the end times, the cleansing of sinners, and eternity, isn’t in itself a miserable experience. But when you’re the one cleansed during the end times and given an eternity of suffering because you like the same sex, identify a certain way, or hold alternate beliefs, it becomes miserable. 

Not too long ago, I wrote an article about them and a few other preachers. In speaking to students, the reviews weren’t positive. Non-Christian students mentioned preachers calling them out, shouting at them to remove religious garb and repent. LGBTQ+ students consistently despise them and their presence. Students outside both communities regularly found them disruptive and annoying. Even some Christians had real issues with them and their aggressive approach. 

Obviously, this attitude isn’t universal. But it’s a problem for many students, not only me. These preachers are here five days a week, all semester long. They’re inescapable. 

It might be reasonable just to ignore them. Walk by, maybe even run by, and tune them out. However, that’s easier said than done, especially when each word spoken is directed at you. 

Words are potent. We can’t act like they mean nothing, like they can be ignored. But words are just symbols. So, all you have to do to change a word’s meaning is change what it represents. 

In this case, sinners, as a term, carries weight, even if the aforementioned sinner isn’t religious. It signifies the sinner as a member of an out-group; someone to be attacked. In this way, it’s not just a religious term, it’s a scarlet letter marking rejection. 

So when preachers condemn an oppressed and vulnerable group, they’re doing more than insulting them. They’re actively alienating students from the environment they’re in. 

As a result, power walking by or avoiding the area may not be enough. Imagine having a random man harass you, attack your lifestyle, and literally declare you a cosmic failure, then print it all on a sign in big bold letters. Obviously, that’s not easy to ignore. 

Of course, two preachers bothering students doesn’t justify violating the First Amendment. It’s not like they can be removed. Rowan University is a public institution, so they’re preaching on public property. They have a right, just as we have a right not to listen. 

But even if they’re allowed to be here, it’s obnoxious and exhausting. I’m tired of spotting those signs and the ensuing urge to pick a different route to class.

It doesn’t help that it’s a bad approach. People aren’t persuaded by fear and discomfort; they lash out against it. Salesmen flatter and swoon for that reason. LGBTQ+ students aren’t drawn to this God because they’re told he’ll send them to be tortured; Muslims rarely turn to Christianity because they’re harassed by two random men on a street corner. 

Regardless, they’re a problem. I appreciate their right to express themselves and spread their spiritual beliefs to anyone who will listen. But, given the clear backlash and the preexistence of campus Christian organizations, it should be clear to them that they’re unnecessary and unpopular. 

If the administration can’t do anything, students need to. Cruelty and vandalism won’t get us anywhere, but confronting them may. Protesting, respectful arguments, calling them out, complaining to the administration, etc., aren’t unhelpful. Even if zeal ensures they don’t budge, anything that protests their presence or tells them they’re unwelcome is a step in the right direction. 

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