"I completely agree that there should be freedom of expression and freedom of religion on campus. However, it must be extended equally to all groups," said Scott Mauldin, an OU student who promoted the ideas of skepticism, agnosticism and atheism on campus Oct. 15. "If we don't believe in freedom of speech for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all," Mauldin said.
Mauldin, along with two others who asked to stay anonymous, spoke against the ideas of christianity.
Students should never be afraid to voice their opinions on campus, even if it is not what people are used to, Mauldin said.
Students coming and going to class saw a group of christian evangelists from Operation 513 and The Lost Cause ministries, along with Mauldin, at the South Oval on the afternoon of Oct. 15.
The event drew large crowds throughout the day as many students voiced their opinions towards the evangelists. Some were in support of the evangelists, others were not.
"Some of them have had different views," said Josh Williams, a Christian Evangelist from Australia with Operation 513.
Williams said he had been touring the United States for several months, but felt the crowd at OU was, overall, supportive of their cause.
Williams, along John Speed and Tim Crawford of TLC, take a different approach towards evangelism than the typical evangelists groups from around the world.
"We don't like to force our opinions on other people," Crawford said. " We simply want to share our message with them in hopes they will see the light if they are lost in their faith."
Many evangelists groups who have been on campus in the past have been offensive in their approach, Mauldin said.
"They seemed to be very knowledgeable and non-offensive, and were willing to answer questions in an intelligent way," Mauldin said. "I think that is a sign of maturity, respect, and, furthermore, greater knowledge of one's beliefs than simply spouting out speaking points and rehearsed rhetoric."
Sarah Allshouse, an OU student who leads her own bible study with friends, said she is often upset with the approach most evangelists take.
"It makes me sad when they yell at people and say they're going to hell because all that does is push people further away from christianity," Allshouse said,
"I think that people on campus are so used to being harrassed by people talking about religion on campus that they almost immediately feel offended," she said.
OU Press Secretary and Special Assistant to the President Jay Doyle said the university did not know TLC minstries was on campus, but do not refuse the right for anyone or any group to express themselves.
"OU is a public university and we abide by the First Amendment which allows free speech on our campus," Doyle said.
Mauldin said his group had planned to express their views against religion prior to knowing the evangelists were going to be on campus.
"My group had no idea that the evangelicals would be there. We were planning on wearing the masks and showing the signs before we even knew about the evangelicals," Mauldin said.
"It was complete luck that they were there at the same time. The signs were thus not targeted at them, but rather were simply for promoting skepticism, agnosticism, and atheism."
Many statistics show people around the nation are starting to shy away from Christianity in recent years.
The number of Americans who have "no religion" have nearly doubled in percentage from 1990, with 8.1 percent, to 15 percent in 2008, according to the American Religious Identification Survey. The population of Americans with "no religion" was two-and-a-half times more in 2008 from 1990 with 14 million Americans with "no religion" to 34 million in 2008.
Williams, who said the people of OU were supportive of them, also said he believes christianity is holding stronger through the more conservative states in the United States.
Also, a survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life shows 31 percent of people with no religious affiliation are between the ages of 21 and 30.
A random poll among 197 people on the OU campus shows a higher christian belief here than the rest of the country.
One-hundred and seventy-nine people on campus said they believe in a god. Fifteen said they weren't sure and three said they did not believe in any type of higher power.
This statistic shows the trend in the United States is lagging at OU as 9.14 percent said they have no religious status or are unsure.
However, Mauldin said he felt a public forum like OU is a good place for him to express his opinions on religion because it is a right of an american citizen to do so.
"I think that any voicing of opinion is an opportunity to voice other opinions," Mauldin said. "The promotion of atheism is no more an attack on Christianity than a promotion of Christianity is an attack on atheism."
Mauldin said he hopes with the crowds that were gathered, some of those students will keep an open-mind.
One girl who was in attendance during the speeches quietly wrote a note and handed it to the evangelists that said she was proud of them for what they were doing. The note also said she felt more people on campus needed religion.
Allshouse said during her stay at OU her faith has grown.
"I have found good places that fit me personally and have challenged me to grow," Allshouse said. "I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to be growing my faith while being on a college campus."
