Monday and Tuesday afternoon, Campus Ministry USA, led by Jed Smock, spoke to a gathering of students in Simpson’s Plaza, eliciting multiple student responses.
“We are here to teach and preach the Bible,” Smock said. “We are here to show the love of God.”
UW students protested Smock’s message, wearing signs with slogans like “caution: random acts of homosexuality,” and holding Ouija Boards. Students throughout the day spoke back to the Smock, voicing disagreement with his message.
“This is hate speech because it’s been very little about religion,” Jordan Hemingway, a senior psychology major said. “There’s not even a purpose.”
Brother Jed has spoken on college campuses for over 40 years. His team will travel to the University of Kansas and Kansas State on Oct. 28-29, according to Smock’s website, brojed.org.
The speaker prompted crowds of students, the majority dissenting with Smock’s statements.
“This has shown solidarity in the community,” Isabella Buongiorno, a junior agricultural economics major, said.
Smock regularly quoted the bible during his time in Simpson Plaza and added many comments of his own on sex and human reproduction.
“Mark 16:16, ‘whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned’,” said Jed. “Jesus called unbelieving Jews children of the Devil.”
Campus Ministry USA has been in Wyoming for several years and has plans to return in the future.
