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A student challenges Rev. Shawn David Holes Monday afternoon in front of the Valley Library. The Reverend spoke from 12:30 p.m. until after dark, drawing a large crowd of onlookers.

Preaching to a campus full of questions

Rev. Shawn David Holes of New York preached the 'power of Christ' for over four hours on campus yesterday

By: Candice Ruud

Posted: 12/2/08

The presence of God was palpable on the OSU campus yesterday, when Rev. Shawn David Holes, a traveling reverend from Lake Placid, New York, preached in front of the Valley Library from 12:30 p.m. until after dark to a growing crowd of students.

Holes brought along his wife and seven children who sat nearby with bags of McDonald's, watching as he gave his informal sermon and was rebutted publicly by several students and members of the community.

"Who are you to judge us based on your beliefs in a country that is free?" shouted one woman.

According to a few students, who stayed from the beginning of the sermon, Holes' church has given him a motor home to enable him to travel the country and preach the word of God.

Throughout the session, much of the crowd became upset and even outraged, shouting out contradictions and challenging the reverend. Those who may have been in favor of the sermon remained mostly quiet and reserved and did not make their voices heard, though many showed support for the man's courage.

"I think he's a part of the corporate Christianity," said Brandon Smith, a senior in math.

"That's not good. I have a faith, but it's not this. This is not how you get to know God."

Smith grew up with an evangelical Christian background, attended a youth group weekly and was raised by Christian parents. He said that the thing that turned him away from being a devout Christian was meeting his girlfriend, who, in his words, "is one of the best and most giving people I have ever met," but is not a Christian.

Smith confessed to a period of agnostic feelings and ambiguity towards religion, but said that he has now made his peace with God and his relationship with religion.

"God is something personal, and you can't put that into a specific box," Smith said. "It's sad when you need religion to have morals."

Erica Curry, a sophomore in biology with a minor in writing, said that Holes was a fish out of water on what she believed to be OSU's fairly liberal college campus.

"This is the wrong place for him to be preaching fire and brimstone. He's missing the aspect of love," Curry said. "He's taking a metaphorical text and treating it as a literal doctrine."

Holes preached for most of the several-hour session but was open to questions and comments from the audience, of which some members came to the front and directly challenged him for several minutes of debate.

Many confessed that while they were religious, they disagreed with the way Holes was turning the ideas of Christianity into literal interpretations that had nothing to do with love or faith and more to do with scare tactics and the fear of God.

"I'm a Christian, but I don't like what he's saying, how he's shoving it down people's throats," said Danielle Asson, a sophomore in marine biology.

"Someone's right, be it Hindus, Jews, Christians, Muslims, etc. Just because you believe in one kind of God, why would He send you to hell if He's all-loving?" Asson said.

Vahag Azaryan, an international student from Armenia, spoke not in defense of Holes, but in defense of his right to be there and to speak his piece.

"I just think he's doing his job," Azaryan said.

"He didn't change any of my opinions after listening for an hour. He's speaking rhetorically … he hasn't directly answered any questions, and he contradicts himself. He's just saying whatever he wants to say."

Holes held a variety of signs, one reading "The Truth Shall Set You Free," and others discussing the hellish power of "evil-lution."

More information on Holes and his mission can be found at salvationjunction.com.

Candice Ruud, news editor

news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231