Jed “Brother Jed” Smock, an evangelistic Christian minister, and his wife Cindy Smock visited Eastern’s campus once again Wednesday afternoon on the Doudna Steps to talk to students on their beliefs and interpretations on what the Bible means to them.

Their beliefs sparked debate with students.

Students who have seen them in the past came to see them, hollering and yelling at the couple. Many were asking questions that were made to make fun of the couple; others were questions they actually wanted answers to.

Hannah Blevins, a sophomore foreign language major, was active in her responses to the couple.

She said her minor is all about studying religions, and when she was asking them questions based off what she had found on her own previous studies, they told her she was wrong.  The wife told her those studies are the worst because they are the cause of people becoming atheist.

She said the couple were contracting in what they were telling people and were denying what they were calling people.

“One man went up to Jed and was mad because he received a text from his wife who told him she was called a whore by them,” she said.  “We all heard them call women who were walking by whores but they denied it.”

Blevins said they are a poor excuse for Christians and have extremely offended many students, faculty and community members who were on campus during their visit.

New students and current students who were new to the married couple on campus had many different reactions to them.

Most of the students laughed at what they were telling the audience, while others went up to the couple and told them how they were wrong.

Cassidy Sullivan, a sophomore sociology major, said she was just sitting listening to what they had to say, but there was a comment that made her get up and say something to them.

“They were spreading nothing but hateful things. His religion is supposed to spread love and not judge others,” she said.

Tom Taylor, a graduate student, walked next to Cindy Smock who was speaking and gave his own speech.  He said what she was talking about was not what people should be listening to and not what true Christians believe.

“This religion is about love not sin.  What these people are telling you is false,” he said.  “Christianity is around to save, not to condemn.”

Cindy Smock responded to Taylor, telling him “not all Christians are fat like you.”

The comment received a strong reaction of gasps and yelling from the people sitting on the steps.

Students continued this behavior as Cindy Smock kept speaking to them, telling them her personal stories of her past behaviors when she was in college.

Jed Smock shared his stories of his past as well, telling people that lesbians were old, fat and ugly.

He said he was a player in college and turned lesbians “normal.”

Shona Coleman, a sophomore history major, said the couple is not only harmful, but also distracting to students.

“They should not be allowed to speak on campus.  It is distasteful and makes Eastern, a professional college, looks unprofessional,” she said.

Stephanie White can be reached at 581-2812 or at sewhite2@eiu.edu.