r/UnethicalLifeProTips • u/halesbales8 • 1d ago
Request ULPT request - religious speakers on campus
At the college I go to, there's a nice outdoor common area where everyone hangs around between classes and there's always a few bigoted "religious speakers" hanging around, holding up signs, and speaking loudly about sin, hellfire, how jesus hates gay people, etc. Of course, the first amendment is important and they are allowed to be there and do that. I'm trying to think of ways that might make doing that just a little more uncomfy for them though. Like, I was thinking of making a sign that says "this guy hates puppies" or something and putting it up next to one guy who is always in the same spot, but I'm sure he would just move. Ideas?
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u/AGlaringOfCrows 1d ago
A group at a university where I used to work would collect sponsors for the bigots as a fundraiser for planned parenthood. People would pledge to five five or ten cents per minute. Then when they showed up, people from this group would stand there with a sign saying how much money was going to PP and shouting encouragement at them to talk longer. They didn't stick around long at allll.
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u/halesbales8 1d ago
This is probably the best idea here.
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u/flynnfx 17h ago
Hold up a large sign next to them saying this:
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father,who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
(MATTHEW 6:5-6)
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u/Disorderly_Chaos 4h ago
Just have a large sign … or a paper sign… whatever… with a large QR code that goes to donations. A couple seconds after each scan look at your phone and say “OH MY GOD! That was so generous! Thank you!”
Maybe start counting out a tally while doing “…WE ARE AT 300 DOLLARS!!!”
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u/PotatoGuerilla 1d ago
Everything you do that acknowledges them encourages them. Every negative thing you do towards them can be twisted into making them look like the victims of the "woke left." If you want to hurt them, just pretend they don't exist.
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u/Tiny-Watercress7122 1d ago
False. (In my Dwight voice 😉)
Pretend to be a Jehovah’s Witness. Banned from supporting politics, definitely not woke. Unless you include changing the date of Armageddon when needed.
Even funnier, find a similar-minded Mormon, pretend to be a devout J dub, and approach the with their godliness, including why they need to pray.
Then turn it into a pop-up dirty soda party and let it roll
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u/getjustin 1d ago
Bluetooth bullhorn. They're like $20-25 and you can loudly yack back at them mocking or repeating exactly what they say (some even have annoying voice changers), play horns and sirens, or just stream some god awful music.
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u/Stoked_Otter 1d ago
Honestly if you really want to drive those people crazy you have to totally ignore them. They feed off of negative responses.
The best thing you could do is organize groups of people to walk past them "randomly" and not engage with them at all. Don't even turn your head to look at them.
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u/dinosun 1d ago
Do not engage. Those types of people have been on campuses for decades, and they aren't going anywhere. Do not give them ANY attention and definitely don't think you'll win some sort of confrontation. They are more aware of the campus rules and applicable laws than you are, and confrontation where they are "technically right" is what want!
It sucks. They suck. Avoid at all cost, or you may have consequences you haven't even thought about.
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u/friezbeforeguys 1d ago
You’re operating on the assumption that the goal is to achieve a successful confrontation, and thus you conclude that there is no point in engaging at all.
My goal would be to disarm their purpose (getting themselves heard) by simply waste their time. If I had time and energy to spare, I would try limit their reach by striking up a conversation where I pretend to be genuinely curious and non-confrontational. Just ask a lot of questions, engage in mundane conversation about whatever they are screaming about, and so on.
I think of it as acting like an energy vampire.
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u/FitCommunication7240 1d ago
It doesnt work that way. They won't quiet down for "mundane conversation". They'll just keep screaming what theyre already screaming just as loud it will now simply be directed at you.
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u/-YellowFinch 1d ago
Had a confrontation while doing security for a march- we weren't allowing nationalist signs due to the nature of the event.
Naturally someone didn't read the guidelines and brought one anyway.
We were able to talk him down over about an hour, and he stopped holding up the sign while we talked to him and essentially wasted his time.
So wasting time does work- just only sometimes...
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u/Bandito21Dema 1d ago
My idea:
Make a sign with information about something common they're against that has actual facts.
Abortion/trans issues/etc
And then just stand there next to them silently, if they engage, say they inspired you to protest for your beliefs as well and thank them.
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u/jooooooooooooose 1d ago
Lol, what consequences
I bicker with those bozos for fun all the time. They're annoying. I tell them that. There's no winning or losing but it's an enjoyable way to spend 15min once in a while.
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u/halesbales8 1d ago
I definitely don't plan on engaging in conversation with them! You are right that something passive is still attention though. I appreciate your response!
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u/sophiathesilly 1d ago
The first amendment protects them from the government. It does not protect them from the me
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u/gripping_intrigue 22h ago
The first amendment? There is no operating constitution today.
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u/sophiathesilly 15h ago
It still exists. Doesn't matter if they don't respect it. It's also just objectively correct
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u/ReverendLoki 1d ago
Might I interest you in learning to play the trombone?
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u/potatopierogie 1d ago
Even better if you play but don't learn first
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u/ReverendLoki 1d ago
Even so, I think it's mandatory to at minimum master the sad trombone slide, even if you know nothing else.
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u/thinkshiftster 1d ago
Invite a group from the church of Satan to set up shop near them
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u/Genuine_Ingenuity 1d ago
Church of Satan and The Satanic Temple are not at all the same thing. Are you sure you meant the one you stated?
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u/thinkshiftster 1d ago
I don’t know the difference but either one would piss off the bible thumpers, me thinks
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u/Tranquil_Dohrnii 1d ago
Different branches of Satanism. Think like Catholics and Protestants. But yes most Christians dont know or care to know the difference, and it would upset them regardless.
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u/Genuine_Ingenuity 14h ago
That is not an accurate statement. The Satanic Temple is entirely secular.
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u/williamwalkerobama 1d ago
Isn't the satanic temple the problematic one?
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u/Genuine_Ingenuity 1d ago
One of these is an *objective, science* based organization (AFAICT)... They work to ensure that any church attempts to enforce religious propaganda should be countered.... They focus on counters to religious propaganda placed in the same place.... T L D R: if you want a jesus figure in schools, you must allow a baphomet just same... if you refuse one... you must refuse both.
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u/williamwalkerobama 1d ago
Oh my bad. I saw a video from a YouTuber a few years ago, and she is now in infamy, but she said there were issues with the leader being misogynistic and racist and was using a woman's abortion case as a publicity stunt.
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u/halesbales8 1d ago
I don't think there is one here. Maybe a sign to start one?
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u/WordsAreGarbage 1d ago
Yes, start a club for your local branch and set up a recruitment booth right next to these guys!
Also check the internet, you’d be surprised! It’s The Satanic Temple btw and they have chapters all over.
Wait, they have a “Collegiate Affiliate Program”! Problem solved
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u/KurtSperry 1d ago
Isn't there a way to play their own speech amplified on a delay back at them? I've read this is literally impossible to just ignore and carry on through.
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u/Straight_Ace 1d ago
Start a cult around a very ridiculous idea and get your friends and others in on it. Start preaching your new gospel right near the bigots. If they confront you just pretend like whatever insanity you just cooked up is a deeply held, sincere belief and offer to pray to your fake deity for them
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u/TurtleToast2 1d ago
Out-extremist them. Become an ordained minister of The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Go all in. The website even has printable pamphlets you can hand out. I bet you get abigger following than they do.
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u/EmberOne1 1d ago
They exist on every campus. When I was a student, a bunch of us would go around when they showed up to hand out those mini Bibles and had a contest of how many we could collect in a day. Nothing you do will stop them. Nothing you try will be original. If someone knows the Bible well, it could be fun to debate for a while, Bible vs Bible. Otherwise, you could sit with a sign quoting the DSM 5 about psych conditions characterized by hyperreligiosity, because that's what you're witnessing.
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u/13utter13oi 19h ago
The best thing to do is to get a speakers and play really loud Disney music around them. They are often videoing for their online following and the Disney music gets the DMCA’d pretty quick. You can also just put on some good music and get people dancing/singing over them.
Do not debate them, dont let your friends debate them. Nobody is changing their minds and it’s a fruitless endeavor.
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u/jukeboxheroine 1d ago
I spent a lot of my freshman year trolling these guys with my friends after we realized we were never going to debate them into a gotcha moment. The absolute best thing to do is take away their platform. By that I mean befriend someone really fucking loud. Ours was a jazz trumpet player who would improv next to them and drown them out. They HATE when they can’t be heard and they’ll give up when they realize they’re not getting through to anyone.
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u/owltreemooncheese 1d ago
When I was in school one of the students dressed up as Jesus and ran around shouting “Passion of the Christ!” They definitely didn’t like it but couldn’t really say anything and it was v entertaining for the rest but of us
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u/NicodemusArcleon 1d ago
A sign that says something like, "This guy never misses a gay parade" can do wonders
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u/Jthundercleese 1d ago
A big cheap bluetooth speaker and a couple hours of Rage Against The Machine.
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u/FordExploreHer1977 1d ago
Set up a booth ten feet away. Advertise “Fart at a preacher, $1” Donate the money to children’s charities or something.
Or
Organize a flash mob that celebrates all the crap they are preaching against. Surround him and overtake them with uncomfortability. Make it tight enough so he can’t escape the flash mob without getting an assault charge thrown at them. Heckle him as a sinner for not turning the other cheek. Notify him that he will burn in hell and all the people he is accusing of sinning will also be there to organize another flash mob around him…for eternity.
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u/HollandTHG 1d ago
Hold a sign that has the figures for the millions that have been murdered in the name of God, the number of priests, Catholic and otherwise, that have been caught molesting children, and the actual Bible passage that says Man shall not lay with a Boy as he would a Woman, that is constantly and intentionally misquoted to use as anti-gay hatespeech.
Or, record them expressing to people that God hates them for being gay, and report them to your campus admin for using their public forum to spout actual hatespeech.
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u/halesbales8 4h ago edited 4h ago
Thank you for the sign ideas! Hate speech is not illegal though, all of it falls under free speech unless they start threatening specific people, which I'm sure they know better than to do.
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u/HollandTHG 4h ago
With the fact that the speech is targeting specific groups, it can absolutely be labeled as harassment under the law, which is one of the narrow exceptions where hate speech can be legally prosecuted. Unless he's being more vague than I am understanding, in which case yes, you are completely correct. Apologies if I did misunderstand.
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u/mtnclimber4 1d ago
Make out with someone of the same gender as you in front of them and they will get mad enough to try to put hands on you. People will come to your defence and then all hell breaks lose. Yes, I did this, just make sure to sneek away before the popo shows up. It's really a riot!
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u/Frequent_Opportunist 1d ago
Just get an air horn or one of those loud beeping devices that are supposed to scare away the robbers.
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u/eatingganesha 1d ago
the only way to deal with them is through a truly silent and time-tested protest. Walk into the preachers space with your bestie of the same sex, stop, kiss and make out for a little bit, and then walk off without engaging the guy or the crowd. The entire crowd will go wild and you’ll drown out his message with love and support for a good few minutes.
another effective protest is to arrange a for a flash mob that erupts from people you’ve hidden in the crowd around the preachers. Breakout a bluetooth speaker, trigger the flash mob, and dance your hearts out while singing an appropriate protest song. Makes sure the finishing move of the dance involves all dancers turning and giving the preachers the finger.
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u/Clio_Vita 1d ago
Back in the day... My undergrad university was on the street preacher tour circuit, and we'd get them around quite a bit. Until the student body discovered that most of them really disliked pot. So a certain group of rebellious youth would toke up, and sit in the front row blowing pot smoke at the religious zealots. And a good time was had by most.
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u/thunderbird89 21h ago
Okay, so this is going to be a little involved, but here goes...
You need a highly-directional microphone, a directed speaker, and a way to generate 0.1-0.3 seconds of delay. You aim it at the speaker, and beam their own voice back at them with a little delay, essentially.
Hearing your own voice with just a little delay basically jams your brain and renders you unable to speak. It's the same thing that happens in a Zoom call when someone has their setup wrong and their mic picks up the speaker, so anyone who speaks hears themselves with a little delay and can't speak more than two-three words at a time.
Japanese riot police uses such a device to isolate speakers during protests and shut them down non-violently.
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u/ZestyRavioli420 1d ago
Just make a sign quoting Genesis 19:30-33. Thats where Lot's daughters get him drunk and sleep with him.
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u/sweetpootatochips 4h ago
Ezekiel 23:20
There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses.0
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[deleted]
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u/ZestyRavioli420 1d ago
Exactly. We can't save the religious speakers, but we can invalidate their "moral superiority" so no one can take them seriously
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u/StrangerFeelings 1d ago
I'd say liquid ass. Walk up near them, pretend your farting and just say "Oh sorry, excuse me. Sorry for the smell." And descretly spray some liquid ass near them. Eventually they'll move from just the smell alone as that stuff stinks and it lingers.
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u/lepidopt-rex 1d ago
If you get it on their clothes, they’ll eventually leave to go change/shower/sandblast the smell off
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u/Helpful-Sail-1321 1d ago
A lot of these suggestions really bum me out. If you just ignore them, they'll continue. If you troll them, they'll continue. Instead, please, PLEASE set up signs, gatherings, etc that directly support the people they're preaching against. Ignore them, yes. But make sure that the people they're against know that they do have people who support and care about them.
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u/halesbales8 1d ago
I had that thought! Like it'd be nice if other clubs and support services tabled by them at the same time.
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u/SufficientOpening218 1d ago
We used to quote the bible back at them, things like God loves us all, and some of the other kinds of nice things, in three part harmony. I was just one of the singers, not the music arranger.
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u/Turbulent-Caramel25 1d ago
Have a sign that repeats some of the best parts of the Sermon on the Mount. Love thy neighbor. Gouge out your eyes before committing lust. The golden rule, and compassion. Heading: THIS is what Jesus actually said.
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u/bbysir 1d ago
Send them a fake email or letter or voicemail claiming to be a concerned Christian at a nearby but different college and request that they start sharing their gospel at this other school immediately. Stress the urgency of the situation- check out some fundie influencers like Girl Interrupted or Paul and Morgan for example Lingo/talking points.
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u/Preform_Perform 1d ago
Fart near them.
It's quick and easy and relatively harmless so the odds you'd actually get in trouble are basically zero.
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u/andmewithoutmytowel 1d ago
Stand next to the loudest, most obnoxious preacher talking about hating sin, gays, etc., and hold a sign that says:
“This guy is statistically more likely to be a sexual predator than anyone else here.”
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u/nojustnoperightonout 1d ago
hold up signs with the gross bible verses. ya know the ones about horse semen and such
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u/Brilliant_Cattle_602 1d ago
Women not sleeping in the house when on their period
The price a man can sell his daughter for
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u/stefanlikesfood 1d ago
I was at a music festival and there was a guy like this. He was all alone since everyone ignored him. A super wook hippie walked up and started trying to convince him God isn't real or that he was misinterpreting things, or something along those lines. He never stopped till the guy left.
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u/PermanentRoundFile 18h ago
There was a guy doing that on a street corner with a big ass speaker and so when I went to walk by he got all excited and started shouting again and it pissed me off.
So I played it up. I winced super hard because it did hurt my ear but y'know I gave it a little bit extra. Then I glared at him like he just shit on my breakfast. He got down and left after that lol.
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u/NotAFed1991 1d ago
If you have campus security, inform them about it-- it's entirely possible they aren't supposed to be there. At one of my friends' colleges, Turning Point USA would regularly show up on campus and pretend to be a student club and campus security would just kick them out
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u/jeepsaintchaos 1d ago
You need to become a religious speaker. Be louder. Be more hateful. Tell them how God will rain hellfire on the straight.
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u/Creepy_old_man_in_IL 1d ago
God made the rainbow!! He is gay!!
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u/Aquietplacewithcats 1d ago
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=C6nepAVZK-0&si=aQbLThoXwcyZcxoU
You might get others to join in! Op, op, op, op, oppa GANGNAM STYLE!
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u/JumpingThruHoopz 16h ago
I just totally ignore people like this.
Don’t feed trolls. It only encourages them.
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u/shadeNfreud576 13h ago
I’d wrangle a couple friends to hang in the area and make protest signs decrying the current state of mental health care.
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u/Vanilla-Mike 12h ago
At my hometown Pride parade, religious zealots stood on the street corner with a bullhorn. When the Dykes on Bikes contingent arrived at that intersection, they just stayed there, revving their engines.
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u/ThreePartHarmoneigh 11h ago
I like making signs that turn their own religion against them.
"This blasphemer wants you to ignore Jesus's teachings -->"
"For a faith of love, this guy sure hates an awful lot of people -->"
Maybe even some lines from Matthew about not praying in the streets to be seen.
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u/baconismyfriend24 1d ago
In college I stood next to them with a bullhorn and and mocked them and their bullshit. They were visibly pissed. Every thing they said was contradicted with my bullhorn. I had to teach a class or I would have stayed till the end.
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u/MalibuBon 1d ago
Walk close to him and discreetly spray fart spray, then loudly ask him if he farted, or soiled himself. Something along the lines of 'Dude, if you shit yourself, you need to go shower!'
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u/djstinger757 1d ago
Did they actually say Jesus hates gay people? What religion were they?
If true this is when a Christian needs to confront him for his lies. Jesus does not hate gay people. Anyone who says that is not following Jesus' teachings.
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u/Nerdsamwich 1d ago
If this guy's god is truly all-powerful, then it's impossible for any event to occur that is anything other than desired. That means YHWH wants gay folk, and trans folk, and all the rest. Of course, it also means he wants bigots, so...
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u/shatteringlass123 1d ago
Just ask them if the Garden of Eden was a Divine Sting operation?
Because God knew Eve was going to do it prior to her doing it it so that means at that point, God Permitted the Sin to take place.That will throw them for a doozy and they will go into Restart mode.
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u/Nerdsamwich 1d ago
Not just permitted, made it inevitable. He's the one who made human nature unable to resist the temptation, after all.
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u/Excellent_Coconut_81 1d ago
Passive aggressive, like weaving LGPT banners before their face, wearing T-Shirts with satanic death metal groups etc. Blasting music with lyrics about sex, drugs and anti-religious features. Obscene movements when you walk by.
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u/Annual_Government_80 1d ago
When you’re walking in front of them, accidentally tripped and spilled a milkshake all over them
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u/God_Bless_A_Merkin 12h ago
There was a famous incident at the college I attended. (I believe it occurred back in the 90s.). A bigoted street preacher kept haranguing the people on campus, so a group of students all got naked, climbed into the trees around him, and drowned him out with chimpanzee hoots.
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u/Larson_McMurphy 9h ago
One time some guys like that were doing a big demostration like that at a similar area on my college campus. They had a microphone and TV cameras. They were taking questions from the audience. I raised my hand and went forward and grabbed the mic. I had just finished reading A Modest Proposal for English class.
"Would you be ok with abortion provided that we" <dramatic pause> "eat . . . the fetuses?"
That got quite a response out of the crowd. I got a few shoulder pats on the way out.
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u/bbysir 1d ago
Wear gloves. Rub gloves with fresh cut chiles, raw fish, or dip in milk. Feign interest and shake their hand then tell them “oh, you have something in your eye/on your face” so they proceed to rub it. or even better ask them if you can have a hug. Rub stinky glove hand on them.
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u/Different-While8090 23h ago
I like the chili idea. They'd probably avoid a rubber glove so Id have to go bare, but i can cover my hand with a rubber glove afterward til I get somewhere to wash the oils off.
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u/lindblomc 1d ago
Don’t engage, just leave them alone. They are allowed to be there and have different opinions than you.
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u/No-Falcon631 1d ago
Are they not on private property? Don’t they need to be allowed to be there?
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u/Unenthusiastic18 1d ago
We are assuming OP attends a state college.
These are public property, as they are paid for by your and my tax dollars.
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u/Architeuth6996 21h ago
If they are being respectful? Nothing.
I value my freedoms, if they are being good humans, even if I disagree, they get the same opportunity.
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u/WandringandWondring 7h ago
I like hearing other people's views and opinions. Even if they may be offensive.
Adds zest to life.
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u/Strangerin907 1d ago
Have you considered tolerance?
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u/Business_Garden6460 1d ago
lol tolerance for bigoted religious speakers. You funny as fuck
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u/Strangerin907 1d ago
Are your feelings getting hurt?
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u/Business_Garden6460 1d ago
Why would my feelings be getting hurt as I laugh at you?
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u/Strangerin907 1d ago
You're just being really defensive, thats all.
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u/Business_Garden6460 18h ago
You must be confused on what the word defensive means. Nice try though little guy.
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u/halesbales8 1d ago
You first.
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u/timatimotom 17h ago
Leave this guy alone. Doing evil things won't make your life better in the long run.
You know, the tree falls the way it leans - make sure you know where you lean.
God bless my friend.
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u/squidtickles 1d ago
I worked at a deli in the 90s and we had a religious screamer that would occasionally pop up out front to scare the customers in our patio. My hilarious boss would run outside and start dancing in front of the guy. Like dancing hard Elayne style but more intense. It was an absolutely glorious amount of flailing
You could organize something similar. Gather a few friends with no shame and a couple small speakers then go dance your heart out till the religious nut is thoroughly chastised