To the Editor:
My name is Maria and I'm a junior at Ball State University. More importantly, I'm a Christian. When I read your story about "Brother" Micah I was outraged. His behavior is an absolute paradox. His words and his demeanor are nonsensical and against Jesus Christ.
Let me begin by apologizing on his behalf to all the students involved and the Ball State community. Brother Micah is not a Brother at all. Brothers and Sisters in Christ believe in faith, hope, and love. Just as 1 Corinthians 13:13 says, "but the greatest of these is love." What Micah Armstrong is essentially doing is hateful. Jesus does not call us to preach hate and bigotry. Rather, Christians are called to preach the Good News and love. I could not be more upset about the judgment that was portrayed on my campus. Believe me when I say that Christianity is not what you were shown. Jesus, in John 13:34, commands us to love one another. No matter your faith, your color, or your sexuality, you are to be loved by Christians. We may disagree with certain lifestyles, but we are not commanded to hate and we are certainly not given the right to judge.
His freedom of speech is validated by the First Amendment of our constitution. One of the greatest qualities of our country is that we are able to profess our ideologies. However, Micah Armstrong had no right to preach in this manner under God's law. He should be ashamed of himself. Again, a commandment Christians must follow to call themselves Followers of Christ is 1 Thessalonians 4:11, "and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: you should mind your own business?" Just as everyone else, Christians have their creed and we have every right to defend our faith, discuss our beliefs and tell others of the Good Word, but we must refrain from imposing on others in a distasteful manner. We are to remember that it is not what we say; it is how we say it. To call another Human a "spineless, gutless, cowardly hypocrite" for simply not agreeing is not permissible. To discuss the topic in a civil dialogue is. There is an exponentially large difference. Since we have such hope, we (Christians) are very bold, but our boldness does not require judgment or anger towards our equals.
On the topic of women: the Lord does not see your outward appearance, but he sees your heart. The woman's heart is a beautiful thing that can boast the most love, compassion and grace. Do not let a broken, lost, Evangelical Preacher, who is clearly not a Christian, tell you otherwise. The clothing you wear does NOT determine your sanctity in the Lord or your place in Heaven. Do remember, however, to guard your heart and put yourself in situations that will prove your inner beauty, not tarnish it.
I would like the Office of Student Life to reconsider allowing this man to be on our campus. He is promoting a false dogma and promoting hate, which should not be allowed at Ball State. Although the First Amendment is involved, there is a fine line between free speech and offending mass amounts of people through attempted and detestable indoctrination. Christ is love and I pray that the message received here resonates more than "Brother" Micah's ever will.
Maria Hannah
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