Christian group protests on the Street

One of the remarkable things about life surrounding Prospect Avenue is its consistency: every weekend, hordes of intoxicated University students can be seen stumbling out of eating clubs on their way to Frist Campus Center for a late meal. However, this past weekend, the Street received unexpected visitors in the form of Christian protesters wielding megaphones and signs condemning evolution and sin.

After midnight, in the early hours of Sunday, Oct. 8, five men unaffiliated with the University set up outside of Ivy Club to recognize Sin Awareness Day. They brought several signs with them, some reading “Evolution is a lie” and “Atheism is a temporary condition.” Throughout the night, vehicles from both Public Safety and Princeton Police appeared on the scene.

According to upperclassmen, this was not the first time that Christian groups have visited the University.

“They come at least twice a year,” Brandon Ward '20 said. “I just always ignore them, anyway.”

After setting up for the gathering, one man stood on a small platform and shouted at students passing by using a loudspeaker.

“We’re not against science, but we want good science,” the leader announced to a group of self-proclaimed STEM majors. “And science is man reading God’s thoughts, discovering God’s creation.”

Individual members of the group approached passing students to question their “preparation for Judgement Day,” as well as to discuss God’s omniscience.

The protesters left most students unimpressed: some instead questioned the gathering's very presence at the center of the University's party scene.

“I don’t think it’s fair that they’re out here on a Saturday night when there are obviously kids looking to party and have a good time,” Kelton Chastulik ‘21 said.

To some students, however, the group was not just flawed in their approach, but also in their efficacy due to their choice of crowd.

“I respect that they have an opinion on campus, but they’re preaching to the wrong audience,” Marisela Neff ‘20 said.

Most of the students who encountered the group appeared to share this sentiment, with many laughing at and insulting the creationist group. One individual even stopped to ask a protester, “Can you guys turn water into wine?”