Bible Thumpers at Anime Conventions?

[Stop Touching My Fetus]

K master of flames

Cake Filled Love

I remember going to Fanime in 2008 and seeing them protest in front of the convention center. They had a black and white sign that said "Turn to Jesus, or Burn in Hell", and some of the angry con attendees were arguing with them, about ready to start a riot.
Then, suddenly, the crowd split to make a path and everyone chanted, "Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!" The Jesus cosplayer made his way through the crowd and stood by the protesters. He posed for pictures in front of their sign. For a good ten minutes the protesters were awestruck and silent. It was amazing. And hilarious. 4laugh

I didnt get 2 go 2 Fanime last month but my friend did, he got banned 4 the last 2 days. He got drunk and punched the Jesus cosplayer 4 opening a door then passed out. (the trouble he gets in2 when I am not there.

....Wow.  

[User_1017918]

I_Luvs_Puppets

Oh lord(no pun intended) I love that one Jesus cosplayer. xDDD

But really, I'm kind of surprised that AWA hasn't ran into something like this seeing as we're down south where people are stereotypically Christian bible thumpers. Not saying everyone is but the ones we have are more than vocal enough to make up for it. >.<

Most likely because it hasn't been communicated just yet. Alot of churches tend to keep to their own business and it usually takes some brimstone preacher to rally the horde into doing some sort of protest or conclave. Once they get enough people in their jihad then they go protest but one congregation is not enough in their eyes.  

[RyanJakobi]

I have Jack Chick pamphlets in my satchel just in case. Not to go bible thumping. Just to get rid of people I don't like too much.

Also, what is this discussion without mentioning all of the Jesus cosplayers?  

[User_1017918]

They have been mentioned and personally I love the jesus cosplayers. heart heart I think they add a certain element to any convention and really shows just how lighthearted a con and it's goers are. No one's like spittin' hellfire at them for being Jesus. Heck seeing Jesus high five Freakazoid is one of my fondest memories. mrgreen  

[Shymedusa]

im not watching the vid becuase im just not going to allow myself tto get that angry and i am abit of a fake chirstian i will admit becuase although i believe i have very little tolerance to follow certain rules and jesus cosplayers make me uncomfortable but like my religon says god bless them they are pretty badass to that so i dont mess with them and hope they enjoy the con BUT protest a convnetion and harass people you got to be (bleeping) kidding me  

[Extreme Cuddler]

Like my friend says "every1 is to there own". Which means every1 likes different things and we should not prosecute them 4 what they like. (He usually says this when people argue about music, games, anime, manga, etc.)  

[Alakana]

Oh.... Geez, people. I mean really? I'm a Christian, so what? Doesn't mean I gotta go around shoving a freakin' Bible down your throat. -3-'

That Jesus cosplayer rocks, I love 'im!! x3 I saw one at Sac-Anime last year! xD I was all, "Oh my God!! JESUS!!!" My mom was with me and she was all, "Where? .... Oh. Wow." Then she laughed.

I'm glad my parents got out of that Bible thumping stage... > >'  

[superdum2]

thats halarious  

[egoxromantic]

I am a christian, but honestly.
Why be a hypocrite? Everyone sins every day. Even if being homosexual is a sin, blaming other people is a sin. Pointing fingers is a sin. Harassing is a sin. Seriously, people.

Edit:
I watched the video. They probably aren't even Christian. They're, like, insane. They need to go to the loony bin. ._.;;  

[Tsuki Nushi]

Genma Ruishito

I've seen these bible thumpers and personally I think they are way out of line. They always assume that their right because their interpetation of the bible says so. I could care less if they wanted to stand outside of a convention and protest so long as it was across the street. It's when they start crossing over into the convention itself that it becomes a serious problem. Of course if you try to argue valid points with them then expect whatever logic you have to fly away as they point out " Jesus said so" and then qoute some passage from the bible that most likely has nothing to do with what you're saying.

In truth outside of ignoring them or calling the cops to have them removed then there isn't much else that can be done. I suggest organizing a counter protest against whatever specific church is protesting. Like get cosplayers together with signs that say " Down with harrasment" or " Leave our hobby alone!" and go to one of their rallies and do it right back to them. They will get angry but then they're interupting our convention so why not interupt their conclave? Heck I would even ask the convention head's to file a restraintment order and a no tresspass order against them and make them keep a further distance away from the convention in general. That way when they try to sneak into the convention to protest again then you can call the police and have them jailed for breaking both orders. The best part is their too stupid to cease so the more they come protest the more they spend time in jail.

Thank you! Finally, someone who shares my opinions on fighting back. Seriously, I know staff doesn't like to get involved with things like that, but there's a point where you have to step up for the sake of the con.

Take Fanime for example; it's almost gotten to the point where it's out of control. Those protesters are full-out harassing the con goers, they're trespassing (at times) on an area that's been rented for a private event, and they're being disruptive/disturbing the peace. Not to mention they probably don't have a permit to hold a protest.

So why doesn't anyone do anything besides Cosplay Christ Roll them? There's a ton of things that can be done. They could:

take some form of legal action,
get a protest permit and hold a protest around the con center so the bible-thumpers can't,
find out what church they go to and send some letters to it
hold a counter-protest,
drown them out with some vuvuzelas/airhorns
put up a big tarp that obscures them from the con goers' view  

[Extreme Cuddler]

Like the bible says don't judge unless u can be judged.
May the person who is without sin cast the 1st stone.
There really is no reasoning with people who are yelling out things and being all crazy and causing an uproar, so I think it would be best 2 try and avoid them as much as possible.  

[Spartan1024]

I don't see why people have to do this. As funny as it may seem at first, it gets a little tiring after a while.
I mean, we're not going into churches saying, "You're wasting your lives! Become one of us!"
No, instead they show up at cons every year to tell us the devil wants our soul.
I am so glad I do not have to deal with this. @__@

 

[tokkitoria]

Wow, I've never seen any thumpers around here. Then again I've only been to a con 3 times. But really, a con? Why would you do that at a con? It seems kinda pitiful considering all the other places they could protest.