mall security viral

Guy harrassed by mall security 

Guy wears Jesus shirt and people complained and security started attacking him. 

Things to note:

What was the issue?

Was it about the shirt? Was he just walking around?

A. If just walking 🤷‍♀️ he's wearing clothes like anyone else, its free speech. 

His shirt is not promoting a music group or celeb that someone "worships", or one with cussing, drugs, weed, rappers faces, sleezy girls on cars, blm, pride & gay shirts "preaching" lgbt, "cults" (Jehovah Witnesses & Mormons) in their 2 year missionary clothes, or muslim full body covering head to toe, etc. His happens to be one that is representative of his life and faith in Christ.

Who cares if it "soft" preaches Jesus, to start convos. Christians are commanded to "Go and preach the gospel to the world", so he is. And in an interview he said he wears this/similar shirts even to work. A shirt in public gets people thinking about God, and possibly starts Jesus convos; it is free speech, just as if at the mall he walked up and chatted w someone about that topic. If they allow any/all the other outfits in there, theyre biasly discriminating against the Christian. 

Was it about policy?

Does the policy violate State Law and SCOTUS rulings? Their claim that he cannot wear the religious shirt cuz it violates their policy on " No Picketing, demonstrating, soliciting, protesting or petitioning". Opens this up to a legal issue, 3 ways... state and scotus rulings but also, he isnt soliciting. Soliciting requires $elling something. So if theyre claiming "solicitation", they could lose in court over that "reasoning", besides the guard specifically saying the reason is "it offends people and is religious about Jesus" and that implies its not about "mall policy and state laws". 

Was it about handing out leaflets? 

It appears he wasnt this time. But if he was...

A. What is state law on written words as free speech? Does the state view mall as a new public forum like parks? Does that state have broad free speech rights like CA? 

B. If yes, hes good. 

But...was he kindly interacting, or acting off a bit or overly aggressive?

If he was & actually was aggressive in interactions or related approach scared people, then thats not ok... they can ask him to leave. 

I noticed, he does have a thick foreign accent, which could be hard for people hes trying to talk with to understand/grasp what he says, esp if he rambles. So that would be hard/offputting to many cuz they dont understand why hes bothering them from the start. Language barrier. 

The Ugly

"Many people reported him"

Did security need to go to the guy? Could they ignore the complaints and say "we cannot harrass someone just because you dont like what he says or wears 🙄."

Whats going on here is either...

1. People are persecuting him for his faith
> because the complainers and guards hate Jesus/God (without cause).

The guard said "Jesus is associated with religion, and the shirt is offending people." So they demanded he take the shirt off or leave. Who cares who it offends? Tons of things offend me on shirts people wear (see everything noted herein) but i dont complain, because I know the world is a sinful place (even tho it is sad the US became more degenerate in last 30 years). 

2. He was causing problems somehow

> scaring people with the way he talked or approached them

> was he loud and animated, scaring them.

> was his accent a communication barrier

>was he pushy like actually pushy?

> speaking in religious jargon or calling himself some title; showing off about himself, and not focusing on God.

The Bad

Things i noticed about the shirt guy, but doesnt mean he doesnt have a legal right to be there in a shirt or/& leafleting. 

The Good 

The only good thing about this is situation is...

1. A video went out viral so...

A. Christians are getting educated (1). 

B. People are talking about Jesus

C. People are interacting in comments and true (born again) believers can provide answers to seekers & to those who misunderstand about God, Jesus and Christianity.

D. People are learning Scripture

E. People are hearing the Gospel 

F. People are upset that freedom and liberty and religious rights are being trampled regardless who it is, esp w religious freedom in the Constitution. 

G. Others spoke up against this behavior towards Christians. And others wanted to united for a Jesus Saves tshirt walk protest this discrimination in the mall. They felt the mall was a free speech zone, in that what he was doing both weeks there was protected. It was public consensus and belief. Laws need to change. 

The Ugly 

Others also rightly pointed out...

This is Minnisota, which is now a place with large numbers of muslims. 

1. The mall doent make muslim women remove their full body coverings, kick them out, nor set tresspassing orders on them - for not complying.

2. They dont make people wearing anything else similar to their "reasoning", (rainbow/pride etc) take their shirts off, leave, set tresspassing orders on them. 

3. No one dares tell Jews to take their mini hat off, it would get you labeled antisemite. 

If people complained about the above, security would not do anything, but possibly label you (Christian) a hater or discriminator. And even unjustly ban you because of theur Christiaphobia 

Today the US embraced anything else but Christianity, and has become the target. This must stop. Stop harassing Christians and being anti Christian. Stop the h8. Stop Christiaphobia.

What was wrong with his coexist shirt? It says what Christians believe "Only Jesus brings peace to the world" and "Christianity doesnt coexist with works based religions." All world religions are run by Satan, theyre deceptive "works based" ones. But, Christianity is the grace based faith. The difference is clear. We are tolerant and want peace, but only Jesus brings that peace to the world. (4)

What is the Gospel? 

Footnotes

Soliciting = selling. Christians are not $ selling anything [competing w businesses in the mall]. 

(1) Christian 411

The suggestion

If they ask you to leave 

1. Ask why. 

2. Get business card

3. Leave

4. Take action. Knowing depending on what State Law says, but if they deny one but allow any others, then it becomes discrimination, and violation of constitutional rights.

If he was told not to come back the 1st time and set him on trespassing, he shouldve called a US non profit Christian lawfirm to:

A. Find out his rights (speech, leaflets, shirts).

B. Learn the States laws & SCOTUS rights.

C. Have lawyer send cease and desist order to the mall

D. Keep a E-copy on him to ensure mall security cant harrass him again. 

E. Save Lawyer contact in phone.

F. If harassed again, get mall security manager business card, call the lawyer again.  👉 Consider pursuing lawsuit.

Christians have Constitutional protections in America, which means we have ability of free speech, religious protections, freedom and liberty, so... we can share within the confines of the law. Theres many places to do so. Door to door and by mail even. But States and SCOTUS ruled on this issue and it is likely legal where you are to wear free speech shirts, speak to others, chat, and hand out free speech papers. 

It is time scotus took on this issue because state laws need to change. You can wear tshirts with any message if you arent picketing w plakard signs, yelling or walking 10 deep as a protester would on streets. But the malls of today are places people hang out. As this article noted the various activities at malls today including sitting on chairs, eating, taking a break, chit chatting etc. Free speech rights such as shirts, Christian discussions, and handing out tracts freely in short or longer discussions should not be stopped.

But... the person engaging in that activity needs to be generally respectful of the person theyre talking to, use common sense, not be aggressive pushing but normal interacting, and know when to exit the convo. You cant take up peoples time to be bothersome, but if theyre open to chatting theyve agreed to the convo. If they need to leave or want to, you can offer a tract for further consideration and they can choose to take it. There would be nothing wrong with a short free course being offered on "how to" (explaining the above) that would be within mall policy & Rights. It could be provided by a video viewed in mall security office & sign a paper agreeing to the policy. 

Know your States laws, and pray Scotus takes this isdue up to resolve it, protecting the activities that shirt preacher was doing, as noted. 

The biblical followers of Christianity are commanded by Jesus to go into all the world and preach the gospel. Trying to stop us is a violation of our religion. But we are to do so gently, caringly and in certian places we need to use common sense, behave well, and exit gracefully when individuals are not interested in the encounter. 

(2) if you are charismatic, do not reply to the person posting this link. Instead you can do detailed research  to find out why it isnt biblical. 

(3) Addl info about false prosperity gospel. 

(4) Understanding outside of Christianity, all religion, beliefs and worldviews are united. (Till the 4:33 mark)

If you read this far but havent prayed to get right with God yet, do so now, you are not promised the rest of the day, nor tomorrow.