James "Brother Jim" Giles

James "Brother Jim" Giles is just one more traveling evangelist fruitcake, but his particular mission is to convert the heathen attending our state universities. State universities, as you know, contain a higher proportion of heathen than just about any other institution in our country, except for the Republican Party! He is a Pentecostal, naturally, but seems to unaffiliated with any particular church.

For years, he has been appearing on university campuses, ranting to students stupid enough to listen to him about how badly they need Jesus. At the University of Georgia a few years ago, he handed out a tract which you can read here.

Poor Jim. He's had a hard life. He started drinking and using drugs early on and fell victim to unbridled sexual lust, and then was sucked into the evil world of "rock-n-roll. That was his downfall. He found Jesus at a Van Halen concert. It was a revelation from on high!

"Right there in the middle of the concert I cried out to God, 'What must I do to be saved?' It was at that moment that God, by his grace and mercy, showed me the ONLY WAY off Hell's Highway. The alternate route from sin to him as to R-E-P-E-N-T and B-E-L-I-E-V-E the Gospel!"

So, he did. Kinda like St. Paul.

Now, also like St. Paul, he wanders about the country preaching this good news that saved him from a life of wretchedness to university students.

The trouble is that some colleges don't want him around. Their students follow a variety of religions or none at all and Brother Jim is a major pain in the ass! When it comes to Brother Jim, no news is good news!

Last year, Brother Jim sued Murray State University in western Kentucky because the school rejected "his request to preach at a high-traffic student center." The rejection was based on the university's rule that speakers "must obtain on-campus sponsors."

So, Brother Jim lawsuit was not tossed because of his message [as many Christian wingnut media outlets portray it], but because he didn't follow the rules.

Federal judge Thomas Russell said Murray State's rule was legal; Brother Jim needs a sponsor.

Too bad, Brother Jim. But at least you can't harangue the students at Murray State anymore! As one of them said, can of Bud in hand, "Thank god for that!"