LONG BEACH UNION Article on I Agree with John Campaign "John Pollution"

By Ty(ler) Andrews

Long Beach Union

In one of the most furtively brilliant ad campaigns I have seen on this campus, "Do You agree with John culminated this past week with a pageant of written and spoken discourse about, what else, thee Judeo‑Christian concept of God. Them were also T-shirts, but more on that later.

For the past two weeks The Navigators, Asian American Christian Fellowship, Korea Campus Crusade for Christ The Impact Movement, victory Campus Ministry, and the Long Beach chapter of Campus Crusade for Christ put on this campaign. I laving already been successfully implemented at CSU Fullerton, the University of Arizona and other large four year colleges around the country, CSULB took up tile "Do you agree With..." campaign to a great outcome (meaning constructive discourse was created and people were enlightened by hearing and voicing contending opinions). This campaign has been headed by tile National chapter of Campus Crusade for Christ and put oil by the subsequent local chapters.

The campaign stared two weeks ago with just flyers asking the question, "Do you agree with John?" to spark interest, and ended this last week with poster boards and T‑shirts. For those of you who may still be asking, "So, who's this freaking' John character any way?!?" I will explain. "John" is John Lockmer He is a senior at CSULB. He is not one of Jesus' apostles, nor is he the same John Who baptized Jesus. He's just some guy named John. A member of CCFC, John was chosen by tile group to create it manifesto, if you will, representing the core ethos of the Christian faith. Putting tile historical and numerological rhetoric aside (i.e. much of tile Old Testament) John and CCFC have created what they believe are the key foci for being a good Christian and maintaining a strong relationship with God. This doctrine was used as a catalyst to start discussion, and not an axiom from which debate would digress ‑‑ as is usually tile case. Talking to members of CCFC, they remarked that the discussions, at times, got rather heated with students going toe‑to‑toe in heavy theological bouts of knowledge dogma and charm. Ultimately resulting in a good time, or at least something to talk about while waiting for class to start.

This was a highly effective campaign overall. It added it spark of life to passers by alas allowed us all a break front the usual solicitors who you have to dive in the bushes to avoid. However there were a few things that I would have changed. For one use a name that is not so closely related to tile Bible to better catch people off guard with the ensuing punch line. “Do you agree with Vinnie?” may have done the trick. Second, the obtrusively bright yellow t-shirts given out, wreaked of conformity and assimilation, and seemed a bit ominous, and foreboding at times. A quieter color would still get the point across without creating the look of an overexposed, fanatical cult. Finally, a good organ grinder and monkey team can never be overestimated in their ability to draw a crowd. Sadly, I was unable to get in contact with John himself. I imagined he was probably at church. With a successful week of campaigning with his name stamped on it completed, he was probably making sure the contentions of his manifesto really held water. That’s a lot to misrepresent. God bless double checking.