Florida Atlantic University has blasphemy in its curriculum.
In yet another disturbing sign of the rising tide of hostility towards Biblical Christianity, a professor at Florida Atlantic University made his class write the name of Jesus on a piece of paper, place it on the floor and stomp on it as part of a required class assignment. The one student who refused was then suspended.
Professor Deandre Poole was teaching the students a “lesson in debate” when he gave the mandatory assignment to blaspheme the name of The Lord Jesus Christ as part of his Intercultural Communications class. The activity was actually a formal part of the curriculum for the class as an entire lesson was devoted to desecrating the name of Jesus Christ in the course’s textbook:
“Stamping on Jesus’ name is actually an entire lesson which is included in the textbook for the class, called “Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach, 5th Edition.”
“Have the students write the name JESUS in big letters on a piece of paper,” a synopsis for the lesson reads:
“Ask the students to stand up and put the paper on the floor in front of them with the name facing up. Ask the students to think about it for a moment. After a brief period of silence instruct them to step on the paper. Most will hesitate. Ask why they can’t step on the paper. Discuss the importance of symbols in culture.” (source).
Florida Atlantic University Professor DeAndre Poole.
The name of Jesus Christ in the Christian faith is not just revered it is the only way to forgiveness of sins and eternal life. We read in the Book of Acts: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12).
When the Apostle Paul was told a prophecy that he would be arrested if continued on his journey to Jerusalem, he replied: “.. What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 21:13).
Ephesians Chapter 1 says that Jesus Christ is: “ Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:”
Calling upon the name of Jesus Christ is the only way to avoid damnation and the Lake of Fire. Requiring students to desecrate the name of Christ in this fashion is teaching sinful rebellion and hatred for God.
The Rise of Wickedness
Professor DeAndre Poole instructed students to write “Jesus” in large print on a piece of paper then stomp it.
The Bible prophesies that as the end times approach, the wickedness and open hostility to God and anything related to Biblical Christianity will only increase. It is because of sin that people are at such odds with God from birth. Scripture says “the carnal mind is enmity against God” (Romans 8:7). Unsaved people, who are not believers, are literally at war with The Lord because of the sin nature which all people are born with. And the more rebellion, idolatry and sinful behavior in a person’s life, the more liable they are to have their “conscience seared with a hot iron” to not care remotely about their eternal destiny or judgment from The Lord. Romans 1 describes how when this happens, the last big of Godly influence (in the human conscience) is removed and a person can fall into all manner of sin:
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. – Romans 1:28-32.
Even though this is obviously offensive, blasphemous behavior to the Christian religion, the school still saw it fit to require students to participate in this. And when questioned by the media, the University defended the professor’s lesson in a statement issued to the press:
“Faculty and students at academic institutions pursue knowledge and engage in open discourse,” the school said in the statement. “While at times the topics discussed may be sensitive, a university environment is a venue for such dialogue and debate.” (source).
Having a debate about religion or the validity of the Bible is a normal academic discussion. Dividing a classroom to present arguments about Biblical creation against evolution is a normal educational activity. Instructing students to “stomp on the name of Jesus” is not fostering intellectual debate. It’s just promoting anti-Christian sentiment and disrespecting all of those who believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior.
Preparation For The Antichrist
During the end times, the Devil will have his long-awaited “seed”, the Antichrist, ascend to power and rule over a global dictatorship in the final years before the Second Coming of Christ. One distinctive characteristic of the Antichrist is that he will be an extreme blasphemer of The Lord:
“And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.” – Revelation 13:5-6.
The Antichrist will openly insult and commit blasphemy against God. And this is the same man that most of the entire world will not only be in awe of, but will worship as a God. So the preparation of the minds of society will have to be in place. And as Beginning and End has detailed in many articles, through the mass media, pop culture and now the educational system, society is being taught that it is acceptable and entertaining to disrespect The Lord, Jesus Christ and the Christian faith. Open blasphemy and hostility to Biblical Christianity is becoming the norm. And thus one can see how society will not even be the least bit disturbed by the Antichrist’s disrespect of God and proclamation of himself as god. The bible is clear that the spirit of antichrist is already at work in the world.
A Student Is Punished For Refusing To Commit Blasphemy
After refusing to “stomp on Jesus’ name” Florida Atlantic University student Ryan Rotela was barred from returning to class.
“..Junior Ryan Rotela said he has been barred from returning to his intercultural communications class after complaining about an exercise assigned by his professor, Deandre Poole, three weeks ago.
“I said to the professor, ‘With all due respect to your authority as a professor, I just do not believe what you told us to do was appropriate, I believe it was unprofessional, and I was deeply offended by what you told me to do.’” Rotela told WPEC-TV.
Rotela, who identifies himself as a Mormon, said that he put the paper back on his desk instead of stomping on it.
“Any time you stomp on something, it shows that you believe that something has no value,” he said. “If you were to stomp on the word ‘Jesus,’ it says that the word has no value.” (source).
Although the Mormon faith is not in line with Biblical Christianity, at least one person was willing to stand up for what was a clear offense to the name of Christ. The Liberty Institute, a law firm that protects religious freedoms of Christians, has offered their services to Rotela in the event he chooses to pursue legal action.
Pray for Professor Poole and the administration at Florida Atlantic to repent and start believing on the name of Jesus Christ. And pray for students in Universities all over the country that are seeking to plant doubts in their faith and even compel them to rebel against God. May they have the courage and conviction to contend for the faith once given to the saints. And rather than insult the name of Jesus, let His name be praised. The Bible is clear:
“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:10-11.
Everyone should bow now. Even for those unsaved people who have been attacking Jesus Christ and disrespecting His Holy name for years, there is free forgiveness and eternal life waiting if they believe the Gospel. Jesus Christ gave His life to take the punishment for all of these sins. He died for those who cursed, mocked and abused Him. But without faith in Christ’s perfect sacrifice, those same people will die condemned and guilty of their sins. Pray for those who blaspheme to repent and believe upon Jesus’ name before they have no choice but to bow on Judgment Day.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. – John 3:17-18.
““Stamping on Jesus’ name is actually an entire lesson which is included in the textbook for the class, called “Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach, 5th Edition.””
What exactly were they attempting to “communicate”? In what culture is stomping on something considered to be a good thing?
Actually I agree with the professor!
The exercise is about demonstrating the hold of mindless superstition on people.
Written words on paper have no power nor influence on anything other than marks on a piece of paper, regardless of what is written.
The use of a highly regarded name that is wrought with superstition, such as Jesus, precisely demonstrates the point the professor is trying to make in this exercise.
For anybody to actually believe that stomping on a piece of paper with some marks on it will influence anything, spiritual or otherwise is extremely superstitious and ludicrous.
It doesn’t matter what is written on the pieces of paper, Jesus, Muhammad, Satan, Peter, Cat, Dog, E=MC(squared) the result would be exactly the same,
A piece of torn, soiled and crumpled paper with marks on it, nothing more!
Thus the entire point of the exercise!
yes, that’s why we should put your face and your name on the paper and stomp on it. Right, Peter Dayntree ?
yeah,
lets do it now stomp stomp on peters name I am doing it as I write this oh but it means nothing . Ha ha
I’d like to *thumbs up this comment.
We should write OUR OWN NAME on that paper and walk on our own ego. THAT would be a good exercise to increase humility in ourselves. But to write the name of God and walk on it is blasphemous to say the least since that name hold power in itself.
*thumbs up
Well, there must be a lot weight to that piece of paper. It got a young man suspended from school. In which is deplorable. For a school and a book written for higher knowledge to have such disrespect for the God of our country is satanic and a definite sign that this and they as well as you are an Antichrist.
*thumbs up
Good on you, Mr Rotela, for showing such bravery and speaking up for your Christian convictions by honoring the Lord in the face of such blasphemy. You faced the refiner’s fire, the den of vipers and lions, with courage — and your reward awaits you one day in heaven. My respect for Mormons like you has risen a thousand fold. You, and your religion that taught you these values, are EVERY bit a Christian, and I salute you, sir, in your defense of our Savior.
I go to a different Florida University and I had some professors showing disdain towards Christians and saying weird things. Engaging students to participate in threesomes, to be promiscuous , anti religious ect I am not surprised that another professor in this backwards state known as “Florida” was asking students to stomp on the name of Jesus and that only one student refused to do so. I live in Miami and this city is hell waiting to happen….
What a principal filled young Christian young man.
You will be Blessed.
This should be a call out to any and all Christian Universities to contact him for a full ride
What happened in that classroom is a reflection of the professors hatred and the intensity of his animosity against God. If all except one followed through with the professors instruction, at least it only support what the bible says that even though a lot has been called only a few are chosen.
Am sure that we face the same scenario in our daily life where we have to step up and be a witness for the great and mighty work that He is doing in our lives as He mold and shape us for His return.
There is power in prayer and forgiveness, especially now before His return.
So pleased that one young man had the strength to stand for the name of Christ. Shame on FAU and on this professor. There should have been whole classrooms of students objecting to this nonsense, and for that there was not, I am greatly grieved.
Even if he wanted to claim something so personal to the students, bringing God in it is WAY TOO FAR! He could have used their parents name or someone significant to them. However, GOD? That’s blasphemous. I pray he repents from the error in his way, and that he realizes his need for God in his life!
I bet this professor wouldn’t dare ask his students to stomp on the name Mohammed.
Would this teacher ask the class to do the same with the name of mohamed? I think not. The teacher would no longer have a job and would have a contract out on him to be killed. The school would probably be surounded by ten thousand muslems and the school burned down.
” I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins ” John 8:24. You just cant make it any clear than that.
I have to say, the attitudes expressed here are anything but Christian. Please go back and read your bible, if that’s what you profess to believe- there are SO many examples in the New Testament that you should love and respect this teacher’s lesson, his difference of opinion, his effort to teach. The more fundamental Biblical interpretations we see in modern American society are such a departure from Jesus’ base teachings.
When you grasp that , I’d suggest you look at where the God of the Israelites started out- read the History of God by Karen Armstrong- and dive into some of the changes enacted in gospel, in scripture over the years- Augustine’s relegation of women to second class status, and out of any positions of influence, look at the punishments meted out for possession of a Bible up until what, the 16th century? Nonsense.
Please understand the Bible you revere was created in the 16th century as a set of selective (not complete) translations of 4th century letters that purport to be copies of 1st century letters- and it STILL contains such contradictions, such descriptions of things we would today find so heinous and criminal… How can you POSSIBLY accord the Bible- or the Koran for that matter- any credence?
We’ll be a better society when we eventually get back to the REAL message- love one another. Nothing more. Outrage over perceived slights of a few pencil marks on a piece of paper? Please.
Until you love God, you cannot love others. Only God can make you know TRUE SELF SACRIFICIAL LOVE for the sake of others – as Christ did. Love towards others comes as a result of loving God first. Without God, we are unable to love unconditionally. We can only love under the condition that others love us back.
Only when we humbly admit our sinfulness and love the Trinity we can love our enemies, our persecutors and those who hurt us. Since God is Love and Christ is God, therefore Christ is Love. To stomp on His Name is to stomp on Love, and if we do that we have hatred in us. We should only stomp on a paper where you write “hate” or “evil” or “war” or “abortion”, but certainly not on any religious figure, God or image.
Secondly, the Bible has been intact for 2,000 thousand years and the laws on it are still the same. God does not change His Word according to our sinful needs. He IS God and as that, He will never adapt to our own imperfect nature. So it is up to us to find a way to accept the Truth even though it entails having to correct and sacrifice ourselves by letting the teachings contained in it sharpen us into holiness.
If to obtain a perfectly sculpted body we are required to work out hard, diet intensely and sacrifice all the food that tastes great, we ought to do the same for our soul through prayer, fasting, humility, confession and self sacrifice.
“To stomp on His Name is to stomp on Love”, really? By that logic, God created Satan, Satan is evil so God must be evil. If you read my other posts here you can see the teacher did NOT force anyone to stomp on the paper. “the Bible has been intact for 2000 years”??????????????? Some of the bible did not even exist 2000 years ago. So the laws about selling my daughter into slavery still apply? I can stone my neighbor if he doesn’t respect the Sabbath? It was a lesson, try learning it.
The “or else” meant be flayed alive, burned alive, thrown to wide beasts, torn in two, and so on.
From the textbook: “Most will hesitate. Ask why they can’t step on the paper. Discuss the importance of symbols in culture.” He ASKED, not the “forced” that you see in the headlines. Americans love to make fun of the Muslims that riot when Mohammed is depicted in a cartoon but then turn around and scream blasphemy when their god gets dissed. If god is upset by this type of thing I think he can handle the situation without any help from his followers.
Hi Duane,
You are quoting the textbook, not the professor. The news report states that the professor told the students to stomp on the name of Jesus, not
asked.” The student in question was no longer permitted to attend the class after refusing the assignment. So while he was not physically forced to stomp on the paper, he was severely punished for his stance.
I love God and will continue to proclaim the greatness of His name. It’s not a question of whether or not God needs help. It’s a question of who loves Him and who does not. Where do you stand?
How to Get to Heaven
https://beginningandend.com/how-to-get-to-heaven/
The university said that “no students were forced to take part in the exercise; the instructor told all of the students in the class that they could choose whether or not to participate.”
Poole asked the students to “step” on the paper, not stomp.
“the reason why he was disciplined: he (Poole) told Inside Higher Ed the student went up to him after class, punching his fist into his other hand and saying “he wanted to hit me.” Alarmed, Poole said he notified campus police and filed a report.”
Leaving out those details is a lot like “lying”.
Since some find this not to be a big deal. Say your child is put on the ground and you are told to stomp on the innocent baby. Would you do this. No because a baby can be see as real. To me my Lord Jesus is as real as anyone. To stomp on this name on paper is blasphemy to my Lord and Savior for we are to put the devil under our feet. So I would of wrote the professor name on the paper, and put him under my feet all the while praising my Savior for the victory over the enemy. But it is unconstitutional to be given an assignment, and request that they must do this. I though our right to religious freedom was protected, and what about freedom of speech and expression not to participate in such things of this nature. Nothing should of happened to punish that young man that took a stand. Is that a form of coersion…. entrapment…But mark my words that professor will pay in hell if he doesn’t come to know Christ the Jesus that can save his soul. So pray for him. Because hell is real and terrible place. But blasphemy is the only unforgivable sin. I pray that no one ever does this. Because a person will spend an eternity in hell.
No one was suspended. Look at the facts of the incident. The Christian who confronted Poole with a physical threat, after the former refused to stomp, was not acting as Jesus would, so for all intents and purposes he stomped on Jesus anyway.
That is an interesting assignment to have the students engage in. If I was a teacher I would probably do something similar to that. Because even though some of us are religious (christians, jewish, muslim etc) and non religious symbols and religious icons do have an effect on our conscious mind. For example me and my friend watched a horror movie last month dealing. Now she is an atheist but when she saw the character get possessed she subconsciously made the sign of the cross. I laughed at her because it was funny how mso many things are embedded in our minds. Things that seen as religious, things that may be perceived as prejudice or racist. The human behavior is quite fascinating
I would like to know that this professor, and this curriculum, have been dismissed.
Peter Dayntree….your wordy comment is actually Senseless…..REPENT OR PERISH