Brady Cone, a controversial orator, specifically concerned about the LGBTQ+ community, spoke at Talley Student Union Wednesday evening.
Cone’s lecture, titled “Homosexuality and Christianity” endorsed a biblical interpretation that homosexuality is sinful. Over 200 students attended the event, including more than 70 people protesting the event and standing in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. Protesters, volunteers, NC State counselors and psychologists handed out fliers explaining their objection to Cone’s message as well as resources for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“I have a seminary degree, and I do believe that [the Bible] means what it says it means,” Cone said. “I clearly believe that it condemns homosexuality.”
Cone’s event staff originally distributed posters advertising his lecture with images of the gay pride flag and claims to address social issues inherent with homosexuality in parts of the Christian community. Brandon Clates, the head of Bi/Pan, attended the lecture.
“What’s going in my head right now is that the speaker was a f—— idiot who honestly is using the Bible and it’s twisting words in ways that make no f—— sense at all,” Clates said. “I feel like the way that he got [students] there was misleading because when he was setting up fliers for what he was saying, he used the rainbow flag and he also used speech that seemed less overtly against homosexuality and LGBTQ+ folks. When we got there, it’s someone who’s saying that all of these things are bad and that religion makes them look bad.”
Lexi Scott, a member of the GLBT CommUNITY Alliance leadership board helped assemble pro-LGBTQ+, Christian students to sit in on the lecture and to interact with students responding to Cone’s words. Following Cone’s presentation, students texted Cone questions about the implications of his lecture.
“I felt that it was a very polarized atmosphere,” Scott said. “I felt like there was a front half of the room and a back half of the room, and there wasn’t really much of a conversation. I know that a lot of people that share my opinion, that it’s fine to be LGBT, did not have their questions answered, so I feel like there might have been some cherry picking going on from an ideological standpoint, as well as from a time constraint.”
Cone particularly made references to biblical excerpts, prioritizing his preconceptions of gay individuals and condemning relationships focused on sexual attraction rather than the Bible’s tenants of Christian marriage, regardless of sexual orientation. In addition, Cone reaffirmed his belief that marriage is reserved between one man and one woman.
“Sometimes, [gay individuals] are not aware that as they dig in to the truth and evaluate their life and why they are attracted to who they are attracted to, they see that they are turning to someone to make them feel whole, to make them feel complete,” Cone said. “That is what we call idolatry; that person is never going to fulfill the things inside of us that we want them to fulfill.”
Scott responded regarding Cone’s presentation of sexuality.
“I’m feeling a little bit frustrated — I’m feeling a little bit disappointed,” Scott said. “The idea that love should be so exclusive, you know — only something for God — the idea that you cannot fully love a person, that it turns into some corrupt thing. I’m kind of disappointed to hear that coming from a Christian, when they say that they’re all about love.”
Many students who shared Cone’s stances responded with phrasing similar to that of his lecture.
“Because he is a Christian, he looked at it with a Christian stance,” said Benjamin Stewart, a freshman studying engineering. “He said that his view is that those relationships that have idolatry in it, that you’re not looking for a relationship that’s truly embodies the love of God. You’re looking at that person for sexual attraction.”
Juliette Hallen, president of the GLBTCA, and Scott hope that the distributed fliers promoting LGBTQ+ resources on campus reach people and that members of the LGBTQ+ community choose to attend a church that is more affirming, accepting and loving.
Hallen noted that the GLBT Center hosts a diverse range of political and religious viewpoints and is willing to accommodate to students’ needs in pursuing safer sex practices, LGBTQ+ community involvement and transitioning counseling. Educational resources on the LGBTQ+ community and its history can be found at the GLBT Center on the fifth floor of Talley, as well as in the Counseling Center in Student Health Services. The Counseling Center will offer special drop-in counseling hours on Thursday from noon to 2 p.m.
Members of the Episcopal Campus Ministry stand outside of the Talley Mountains Ballroom on Wednesday after Brady Cone’s talk titled“Homosexuality: So Many Questions!”The Episcopal Campus Ministry members were showing that not all Christians share Cone’s negative views of the LGBTQ+ community.
