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Speaker answers the tough questions
San Diego minister uses open dialogue to share his religious views with students

Kristy Hessman
The Daily Barometer
Oregon State University
Oct. 25, 2001

Crowds of curious students congregated outside the steps of the Memorial Union on Wednesday.  Some stood on the fringes, taking in the scene, while others sat munching pizza or gazing down from the balconies.  In the center of the constantly changing group stood an animated Bob Siegel.  Siegel, a Christian minister from San Diego, spent three hours at the MU on Tuesday and Wednesday, drawing in passers-by with his willingness to answer questions on the Bile, Jesus, Christianity and religion.  “People are usually pretty friendly;’ Siegel said. “There is an antagonism with Christianity. I acknowledge it.  Which makes people more willing to listen.

Mike Bittner, a senior in finance, took in the dialogue and reactions from audience members for more than an hour.  “He’s not being aggressive,” Bittner said. “If someone confronts him, he’s like, ‘I’m glad you’re here asking questions.’ He’s cool.”

Siegel works for Mission to the Americas, an organization whose aim is to evangelize to who it calls “the unreached of the Americas,” according to the organization’s Web site.  His visit, which will include two focused discussions today at noon and 7:30 p.m., is sponsored by the OSU Cam­pus Ambassadors.  Siegel has traveled to a number of campuses in the Midwest and East Coast, he said. Next week, he will make an appearance at Willamette University.

One of the most common questions he gets asked is, “How can God be a loving God in a world where there is so much evil.  It is one that has been particularly prevalent since the recent tragedies in New York City and at the Pentagon.  God did not bomb the World Trade Center,” Siegel said. “I believe humans are responsible for the evil in the world. Just because God exists doesn’t mean he is going to intervene with man’s free will. We are still held accountable for our choices.”  Siegel will elaborate on this ideas tonight at an open forum titled, “Where was God on 9-11?” to be held at Milam Auditorium.

The second most popular question Siegel gets concerns other religions.  Growing up with both atheist and Jewish influences, Siegel said he can relate to different theologies.  It was during his second year in college at San Jose State that Siegel became a Christian.  “I told someone that if there was a hell I would rather go there than become a Christian,” Siegel told Wednesday’s crowd. “The next day I became a Christ­ian.”  The change came after Siegel had an encounter with Christ.  “I was convinced that his spirit was real,” he said.

After Siegel was finished speaking, a number of students extended their thanks, hugs and encouragement for the words he spoke.  Others were simply impressed with his courage.  “I think it’s interesting he wants to talk about it,” junior in business Sarah Niewald said of Siegel’s discussion ‘It’s pretty brave.”