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Jesus, Satan, Godzilla And Galactus – The Protesters At San Diego Comic Con

Published Sat, 26 Jul 2014 21:00:11 -0500

By Nikolai Fomich

Every year at SDCC, Christian proselytizers and counter-protesters gather outside of the convention to battle for the hearts and minds of the nerds attending. I spoke to both sides and asked why they were there.

Nikolai Fomich: Why are you protesting San Diego Comic Con?

Joe Gaona: We're not protesting actually. The Bible tells us to go out and preach the good news – though they're here to have a good time and enjoy their lives on Earth, we're here to remind them that all these things will pass away.

NF: So you're not in any way condemning the con?

JG: Oh no, enjoy yourself. I love comic books. I love passion in life. But I think there has to be a balance in everything.

NF: Have you done this before?

JG: Oh yeah, we come here every year, four days in a row, and just stand around and tell people the good news. If they don't want to hear it then they can walk off. We're not here to impress our beliefs upon anyone, we just want to tell everyone that there is hope.

NJ: And what church are you with?

JG: I just like to say that I'm an Evangelical Protestant Christian – we're from many churches.

NF: I was talking to some of the other protesters around, and they thought your message was not inclusive and at times even hateful. Any response to that?

JG: People just don't like to hear us calling them out. We've all done things that are against who we are. We don't try to lie and cheat and steal, but we do, and so that makes us sinners before God. Some people get riled up about it. I know for instance that this group – I don't even know who they are – but they always want to bring up homosexuality to us. This is Comic Con. We're not even talking about homosexuals – we're talking about everybody, and everyone has sinned before God. They can't handle that message. They think it's crude, but it's not.

NF: Do you think there might be a better way to get your message across?

JG: I think we make sure to give a balance. We talk to them about how this life is nothing. Life is really about the eternal perspective, and where are you going to spend eternity?

NF: Why are you counter-protesting at San Diego Comic Con?

Shannon Dove: I'm here because I want to spread the love. I am just having a blast. Every time I wear my rainbow tutu I get tons and tons of pics, and it's really amazing to see all the love that everybody from all over world has for what we're doing.

I work with an LGBTQ rights advocates group called Canvass for a Cause here in San Diego. We came here because the "Jesus freaks" really like to come here, and they don't spread the word of love – so that's what we're doing. I'm a gay Christian. I've always been told that it isn't OK for me to be gay and be a Christian, but that's what I've always been. No one can stop my personal relationship to Jesus Christ and God.

NF: They say they're not here to shame anyone or talk about homosexuality, and that their message applies to themselves as much as others. What is your response to that?

SD: They can say that they're here to speak about love, but I have seen several of them elsewhere with signs that have said, if you're a loud woman, if you're not submissive to your husband, if you're a homosexual – you're going to go to hell. I don't think that's necessarily the case. I think that God is loving, and everybody has the chance to…I don't know. It's hard for me because I know that I'm going to go to Heaven, but at the same time I don't know that I want to be in heaven with them.

In addition to Canvass for a Cause, other counter-protesters included Eddie Stemski and Billie Loww, who according to Loww "don't necessarily worship Satan" but decided to create a "Hail Satan" sign for the sake of "balance." Stemski told me that "they're shitting on everybody. People came here for a good time, and they're over here condemning people. It's just frustrating and annoying." "It's about our free speech man!" Loww added.

A few nerds were also on hand with a dire warning that "Galactus is Nigh," but also offering an assurance that "Godzilla Saves."

One protester, however, had taken to the streets for a more unusual reason.

NF: Why are you out here protesting?

Joshua Coleman: I'm here because I'm upset that Edgar Wright has been taken off the Ant Man project.

NF: We're all upset about that, but what upset you to the point that you felt it necessary to come out here and protest with a sign?

JC: Well there are those religious guys with their signs and I originally thought I'd come out with a sign that said STFU. But then I thought it over, and how upset I am about [Edgar Wright]. So I thought I'd bring some attention to this situation, because I don't think a lot of people really know that we had this amazing writer/director on the project who was going to make an unbelievable film, which is unfortunately now going to be streamlined."