#knbou

PREACHER CAUSES CONTROVERSY ON OU CAMPUS

  VIDEO: Kevin McPherson, Runtime 1:59

  A large crowd of students gathered around a Gospel proclaiming preacher on OU’s campus, when insulting claims were made toward students in sororities and fraternities in the name of religion. 

The preacher, Gary Bowman, started to become most insulting to students when he let out slurs against people in Greek life, calling sorority houses “whore houses” and calling fraternities “fraterna-brothels.” These remarks were met mostly by scoffs and laughs, but others felt too insulted to laugh.

Bowman has been seen on campus for many years, and often gathers an audience of students who want to defend themselves. He is so common on campus that some people have given him the nickname, “Preacher Bob,” or even “Moses.”  

Even Christian students are offended by Bowman’s words. “The difference of what he’s preaching and what’s in the Bible is love,” Sean Lassiter explains. Lassiter believes that Bowman’s preaching reinforces a false stereotype about Christians that portray them as hateful people. “If the message is delivered through hate and anger, it’s not how Jesus said to reach people.”

In response to some racial slurs, one student approached the crowd from behind as Bowman continued to preach. The student announced that he was starting a petition to call for the removal of Bowman from the campus. Upon announcing the petition, students gathered to sign, passing the paper around, quickly gaining signatures. Whether the petition has been effective has yet to be seen.

Bowman believes that his efforts bring about the revelation of gospel to students. “This could be the last sermon that people hear.” He said, “Eternity is too long to be wrong.”

OKC BAND MOVES INTO OU FOR FRESHMAN YEAR

VIDEO: Kevin McPherson, Runtime 3:56

This year, members of the band Cosmostanza moved into the OU dorms and continue to make music, though the struggles of adjusting to college life make it more difficult than it was in the past. The band is a duo, made up of the singer/guitarist, Maxwell Moore, and Raney Aboud on drums.

Aboud and Moore, both now OU freshmen, attended the same high school in Oklahoma City. They believed it would be beneficial to be roommates as they were band-mates and good friends. However, even though they live together, the time consuming nature of college has made it hard for them to practice. The duo remains optimistic as they move forward, taking steps such as finding a practice space in Norman.

Ever since they appeared on the scene, they have gotten a lot of attention. They attracted a loyal group of fans, and both of their music releases have been reviewed in the music section of the Oklahoma Gazette.  Fans of the band have noticed a change in their performances, though the change is a positive one. “A lot has changed. The dynamic between Max and Raney, the frequency of shows, and the attitude behind the band seems a lot more mature. I'm not sure if college affected that, but they both look like they know what they're doing a lot more now,” said Broderick Lockett, a long-time fan.

Aboud and Moore share the song-writing duties, as both write lyric. Moore writes the guitar parts and the vocal melodies, and Aboud writes the drum parts.

Both members see their past performance at Norman Music Festival as a top moment in the band’s career. Moore was happy about playing outside to many eager fans, and Aboud enjoyed all of the ‘buzz’ that surrounded the event.

Aboud says the name Cosmostanza came from a reference to ‘Seinfeld.’ When naming their band they wanted a name that would reference the show, as they are both fans.