Ray Comfort, evangelist and Christian minister, and his sermon raised tensions among a crowd of students on Nov. 22 in front of Falcon Square.

Comfort and his associates got involved in a lengthy and heated debate with the students after his sermon turned the throng surly.

Alex Jreisat, anthropology major, says, “I enjoyed the conversation and debate he stimulated among us students, but I felt his agenda got in the way of having a real discussion.”

“I tried to offer my opinion but it was more of a one-sided conversation for the most part.”

Students were baited by Comfort with a proposed intelligence test. Once their attention was grabbed, he segued into a sermon that many felt was hostile and irksome.

Broderick Woods, child development major, says, “I encourage them to bring discussion to the campus, but their methods were very poor.

“There was absolutely no need for the shouting or the attacking tone.”

Although many of the students felt Comfort was behaving borderline offensively, he explains he has the best intentions.

“We’re here today to get people to talk about issues that matter. We’re all going to die because we’ve sinned against God. There’s a judgment day, a real hell and a real heaven.”

Comfort has preached on campus before but last Monday was the first crowd he has drawn.

The television co-host and author did not plan on visiting Cerritos College, stating, “We came to Cerritos because Fullerton College was closed.”

Woods says, “They went about it all wrong. Someone could have been so offended that he would take physical action.

I’m sure there were good intentions, but they need to re-evaluate the way they do things.”