2A -- Thursday, October 9, 2008 The Michigan Daily - michigandaiiy.com 2A - Thursday, October 9,2008 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom HE CHALLENGES YOU TO A RHETORICAL DUEL The Diag debater If you've passedcthroughcthe Diag this week, you may have noticed both local and traveling evangelista attempting to spread their beliefs to anyone willingcto listen. Some students ignore the preach- ing, some are offended, others ace amused and a few see street preach- er season as an opportunity for fun. Alex Kostrzewa is one of those few. Known around campus for dress- ing up as Jesus and arguing the merits of Greek mythology with preachers like Brother Jed Smock, Kostrzewa tries to inject humor into the tension that can develop between the speakers and students. The Residential College senior said his interactions with the evan- gelists are "improvised public the- atre," and insists he isn't trying to drive them away. "It's fun," he said. Kostrzewa, a self-described agnostic, said he isn't opposed to organized religion. He said all of his actions - from dressing up as Jesus and preaching forgiveness and love on the Diag to debating preacher Michael Venyah by speaking through a sock puppet - are intended to "put forth a more positive version of Christianity." After engaging the Diag preach- ers in theological debate and pro- viding an undeniable degree of silliness over the last three years, Kostrzewa has noticed an interest- ing trend among students who stop to listen to them. He said he noticed that people who are familiar with the Bible tend to be more offended by the preachers than people who are not because the students believe the preachers function as "anti- advertising for what they're trying to spread." Although Kostrzewa may oppose what the preachers are saying, he believes firmly in their right to say it. "People taking stuff seriously is dangerous," he said. Street-preacher season is draw- ing to a close in Ann Arbor, but Kostrzewa said he plans to push through to the end by appearing on the Diag the rest of this week. While he could not say for sure what antics he has planned, he hint- ed at the possibility of another sock puppet debate with Michael Venyah or even doing his own preaching on the Diag, espousing the virtues of Nurse mythology. BENJAMIN S. CHASE (ANGEtLAtCESERE/Daily) RC senior Ales Kostrzewa spoke neat to Jed Smack, the tounder and president at Campus Ministry USA, on the Diag on Sept. 23. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, Mt 48109-1327 www.inichigandaily.com ANDREW GROSSMAN ELAINA BUGLI Editor in Chief Busisess Manager 734-647-3336 734-764-0558 grossomn@mihigandaitycom bagti@michigandaityeom CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom o000cr hours: Sun.-Thurs. 1lion. - 2 a. 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Addtioal opie ma bpiked p tthe ailyofie o $.Suscrsiptons orofallOtem, aringi Spee,ia U.S.eailae$10. W ine e(anuay thoughiApril itn15,yalog(Sseibe throughAprillis195.Uiveryoafiiateioaeouecthtoa rded siubscriptio ateOn-apus subspiosoeo faOll terme $35~. Subcripins musaolbeprepaid. 0,eMichiganDaily ia membereo The AssociatedPrend Th Aociatd ColleiatePrss 01 CRIME NOTES CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES Parking pass swiped WHERE: Lot SC-S, 300 Sta- dium Blvd. WHEN: Tuesday at about 10:30 p.m. WHAT: A man reported that his parking pass was stolen out of his car between 7 and 7:40 am. on Tuesday, University Police reported. The original price of the parking pass was $279. Police have no suspects. Internet cards stolen on North Campus WHERE: Pierpont Commons WHEN: Tuesday at about 9:30 WHAT: Two HP Internet cards were stolen, University Police reported. The cards were valued at $400 each. Police have no suspects. Tree taken from Oxford Housing WHERE: Oxford Housing, 600 Oxford Road WHEN: Tuesday at about 12:45 p.m. WHAT: A one-year-old tree- was stolen from Oxford Hous- ing, University Police reported. The tree was five feet tall, and was valued at $132. Police have no suspects. Man slips, injures head WHERE: Eisenhower Park WHEN: Tuesday at about S p.m. WHAT: A man slipped and hit his head on the ground at Eisenhower Park, University Police reported. He trans- ported by ambulance to the University Hospital for treat- ment. Yom Kippur services WHAT: A number of events throughout the day marking Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonment. Por more infor- mation, visit www.umhillel. org WHO: Hillel WHEN: Today beginning at 9 a.m. WHERE: Hillel, Mandell L. Berman Center, 1429 Hill St. Sociology lecture WHAT: A lecture by New York University Prof. Eric Klinenberg titled "Alone in America" WHO: Center for Social Epi- demiology and Population Health WHEN: Today at 4 p.m. WHERE: 1688 School of Pub- lic Health Crossroads Feature film sneak preview WHAT: A sneak preview of the Universal Pictures film "Role Models" WHO: M-Flicks and the Uni- versity Activities Center WHEN: Today at 7 p.m. WHERE: Angell Hall, Audi- torium A CORRECTIONS " An article in Tuesday's Daily (Greeks team up to fighst cancer) said Max Friedman was the philan- thropy chair of Sigma Alpha Mu. He is the former phi- lanthropy chair. " An article in yesterday's Daily (Consultant callsofor holistic approach to sustain- ability) misspelled Sarah Shapiro's name. *Please report any error in the Daily to correc- tions@michigandaily.com. 1The Michigan Democratic Party yesterday began an effort to gather signatures asking Sarah Palmn imperson- ator Tins Fey of "Saturday Night Live" to visit Michigan, The Associated Press reported. 2For as many as one in 23 people, the brain tails to disconnect certain cross- sensory activations, meaning that certain early-age asso- ciations - colors with letters, shapes with sounds, textures with smells - continue into middle age. The condition is called synesthesia. OsFOlt MORE, Stt THt 8-SIDE 3One in six homeowners in the United States owes more on their mortgage than the their home is worth, The Wall Street Journal reported. 01 6 AML, 7.1 F. 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