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J. Eiland
He’s charged in conflict with street preachers
By Pat Hatfield
posted May 18, 2009 - 9:07:29am
Justin Eiland said he’s sorry he grabbed one of Downtown DeLand’s street preachers by the shoulders late in the evening of May 8.
“I should have never touched nobody,” he said. “I did handle it erratically.”
Eiland said he doesn’t repent of his sentiments about the street preachers, however.
A Beacon video recording captured the confrontation between Eiland and a group of street preachers from Bible Baptist Church in Glenwood May 8.
The video shows Eiland shouting obscenities at a group of street preachers, then taking one of them, Jayson Hill, by the shoulders, jostling him, and shoving him.
May 12, Hill signed a complaint against Eiland. Eiland will have to appear in court on charges of disorderly conduct and simple battery. He will not be arrested unless he does not appear for the assigned court date.
The incident occurred on the sidewalk near Half-Time Sports Bar at 145 N. Woodland Blvd.
Eiland said the street preachers had yelled at him a couple of times that night, once when he went past them earlier, then another time, as he came out of Bill and Frank’s Brickhouse Grill across the street, at 142 N. Woodland Blvd.
Eiland said the preachers are loud, and can be heard even through the walls of the buildings.
Nobody should try to make him feel bad for going out for dinner and a drink, he said.
Although he may have pushed one of the preachers physically, he said they pushed him, in an emotional sense.
Eiland said he’d already had a bad day, “when this dude hollers, ‘Repent.’” He’d exchanged words with the group of street preachers the previous weekend.
The preachers target the intersection of Woodland Boulevard and Rich Avenue, urging people to repent so they won’t go to hell.
Eiland said he’s an “evolutionist,” and finds the street preachers offensive.
The preachers yell at cars going through the intersection, startling drivers, he said. One time, one of the preachers yelled into the car windows of a friend, scaring children in the car, making them cry, Eiland said.
He said other people had left Downtown DeLand May 8, because they didn’t want to listen to the preachers yelling.
Eiland doesn’t think the preachers should be doing that sort of thing.
He called them “a radical Christian group.”
Why, Eiland asked, if prayer isn’t allowed in public schools, are the preachers allowed to yell at people on public sidewalks?
Eiland said he and some friends are going to ask Downtown business people to sign a petition asking the city to take action against the street preaching.
He will be glad to have his day in court, Eiland said. The date has not yet been set.
The matter of confrontations between street preachers and bar patrons who don’t like being their target, has come to the attention of DeLand City Commission and the Police Department.
Scott Price, who owns a building at the corner of Woodland Boulevard and Rich Avenue, told commissioners he has been concerned that tensions between bar patrons and preachers could become violent.
Police were on the scene May 8, videotaping interactions between the street preachers and Downtowners.
Attempts to contact Hill or Bible Baptist Church Pastor James Knox after the incident were unsuccessful.
On May 14, The Beacon received an unsigned e-mail from Knox stating, “The Bible Baptist Church, its pastor and members, have no further comments to make re the preaching downtown.”
Reader Comments
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Justin and Candice both are drunkards and both seem prone to violence.
connection between the 2 is pretty clear.
Moses committed murder. if that took him out of Gods service (which it didnt, God forgives all sinners that repent) how many chapters was he used after that sin?
David committed murder and adultry, (God forviges) was used after this horrible sin.
the list goes on. God kept those chapters in the bible because we learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others.
for those that say it is wrong to sin....
IT IS
GOD HATES SIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did a street preacher sin? They all do.
Are we forgiven by a loving God? AMEN!!!!
I am a sinner and im saved not by my works but the works of Jesus Christ on the cross.
I will be a sinner til the day i draw my last breath.
As a Christian i strive to be more like Jesus every day and fail daily. Jesus still forgives.
I am COMMANDED by God to go into all the world and preach the gospel. Mark 16:15
I hate that we still have a sin nature to deal with as we serve a risen saviour. But knowing that my emeny is that close (my flesh) keeps me faithful. Yes we all fall but i have Jesus to lift me up and put me on the right path.
Street preaching is the reason i am saved today. I heard the "good news" of the gospel and harkened to those wonderful words. I now street preach and have seen lives changed for eternity. Feeding the poor does not keep them from ****. Building homes for habitat will not chance thier eternal home. We are thinking on the eternal destiny not the temperal one.
Righteousness angers the unrighteous. We do not want to be reminded of how bad we are.
Preaching draws sinners to repentance...then the battle in your heart ou know your helpless condition and blame another for your sins.
I pray that you turn to Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. He is the only way.
Street preachers do not save. They point you to the saviour.
i had not heard about this before! what's the case and where can i get more information about it?
Now she wants us to believe that these men won't get out of the way when she pushes her baby stroller......
And your comment about Dogma? I bet you tried telling your grade school teachers that you couldn't turn your homework in because your Dogma ate your homework!
If this situation did not deal with personal liberties, you people would be hilarious.
As it is, you are sad testimonies to the sorry state of affairs in the USA.
This is sad …and amusing!! Data analyst, sorry, can’t resist. Ha!
Watched the video again in light of all the readers’ comments.
Men holding signs ACROSS the street from restaurant where Drunk was dining (apparently).
Men holding signs are shouting out their message.
Drunk is annoyed so he apparently crosses the street, gets in their faces, and is yelling at them.
This is true HYPOCRISY. Isn’t he mad because they are yelling?
NO, HE IS MAD BECAUSE HE IS DRUNK!!
‘Miss O’, re: shoving dogma – Drunk seemed to be doing the shoving.
What ‘TomTom’ really meant to say is that everyone should agree with him or they are child molesters, liars, adulterers, thieves, etc. (Possible friend of yelling, hypocritical Drunk who was polluting DT Deland with obscenities. – ‘Saddened’, take note re: noise ordinance.)
‘Dear fastback’ – I know what you mean. When I’m shopping and every time a store employee gets on the PA system and interrupts my FAVORITE song with their announcement, I just want to go POSTAL!!
‘Tommy Watkins’ – Based on Justin’s language (the Drunk in the video) and his personal testimonial in the vid, I would keep my mother as far away from him as possible! If your story is plausible at all, plenty more reason to keep Justin away from the booze. It has countered and ruined your report of his character.
‘Bump’ – if there was a bikini car wash across the street from the church, they would probably hold signs and preach to the cars. Hey, a good sign for them “Get your sins washed here!”
‘Friend of Eiland’ – Thanks for your report that these ‘preachers’ have been doing this for “many years” and “it hasn’t caused a serious accident” (to your surprise). How many accidents have been caused by drunks in Deland??
Your other statement – “I bet if you called 911 and someone was yelling at you as these radicals do, the police would show up and file a report for harrassment [sic]/verbal assault or something!!!”
Uh, that looks like what pretty much happened, dear ‘Friend’, except JUSTIN was the offender for a physical assault. Were you sober when you wrote this?
This is fun, but I really must stop with ‘Kevin’ – Justin is the one who seemed to be intent on vigorously imposing his beliefs on the ‘preachers’.
Last but not least, an article on the same site, same town, same day –
“A gun was drawn in another recent DT Deland incident INVOLVING BAR PATRONS…”
“the SECOND…incident involving a gun… in just a few weeks’ time.”
Wow, and not a ‘preacher’ in sight!
HELLOOOOOO!!!! McFLY!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do have a clue about the street preachers and their disruption to downtown De Land. If there's a function downtown, they're there first thing in the am, waving their signs and screaming at people that have traveled to an event in our town. What a wonderful impression. Not!
They are a distraction to drivers and pedestrians alike. They won't move to give room when I'm pushing the stroller. They continue to holler in a crazed fashion and frighten small children. They will not take no for an answer, if like you said, you put your hand up as if to say, "No thank you".
They're fanatics who wish to shove their Dogma down our throats.
I'll let my Karma run over their Dogma any old day!
Laughable. People who go downtown after 11pm to hang out at these places are not looking for a quiet dinner.
These critics could care less about facts and logic, they just want to sling mud and hope some of it sticks.
Driving home that fact is "TomTom" who spouts, " These people represent child molesters, liars, adulterers, thieves, and the list goes on."
Rational thought processes are completely foreign to these kinds of people.
I went downtown Friday night to observe. I saw three men. They held some signs. They offered some people materials as they walked by. They sang some songs.
"WestCoaster" was absolutely correct. You whiners are simply attempting to make a mountain out of a mole hill.
Many, due to a busy lifestyle have adapted to more of an European style of dining. It is not uncommon for the"dinner" to take place at 10pm or later.
I'll eat when I please, when I can enjoy it and enjoy the company of those I dine with!
There's nothing delusional about it.)
The Lady That post this is misinformed And doesn't Have a clue These Street Preacher show up at 300 pm in the afternoon their loud ,yelling at your car and people walking on the sidewalk yes you can hear them in the businesses, They get you going in and coming out Their rude I hold up my hand to get them to stop yelling at me.If my son is with he screams back. It a big mess they don't take no for answer. If you go to their Website you will see what time they show up and who we are dealing with radicals, sign carring, bible screaming fools. They need to go back to John 3:16 and read 17 too.
Many, due to a busy lifestyle have adapted to more of an European style of dining. It is not uncommon for the"dinner" to take place at 10pm or later.
I'll eat when I please, when I can enjoy it and enjoy the company of those I dine with!
There's nothing delusional about it.
If you want to preach that message - fine - go ahead - but do so in your churches where like minded hypocrites can agree. Otherwise, do the rest of us a favor and don't pollute the environment with your needless diatribe.
"Dear Fastback" says, "Try spending the day at any of the local bussinesses near "repent corner" I'm sure your attitude will change after a few hours no less spending all day. It has nothing to do with being threatened by a group of worhipers/preachers..It has to do with them being so freakin annoying hour after hour after hour.. it just gets a little old."
Well, having lived in DeLand for a long, long time and being familiar with the preaching at "repent corner" let's compare the above with actual facts. The preachers are seen and heard at New York and Woodland on Friday afternoons like clockwork.... from about 4pm to 6pm. So... where is this "all day" nonsense coming from? Must be a delusional mind.
Various posters have complained about the preaching bothering their dining out. I don't know the timing of the Friday night preaching, but I have been downtown on Fridays up until 11pm or so, and haven't seen them. My understanding is that they come around 11pm or maybe even a bit later...So where is this complaining about interrupting DINNER coming from? More delusional minds?
"Richard Perez" says how annoying and distracting it is to drivers and pedestrians when preachers shout and wave signs.
Now does anyone THINK for a minute that Mr. Perez has any problems with people shouting and waving signs for his chosen political candidate at the same location? Or, as "WestCoaster" pointed out, there are MANY folks out there holding signs and shouting for car washes and businesses.... Anyone THINK that Mr. Perez has a problem with THEM? Didn't think so.
Those who THINK about it will see the transparent hypocrisy.
But then, when people read these posts and actually THINK about what the complainers actually say, they see how bigoted the complainers actually are.
Why don't you people who are such naysayers just come clean and admit that you don't like the message that they are preaching and leave out the nonsense that you use to so lamely try and justify your position? Probably because you think your lame excuses provide a cover for your prejudice.
You fail miserably.
I work downtown and spend many evenings there and never once have they 'offended' or 'harassed' me. You can hear them preaching but it is never violent. I have never found them to be confrontational in the least.
Me thinks the heathens are scared. You should be.
Another thing that I remember about that day is that there were other people standing around. Standing around in the rain holding religious signs and preaching to the traffic going by, none of which offered at any time to help an elderly woman in need.
Mr Eilands actions were a bit overboard but he in no way hurt the innocent preacher, who after all should be willing to forgive and forget if he does infact stand for what he believes. Mr Eiland being cited and having to go to court over this matter in an injustice.
Wow! I’m baffled at the response to a drunk vs. decent looking, tempered young guys!
I’m a woman and I’d rather meet up with the sober guys that seem to care about other people (in their own way), than an abusive drunk on the streets after dark.
I’d rather be pulled into a lively discussion of “well, I believe…” than whatever the drunk had in his pickled brain!! If I was at dinner with friends and these men were outside, I’m sure my friends and I could continue with our conversation, or these men would just provide another interesting topic. That’s life. A lot of serious things have happened in my life in the last few years that I wasn’t happy about. You people are upset about this!! What kind of Podunk little town is Deland anyway??
In our town on weekends, at least three different street corners have teenagers with signs, jumping and yelling at the cars, “CAR WASH!!” Oh, wow, they reminded me that my car is dirty. Oooo, they made me feel so bad! And I can’t afford the few dollars for them to wash it!! Oooo, its not fair!! Somebody make them stop!!
Then there’s the guy in our town, who use to be homeless. He got a job holding a sign and waving at cars for a tax prep company, with his statue of liberty outfit on! Haha! I always make sure I honk and wave to urge him on, a lot of people do. He loves it! Its like he is a celeb!! He’s got a job!! Good for him!
Pizza places in town, apartment communities, even a new local ‘dotcom’ company have people with signs on the sidewalks, stomping, yelling, waving. One guy is great at spinning his sign all around and snapping it into view in front of the cars at the red light. It really catches your attention. Nobody is freaking out about it.
And to ‘bump’ I would say to your statement: “On one hand you have reasonable rational people who can understand the logic of a well stated arguement [sic].”
- and after that intro, you were siding for the drunk??!! Hahahahaha! XD ROTFL
Speaking of logic, alcohol immediately starts to KILL brain cells, which are the slowest cells in the body to rejuvenate. Maybe it would be best that Deland ease up on the drinking till they gain a few brain cells back! Just saying http://www.newsnet5.com/health/4873384/detail.html
Loving the white sand beaches of the west coast more every day!!
"Miss Ouiser" says that the group should be "Christ-like" and "open their church to those poor, homeless souls living in the woods around town. Offer them food, clean clothes and protection from the elements."
I would bet dollars to donuts that Miss O doesn't have the slightest idea what these people do, or don't do for the poor.
One thing is for sure. Christ certainly preached in public, and he was hated for it. In fact he was so hated that he was crucified.
"Bump" implies that he is in the group that utilizes rational thought, while the other group believes in fairy tales...
And a few sentences later he spouts: "night after night, a group of zealots stand a few feet from your dinner table and scream out their incoherent ramblings."
I would say that this "rational thinker" is nothing of the kind. In his emotionally driven rant, he shows that he couldn't care less about making an accurate statement. Preaching on Friday evenings is not "night after night" nor is being across the street on a public sidewalk "a few feet from your dinner table." But then why let the facts get in the way of a bigoted rant?
Poster "Look at this" says that the preachers are sinners. Wow. Now there is a surprise. Did they ever claim otherwise? He says one of the preachers was arrested for breaking the law. If the preacher broke the law, he should have been arrested. So should the man who broke the law when he assaulted a preacher. Is that too hard for you to see? After all, you are Mr. LOOK at this...
Delandite born and raised ... you need some schooling to learn what actual rights are. You do not have the right to go out in public and be shielded from others who are exercising their rights. If that is what you desire, choose a different location where you will not be subject to others legally exercising the First Amendment.
Saddened asks, "Doesn't DeLand have a noise ordinance which prohibits shouting and yelling in public places between certain hours, usually 10 pm - 6 am.?"
Notice how balanced Saddened is? Preaching should be prohibited, but the amplified music, and the patrons who shout over that loud music are a-ok. Sure. Makes sense... if you are totally biased.
Personally, I am glad that those who came before us loved freedom. I am glad our Founding Fathers wrote a Constitution that expresses those freedoms. I am glad for the men in our armed forces who would pay any price to defend those freedoms.
And, I am glad that a considerable number of people who responded to this article appreciate those freedoms as well.
For one to condone what street preachers do, and then condemn the Beacon for allowing a rebuttal makes me think I can't appreciate much that she says. Miss Goodwin speaks out of one side of her mouth!
Amazing, how one, with coffee in hand, and admits to being downtown "Many afternoons and a few evenings" has so much knowledge as to what happens during the late evening hours.
Miss Goodwin dangerously typecasts and passes judgment on those she is not familiar with.
I also find it interesting, that one of the few words she ever properly capitalizes is "I".
That speaks volumes.
Walk the walk, just don't talk the talk.
There is one fundamental truth that will keep both sides of this issue from ever seeing eye to eye:
On one hand you have reasonable rational people who can understand the logic of a well stated arguement.
On the other you have a group of people who's world view is based upon a two thousand year old collection of random fairy tales that they purport as fact.
It will always be impossible to reconcile these two points of view until we get to a point as a society where everyone can take a step back from their indoctrinations and be honest with themselves and each other.
No doubt, this young man was drunk and crossed the line. But what can be expected to happen when night after night, a group of zealots stand a few feet from your dinner table and scream out their incoherent ramblings? They care not if you are reuniting with old friends, visiting with a relative from out of town, or just relaxing after a hard days work. I think as a courtesy "people of god" should return the favor of allowing the sinners quiet enjoyment of there free time, seeing as we give them tax free status to preach their fear doctrine to the next generation of unfortunates each Sunday.
It is amusing to consider how these street preachers would react to an equal lack of respect if it occured outside their place of "worship." I would like to see how long it took before violence was initiated by one of their "faithful" if there was a bikini car-wash across the street from their church on Glenwood Road next Sunday morning!
There is one positive to all of this, these street preachers are the best deterrent to organized religion than any athiest could ever hope to be. I hope they continue to preach night after night until there is no doubt left as to their insanity. I really don't think they realize how much harm they do to their own cause....
Take your preaching and save it for the church not for the streets of Deland. This is OUR TOWN and we will defend it all the way to the TOP, If this doesn't work we will go higher on this totem pole.
Not only that, I was born and raised here in Deland, these street preachers have gotten away with this for many years!! I don't understand why they are allowed to scream at passing by cars! I'm surprised it hasn't caused a serious accident!
And I agree with the post "I say all of us should get together and go to the sidewalk in front of their church and protest." If on Sunday morning in the middle of service we were to do that screaming "Witchcraft will save you" I'll guarantee we'd all be asked to leave!!! If not arrested for something! Freedom of religion and freedom of speech are our rights, but harassment and verbal assaults shouldn't be allowed to interfer with these rights!! and yes it is harassment/assault if it has happened more than one time!
And as for the person who posted "Freedom of speech is precious and should not be sacrificed at the cost of comfort." You can't actually consider the laws of harassment and assault "comfort".. Can you?? It's called PROTECTION! Just because they are "christians" doesn't mean they have the right to verbally harass ANYBODY! Not cars going down the street, not people coming out of having dinner, or Justin! I bet if you called 911 and someone was yelling at you as these radicals do, the police would show up and file a report for harrassment/verbal assault or something!!!
I can't help but wonder what's going to happen on this day in court......
That, right there, is a scary thought.
Someone needs to make sure those kids know NOT to drink the Kool-Aid!
The downtown merchants need to get together to force the City to act before they lose more business to these selfish, ill-mannered fanatics.
As for the comment about "Nobody is getting in your face; you just choose to be offended. And NOWHERE in the constitution do you have the right to not be offended. Look it up."
May be true, but there are also tons of law suits as to where one's rights have been violated. Remember, we live in this "PC" society where people do sue, and win, for being offended.
Why they choose this area ?
Who are they trying to entice?
What exactly do they want?
I ask these questions because they go to places I Like to go, tell me that
I am sinning. And when I say " tell " I mean yelling at me.
What kind of response are they looking for ? and from who?
All of us or just me. Are we to "repent" right there to God, and go home.
Should I thank them, and make a sign of my own. does it end there?
Does this mean all I have to do to get into heaven, is read one book, make a sign, and yell at people.
What else am I doing wrong? Please tell me.
After all, if "they" want us to understand, that God asked "them" to stand out there and yell,
then, "they" should understand that God asked "Them" NOT US. to stand with signs and yell.
The rest of us have obligations and goals of our own.
Alright heres goes the next time I personally see a street Preacher I'm asking what right they have to say anything to me and use my right to say shut up you don't know and cannot judge me. Matthew 6 they need to stop. Downtown is a place of businees if you cann't have the bible posted in school or the courthouse. they shouldn't be in front businesses, business owner step up calling police have them removed to pulbic parks not in downtown area( the bums are in the parks)
If they truly looking for sinner go to the parks. Feed the homeless my church does.
Cindy, you telling the street preachers to stay home is NOT a valid point, and if you are a "Christain", you may need to not only read the bible but a few other books, too. You should read up on your rights and theirs; you DO have the right to go window shopping, and they DO have the right to street preaching. Period. The reactions of each person to the other are the potential problems. Nobody is getting in your face; you just choose to be offended. And NOWHERE in the constitution do you have the right to not be offended. Look it up.
In my opinion, "Freedom of Speech" is one of our most wasted liberties. Too many times that freedom is wasted on such trivial things as being able to yell obscenities in public or propagate particular points of view. "Listen to me!", "Hear what I have to say, it is THE Truth!", "HEAR ME! HEAR ME! HEAR ME!".
Perhaps if we exercised our freedom to listen to one another more, as opposed to just trying to get our own view across, we would all be much more content.
But this is just me, exercising my own Freedom of Speech, and opinion. Thank you for listening. ;)
Fanaticism is fanaticism whether is comes from a so-called "Christian" or a Muslim terrorist. Both seem to me to be people that have no moral belief basis of their own and are desperately seeking someone else to do their thinking for them."
Kevin, the issue here is that the preachers are protected by the Constitution. Say what you like, believe or don't believe, but they have done nothing legally wrong (find a videotape of what the scumbag Eiland said happened!) He CANNOT physically assault people because he was "pushed emotionally". How many times a day are we all "pushed emotionally"? That's a bunch of hogwash. Eiland is an emotional basketcase.
Fanaticism is fanaticism whether is comes from a so-called "Christian" or a Muslim terrorist. Both seem to me to be people that have no moral belief basis of their own and are desperately seeking someone else to do their thinking for them.
The public schools cannot endorse a religion, therefore the staff cannot lead prayer. The students, however, may pray to God, gods, great spirit or whatever they choose. In the same way, anyone who wants to peacefully gather may share their opinions is welcome to.
Freedom of speech is precious and should not be sacrificed at the cost of comfort.
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