Man preaches to people on Walk

An unidentified man warned students on Locust Walk yesterday about the flaws in present-day Christianity and the threat posed by Jews and Freemasons. The man, who would not give his name, claimed that certain rich Jews were conspiring with Communists for their own personal profit. He said that this theory was first expressed by Father John Coughlin, the 1930s radio preacher who was considered anti-Semitic for his attacks on Jewish bankers and Jewish institutions. The man added that he, like Coughlin, was not anti-Semitic because he loves Jews and is merely praying for their conversion. Since he has not lived a good Christian life, the man said, campaigning on behalf of traditional Christians and against Jews and Freemasons is effectively his last chance to redeem himself. He added that since he had not led a good life and was not protected by his guardian angel, he would soon be killed by the divine power of God or by the hands of the Jews and Freemasons. Freemasonry, a term used to describe secret power-broking societies, was responsible for many of the changes which occured during the Second Vatican Council which helped to debase and devalue Christianity, he said. The Council was held in the early 1960s to modernize Catholicism and steer it away from some of its more traditional practices. The man went on to say that although there are few true Christians left, many share his views, but are scared into silence by Jews and Freemasons. Jeremy Brochin, director of the Hillel foundation, dismissed the man as "missing a few marbles" and his ideas as "crazy." "There is a lot of real anti-Semitism around we should be concerned with," he said. "We're not worried about a man who is living in the past."