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Missionaries Viewed [As] Vexing

The article below was published in the University of Winnipeg’s “The Uniter” in 1986, showing widespread student disenchantment with the harassment of the UBF cult members on campus. The majority of student opinion actually favored disbarment which is what happened. The result might be a case study (or a model) in the effectiveness of direct confrontation of the UBF cult. Still, however, UBF did not repent but continued to harass students at the University of Manitoba and elsewhere.

The University of Winnipeg, “THE UNITER”,Winnipeg, Canada.
Vol. XI, No. 4
September 23, 1986, page 1 (front page)
“Missionaries Viewed [As] Vexing”
by S. Dakshinamurti
The average U of W student has been solicited by a religious missionary [UBF] on campus at least twice – some have been accosted over ten times.
A survey taken from the a random sampling of the University’s student population revealed these and the following figures: 59 per cent of all students have been solicited during their tenure on campus, and almost 3/4 of these felt uncomfortable and affronted. Only 3 per cent of those in any way appreciated the attention.
64 per cent of those students solicited by members of the religious group [UBF] wanted such missionaries disbarred from the U of W campus, as compared to only 22 per cent of those never solicited.
Of the total survey population, 47 per cent favoured disbarment, 33 per cent would oppose disbarment, with 20 per cent undecided.
In general, students recognized the missionary group’s [UBF] right to free speech, but felt if there was no other way of avoiding unwelcome attentions, that the missionaries should be ousted (there was some concern expressed over the logistics of such an action).
Those students who had been targetted multiple times overwelmingly supported disbarment, expressing feeling of distaste and anger. A sizeable number of students were indifferent to the issue, especially those who had never been solicitied.
The survey was a spot poll of 100 students at the U of W, containing the following four questions: 1. Have you ever been solicited or approached on campus by a member of a religious group (such as Korean missionaries)? 2. How many times? 3. What was your recation? 4. Would you support or oppose a motion to have such groups disbarred from the U of W campus? The poll was conducted between Sept. 17-19, 1986.

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