A Day at the Fair with EMSA's Steven Estes

Satanic Church to Hold Ritual at Civic Center

A local satanic church’s planned ritual at Oklahoma City’s Civic Center has garnered national media attention and sparked the interest of campus ministers. 

The Church of the IV Majesties first received statewide news coverage in late August as Oklahoma City officials confirmed that the church had booked the event. 

Dr. Barbara Boyd, the Director of Outreach for OU's Religious Studies program and an ordained Presbyterian minister, said she supports the planned ritual as long as no one is harmed.

“To me, they’re not harming anybody,” she said.  “They’ve rented the space – you can go or not go.”

From a ministerial standpoint, Boyd thinks opposing this event could lead to further religious discrimination in the future.

“I don’t want someone stopping my practice because I take the body and blood of Jesus Christ one time a month in Communion rituals or because I throw water in a baby’s face when I do a baptism,” she said.  “There’s all kinds of ways you could push that to the point where it’s just not healthy and positive for the nation.”

Boyd also said the United States is built on religious freedom and that everyone should be allowed to worship as they please.

University College freshman Lauren Aragon agrees with Boyd.

“We just shouldn’t limit people’s liberties,” she said.  “Anyone who wants to participate in that event should, but no one should stop them from participating in the event.”

The Satanist event has received criticism from religious circles, but John Kelsey, director of the university’s Baptist Student Union, simply views their actions as a publicity stunt.

“To be honest with you, it seems like it’s just a really small group of maybe just a half dozen or so people, and they’re just trying to use this to get a lot of attention,” he said.  “Obviously I would disagree philosophically and theologically with their position, but if they want to go rent a room at the Civic Center, they’re welcome to do that.”

Kelsey said he is opposed to protesting the event and believes any negative actions will only galvanize and legitimize their position.  Instead, Kelsey said Christians should pray for members of the Satanist church.

“My heart breaks because I think these are people that are really misled,” he said.  “I think the Christian response should be, of course, we love them, we pray for them, and that we earn the opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus with them.”

The Church of the IV Majesties will perform the ritual on October 21.

Dr. Barbara Boyd, the Director of Outreach for

OU's Religious Studies program and an ordained

 Presbyterian minister. (Photo by Kasey Chapman)

Tropical Storm Hermine Brings Rain, Tornadoes to Oklahoma

A University of Oklahoma student walks on the South

Oval Wednesday afternoon as the remnants of Tropical

Storm Hermine affect the state. (Photo by Kasey Chapman)

It was a wet walk to class for University of Oklahoma students on Wednesday as the remnants of Tropical Storm Hermine brought flooding rainfall and short-lived tornadoes to the state.

Hermine, which came ashore as a tropical storm earlier this week in Mexico, quickly moved north and affected areas from Texas to Missouri. In an e-mail interview, KWTV meteorologist Michael Armstrong said the system led to at least one fatality in eastern Oklahoma.

Hermine also spawned three tornadoes in southern Oklahoma and brought nearly a foot of rain to eastern parts of the state, leading Gov. Brad Henry to declare a state of emergency for 13 counties that sustained damage from the storm.

According to the Oklahoma Mesonet, Norman received just 2.27 inches of rain from the tropical system – a total well below the maximum recording of 11.5 inches in Stigler, Okla., Armstrong said.

Although the storm’s impact was not centered on Norman, University College freshman Shaqual Moore experienced Hermine’s effects firsthand.

“I fell this morning in the rain, but I guess it was OK because people were nice and they helped me up,” she said. “But my umbrella flew like halfway across the street, and my glasses fell off my face. I was very embarrassed.”

Tropical systems aren’t too unusual for Oklahoma, Armstrong said, as eight storms have affected the state in the past 30 years. However, Hermine makes only the sixth storm since 1900 to affect the state from the Gulf of Mexico. Other storms have moved in from the Pacific Ocean.

“The latest was Tropical Storm Erin in 2007, and she produced over nine inches of rain in Fort Cobb, and an overflowing rain gauge in Geary produced ‘over’ 11 inches,” Armstrong said. “Both totals were recorded in just a few hours!”

As the remnants of Hermine moved out of the state, even its biggest critics found a silver lining.

“The climate of the rain is nice and cool, so hopefully I won’t be as hot,” Moore said.

Rain from the remnants of Tropical Storm Hermine pours down

on the University of Oklahoma campus Wednesday. (Photo by

Kasey Chapman)

University College freshman Shaqual Moore (Photo by Kasey

Chapman)

University Unaffected by Egg Recall

The University of Oklahoma remains unaffected by the recent egg-related salmonella outbreak thanks to a decision several years ago to buy from a local producer.


Lauren Royston, OU Housing and Food Services spokesperson, said the transition to locally-grown eggs came as a result of student concerns.

“It was a request from customers,” she said. “They wanted to see us continue the concept of purchasing locally and using locally . . . and supporting the economy in our own region.”

OU Financial Aid Director Brad Burnett began the local egg operation – Ivy Acres Farm – nearly four years ago.

“We’re just a bunch of families that kind of formed a little co-op, and we all just do this on the side,” Burnett said. “It’s better to have lots of little farms than it is to have just one giant corporation.”

That large corporation mentality led to the recent recall of more than half a billion eggs. Reports released from the Food and Drug Administration earlier this week cite numerous violations at nine farms owned by Wright County Egg, Quality Egg and Hillandale Farms.

University College freshman LaQuita Norman said she feels relieved knowing that OU is unaffected by the massive recall.

“It makes me trust the judgment of OU and the cafeteria,” she said. “It just makes me feel good knowing that they are being careful about the products they buy and that they feed us.”

Royston said the university feels fortunate to have found Ivy Acres Farm.

“I’m sure they’re happy for the business, and we’re grateful for the product that they’ve provided to our customers,” she said.

Burnett said the farm is more a family affair than a full-time operation.

“We go out there every night with baskets, and my kids and I, we pick up the eggs and put them in baskets just like they used to 75 years ago.”