Biblical Studies Professor Mocks the 'Lord's Prayer' at Anti-Gun Rally

A professor who chairs the biblical studies department at the University of Texas in Austin recently mocked the Bible and Christianity in front of students at a campus rally designed to protest the state's new campus carry law.  

Footage from Campus Reform shows Dr. Steven Friesen telling a crowd "in the old Bible Jesus says 'blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.'  Revised Christian version--blessed are the purely heartless for they will seek NRA funding."

Friesen went on to mock other beautitudes, including what's known as the Golden Rule. He said the "revised Texas version" would say "in everything, do unto others before they do to you, for this is state law and it profits the gun industry."

He concluded with a revision of the Lord's Prayer.

"Our father who are in heaven, hollow point be thy bullets," he prayed. "Thy kingdom come, with many guns, on earth that send bad guys to heaven."

Campus Reform investigative reporter Amber Athey told CBN News that the rally fits in with a campus trend where Christianity is "constantly under attack."

She also noted that Friesen's position brings extra concern to the situation.

"The professor is actually head of the biblical studies department at UT Austin," she said. "So either he doesn't care how disrespectful this is to Christian students or he doesn't understand just how sacred this text is to Christians."

She also disputed Friesen's apparent assumption about Christians and attitudes towards guns.

"It seems like this professor is conflating religious Christians with the right which isn't necessarily true," she said. "A lot of Christians are liberal."

Athey said that she is Catholic and that many Catholics hold liberal political views.

Friesen told Campus Reform that he participated in the campus protest because he thinks "there are a lot of religious issues involved in the Texas attitude towards guns and authority and politics."

Campus Reforms reports that Friesen is involved in a student group called "Gun Free UT."  

The Texas campus carry law went into effect Aug. 1. It allows license holders to carry concealed handguns at public universities. The law does not apply to all areas of campus, such as some portions of residence halls.