Scary on hate and bias
Publ: 05 maj 2010 18:54 Uppdaterad Unt.se » Uppsala
The Scary Guy spoke in Gottsunda church for students in Gottsunda School.
He stands before the altar in Gottsunda church, with a face as colourful as that of the great Jesus Christ in the painting behind him; tattooed from head to toe; a face full of piercings; and with the school’s 300 Gottsunda students total attention turned to him.
Actually, he speaks of the obvious. “Look who is Inside that body!” he urges the audience. Well … that one should not judge someone based on looks, sexuality, profession or religion we do know. But with his Scary name and Scary appearance, his message is rather a surprise. But, as he soberly notes; “nobody would be interested to go and listen to The Loving Guy?”
Gottsunda school can boast: “This is the first time that The Scary Guy has appeared for Swedish pupils. The lecture is most akin to a show, as he makes students a part of it by bringing them up on stage and by going out among them to collect hugs.”
“Researchers have actually found that we humans need an average of sixteen hugs a day!?” says Scary, and he took the opportunity to hug the two policemen from Gottsunda, who were also sat in the audience.
And the Gottsunda Students loved him. They laughed, asked questions, and hugged him back.
“At first, I thought … Oh my god, what does he look like!? But I quickly forgot my thoughts. It feels to me like I’m going to see people a little differently now. He said things that really got one thinking,” said the ninth grade teacher Linnea Lejman after the lecture, when students started to immediately flock around The Scary Guy to get his autograph and a photo with him.
Eighth grader, Ludwig von Feilitzen, looked at the autograph he had just received, noting that it was the “best lecture” he had ever been to; “He looks like the worst motorcycle biker, but really proves that you should not judge someone by appearances. I have joined his facebook group!”
Behind him Rasmus Johansson gave his seventh grade English teacher a hug, reaching five of Scary’s 16 hugs a day challenge. He said happily; “Hugs make you better friends. There are some fights and bullying in Gottsunda here, so the lecture was really good.”
It occurred to me, that when you see the students’ enthusiasm … The Scary Guy seems to be something of a modern Jesus. Not that it is religion that he preaches. It is not. And it is a coincidence that we happen to find ourselves in a church. But he succeeds in getting a message of love across … without anyone raising their eyes to the heavens or falling asleep by just being there. He is exciting because he is not the one we thought he would be!
But, as The Scary Guy would say; “Who is, really?”
Story By: Elin Sandow elin.sandow@unt.se
Photography By: Rolf Hamilton
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