“Sister Cindy” of social media fame paid a visit to UWM Thursday. Crowds of students watched her outside of the Sandburg Residence Halls as she preached about sin.
Cindy Smock, better known as “Sister Cindy,” has visited college campuses for 40 years to preach to students about sin, specifically sexuality, drugs and alcohol. Smock’s following includes over 400,000 followers on TikTok and over 6,000 posts with the caption, “#sistercindy.”
During Smock’s current tour, titled “Ho No Mo,” she specifically speaks about women, using slurs to criticize them and hoping to “bring them to Jesus.”
Many said they found her multiple-hour engagement entertaining despite disagreeing with her preaching.
“Free speech is a right that all of us have,” said UWM freshman Noah Alvarez. “I think that you have the right, as long as you’re not doing anybody any harm… I think it’s a fine thing to speak your mind, speak your version of the truth.”
Smock is a part of The Campus Ministry USA which also includes others who have rose to social media fame including Cindy’s late husband, “Brother Jed,” along with“Sister Pat” and “Brother Cope.”
“I’m a devout Catholic, but I’m also queer,” said UWM student V Colford. “I’m a little conflicted because I feel like they’re not as bad as they could be, but I also think that’s because people aren’t letting what they say get to them.”
Smock’s current tour focuses on premarital sex.
“I’ve seen it on TikTok which is why I think it’s funny,” said senior Maddie Johnson. “I think if you look at it out of context, it looks real bad, but there have been worse people on campus.”
Smock’s visit on campus comes just one day after her visit to UW-Oshkosh, one of the 18 universities she said she’d be visiting in September. She visited UW-Madison last fall.
“I hope nobody walks away taking this seriously because this is some dangerous stuff to be hurling around,” said Alvarez. “But at the end of the day, if you’re here to have fun, I think it’s a great thing.”