Sunday, May 06, 2007
A traveling preacher: Evangelist from Toledo on barefoot path for 16 years.
When Carl James Joseph left Toledo in 1991, he left on foot - barefoot, in fact - wearing a robe and carrying only a Bible, a rosary, and a toothbrush.
The long-haired, soft-spoken evangelist - who calls himself "What's Your Name?" but is usually referred to as "The Jesus Guy" - has since walked his way through 47 states and 13 foreign countries.
Doesn't he get cold in the winter?
In the winter, he wears a warmer robe but still goes barefoot. "A lot of people ask me about the shoes," he said. "I found that taking even that extra step of faith, not going with shoes, gets people's attention."
Not everyone welcomes him.
He said he was kicked out of Mexico in 1999 when government officials became concerned over the large crowds that were following him. In Texas, he said, a group of youths once threatened to crucify him. He was arrested in Greenfield in southwest Ohio on a disorderly conduct charge when he refused to stop preaching to a crowd. The charge was later dismissed.
In Pennsylvania, a man accused Mr. Joseph of blasphemy and then tried to stab him. A few months ago, Mr. Joseph said he was insulted by a minister at an African-American church in Alabama.
¶ 5:34 PM When Carl James Joseph left Toledo in 1991, he left on foot - barefoot, in fact - wearing a robe and carrying only a Bible, a rosary, and a toothbrush.
The long-haired, soft-spoken evangelist - who calls himself "What's Your Name?" but is usually referred to as "The Jesus Guy" - has since walked his way through 47 states and 13 foreign countries.
Doesn't he get cold in the winter?
In the winter, he wears a warmer robe but still goes barefoot. "A lot of people ask me about the shoes," he said. "I found that taking even that extra step of faith, not going with shoes, gets people's attention."
Not everyone welcomes him.
He said he was kicked out of Mexico in 1999 when government officials became concerned over the large crowds that were following him. In Texas, he said, a group of youths once threatened to crucify him. He was arrested in Greenfield in southwest Ohio on a disorderly conduct charge when he refused to stop preaching to a crowd. The charge was later dismissed.
In Pennsylvania, a man accused Mr. Joseph of blasphemy and then tried to stab him. A few months ago, Mr. Joseph said he was insulted by a minister at an African-American church in Alabama.
