While distributing videos about the life of Jesus, Christians representing five campus organizations received some mixed reactions last Thursday.

Students went from room to room in the dorms asking if residents wanted a free video about the life of Christ. The students are involved with the Ames Area Jesus Video Project with plans to distribute 4,000 videos to ISU.

But the group of students ran into problems when hall directors and Campus Security officers questioned the legality of the distribution.

The officials thought the students were soliciting the videos, which is illegal in the residence halls. Students were forced to stop at Buchanan Hall. The distributors were also stopped for 20 minutes at Wallace Hall.

The students were not allowed to proceed until RAs and residence hall directors called for conformation that the videos were approved by university officials.

The students were not soliciting. They did not approach with a request or plea, and they did not force the video on anyone.

“We asked if they’d like a video, and we didn’t give them a video if they said no,” said Gary Schmalz, director for Campus Crusade for Christ. “We didn’t force it on anyone. They had to say ‘yes’ to get the video.”

Students should be able to distribute things — videos, pamphlets or whatever — if they have permission from the residence halls and university officials. The group of students did have permission from Sally Deters, coordinator of student life, who did not inform hall directors of the plans of the group.

Some students apparently yelled at the people distributing the video in Buchanan and Friley Halls. But overall, students were very receptive, and those who were not receptive were very polite, according to members of the group.

Students had a choice of whether they wanted the video — no harm done. Students who had a problem with the distribution of the video needed only to say no or to keep their doors shut.

The solicitation laws for the residence halls are in place to keep people from peddling their goods to students.

But as long as no money is solicited, asking students if they’d like a movie — regardless of the content of the movie — can be compared to asking students if they’d like to go to dinner.

The residence hall directors were undoubtedly trying to act in the best interest of students in their halls.

Luckily, the students knew their rights and were allowed to continue.