Christian Author Gets Flamed for Proudly Telling Weed-Smoking Teens They Smell 'Like Failure'

Eric Metaxas shared the anecdote via Instagram this week, and was subsequently roasted. You can check out some of the Twitter reactions here.

Man criticizes weed-smoking teens
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Image via Getty

Man criticizes weed-smoking teens

Eric Metaxas’ Twitter mentions are in shambles.

The evangelical author and Christian radio host received backlash this week when he recalled his bizarre interaction with a group of Harlem teens. Metaxas claimed he was running through Central Park when he spotted four minors smoking marijuana.

“As I passed them I shouted in a firm but friendly voice: ‘Smells like failure!’ and kept going,” Metaxas tweeted Thursday. “I said it as an act of love, honestly. I hope that at some point one of them might think about it.”

Today on my run up through Central Park in Harlem I saw four teenagers smoking weed. As I passed them I shouted in a firm but friendly voice: "Smells like failure!" and kept going. I said it as an act of love, honestly. I hope that at some point one of them might think about it.

— Eric Metaxas (@ericmetaxas) May 4, 2023

Twitter users wasted little time flaming Metaxas for his self-congratulatory and embarrassing anecdote.  Justice reform activists, social commentators, and even Stephen A. Smith participated in the roast session, which included insults like “nerd,” “narc,” and “total tool,” as well as allegations of racism. Some suspected Metaxas’ actions were rooted in bigotry, as he claimed the incident went down in the predominately Black neighborhood of Harlem.

The Veggie Tales writer has yet to directly respond to the criticism but has shared a link to 2023 Telegraph article that explored the alleged link between marijuana use and schizophrenia.

You can check out some of the reactions below.

Smells like racism to me…

— #FreeMumia #StopCopCity (@RJohnston815) May 5, 2023

Fucking nerd narc

— The Serfs (@theserfstv) May 5, 2023

“Sounds like someone whose children actively avoid him.” (Tweeted with love.)

— Christie Smythe (@ChristieSmythe) May 5, 2023

Smells like privileged White men.

— RailroadedUnderground (@RailroadUnderg1) May 5, 2023

Lots of people try to avoid becoming a sad old dork when they grow up, it’s refreshing to see that you bucked that trend and embraced it fully.

— Andrew Hilary (@AndrewHilaryUS) May 5, 2023

Did they yell nerd boomer in response?

— Adam Schroeder (@AdamSchroeder) May 5, 2023

pic.twitter.com/jgvTIAfKjl

— Cori (DemShenaniganss) 🦝 | #TDST ⚡️ (@DemShenanigans) May 5, 2023

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