Philip Howard (preacher)
Encyclopedia
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Oxford Circus
Oxford Circus
Oxford Circus is the area of London at the busy intersection of Regent Street and Oxford Street, in the West End. It is served by Oxford Circus tube station, which is directly beneath the junction itself.- History :...
. He is most famous for using the phrases "Don't be a sinner, be a winner!" and "Don't be a shopaholic robot", and for speaking various sermons into a megaphone
Megaphone
A megaphone, speaking-trumpet, bullhorn, blowhorn, or loud hailer is a portable, usually hand-held, cone-shaped horn used to amplify a person’s voice or other sounds towards a targeted direction. This is accomplished by channelling the sound through the megaphone, which also serves to match the...
or PA system to passers-by. Most people are not familiar with his name but are familiar with the sound of his voice which is unmissable when visiting near Oxford Circus.
Howard has been the centre of two court cases related to his preaching. In 2005 he was accused, and later cleared, of harassing a passer-by with directed comments in one of his sermons. On 3 May 2006, Westminster Council applied for an ASBO
Åsbo
Åsbo can refer to:*Åsbo Northern Hundred, a hundred in Scania*Åsbo Southern Hundred, a hundred in Scania...
(Anti Social Behaviour Order) against Howard alleging that his behaviour causes harassment, distress and/or alarm.
Previously (c. early 2000s) Howard could regularly be found preaching in South Kensington along the Exhibition Road.