Your Choice

Details emerging about the young man who went on the shooting rampage at Virginia Tech indicate, we are told, “a chilling portrait of a 23-year-old loner who alarmed his professors with twisted creative writing…” (Kokomo Tribune, 4/18/07, p. A1). The report tells us that Cho wrote “obscenity- and violence-laced screenplays… One was about a fight between a stepson and his stepfather, and involved throwing of hammers and attacks with a chainsaw.” One classmate revealed, “When we read Cho’s plays, it was like something out of a nightmare. The plays had really twisted, macabre violence that used weapons I wouldn’t have even thought of.”

Frankly, I am confused by the concern expressed over Cho’s writings. It sounds to me exactly like the plots of innumerable movies and television shows being shown as entertainment on any given week of the year. Monday’s entertainment news leader reads, “‘Disturbia’ gets movie-goers’ attention with $23M” (Kokomo Tribune, 4/16/07, p. A8). “Disturbia” - number one grossing movie the weekend before Cho’s shooting spree. Yet, the nation is shocked by the obscenity and violence in Cho’s playwrights? A chainsaw used as a weapon? Hmmm… where have I heard of that theme before? Macabre, murderous uses for everyday tools and items? Hmmm… ever heard of the “Saw” movies? I wonder how many terrified students on the Virginia Tech campus that day were listening to or wearing paraphernalia from groups like “Slip Knot” that market bizarre, macabre, culture-of-death themes as entertainment?

I am not issuing a call for censorship. I am not even suggesting that there is any cause-and-effect link to be made between the modern cultural fascination with the macabre and Cho’s actions. Instead, I am inviting every reader of this blog to take time to reflect on the personal choices he/she makes and ask if those choices contribute to a culture of fear or a culture of peace. Are the entertainment and lifestyle choices you are making every day something you are proud to pass on to your children, or would you rather they not do what you are doing? Are you really so willing to plop down your hard-earned money to glorify gore and culture-of-death media, or would you really rather use your resources to make a difference in the community and world in which you live?

Not a single one of us can bring any of Cho’s victims back to life or erase the injuries he has caused. But we can honor them. We can make daily choices in our own personal lives that reflect and honor peace and the valuable sanctity of life instead of bizarre, macabre, gory deaths and lyrics. What path are you taking? It’s your choice.

Tragedy

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” – Romans 1:21-23 (NIV)

Yesterday, April 15, Lois and I attended an honors convocation on the campus of Purdue University. It was an uplifting ceremony that reminded all participants of the enthusiasm, vision, and hope that are so prevalent on a college campus as young men and women prepare to take their place in the world. It was inspirational to be in the presence of, as Purdue President Martin C. Jischke stated, the “best of the best.”

Today, April 16, Americans are receiving the shocking news of a tragedy of enormous proportions on the campus of Virginia Tech. As of the last report I have heard, more than 22 people on campus have lost their lives to a murderous gunman. More than 28 people are injured. These are just the initial, confused reports. I saw the breaking news at noon. “I have a daughter away at college and a son who has been out only four months,” I thought. “That could happen anywhere, including their college.” I wept. A college campus that has every bit as much vision and hope and optimism for the future as I experienced yesterday has been cast into darkness, despair, and hopelessness today. I weep even as I write this article today.

My heart breaks in sympathy for parents who will be told that their son or daughter who they love and for whom they held high hopes has been killed today. My heart breaks in sympathy for the husband or wife of faculty and staff who will be told that his or her loved one has been killed today. My heart breaks in sympathy for families whose lives have been so tragically – and so unnecessarily – changed today. Normal men and women going about normal activities, yet an unchangeable tragedy has struck their lives.

Most of all, my heart goes out to a culture that consistently and increasingly rejects the offer of peace and salvation. My heart goes out to a culture that consistently and increasingly ignores the Word of God and tries to turn it into a book of myth and make-believe. My heart goes out to a culture that mocks the morality and ethic and piety proclaimed by God through His Word and His believers.

At the time of this writing, it is not known yet what has driven a young man to go on this murderous rampage on a college campus, but I can guarantee that no matter what reason turns up, it will not be worth the devastation he has caused. No matter what drove him to such despair, what would have been the harm had he thrown himself upon the altar of God to seek, even as a last ditch effort, solace for the misery that was driving him mad? What would have been the harm had this young man come away from such an experience having had his despair replaced by the triumphant Spirit of God? What would have been the harm had the campus of Virginia Tech – or any campus – just had to deal with another Christian witness?

At the outset of Romans, Paul addresses a world that knows God but gives Him no glory. Paul writes to our world as well. He tells us the reality we all face. The religious word that our culture rejects is human depravity. The Dictionary of Christian Theology by Peter Angeles reads, “Characterized by corruption, debasement, sin, deterioration, degeneration, evil, perversity, loss of purity, alienation, estrangement. Every human faculty or function is regarded as having an innate possibility for sin.” Even though this concept is frequently ridiculed by modern thought, is there anything that more accurately describes today’s tragedy than this? Men and women today strive so hard for an absolute freedom to live for their personal pleasures that they cast God away from their thoughts. They ridicule those who fail to rid themselves of God as “weak and narrow-minded.” Then, when they come face to face with so much despair and anguish and hopelessness, it translates into such a raging hatred that a normal young man lines up students and faculty on a University campus and executes them mercilessly. Is this not an act of depravity and sin? Is this not a rejection of the Living God who has loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die in our place? My answer is “yes;” if yours differs, I invite you to let me know what else drives a person to such seething, uncontrollable rage. How much more accurate about the condition of the human heart can any human construct be than what we are already told through the Scriptures?

This is certainly not what I intended my article for the May newsletter to be about. But my heart is unutterably broken over this tragic event, and I can think of nothing else. I can hardly bear the thought of what fathers and mothers and husbands and wives and brothers and sisters and children of today’s victims are going to have to go through. I wonder how the University family at Virginia Tech is going to be able to come to grips with today’s unimaginable tragedy. I am overwhelmed.

Later, in the same letter from which I began this article, Paul writes, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39) Both those who accept and those who reject the Word of God are being given wake up calls almost every day. I certainly hope that this is the message that the culture and world in which I live will once again hear and take to heart. Think how much tragedy we could avert if only the Word of God became the first weapon of choice to our fear, despair, loneliness, and even rage.

Taxing Time

Ahhhh… April. Thoughts of spring; Easter; baseball; San Jacinto Day (a Texan thing)… and taxes!

I have never been more disgusted with tax preparation than this year. Don’t know why. I even enjoyed work as a part-time tax preparer a few years ago. But this year, the time I have needed to dedicate to tax preparation has just annoyed me. I didn’t want to go through the paperwork & IRS instruction hassles. Ridiculous!

This is why I have become more & more attracted to the grassroots, non-partisan Americans for Fair Tax movement. If you have never heard of the Fair Tax, or want to learn more about it, a wealth of information is available at http://www.fairtax.org/.

When I first heard of the Fair Tax plan, I was not in favor of it. It is, simplistically stated, a national sales tax. Who wants that? But before jumping to uninformed conclusions, give it a fair hearing. Take the time to be informed about its benefits. The website is full of research. I believe that the Fair Tax proposal is the most well-researched tax reform proposal around.

Here are some highlights of the proposal directly from the website: “The FairTax plan is a comprehensive proposal that replaces all federal income and payroll based taxes with an integrated approach including a progressive national retail sales tax, a prebate to ensure no American pays federal taxes on spending up to the poverty level, dollar-for-dollar federal revenue replacement, and, through companion legislation, the repeal of the 16th Amendment. This nonpartisan legislation (HR 25) abolishes all federal personal and corporate income taxes, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, and self-employment taxes and replaces them with one simple, visible, federal retail sales tax administered primarily by existing state sales tax authorities. The IRS is disbanded and defunded. The FairTax taxes us only on what we choose to spend on new goods or services, not on what we earn. The FairTax is a fair, efficient, transparent, and intelligent solution to the frustration and inequity of our current tax system.”

If the Fair Tax proposal makes sense to you, consider joining the online campaign to fax at least 100,000 messages of support to your Senators & Representative in Congress by this year’s tax day of April 17.

Personal Relationship with Jesus

April 1-8, 2007, is Holy Week among many Christian faith groups worldwide. During this week, Christians reflect upon the meaning of the work of Christ: his triumphal entry into Jerusalem; his final days of teaching and ministry before the betrayal; the “last” supper and the giving of the New Covenant; his betrayal; his trial; his suffering; his crucifixion; and his triumphant resurrection.

The remembrance of these events creates an appropriate time for all of us to take stock of our spiritual lives and personal relationship with God. I offer these questions as a beginning point for personal reflection:
(1) What is your spiritual belief and how do you practice it?
(2) To you, who is Jesus?
(3) Do you believe there is a heaven and a hell?
(4) If you died right now, where would you go? If heaven, why?
(5) If what you believe were not true, would you want to know it?

If your answer to question (5) is “no,” I thank you for reading this far. You really have no need to read further.

If your answer to question (5) is “yes,” I invite you to consider what the Bible says and to let it speak to you.

(1) “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23) What does this say to you?
(2) “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23) What does this say to you?
(3) “In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’” (John 3:3) Why did Jesus come to die?
(4) “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) What does this say to you?
(5) “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’” (Romans 10:9-11) What does this say to you?
(6) “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (2 Corinthians 5:15) What does this say to you?
(7) “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20) What does this say to you?

If these Bible verses are speaking to you, I invite you to consider these questions:

(1) Are you a sinner?
(2) Do you want forgiveness for your sins?
(3) Do you believe Jesus died on the cross for you and rose again?
(4) Are you willing to surrender your life to Christ?
(5) Are you ready to invite Jesus into your life and into your heart?

If your answers to the above questions are yes, I offer the following words as a sample of what you can sincerely pray right now to receive complete forgiveness from our loving God:

“Heavenly Father, I have sinned against You. I want forgiveness for all my sins. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for me and rose again. Father, I give You my life to do with as You wish. I want Jesus Christ to come into my life and into my heart. This I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

If this is your prayer, or if you have further questions, I invite you to visit the website of First Baptist Church, Bunker Hill. You can contact me through the online form there.

May God grant you a blessed Easter celebration, and may this become your moment of salvation!

(Questions taken from the Share Jesus Without Fear workbook. © 1997 by LifeWay Press.)
(Scripture taken from the New International Version. © 1996 by the Zondervan Corp.)

Save the Planet? April Fool!

How could we live without Hollywood stars to tell us right from wrong? As a result of their dire warnings, we know how close to the brink of disaster our world is because of the Global Warming crisis. Just ask Dr. Al Gore (see the March 30th submission below).

But do not expect them to take any steps to personally reduce their “greenhouse gas” emissions or “carbon footprint.” That would be asking too much. It would also be asking too much of normal folks as well, which is why they are trying to introduce and pass legislation requiring us to live stone-age lives.

Anyway, prepare to be motivated by John Travolta:

***(begin quote)***
With five private jets, Travolta still lectures on global warming
30.03.07

His serious aviation habit means he is hardly the best person to lecture others on the environment. But John Travolta went ahead and did it anyway. The 53-year-old actor, a passionate pilot, encouraged his fans to "do their bit" to tackle global warming. But although he readily admitted: "I fly jets", he failed to mention he actually owns five, along with his own private runway. Clocking up at least 30,000 flying miles in the past 12 months means he has produced an estimated 800 tons of carbon emissions – nearly 100 times the average Briton's tally…. He spoke of the importance of helping the environment by using "alternative methods of fuel" – after driving down the red carpet on a Harley Davidson. Travolta, a Scientologist, claimed the solution to global warming could be found in outer space and blamed his hefty flying mileage on the nature of the movie business. But his appointment as a "serving ambassador" for the Australian airline Qantas doesn't seem to have much to do with the movies. Nor does a recent, two-month round-the-world flying trip.

"It [global warming] is a very valid issue," Travolta declared. "I'm wondering if we need to think about other planets and dome cities… Everyone can do their bit. But I don't know if it's not too late already. We have to think about alternative methods of fuel… I'm probably not the best candidate to ask about global warming because I fly jets… I use them as a business tool though, as others do. I think it's part of this industry – otherwise I couldn't be here doing this and I wouldn't be here now."

Travolta's five private planes – a customised £2million Boeing 707, three Gulfstream jets and a Lear jet – are kept at the bottom of his garden in the US next to a private runway.
***(end quote)***

The article goes on to state that Travolta boasts a “carbon footprint” of nearly 100 times the average Briton. Yes, Hollywood liberal elitists believe we should save the planet…

APRIL FOOL!

(photo: John Travolta as official spokesman for Qantas Airline)