This is not intended as a Religious or political thread it just struck me as a courageous statement by a father who knows that our problems go so much deeper than they appear on the outside. I apologize if I am offending someone by posting this. No response is necessary just think about these words.



DARRELL SCOTT TESTIMONY


On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful. They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:

"Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.

"The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.

"In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.

"I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy-it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. "I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today:


Your laws ignore our deepest needs,

Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage,

You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,

And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,

And ask the question "Why?"
You regulate restrictive laws,

Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,

That God is what we need!





"Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, soul, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and reek havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. "Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.


"As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes-He did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America, and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA - I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone!

My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!"

Darrell Scott

Do what the media did not - - let the nation hear this

 

isnt that the truth AMEN!

 

Well put!The courts should read that before throwing out the pleadge and prayer!If you don't like it sit there and shut up!We don't go after there way of thinking to make them stop.Everybody has there own opinion and is entitled to it.

 

I truly think that this country is headed to a showdown of sorts, where those who believe and those who don't make their best stand for the ultimate control of the nation. Many belivers are starting to stand up and say "enough is enough" The non-belivers have been very vocal for years with little opposition. I think this is starting to turn around. There is a line in the sand, you can't straddle it, everyone must choose which side of the line they are on.

If you speak of God as your guide, regardless of your religious beliefs, you are taken as some kind of fanatic. Yet the non-believers can do and say what they want and they are politically correct. How this nation has changed since the fifties

 

I thought it was freedom "OF" religion not freedom "FROM" religion
Its like the people who are not christian will not be happy until christianity is illegal to practice outside the home. scary thought

 

Where can one find the rest of that transcript? I would like to read all of it. I personally do not attend church but do agree with the freedom for anyone to have the right to pray and respect their beliefs, I have seen people that appear to wear two hats one on Sunday and the other the rest of the week (which really bothers me).
I have always had a concern that society is on a crash course for disaster, I agee with Haulin about the "showdown of sorts", that we may not see in our life-time but it coninues to get uglier and uglier. Every one must stand up and be responsible for their own actions or inactions and be held accountable. Look at the crap these million dollar atheletes are getting away with, look at the crap excuses lawyers come up with for criminals, our sue happy society needs a real gut check and it needs to happen soon! If a disaster like Columbine does not wake society up then what will? Osama woke every one up but that did not last all that long, complete strangers respected each other after 9/11 but it is back to the same old "me first" scenario now.
Sorry about the venting on society but it really bothers me when the freeloaders are looking for the free ride at everyone elses expense. We keep throwing money at problems but are we getting anywhere? I am not sure that we are, maybe broke.

 

That was an excellent post.
I took it to another site to share with others.

Thanks
Glenn

 

So correct, Freedom to practice religon in your belief not prevented from practicing due to laws. "There shall be no law...."

 

I could not agree more with this man!! Although he should own a gun!!

 

I do not know where to see the rest of the transcript. This was sent to me by a friend and she did not include a link to the site. I really do agree that at some point in our society that , those that wish the freedom to practice their religious beliefs will be backed into a corner. I lived in Williamsburg Va. in the early 80's and had an opportunity to study and get a clear picture of what our forefathers were about. As many people today stand behind (and Hide behind) the intent of our founding fathers, it becomes increasingly clear that the interpretation of the founding principals have gone way left of the intent. The freedoms we enjoy today were born on our belief that we can choose to love and honor God in our own way Our constitution also guarantees us the right to leave God alone if we choose. Nowhere is it written that any of us have a right to take another's belief away through removing the references to that belief as offensive. I for one am ready to make a stand and to say that no matter what my belief that I have that right as long as it does not interfere with my fellow mans right to choose his or her belief. The only thing that prevents my religious practice is when it violates the laws as set forth by due process.

 

Great post! Much of America for many years has been shaking it's fist at God. One day (very soon now?) is going to be payback time.
I have posted the following in the past but maybe it is time to post it again as it carries a powerful message.

AND WE SAID, O.K.
By Billy Graham's daughter

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?"
( regarding the attacks on Sept. 11 ).

Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"

In light of recent events ... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.

Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school ... the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Then someone said teachers and principals better not discipline our children when they misbehave. The school administrators said no faculty member in this school better touch a student when they misbehave because we don't want any bad publicity, and we surely don't want to be sued. There's a big difference between disciplining, touching, beating, smacking, humiliating, kicking, etc.). And we said OK.

Then someone said, let's let our daughters have abortions if they want, and they won't even have to tell their parents. And we said OK.

Then some wise school board member said, since boys will be boys and they're going to do it anyway, let's give our sons all the condoms they want so they can have all the fun they desire, and we won't have to tell their parents they got them at school. And we said OK.

Then some of our top elected officials said it doesn't matter what we do in private as long as we do our jobs. Agreeing with them, we said it doesn't matter to me what anyone, including the President, does in private as long as I have a job and the economy is good.

Then someone said let's print magazines with pictures of nude women and call it wholesome, down-to-earth appreciation for the beauty of the female body. And we said OK.

And then someone else took that appreciation a step further and published pictures of nude children and then further again by making them available on the Internet. And we said OK, they're entitled to free speech.

Then the entertainment industry said, let's make TV shows and movies that promote profanity, violence, and illicit sex. Let's record music that encourages rape, drugs, murder, suicide, and satanic themes. And we said it's just entertainment, it has no adverse effect, nobody takes it seriously anyway, so go right ahead.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

 

I too believe in a healthy disregaurd for oppression and tyranny . Not just in religious platforms, but in the celebration of liberty for all people and the equality of opportunity for all to pursue a freedom of the spirit!
I don't believe that drawing lines, creating boundaries and picking sides has proved much of anything in the past, except to divide and insure conflict. The more division, the easier the "subjects" are subordinated! The schools are not the battlefield. Fore imagine if we closed all the schools, would we then blame the perceived decline of decent behavior and virtous moral values on the lack of education? It doesn't come from there. WE must all take responsibility and be personally accountable as principled examples in all our affairs. When we require others to regulate and promote our personal beliefs in the public sector, we give up true independence in exchange for a faulse security by thinking our freedoms are now protected!
IMHO, we cannot be free and dependent at the same time. The natural and spiritual laws of human freedoms can be upheld and achieved. Not by divided interest and accentuated differences, but by addressing freedoms of all people can we get back the personal liberties we have slowly given away. STY