The House of Representatives is considering legislation that would
permit the Ten Commandments to be posted in schools and other government
buildings.
Perhaps members should read the Commandments first. For they instruct
us not to put any other gods before the One who handed them to Moses on
Mount Sinai. If any believe government has the power to make laws
regulating the ultimate law, they are sadly mistaken. The Ten
Commandments form the very basis of western law. That’s why you find
them inscribed in massive form in the chambers of the U.S. Supreme
Court. For the Supreme Court is not supreme at all — but rather subject
to the laws of the universe as prescribed by the Supreme Being.
It is vanity to think Congress or the courts have the power to
mandate posting the Ten Commandments one day and remove them the next.
But this latest legislative move suggests some in America are
beginning to comprehend the spiritual nature of the problems that plague
this country. I just fear the solutions being offered are nearly as
inadequate and superficial as those being proposed by the extreme
secularist crowd.
The debate in Congress over an appropriate response to the senseless
and brutal violence witnessed in Littleton, Colo., and elsewhere boils
down to two basic viewpoints: One side would further restrict access to
the tools used by the perpetrators; the other would try to hold back the
tide of decadence and immorality roaring in from the popular culture and
a state that has arrogantly placed itself above God.
Forget what the politicians say. Listen instead to the words of a
father of two victims at Columbine High School. Darrell Scott addressed
the Subcommittee on Crime of the House Judiciary Committee May 27.
Here’s what he said:
“Since the dawn of creation there has been both good and evil in the
heart 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 11 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 that blame lies here in this room. Much of that blame lies
behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves.
“I wrote a poem just 4 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
wreak havoc.
“Spiritual influences 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 doing so, 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 continue 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.
“Political posturing and restrictive legislation are not the answers.
“The young people of our nation hold the key.
“There is a spiritual awakening taking place that will not be
squelched!
“We do not need more religion. We do not need more gaudy television
evangelists spewing out verbal religious garbage. We do not need more
million dollar church buildings built while people without basic needs
are being ignored.
“We do need a change of heart and a humble acknowledgment that this
nation was founded on the principle of simple trust in God!
“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 conscience and denies 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 you cast
the first stone!
“My daughter’s death will not be in vain. The young people of this
country will not allow that to happen.”
It’s difficult to add anything to that eloquent statement. But let me
say this: The solutions to our most fundamental problems will not be
found in government. About the best we can hope is that our elected
leaders stop compounding the problems they have played such a major role
in creating. The answers lie in the hearts of Americans. Yes, they need
to hold their government officials accountable. But we need to do much
more than that. We need to hold ourselves — each and every one of us —
accountable to God.
