Darrel Scott Testimony Judiciary Committee

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 was painfully true, 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 f irst 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 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!



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"Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, 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 restr ictive 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 inAmerica, 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!"


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Maybe we could just build one of these to remind us:

http://thisboardrocks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114006

 

I am very sorry for Mr. Scott's loss, and agree with him that human beings have a spiritual aspect that needs nurturing. I agree that anytime a horrible tragedy occurs, people look for something to blame; & I would add that they often choose a scapegoat when the true source isn't immediately obvious or is complicated by more than a single issue. I also agree that laws aren't always the answer, nor always effective.

However, there is absolutely nothing in any law that prohibits any person from praying anywhere, including public schools. What is prohibited is state sponsorship of religion; which includes having the school or its representatives lead or require prayers, which are religious/spiritual activities. The students & staff of the schools are free to pray as much as they want, as long as it is a personal activity & does not interrupt the business of the school.

Using the prohibition against school-sponsored prayer is also scapegoating--an attempt to blame government for not taking an active part in what should be a family responsibility: the spiritual education of their children. Mr. Scott's family seems to have done a great job of that. His anger would be more properly directed at families that don't live up to that responsibility than at a law that he misinterprets.

I'm sure those who want the schools to "re-institute prayer in the schools" would be appalled if the prayers conflicted with their own religious beliefs.

Paul exhorted the Thessalonians to "pray without ceasing." I take that to mean that Christians are to live in an attitude of prayer at all times, wherever they are. There is nothing in any of our laws that disallows that. Perhaps if more Christians absorbed that lesson & set an example through their behavior instead preaching at people, more people would be inspired by their example to pay attention to the spiritual side of themselves. And IMHO, that kind of spiritual growth doesn't have to come exclusively from the Christian religion to be effective.

 

Perhaps if more Christians absorbed that lesson & set an example through their behavior instead preaching at people, more people would be inspired by their example to pay attention to the spiritual side of themselves. And IMHO, that kind of spiritual growth doesn't have to come exclusively from the Christian religion to be effective.
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Glad to know you believe you have a spiritual nature..care to share more about that?

 

I believe everyone has a spiritual nature; some are just more or less aware of it than others. And I think some people have bad experiences with religion that turn them off to the whole concept of spirituality.

I think that in my case, my level of awareness is partly due to my high degree of intellectual curiosity, partly to my tendency to experience emotions very deeply, & partly due to factors that I can't define. People who are less curious &/or less deeply emotional need other factors to, I suppose, motivate them to explore spiritual ideas. Bad experiences can squelch that, leaving people disillusioned & suspicious of anything that smacks of religion. I've had a few negative experiences related to religion, but nothing severe enough to overcome my need to seek out answers.

I also believe that in a lot of cases, people who consider themselves to be religious are merely following what they've been taught without ever questioning it. It's always been important to me to understand WHY something is so; to ask, "How do you know that?"

Edit: I would also add that it occurs to me that there's a lot of the human brain that is never used, as far as we can tell so far; & some of that portion may be connected with our spiritual natures.

 

I also believe that in a lot of cases, people who consider themselves to be religious are merely following what they've been taught without ever questioning it. It's always been important to me to understand WHY something is so; to ask, "How do you know that?"

Edit: I would also add that it occurs to me that there's a lot of the human brain that is never used, as far as we can tell so far; & some of that portion may be connected with our spiritual natures.[/quote]


Does your spirituality inspire you to worship God? If so,
who is your God? Just curious.

Due to your highly inquisitive intellect, perhaps you would consider getting personally acquainted with Christ by reading the gospels of Matthew Mark Luke and John. You may fall in love with Someone who can give you a real future and hope.

 

After reading his whole testimony it occurs to me that his whole "it's not the NRA in spite of what people are saying" point could just as easily be changed to say "it's not the lack of national worship..." with just as much effectiveness.

 

I've posted quite a bit about that on this board. Even the short version is rather long, but I'll try not to drag it out.

I can't really label my spiritual beliefs, because nothing quite fits. The closest description I can give is that I am an "eclectic pagan." In other words, my beliefs are drawn from many different traditions, molded by my experiences, & focus on a reverence for (not worship of) nature. Is there a god or gods? Maybe. There is definitely energy, power--it may be directed by intelligence as well. I'm not sure. I don't think it's necessary to be sure, although I would like to know someday. I am very happy & at peace with myself spiritually, & will continue learning & growing until I die.

My impression is that if there is an intelligent deity, it is an all-encompassing being--male & female, yin & yang, all in balance. I see the multiple gods worshipped by different peoples as narrow aspects of a single entity or force.

I was raised Catholic, & went through my own personal "quest for truth" over many years. I focused at first on Christian faiths, because that was where I came from & what I was most familiar with. I've studied the Christian bible a great deal. I have found a lot of truth there. I've also studied, less thoroughly, some eastern traditions such as Hinduism & Buddhism. I have found important truths in those as well.

I came to paganism as much through a study of history as of spirituality. It's not an established religion as such, but a collection of beliefs that vary widely from one individual to another. It resonates with my soul. It encompasses a deep respect for other paths & those who believe differently than I do. I don't believe that there is only one right way to find enlightenment, inspiration, & peace of mind. My way isn't right for everyone. No one's is, IMO. People have different spiritual needs from each other, & at different times in their lives.

I also have a healthy respect for humankind's quest to know through science; but I am well aware that science hasn't figured out everything, & newer knowledge often disproves what was once believed to be certain.

 

I agree. You could insert any number of different terms there.

I don't believe I've ever heard of any sort of country with a national religion that truly prospered as a result of that faith. Even those who point to the beginnings of our nation can't get around our decimation of the American Indian nations, which was supposedly done to fulfill our "manifest destiny," the will of God that we have all this land & convert everyone.

 

That's one of the better posts I've read at TBR in awhile!
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