Author: Rev. Charles Pugh

I suspect that all of us (unless we’re not thinking properly) would not want such a tragedy as the VT Massacre on 04/16/07 to happen again. Is it possible that it would happen again? I heard a news story today about the man who said he was going to do something as bad or worse as Seung-Hui Cho did. I believe he has a trial date scheduled for May 6th. Others in the past week have threatened similar things at other campuses, and some were even shut down for a time. Violence continues in areas like Chicago, where they say 32 shootings took place over the weekend and several were killed.

We cannot stop violence from happening because we cannot control the mind of another person. You cannot make anyone do anything. You can and do have an influence on those around you! People try to make others do what they want them to do. Even judges sometimes rule according to what they want, or feel that others want, rather than according to objectivity, justice and law.

Since 04/16/07 I have had judges rule against me on at least 6 occasions. I just found out about one of those today. I have had judges rule for me on 2 occasions as well. Our country is a country of law and we should not take this for granted. Unfortunately, there are abuses and problems in our system. One such area is in the mental health system. There were 5 judgments against me to involuntarily commit me 2 times, keep me committed 2 times, and force me to take any number of a whole range of anti-psychotic medications while in the first mental health facility. This was against the facts of my behavior while there, against reason and objectivity, and largely because of my faith. The written medical records clearly show this.

Saturday, when I saw the movie, EXpelled, I saw how people were placed in mental facilities and killed because they were not deemed worthy to even be eating food by those in power. Thankfully, we are more civilized today. However, I am a living example of how the system can be used to silence and medicate someone who doesn’t fit in with the thinking of those in power, and quickly label them turning their life and relationships upside down. No wonder I have concerns about the expansion of the laws to involuntarily commit a person in the State of Virginia! That change in the law is not the answer to help prevent a tragedy like the VT Massacre again…I know this first hand from my experience in these facilities!

Could a Massacre like 04/16/07 happen again? Unfortunately, it could. It will be more likely if we don’t learn the lessons we should (like those I’m talking about on this website). Could there come a time when you are involuntarily committed against reason? Certainly there could, depending on who is in power and how fearful we become, giving up the rights we have enjoyed in this country.

Someone has said, “All it takes for evil to triumph is for people to do nothing.” May apathy in our culture and in our churches be eradicated through true love–action in service. What part will you have in seeing this is true with those around you?

To adapt a phrase from former President Ronald Reagan: “Dear Reader…Tear Down That Wall!” You might wonder, what does that have to do with anything on this site? Well, I just came home from viewing the documentary film starring Ben Stein–“EXpelled: No Intelligence Allowed.” This was especially moving to me personally, because as I mentioned in Friday’s blog, I have been “expelled” in a very unusual way (though my involuntary commitment and legally forced medication was “more civilized” than what happened to so many who were detained or even killed in the mental hospitals in World War II Germany).

Please try to go see this movie! It is likely in a Theater near you. It explains a key aspect of the cultural battle in our Country. It emphasizes the importance of personal freedom of speech and freedom of religion–freedom that many often take for granted. True science is observable and none of us have observed the origin of the universe or of life. The question of origins is a matter of faith (religion). There should be freedom of religion, but the religion of Evolutionary Darwinism is dominating and prevailing in our culture. This is even keeping many people from personally prevailing through the tragedies in their lives. A wall has been erected around Darwinism and it needs to be torn down! Objective science will allow freedom of ideas and theories, wherever they may lead. Intelligent Design should certainly not be excluded or expelled from academia and the marketplace of ideas.

This happened years ago to Dr. Henry Morris at this “cutting edge” technological university–Virginia Tech, where this wall had been built. God worked through this situation and the life of Dr. Morris, and the modern growing Creationist movement (spawning the Intelligent Design Movement) is the result. The Virginia Tech Tragedy brought about my own personal tragedy and has brought the insider information I am writing about here to many others, even outside the Virginia Tech community.

Consider whether you have erected or are erecting a wall in your own heart (to keep out the pains of life or competing ideas). How can you remove this wall? How can you help remove the wall limiting religious academic freedom? See this movie to help you better realize the wall that is in our culture. Look at the lessons, poems, and other blogs on this site to get some ideas there or even to help with any personal wall in your own heart.

Three key related lessons (listed among the “Top Ten” on this site) I am focusing on in my book are “Respect Authority” (from the chapter of lessons on Authority), “Fortify Foundations” (from the chapter of lessons for our Country), and “Proclaim Truth” (from the chapter of lessons for Churches). Please look up those Scriptures and be reminded of these and other important lessons to learn!

Today is the nationwide release of what is likely to be the most controversial film out this year. The movie–Expelled is being released in theaters today and deals with how certain ideas (Creation and Intelligent Design) are being pushed out of the marketplace of ideas in our University and academic communities. The release of this film so close to the anniversary of the VT Tragedy is no coincidence.

Did you know that the modern Creation Movement began in Blacksburg, VA and in conjunction with the life of Dr. Henry Morris, who was an engineering professor at Virginia Tech for 13 years? Dr. Morris was basically expelled from favor at VT and his students not allowed to do research and papers except from an evolutionary and Darwinian presupposition. You should be able to easily find out more about Dr. Morris or even look up how to get the documentary film about his life–“The Faithful Messenger” (published through the Institute for Creation Research: www.icr.org).

Having worked on the VT Campus for over 10 years and helping bring an academic Creation vs. Evolution Debate to the campus back in 2002, I understand the importance of this foundational, yet controversial issue in our society and in the world. In fact, I believe one reason why GOD allowed (not caused) the VT Tragedy to occur in this quiet and rural town of Blacksburg, Virginia (where it “wasn’t supposed to happen”), is to help people (and churches in particular) to see the importance of the foundational issue of Creation to all of life.

God allowed me to be “EXpelled” from the ministry I founded at Virginia Tech and involuntarily committed (on 2 occasions) because of what I said above and all I was doing to try to help people after the 04/16/07 Massacre. I am still living through the effects of this, my personal tragedy. I am working on a book about all of this fascinating story and how it all relates to the VT Tragedy and the Lessons we all need to be sure we have learned and remember! “Unify Diversity” is a key lesson coming from the chapter in my book–Lessons for Campuses.

I had the privilege of spending most of the day on the Virginia Tech Campus today, on the first anniversary of the 04/16/07 Massacre. It was a moving day and I was able to speak with a number of people (including Tiki Barber and Virginia Governor, Tim Kaine–they were both very gracious to listen to me😀). It was really neat to see all the community coming together and even people from all over the world.

One thing in particular kept bothering me all day. I didn’t hear people even mentioning much, if anything about Seung-Hui Cho. This is a grave mistake! We are destined to experience more such tragedies, particularly in our “Post Christian” American Culture, if we fail to reach out in love and serve all those around us. Two of the “Top Ten” Lessons I’m writing about are: “Love One Another” and “Serve One Another.” This is EXACTLY what JESUS lived and talked about and it is what Romans 13:8 says–we have a debt to pay:
“Owe no one anything except to love one another.” Love is more than words; it is action through service.

Please try to take time to read the Poem I finished writing tonight after the Candlelight Vigil while praying and meditating in the VT Memorial Chapel: Learn to Prevail–32 to 33. Feel free to contact me or comment to this as well.

Charles

The greatest Battle any of us will ever face is the battle in our mind (and it is an ongoing battle). One of the tabs above is entitled this as this was what I titled the graveside service I gave for my brother, Jonathan Franklin Pugh, who lost that particular battle when he took his own life in 2004. I would encourage you to look at that transcript or even watch the rough video of that service. There is much for all of us to learn even through that tragic event!

Seung-Hui Cho lost the battle in his mind and in fact went much further than most would dare go (though human nature is such that given enough time on this path, any of us could stoop that low). We make a grave mistake if we look at ourselves as above potentially doing such a horrible thing. We are wrong if we attempt to erase or exclude Seung Hui-Cho from our memories as less than human. He was a troubled human being who did not know GOD’S PEACE. Were it not for GOD’S GRACE, we would all be involved in a lot more evil. There is a greater evil coming on the world, and I trust as you are reading this, you are prepared to escape this coming evil that will come upon the world.

We had best learn to guard our heart and mind. I challenge you to read Philippians 4:6-9 (you can access a Bible search on the Gospel tab above). As we learn to not worry about things, but instead pray about these things and think about the proper things, thanking GOD for HIS Blessings, HIS PEACE will guard our hearts and minds.

Inaction will not help, but will only allow evil to prevail and negatively impact others. If you are not engaged in the battle of your mind, you are losing ground. This is an important lesson to learn from the VT Tragedy and even my own ongoing personal tragedy. We dare not give in to INACTION, nor respond in REACTION, but instead must lead in TRUTHFUL ACTION. Only then, will we truly prevail!