Three years ago, Zach Hunter was confronted with the painful truth about modern day slavery: 27 million people are in slavery around the world today, half of them children. He’s been on a campaign to change that ever since.

“It was Black History Month,” 15-year-old Zach explains. “I had been learning about Frederick Douglas and Harriet Tubman, and I had thought, ‘Man, if I had lived back then, I would have done something to help them. I would have tried to end slavery and fight for equality.’ And then when I found out there was still something to do, I felt like I couldn’t just stand by like I agreed with it.” (Source: CNN)

When he was 12 years old, Zach launched Loose Change to Loosen Chains, raising more than $8,500 in his school and youth group to rescue victims of slavery and oppression. Today he is the youth spokesman for The Amazing Change, a social justice campaign inspired by the story of Christian abolitionist William Wilberforce and the motion picture Amazing Grace, arriving in theaters today.

He has also written a book, titled Be The Change, scheduled for release next month. In it he encourages his generation that they can make a difference in the world, even as teenagers. Zach doesn’t know it yet, but he’s a rebelutionary. And he makes it very clear why he’s doing what he’s doing.

“In Isaiah 1:17, God says to learn to do right, seek justice, rescue your oppressed, defend orphans, and plead for the widow,” Zach explains. “It’s a biblical mandate to go out there and help those who are in need and help those who are oppressed.”

“If you have a friend who enjoys golfing or snowboarding… even if you’re not good at golfing or snowboarding, you still go and have that shared experience with them because it’s what they like to do,” he continues. “God loves justice. So, if you go out and seek justice with Him you’re getting shared experience with Him and will get closer to Him as a result.” (Source: Florida Baptist Witness)

As Zach writes in his book, compassion is not a distortion of or a distraction from the gospel. Instead, we read in James 1:27, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, and the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

Zach, Brett and I applaud you for your example and testimony. Your demonstration of the principles of the Rebelution—character, competence, and collaboration—is an inspiration to our generation. May God bless and strengthen you as you continue to “do hard things” in the fight against injustice. Our prayers are with you.

Take Action - Get Involved

• Sign the Petition: Add your name to the thousands upon thousands who have signed The Petition to End Modern Slavery.
• Watch Amazing Grace: A deeply impacting introduction to the life and work of William Wilberforce, a devout Christian and British abolitionist.
• Educate Yourself: Learn about the realities of modern slavery and trafficking and what you can do about it.
• Raise Funds: Follow Zach’s example by working with your family, friends, church, and community to raise money to fight slavery.
• Order Be The Change: Read Zach’s book and learn from his message and example. Scheduled to release March 28, 2007.

18-year-old David Banh saved himself three years of college and thousands of dollars in student-loan debt by taking on a grueling course load over two semesters and becoming the first student in school history to complete the University of Virginia’s four-year bachelor’s program in a single year. [HT: Boundless Line]

The “I’m Not A Genius” Syndrome

According to the Washington Post, almost two-thirds of freshmen students at four-year colleges in Virginia take six years to graduate. But just a year and a summer after graduating from high school, David Banh has a double major in math and physics. Now he’s starting graduate studies on a research grant, hoping to finish his master’s degree by the end of the academic year.

Pause.

At this point it would be oh-so-easy for all of us normal people to place David in the “so-smart-its-disgusting” category and move on. But his accomplishment represents far more than an above-average IQ. It represents hours and hours (and hours) of hard and disciplined work that started long before he stepped foot on campus.

Once we label someone as a “genius” we usually cease feel the need to learn from them or to be challenged by their example. I call it the “I’m Not A Genius” syndrome. It’s dangerous. There is much we can learn from people like David Banh, and not just academically. We should all be challenged by their example.

In the wise words of Thomas Edison: “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

David’s “Do Hard Things” Mentality

David seems to have adopted Mr. Edison’s famous adage while still in high school, taking as many advanced placement exams as he could and amassing an incredible 72 credits. He wisely used the teen years as they were intended, as a training ground and launching pad for the rest of his life. With that hard work done, David was halfway to his bachelor’s degree before the start of his first college semester.

At that point he could have breezed through a normal college course load and still finished two years early. But he didn’t. Instead he chose to continue the approach he took in high school: Hard work. But after signing up for 23 credit hours the first semester—most students take around 15—he found himself still with more free time than he had in high school.

Knowing that he would have to take out student loans if he continued a second year, David decided it made a lot more sense to just finish in a single year. An unheard of 37-credit second semester completed his mathematics major, with a final summer class getting him the three additional credits he needed for a double major in physics. He graduated last month.

“From the very beginning, I was amazed,” David’s mathematics professor, Irena Lasiecka, told the Daily Progress. “He was definitely the best student in the class, and also the most mature even though he was younger.”

Why We Do Hard Things

From what I can gather from the articles available, David is not a Christian. Yet we can still commend his work ethic. The way he continually pushed himself in high school and college to “do hard things” is an excellent example to rebelutionaries.

With his brains and talent, David could have easily coasted through high school and college. Instead he diligently applied himself to a season of intense study; even when it kept him from other enjoyable activities; even when his friends thought he was slightly insane. What was his motivation? Saving time and money.

This is how rebelutionaries differ from the David Banhs’ and Michael Sessions’ of the world and why I pray they will be far less rare. As Christians, as rebelutionaries, we have far better reasons to do hard things. Here are three of them:

      1.) A higher purpose: To glorify our Creator. It’s not about us.

      2.) A greater strength: The work of the Holy Spirit. Not our own strength.

      3.) A sweeter joy: Knowing Christ as Savior. Saved by grace alone.

Friends, these are priceless biblical truths. Stories like David’s turn our society’s expectations of teenagers upside down. They demonstrates how capable young people can be if they apply themselves. They prove the power of a young man dedicated to a dream. But friends, as Christians we have a calling that is higher than any earthly dream and a power beyond any human strength.

Let us then continue to earnestly challenge one another to “do hard things” for the glory of God, developing and using our gifts to their full potential wherever God has called us, never content to give up, coast, or “just get by.” And let us be willing to sacrifice anything that would distract us from that calling (Hebrews 12:1).

This is a call to the sold-out Christian life, what G.K. Chesteron calls the “Christian ideal.” This quote by him is one of our favorites: “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.”

Oh, Lord—for your glory and by your grace—may we be a generation of Christians who find it difficult and yet still try.

This post serves as coverage central for Abraham Cherrix’s story. Updates will be added directly below in reverse chronological order. For first time vistors, the original post is below the updates. HT: Spunky Homeschool

UPDATE #9: Read the news coverage of the agreement made between Abraham’s lawyer and county social workers announced by Judge Tyler on August 16th.

UPDATE #8: Read selected excerpts from Abraham’s appearance on the Sean Hannity Show on Tuesday (7/25).

UPDATE #7: Read the media coverage of Judge Glen Taylor’s decision to suspend the juvenile court’s earlier ruling and watch online news coverage.

UPDATE #6: Watch Abraham on FOX’s Hannity and Colmes on Monday night and read the transcript.

UPDATE #5: Read the Tuesday (7/25) updates on the legal case status, news coverage, blog coverage, and online video.

UPDATE #4: Read the transcripted words of the song The Ballad of Abraham that Chris Lowery wrote and recorded about Abraham. Listen to it by clicking here.

UPDATE #3: Read the Monday (7/24) updates on the legal case status, news coverage, blog coverage, and donation information.

UPDATE #2: Read the transcript of Abraham’s appearance with Ann Curry of NBC’s Today show or watch the video (requires Internet Explorer).

UPDATE #1: Watch an indepth video report by a local Virginia news station with transcripted excerpts. (Source: WAVY-TV)

Abraham Cherrix in his Chincoteague, VA home. (Photo: Steve Helber, AP)
Abraham Cherrix looks older than he is, and not just because he’s 6′ 1″. His eyes have a maturity and depth uncommon in most 16 year olds, but Abraham is far from an ordinary young man. Since last summer, he’s been fighting for his life.

In 2005, Abraham was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease, a curable form of cancer that affects the lymph nodes. In September he started chemotherapy treatment at the Children’s Hospital in Norfolk, VA.

Three months went by, the chemotherapy leaving Abraham bald, nauseated, feverish and weak. “His legs would buckle under him. It pretty much devastated him,” said his mother, Rose, who home schools Abraham and his four siblings. (Source: USA Today)

“There were some nights I didn’t know if I would make it,” Abraham said. He did make it, but in February, tests showed that his cancer was still active, and doctors at the Children’s Hospital recommended another round of chemotherapy, along with additional radiation treatment.

After talking with an oncologist (a doctor who studies and treats tumors) about the risks and side effects of the proposed treatment, Abraham decided he wouldn’t go through with it.

“They wanted to bring me to the brink of death, then bring me back, try to restore me with stem cells,” he explained. (Source: InsideNova.com)

“[It] would kill me, literally. No joke about it,” he said. “The first round of chemo almost killed me in itself.”

With his parent’s backing and under the supervision of a clinic in Mexico, Abraham began pursuing an alternative treatment called the Hoxsey method, following a sugar-free, organic diet and taking an herbal remedy four times each day.

That’s when the trouble really started.

Someone — Abraham thinks a doctor at the Children’s Hospital — reported the Cherrix family to a social worker with the county’s social services department. The social worker asked a judge to require that Abraham continue chemotherapy treatment.

In May, Judge Jesse E. Demps issued a temporary order finding Abraham’s parents “neglectful,” forbidding them from seeking treatment outside Virginia, and awarding partial custody to the Accomack County Department of Social Services — warning the family that they faced losing custody completely.

Abraham and his family were dismayed.

“What it boils down to is does the American family have the right to decide on the health of their child or is the government allowed to come in and determine that themselves and threaten one way or the other to split our family up?” said Jay Cherrix, Abraham’s father. (Source: AP)

Said family lawyer, Barry Taylor: “I don’t think any family in the commonwealth would be comfortable with the fact that a social worker with no medical training could make a medical decision for their child. It’s an assault on the American family.”

The news didn’t remain all bleak. On June 1, Abraham and his family gained a temporary reprieve. The judge ordered that Abraham could travel to Mexico to continue alternative treatment if he first had an X-ray in Norfolk to assess the cancer. He agreed.

But a week later, the judge changed his mind and ruled that if doctors decided it was necessary they could order yet another test — like a CAT scan or MRI — something Abraham said would interfere with his herbal treatment. If he refused to comply, Abraham was threatened with jail.

“This is craziness,” a frustrated Abraham said. “I talked to the judge, he agreed with me he was going to do what I wanted to do and all of a sudden at the last minute he changes it all around.” (Source: WAVY-TV)

When doctors offered an MRI scan, Abraham refused. They obliged, saying that two x-rays were all that was necessary. But the fight wasn’t over yet.

A week and a half ago, the court reconvened for further testimony and to make a decision as to whether Abraham and his family could make their own medical decisions. After 11 hours of hearings, all the Cherrix family could do was pray and wait.

“We [already] tried their way, and it didn’t work,” Abraham’s mother explained afterward. “We truly want to see him get better, and whatever it takes for him to get better we will do.”

Abraham echoed his mother’s words, “This is my body that I’m supposed to take care of,” Abraham said. “I studied. I did research. I came to this conclusion that the chemotherapy was not the route I wanted to take.”

For Judge Jesse Demps, that wasn’t enough. Today he ruled that Abraham must report to a hospital by Tuesday and accept whatever treatment the doctors deem necessary. Their lawyer has promised an emergency appeal on Monday.

“I want to caution all parents of Virginia: Look out, because Social Services may be pounding on your door next when they disagree with the decision you’ve made about the health care of your child,” lawyer John Stepanovich said. (Source: AP)

Abraham is committed to keep fighting for control of his life. Last week, he told Ann Curry of NBC’s Today show (Watch: Click Here) that he was prepared to keep fighting, even if it meant going to jail.

“I am willing to do that,” he said.

You can tell he meant it.

Let us know what you think. Leave a comment.

This post serves as coverage central for Brittany McComb’s story. Updates will be added directly below in reverse chronological order. For first time vistors, the original post is below the updates.

UPDATE #10: Read an interview with Brittany McComb conducted by Richard Abowitz of the latimes.com blog.

UPDATE #9: Read the legal brief submitted by The Rutherford Institute in the First Amendment lawsuit they have filed in Brittany’s defense. It includes a detailed account of the events leading up to the graduation.

UPDATE #8: Watch an extended video of Brittany’s graduation speech. (Source: The Rutherford Institute)

UPDATE #7: Read the Christ-honoring letter Brittany wrote to thank her friends and supporters, posted on her Myspace blog.

UPDATE #6: Watch Brittany McComb on the Today Show with her parents. (HT: Counting Stones of Faith)

UPDATE #5: Watch a video with clips of Brittany McComb’s speech and hear the audience’s response when her mic is turned off. (Courtesy of NBC5i.com)

UPDATE #4: Read the full text of Brittany’s McComb graduation speech. (HT: Review-Journal)

UPDATE #3: You can watch Brittany McComb on Hannity and Colmes or just read the excerpt.

UPDATE #2: Reverend Jerry Falwell’s column, published June 24th on WorldNetDaily, covers Brittany McComb’s story in the context of what he calls “a national effort to eradicate our religious freedoms.”

UPDATE #1: LifeSite.net just published an article that contains excerpts from Brittany’s appearance on “Jay Sekulow Live!” and AgapePress announces that Foothill High School will be sued as early as next week for silencing her.

“She knew her speech as valedictorian of Foothill High School would be cut short, but Brittany McComb was determined to tell her fellow graduates what was on her mind and in her heart.

But before she could get to the word in her speech that meant the most to her — Christ — her microphone went dead.” (cont’d article @ reviewjournal.com)

In “Noah Rineresque” fashion, 18-year-old valedictorian Brittany McComb of Foothill High School in Henderson, NV, delivered her original graduation speech — complete with two references to the Lord, nine mentions of God and one mention of Christ — instead of the politically-correct version approved by school administrators. Brittany credits her faith in Christ as the primary reason for her success in school, and said she couldn’t give her valediction without thanking and acknowledging Him. But before she was half-way through, the school cut her microphone.

Now Brittany is using the unasked-for, but unavoidable national platform the controversy has thrust upon her to campaign for religious freedom and to testify for her Lord and Savior before thousands upon thousands of watching eyes.

Brittany, The Rebelution applauds you for your stand and for your committment to our Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for your example. Our prayers are with you.

For more information, go read the Associated Press article, Ben Shapiro’s column over at WorldNetDaily, and the Rutherford Institute’s press release announcing its decision to legally-represent Brittany in filing a lawsuit against the school district.

REACHING A VERDICT

Read the following interaction from the post Brittany McComb: Legal Brief Available, where we address the argument that Brittany lied and the question of whether we would be just as supportive if she had been Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu.

Ian Timothy: The only reason I am not just overwhelmingly supportive of this whole McComb ordeal because after all she did LIE. No matter how valiant it might appear to mention the things of Christ that she did you can’t get around the fact that she did what she said she would not do. As much as I want to support her my conscience can’t let that one small, yet pivital fact be ignored.

The Rebelution: Ian, I really appreciate your comments on this issue, because I know that a lot of people (myself included) have had similar thoughts.

From what I have read, watched, and listened to (i.e. almost everything), I would not say that Brittany lied. To be more precise, I don’t believe that she said she would present the edited version of her speech while still planning to give the non-edited version. I think the final decision to go with the original speech came much closer to the actual ceremony.

I think it’s also important to note that, at the time, the McCombs and their attorney were in the midst of their attempts to contact and/or meet with the school district attorney to discuss the speech. According to the legal brief, none of their calls were ever returned.

After giving this a lot of thought, the conclusion I believe best explains the facts is that, when Brittany said that she would give the edited version of her speech, she was still hoping that her parents would be able to settle the matter with the school district attorney, whether favorably or unfavorably, prior to the graduation ceremony. It wasn’t intended to deceive. Instead, it was intended to appease them until her parents could resolve the issue. Of course, when the school district attorney repeatedly failed to return their calls requesting to meet with him, Brittany was faced with a last-minute decision. She could 1) go along and give the edited speech or 2) give the speech that God had placed on her heart. From the little I have seen of Brittany’s heart for Christ, I don’t believe she could have stood before her classmates and their families and given a speech with only a generic reference to a “divine being.”

However, from an admittedly limited perspective on the last several days and hours before her graduation, I believe that it probably would have been better for Brittany to communicate her decision to the school officials prior to the ceremony. It would likely have resulted in a similar censorship and violation of her freedom of speech/religion, but would have given the school district no basis to say that she was trying to be deceptive.

Hindsight is always 20-20 (or at least, closer to it). But what I can say with confidence is that Brittany’s motivation was and is to do whatever God has called her to do (see the full text of her speech). From what I can tell, Brittany has honored her parents in this situation from the beginning. She was certainly not trying to draw national attention. She was simply seeking to share the message God had placed on her heart. Because of that, she has our support.

Suzannah: May I ask if you would have been similarly supportive if it had been a Jew, Muslim, or Hindu who had done the same thing as Brittany?

The Rebelution: Suzannah, I do not expect secular school district officials to act in accordance with my Christian presuppositions. Because of that, my opposition to their actions stems from what I see as a violation of Brittany’s constitutional rights of free speech and freedom of religion, as well as violating Clark County school district regulations, which state:

Where students or other private graduation speakers are selected on the basis of genuinely neutral, evenhanded criteria and retain primary control over the content of their expression… that expression is not attributable to the school and, therefore, may not be restricted because of its religious (or anti-religious) content. To avoid any mistaken perception that a school endorses student or other private speech that is not in fact attributable to the school, school officials may make appropriate neutral disclaimers to clarify that such speech is not school sponsored.

In answer to your question: I would be similarly opposed to the school district, even if Brittany was a member of another religion. However, my support of Brittany goes beyond the district regulations or the text of the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. In that sense, my support would differ. Does that make sense?

For more discussion, click here.

For legal purposes it should be noted that the first picture of Brittany McComb is property of K.M. Cannon and Review Journal. It has been edited for use.

Seen any teens in the news? Let us know! If we post about it, we’ll give you credit for the tip. Email us at rebelution [dot] blogspot [at] gmail [dot] com.

Michael Viscardi - Science Champion: 16-year-old Michael Viscardi, a homeschool student from San Diego, California, has been making headlines for his victory in the prestigious Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science and Technology, winning a $100,000 scholarship.

The Associated Press reports: [HT: Hannah and The Insomniac.]

Viscardi tackled a 19th century math problem known as the Dirichlet problem, formulated by the mathematician Lejeune Dirichlet. The theorem Viscardi created to solve it has potential applications in the fields of engineering and physics, including airplane wing design.

Glenn Wolsey - Online Entrepeneur: At 13 years old, New Zealander Glenn Wosley is the founder, owner, and contributor to Macs N Pods, an website devoted to news, reviews, articles, discussion, and how to’s for Apple products. Started only four months ago, the site already has 1.2 million hits, and international advertisers are paying to take space on Wosley’s site.

Homeschooled since he was nine, Wosley is also the reigning champion of the New Zealand Schools Web Design Challenge, beating out over 2,500 entrants last month with a site he designed about the sport cricket.

Wosley’s story is a good example of the importance of both personal intiative and networking. The Manawatu Standard reports:

Wolsey is self taught in web design, but has had help from US online innovator Tim Robertson, whose own site gets 20 million hits a month. “I found Tim through Google, told him how much I liked his site and what I was doing, and he has become a mentor to me,” Wolsey said.

Graham Bensinger — Sports Broadcaster: At 18 years old, Graham Bensinger is already making his mark as one of the hottest sports broadcasters in the nation. Host of “The Graham Bensinger Show,” a weekly sports show carried each Saturday on ESPN Radio 1380 AM in St. Louis, Missouri, Graham started his preparation during his early teen years.

A sports fan for as long as he can remember, Bensinger launched an Internet radio show in January 2001, at the age of thirteen. To get his first interviews, Graham sent out fifty letters to former professional athletes, many of whom were baseball Hall of Famers. Out of the fifty, four responded, and Graham got his first interviews. From there, he began contacting the agents and publicists of potential interviewees, and slowly but surely worked his way up.

In August 2003, his show began airing on Sporting News Radio, and a year later he signed a contract with ESPN Radio. While seemingly a rookie by industry standards, because Graham prepared throughout his teen years, his experience is that of a seasoned veteran. His list of interviews include icons like John Madden and Bob Costas; legends like Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Dan Marino; talents like Terrell Owens and Serena Williams; as well as two interviews with OJ Simpson.

In a November feature article on CNN.com, we are told: [HT: The Homeschool Revolution]

Bensinger says his age can be both a help and a hindrance when going after interviews, noting that when he started, some athletes did not want to have anything to do with him…

“I think as I’ve continued to get interviews,” he says, “people see that I’m working hard, that I’m doing my homework, [and] the age doesn’t have as much of an effect…”

While other teens may spend their free time hanging out with friends, Bensinger devotes hours to research, arranging and confirming guests, preparing questions and reading the latest sports headlines…

“Sure, you sacrifice some valuable time with friends,” he says. “But on the same note, I love what I’m doing, and I know where I want to be in life and know where I want to get in life…”

“I think the difference between those who are successful in life and those who aren’t is whether or not you have the drive and motivation and follow [your dream],” Bensinger says.

“Sure, people are going to say ‘No,’ and say, ‘You can’t do this’ and ‘You can’t do that.’ … But if you work hard, in the end you will succeed.”

Notice how these excerpts confirm and enhance principles we’ve spoken about on The Rebelution:

• Many people in our society do not expect young people to be capable of quality work.
• The way to success and accomplishment is hard work (i.e. “doing hard things”).
• Young people who are willing to do hard things prove that preparation — not age — is the deciding factor in a person’s ability to perform a responsibility.
• When you have a calling and a vision, you have to sacrifice. But it’s worth it.

You’ll notice that none of the above teens appear to be Christians — at least, not so far as I can tell from the articles I’ve read. However, like Michael Sessions, these young men turn our society’s expectations of teenagers upside down. They demonstrate how capable young people can be if they apply themselves. They prove the power of a young person dedicated to a dream.

Friends, as Christians we have a calling that is higher than any earthly dream. People like Graham, Michael, and Glenn prove our potential, but the question is whether we are willing to take the principle and apply it to our own lives and to matters of eternal significance. Are we? Because that’s what it means to be a rebelutionary.

“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found hard and left untried.” — G.K. Chesterton

Do Hard Things™

In a chilling reminder of the lessons being learned from David Ludwig and Kara Borden, news broke yesterday morning that — for the second time in less than a month — a homeschool teen has been arrested for murder.

Patrick Armstrong, a 14-year-old homeschooler from Fayette, Maine, has been charged with killing his neighbor, Marlee Johnston, 14. Both teens lived in the same neighborhood where, last Saturday, Marlee’s body was found in a nearby pond, after she failed to return from a walk with the family dogs.

The Morning Sentinel reports:

Maine State Police are being extremely tight-lipped about the case. They have not released a cause of death, outlined a motive for the killing, or detailed the types of interactions the two teenagers might have had. The Medical Examiner’s Office said the office is withholding the cause of death at the request of the Attorney General’s Office.

It has been reported that certain personal websites published by Armstrong, which are not publically accessible, demonstrated a troubled and angst-ridden teen.

A troubled and angst-ridden homeschooler? That’s right. And yet another who is likely a murderer.

This is tragic. And yet, it is also sobering. As we have discussed over the past few weeks: homeschooling, by itself, is not enough to prevent tragedies like this from happening. Going to church, by itself, is not enough to prevent tragedies like this from happening. Both of those things are good, but while many things are used by God as means of imparting His grace, they are not grace itself. To claim otherwise is to make homeschooling, or church, or a book, or a blog, or a method, or a mere human being — rather than Christ — our god.

The past month has been a wake-up call to the homeschool community and the body of Christ as a whole. Let us firmly resolve not to slip back into complacency.

May God have mercy.

Other bloggers covering the story: SpunkyHomeschool, Agent Tim, and Spunky Junior.

Make sure you read the most recent update made at the end of this post, in response to several of our reader’s comments (updated Thursday, December 1st, 9:45 P.M. CST).

The following comment was posted in response to our recent post, “Teens In The News: David Ludwig and Kara Borden.” Due in part to the attention our article has received, as well as the excellent opportunity for clarification it provides, we felt it was wise to share this comment with you and then respond.

We would like to reiterate our great appreciation for the wise words this reader shared. We have turned this exchange into a post only in order to clarify the message we’re sending.

DeputyHeadmistress said: This is a good post, and I agree that we all need to look to ourselves and not be coplacent. But I think it’s interesting how different people can read the same thing and come away with different ideas about it. I also read David’s blog (and their friends’ blogs) and I was struck by his view of God as a vending machine on high. I wasn’t favorably impressed by either Kara or David’s expressions of faith- they were not much different than expressions of delight over a rock band or a new and very cool shirt, IMO.

In reading those blogs I was also disturbed to see that for most of those kids murder and premarital sex were ‘making bad choices’ and nobody should judge those who indulged in those bad choices. But letting somebody’s parents know what was going on was worse than a bad choice- that would have been a very, very *bad* thing for them to do. These kids have, at best, a very twisted sense of values, right, wrong, sin, and good and evil.

You might read this (and other news reports on the same site):
http://local.lancasteronline.com/4/18786

Did David Ludwig use his Christian faith to manipulate and get close to girls? John Powers, of Long Island, N.Y., has written about the case on his “Action Report” Web site.

In an interview today, he said that an anonymous source gave him access to Ludwig’s e-mail account and that Ludwig’s e-mails show Ludwig had another relationship with a girl he met while on a trip to Hawaii last summer.

Ludwig had contact with several other girls around the same time, Powers said.

In the e-mails, Powers said, “He starts off preaching the word. It’s a level of communication they all could understand, something they all have in common.”

The girls responded in the same vein, and the relationship developed, Powers said.

Ludwig had gotten into trouble locally and, it appears, in Hawaii, for his actions in the past year, according to news accounts and the Web sites.

The pastor of Ludwig’s church told a reporter last week that Ludwig took a girl to Ludwig’s family’s cabin in Juniata County without her parents’ permission last spring, but that the girl’s parents did not contact authorities about it.

In a story posted on Court TV’s “Crime Library” Web site, writer Steve Huff said, “David Ludwig, at least, seemed to use his ‘faith’ in the same way other men use sports cars — as a ‘hook.’ ”

I would also note that looking at a timeline of events, the ’spirit led’ initiative to fix up The Barn as a place where the kids could go to ’seek God’s face’ (because, naturally, David adn his pals could not seek God’s face at home or in their churches or with adult supervision) only took place after the family cabin was off limits to David because he took at least one girl there without her family’s permission.

None of this negates your broader points, I would just be careful about taking those public confessions of faith as expressed by Ludwig and people like him at face value.

Alex Harris said: To begin, let me thank you for your input. Even from reading your (relatively) brief comment on our blog in response to my post on the subject, I appreciated the fact that you have diligently researched the issue. I too had been to Lancaster Online, reading the articles, and many of the lengthy comment sections. I had also frequented Crime Library and the Action Report, and read the released excerpts from the emails allegedly written by David and his various female acquaintances. All this to say, I was aware of the information you cite, before I wrote my post.

With that understanding, I would respectfully defend my position on a few of the points over which we disagree, but primarily, just clarify several areas of misunderstanding:

As you recognized, the message of my article was simply, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” You see, regardless of the differences between David Ludwig, Kara Borden and myself, the only thing that separates me from them is the grace of God. Remove His grace, and I would be no better. In fact, I would be worse.

To continue, you will notice that I never claimed that either David or Kara were saved. My first reference to Christianity was to say, “David and Kara, you understand, are churchgoers, youth group attendees, from Christian families, with Christian friends.” Later, I referred to them as “homeschooled teens from Christian families.” However, I did not claim that they themselves were born again.

Our reason for disagreement, even if it is ever so slight, I would assume, stems from a different statement: my claim that David and Kara, quote: “bore many signs of true faith and an understanding of the Gospel.” In retrospect, perhaps I could have clarified this statement more explicitly by saying something more to the effect of: “bearing the outward appearance of faith and seeming to have an understanding of the Gospel.” However, the purpose of the statement was only to recognize that — for a majority of their lives, and to most people around them — David and Kara appeared to be saved.

Now, bear in mind that when I say this, I do not necessarily refer to the several days, weeks, and months immediately prior to the murder of Michael and Cathryn Borden, but rather to the broader picture of Kara and David’s lives. I think it would incredibly assumptive for us to say that — had we met David Ludwig or Kara Borden three to six months in the past — we would not have thought them to be pretty normal Christian kids. David we are told was involved in Bible Quizzing and probably had the entire book of 1 Peter memorized (and most likely, had other books memorized as well, since that was just one competition). As one of our readers aptly noted, David had memorized more Scripture than most of us have. Furthermore, a fellow employee and college student who was interviewed in the aftermath of the murder said, “I considered [David] to be a good Christian — he brought his Bible and read it during breaks.”

Suffice to say that — during a significant portion of his life — David Ludwig showed more signs of being a Christian than many people who will never commit a crime. His familiarity with Scripture means he probably had a much better understanding of the Gospel than your typical youth group-attending, faith-professing Christian. ‘The Barn Project’ was described as the fulfillment of his father’s vision for their barn to be used as a church (“7 years ago Greg Ludwig had a vision that this place would be used for “church.” now 7 years later, God is beginning a work that is going to produce greater fruit than we can ever imagine; 30, 40, 50, a hundred fold! Our prayer is that The Barn may be a place of worship, where God is glorified, brothers and sisters in Christ are fed the meat of the Word, Jesus is worshipped, and God’s will is advanced in His time.”).

To be frank, based upon the evidence that is currently available, I would reject the theory that David used his “faith” as a hook to manipulate girls. At the very least, I would issue a strong word of caution. The truth is that, in many ways, the effort to label David as a “sexual predator” is distinctly Darwinian in nature; attempting to label criminals as sub-human or somehow less developed (or ‘further depraved’) than we are ourselves.

The quote by G.K. Chesterton, which I included in my original post, is appropriate again here: “No man’s really any good till he knows how bad he is, or might be; till he’s realized exactly how [little] right he has to all this snobbery, and sneering, and talking about ‘criminals,’ as if they were apes in a forest ten thousand miles away; till he’s got rid of all the dirty self-deception of talking about low types and deficient skulls; till he’s squeezed out of his soul the last drop of the oil of the Pharisees…”

Without expounding further at this time, and without claiming that David was nothing more than “starry-eyed and bushy-tailed,” I would caution all of us to guard our hearts from the tendency of our secular culture to preoccupy itself with coming up with some sensational explanation for sin, when the real answer is given clearly in Scripture, and applies to each and every one of us: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

As Kathrynne said, the “Christian”-like actions performed by David and Kara are not enough, by themselves, to change anyone’s heart. What this means is that we cannot be complacent or lacksadaisical about the state of our souls. If all we do is go to church, read the Bible, memorize Scripture, and say ‘God bless you’ in our personal correspondence, it’s not enough. And let’s face it, we don’t even do all of those things consistently.

In conclusion, it all comes back to grace. We all are born with sinful and wicked hearts, and no matter how vast the distance between us and any given criminal… That difference is God’s mercy, and not our merit.

UPDATE (12/1): My response to several issues brought up by our reader’s in the comments section:

Jamie: You are right in observing that I am very hesitant — as the evidence currently stands — to say that David was only using the appearance of Christianity to feed an abnormal sexual obsession. I am very uncomfortable with the tendency to paint David’s entire childhood and teen years — the Bible quizzes, the lifeguarding, the Bible reading, the emails, ‘The Barn’, the prayer huddles — as nothing more than a facade to lure impressionable girls.

I do not deny that David took a significant turn for the worse over the past few months, and a more subtle turn over the past year or two, but I do disagree with the theory that all the things that caused people to identify him as “a caring person,” and as “a good kid” with “a strong faith,” were just an act to hide a murderer waiting for an opportunity. I would never support releasing David, even if he repents, or consider him “safe,” but I do believe that a 14 or 15-year-old David would have been surprisingly similar to a majority of young men in the church today.

Concerning the theological issue: Nightfly was right on when he said that the point is not whether David and Kara were/are/can be saved or not. I appreciate many of the things that have been shared by our readers on this subject, but I’d prefer it not turn it into a debate. For now, I will only say this: If David and Kara were/are truly saved, I would expect repentance. If they weren’t/aren’t truly saved, they are by no means beyond the reach of God’s saving grace. I pray for repentance.

Tim: You’re right when you say we have a serious problem. In fact, that was one of the very things I hoped people would start realizing when they read my post. The truth is that a majority of what we classify as “normal Christian teens” are Christians in name only… It’s just the environment they happen to be in… It’s their parent’s faith, not their own. In fact, I think it’s highly probable that this was the category into which David and Kara fell. This is of great concern.

Again, we should all take this opportunity to examine our hearts and exhort our fellow young people. Do we go to church just because our parents make us? Just to see our friends? Do we read our Bible, memorize Scripture, and talk the talk, just because that’s what expected and admired in the environment in which we live?

This is really a message that goes to the heart of The Rebelution. Our actions should never be dependent on cultural expectations, whether it be church culture, homeschool culture, or pop culture. Our authority is Christ and His Word, and He does not change.

Let’s be honest, guys. Have we ever tried to impress the opposite sex by our spiritual maturity? If we have, I think we should be cautious in labeling David as some sort of predator… At the very least, we should take great care to ensure that our attitude does not even hint at self-righteousness.

A debtor to mercy, Alex Jordan Harris

Two weeks ago The Rebelution covered the impressive “rise of Michael Sessions” into the national spotlight following his apparent victory in the Hillsdale, MI mayor’s race. However, we updated that post with the news that Michael’s victory was pending a recount.

Today we would ask all of you to join The Rebelution as we congratulate 18-year-old Michael Sessions on his successful and official election as mayor of Hillsdale.

Two months ago, Michael was not old enough to vote. But on Monday night, in a City Council chamber packed with reporters from as far away as Japan and Russia, he was sworn in as mayor of Hillsdale.

In his only speech of the night, Michael thanked his family and friends. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to serve as mayor of Hillsdale. I am prepared to serve for each and every one of you,” he said.

Michael’s 670-668 victory was not final, pending a recount, until his opponent, 51-year-old incumbent, Mayor Douglas Ingles, conceded the election last Saturday.

“I wish Mayor-elect Sessions good luck and much success and offer my support in every way that I can,” Mr. Ingles said.

Michael who turned 18 in September, was too young to get his name on the ballot, and had to run for mayor as a write-in candidate — meaning voters had to remember his name and add it to the ballot by hand in order to support him. Young Mr. Sessions launched his campaign, just one month before the election, with the $700 he made from his summer job. That’s only slightly less than the $67 million Mayor Bloomberg spent to be reelected in New York City.

Michael Owes Everything To His Parents:

And we don’t even mean that in the traditional, “raised-me, fed-me, bore-me,” sense. Rather we’re referring to a very interesting point Keith Olbermann, Anchor for MSNBC’s “Countdown,” brought up in a November 10th interview:

OLBERMANN: So, now, obviously, 670 is a lot of people in a town of 8,200. But do you think of those two votes that put you over the top as the ones your mother and father cast for you?

SESSIONS: Most definitely. It had to have been.

There you have it. Anyone want to argue that point?

Not-So-Covered Side: More Young People Involved:

Michael isn’t the only young adult who deserves The Rebelution’s attention. On the night of the swearing-in ceremony, Brandon Thomas, the mayor’s 17-year-old campaign manager, demonstrated a knack for good politics as he explained a downtown clean-up campaign he and Michael organized on Sunday.

“His appearance on Letterman and everyplace else reinforced the stereotype that he’s just in high school and not taking this seriously. [Mike] wants the people of Hillsdale to know that he is taking it seriously. He’s going to bring more energy to the city,” Brandon said.

Michael had appeared on the “Late Show with David Letterman” to read the Top Ten list titled “Good Things About Being an 18-year-old Mayor.”

Another young adult involved was Meghan Scholl, 17, who helped Michael hand out signs and write campaign speeches. It has become evident that Michael’s campaign, as witnessed by these few examples, was largely driven by young people and that its message is clearly for young people.

More-Not-So-Covered Side: Michael Is Serious:

“My parents thought he was joking around,” Meghan said, “We didn’t think he would win, but then he started talking and he really knows what he’s talking about.”

Meghan explained to reporters that Michael began studying how similar communities pay for economic development and funding models for fire and police departments when he started campaigning.

Steven Brower, a government and economics teacher at Hillsdale High School, shared that “there are too many kids today who laugh at government,” but said Michael, by carefully researching issues before taking a position, will serve responsibly in his four-year post.

“He was a real go-getter during his campaign,” said Mr. Brower, “he acted like he was running for president.”

At one point, five days before election day, Michael spent so long out on the streets knocking on the doors, ignoring his mother’s pleas for him to wear a coat, that he ended up in a hospital emergency room with bronchitis but, by then, his momentum had become unstoppable.

Some of Michael’s friends said he began talking about running for mayor a few years ago.

Jeff Maxfield, a Hillsdale High School classmate who helped him campaign for mayor, said he remembers that Sessions wanted to become mayor before he could drive.

“When he was sophomore, he said that he could run for mayor when he was a senior,” said Jeff, one of many supporters in the audience at Monday night’s council meeting. Jeff wore a campaign T-shirt that said “Need Experience? Get Some … Get Involved” on the back.

The Important Thing: Michael’s Message:

“Age has nothing to do with ability,” said Valerie G. Van Opynen, a 49-year-old artist. “He’s done more good for this city in his first 15 minutes than the (last) administration ever did. This is the most excited I’ve seen this town in the five years I’ve been here.”

“Age has nothing to do with ability.”

Thank you, Mr. Sessions, for making that powerful point.

A Message From The Rebelution:

Dear Michael,

The Rebelution is extremely excited for you for many reasons. Bur primarily because you are one more example of how our culture doesn’t quite know what to do with young people who take initiative and “Do Hard Things.”

The media blitz that you’ve faced has granted us small glimpses into the mind of a young man who wasn’t about to run a half-hearted or half-way campaign. And we are sure that your faithfulness in smaller areas prepared you for the larger task as Hillsdale’s new mayor.

We applaud you Mr. Sessions, but we would also like to offer you the following counsel:

• Don’t Stop! Keeping “Doing Hard Things” in public and, more importantly, in private.
• Remember that despite the blatant abdication of modern “celebrities” and leaders, you are a role model. Live like one.
• Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)
• Remember that in our “Fast-Breaking News” society, you can be picked up and dropped again by the media in the twinkling of an eye. Don’t let it upset you.
• Fight Pride Constantly! I recommend that you read the short article, “How To Fight The Sin Of Pride Especially When You Are Praised,” by Pastor John Piper, as well as C.J. Mahaney’s new book “Humility: True Greatness.”
• Realize that nothing would be a greater shame than for the highlighting of your competence to be the undoing of your character.

  In Christ Our King,
  Alex & Brett Harris

Disclaimer: The Rebelution applauds Michael Sessions for his competence and character, as evidenced by his initiative and drive during his campaign. However, at this time, our readers must understand that — to our knowledge — Michael has made no reference to God, in gratitude or otherwise, and his political leanings are largely unknown. Because of that we encourage our readers to use discretion by only admiring, as we do, the positive, known characteristics of Michael Sessions. Please keep him in your prayers.

Make sure you read the most recent update made at the end of this post (updated Saturday, November 26th, 4:15 P.M. CST).

Big hat tip to fellow blogger and rebelutionary, Agent Tim, for bringing this story to my attention.

After a frenzied, weeklong media blitz by television, radio, newspapers, and blogs, nearly anyone who regularly reads/watches/listens to the news will recognize the names of David Ludwig, Kara Borden, and Lititz, Pennsylvania.

On Sunday, November 13th, following a heated, hour-long argument with 14-year-old Kara’s parents over his physical relationship with their daughter, David Ludwig, 18, pulled out a .40-caliber handgun and shot both parents in the head. As Kara’s 15-year-old sister, Katelyn, hid in the bathroom, and her 11-year-old brother, David, escaped to a neighbor’s house, Ludwig took Kara and fled in his parent’s car. The following day, after a brief, high-speed car chase, police officers in Belleville, Indiana, apprehended the two teens, who had traveled approximately 600 miles from the scene of the crime.

Yesterday morning, it was reported that Ludwig has admitted to two counts of intentional murder, while it has also become clear that Kara was not kidnapped, but fled with David of her own free will. Whether Miss Borden was an actual accomplice in the murder of her parents remains unclear, though her willingness to leave with her parent’s murderer raises questions regarding her loyalties.

However, without going into more detail — as that is not our purpose in bringing the story to your attention — there are several notable aspects of this tragic situation that are of particular importance to rebelutionaries. David and Kara, you understand, are churchgoers, youth group attendees, from Christian families, with Christian friends. They’re also homeschooled.

Both of these facts, particularly the latter, have provoked flurries of heated discussion among those on both sides of the issue. On the far left of the spectrum, a handful of liberal commentators, primarily bloggers, have pounced on the opportunity to demonstrate the “idiocy” of Christian parents who homeschool their children. On the other hand — seeming to have learned their lesson from the backlash that followed the effort two years ago by CBS News to link homeschooling and child abuse — no mainstream media outlet has attempted to draw a clear connection between the teens’ education and the crimes that launched them into the national infamy.

This decision, whether conscious or otherwise, has prompted some on the left to decry the mainstream press as “hypocritical” or “biased,” pointing to the media’s “lack of emphasis,” and arguing that whenever a homeschooled student does something good, like wining a national spelling or geography bee, their education takes front and center. Not to be outdone, some homeschool proponents have taken issue with the media’s decision to emphasize the children’s education at all, claiming that the fact that Kara and David were homeschooled bears no special significance to the story.

Still another viewpoint, courtesy of Paul Chesser of The American Spectator, argues from the goodness of homeschooling to conclude that Kara and David’s education was an appropriate emphasis for reporter’s covering the story:

“[T]he media [should] play up Ludwig’s and Borden’s educational background. The fact that they were homeschooled makes the murder even more significant. Why? Because the nature of the news is that when certain types of people act in ways that are inconsistent with what the public traditionally expects from them, it makes a story more newsworthy. [The media] did the right thing by recognizing the significance that the two teens were homeschooled. This was out of character from what most Americans have come to expect from homeschooled children: that they are mostly intelligent, polite, respectful, well-behaved, quiet, and mind their own business.”

I would agree that David and Kara’s education deserves a reasonable amount of attention — as I am now giving it — however, I would be most hesitant to label the story, as Mr. Chesser seems to do, as nothing more than a “newsworthy aberration.” Is that really all it is? Is that really all we can take from it? I would say not.

As I read through Kara, David, and their friends’ posts and comments on their respective blogs (most which are still available, if you know where to look), I am struck by how un-abnormal they are; how similar they are to people I know; how similar they are to me.

If I may be blunt for a moment: I’ve never had premarital sex, never murdered anyone, or made a decision that resulted in my life falling apart before my eyes, but as I familiarize myself with the now-public “private” lives of these fellow teenagers, I shudder, because I see the same potential in my own life – in my own heart.

My mind is repeatedly drawn back to a post that Kara made on her blog less than five months ago. I’m slightly surprised that no bloggers or news outlets – at least, none that I can find – have mentioned it, but it engrained itself in my mind:

Psalm 28… I would type it out..but I think you guys can read it for yourself…when I read it I broke out in tears…God is truely and wonderful amazing..Hey to everyone if you guys could pray for me..That would be very cool!! Thank you all for your prayers already..And Im praying for you all too!! I love you all! I would just like to say thanks for the support yesterday my brothers and sisters in christ! I love you all! AND THANK YOU MY AMAZING LORD!!! I LOVE YOU SOO MUCH!!But really I have to give all the thanks to my Lord!!!!!SO THANK YOU MY LORD!!

Your Sister In Christ
Kara

Or consider the following words by David Ludwig, posted less than four months ago:

Ok people, here it is! The xanga site for The Barn…for lack of a better name I think at least for now we shall call it that. If any of you feel any leading at to what we should call/name this place please voice your suggestions!

Basically we are in desperate need of finances and time right now and although it looks kinda hopeless for a human standpoint I have faith that God is going to work all this out according to HIS good pleasure!!

For those of you who have abosolutely no idea what the heck I’m talking about here is the scoop, basically about 3 weeks ago both Sam Lohr and myself (David Ludwig ) felt led to clean up the upstairs of my (the Ludwig’s) barn to create a place that we could come to after our Monday night and Friday night youth meetings or at anytime to worship and dilligently seek Gods face. The amazing thing about that is neither Sam or I knew the other was thinking/praying about that till about a week later. Since than a bunch of us have gotten together twice to work on the barn and just amazing things have been accomplished…it truely is a miracle!! God has enabled far more to be completed than any of us ever imagined! Glory! So now the need is to finish this project Lord willing before next monday. Anyone is welcome to come once it is finished we only ask that you seek Gods face before you come to see if He wants you to be there. If so, be welcome and come! May God bless you all!!

~ David

Shocking words for two teens facing the possibility of execution or life behind bars for murder? How about for two young, homeschooled teens from Christian families? Not quite so shocking, is it? But which are they?

They’re both.

And that is what’s so important for us to realize, as young people, as homeschoolers, as rebelutionaries, and as Christians.

Being homeschooled did not prevent this tragedy; growing up in a Christian environment did not prevent this tragedy; bearing many signs of apparent faith and an understanding of the Gospel did not prevent this tragedy; these are harsh, but necessary truths that demand humility. Hard to swallow as it is, what happened in Lititz, Pennsylvania, is not an exception, it’s fallen man’s default.

We should all be asking ourselves the question: What is it that separates me from a David Ludwig or a Kara Borden?

And we should all be answering — in the words of Protestant Reformer, John Bradford — “There, but for the grace of God, go I.”

“No man’s really any good till he knows how bad he is, or might be; till he’s realized exactly how [little] right he has to all this snobbery, and sneering, and talking about ‘criminals,’ as if they were apes in a forest ten thousand miles away; till he’s got rid of all the dirty self-deception of talking about low types and deficient skulls; till he’s squeezed out of his soul the last drop of the oil of the Pharisees…” — G.K. Chesterton, The Secret of Father Brown

Let us not fail to remember Kara, David, and their families, in our prayers. May God have mercy.

UPDATE (11/23): I am reminded of Noah Riner’s words in his September 20th, convocation speech at Dartmouth College. The universal nature of the truth he shared that night — truth for which he was viciously attacked — is proven valid by its perfect applicability to the story of David Ludwig and Kara Borden. Please read it carefully and notice the parallels. Note that a limited number of these parallels are indicated in brackets:

[I]n the past few weeks we’ve seen some pretty revealing things happening on the Gulf Coast in the wake of hurricane Katrina. We’ve seen acts of selfless heroism and millions around the country have united to help the refugees. On the other hand, we’ve been disgusted by the looting, violence, and raping that took place even in the supposed refuge areas. In a time of crisis and death, people were paddling around in rafts, stealing TV’s and VCR’s. How could Americans [homeschoolers?] go so low?

My purpose in mentioning the horrible things done by certain people on the Gulf Coast isn’t to condemn just them; rather it’s to condemn all of us. Supposedly, character is what you do when no one is looking, but I’m afraid to say all the things I’ve done when no one was looking. Cheating, stealing, lusting, you name it - How different are we? It’s easy to say that we’ve never gone that far: never stolen that much; never lusted so much that we’d rape; and the people we’ve cheated, they were rich anyway.

Let’s be honest, the differences are in degree. We have the same flaws as the individuals who pillaged New Orleans. Ours haven’t been given such free range, but they exist and are part of us all the same.

The Times of London once asked readers for comments on what was wrong with the world. British author, G. K. Chesterton responded simply: “Dear Sir, I am.”

Not many of us have the same clarity that Chesterton had. Just days after Hurricane Katrina had ravaged the Gulf Coast, politicians and pundits were distributing more blame than aid. It’s so easy to see the faults of others, but so difficult to see our own. In the words of Cassius in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, “the fault, dear Brutus is not in our stars but in ourselves.”

Character has a lot to do with sacrifice, laying our personal interests down for something bigger. The best example of this is Jesus. In the Garden of Gethsemane, just hours before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” He knew the right thing to do. He knew the cost would be agonizing torture and death. He did it anyway. That’s character.

Jesus is a good example of character, but He’s also much more than that. He is the solution to flawed people like corrupt Dartmouth alums, looters, [teenage murderers,] and me.

It’s so easy to focus on the defects of others and ignore my own. But I need saving as much as they do.

Jesus’ message of redemption is simple. People are imperfect, and there are consequences for our actions. He gave His life for our sin so that we wouldn’t have to bear the penalty of the law; so we could see love. The problem is me; the solution is God’s love: Jesus on the cross, for us.

UPDATE (11/26): One of our readers, manthano, commented this afternoon and alerted us to his personal — and particularly meaningful — observation into the past of admitted murderer David Ludwig. Read full post here, selected excerpt below:

I try to keep up with the news while I’m here at school, and it was with sadness and disgust I read the story of David Ludwig and the double murder of the parents of his girlfriend Kara Borden. Then this story hit a little closer to home, when I found out that I had met David 3 years ago. Since then a particular verse from the Bible has taken on a whole new meaning. I Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (ESV). Why this verse basically whacked me upside the head this week, is because of the story of what happened to someone else who knows this verse, David Ludwig, now under arrest for a double murder committed last week. How do I know he knows this verse? Read on…

I know he knows this verse, because of where I met him. Yes, I’ve met an alleged double murderer. We met at a Bible quiz between about 5 churches in our area. The Bible quiz was over the book of I Peter. In order to effectively compete in this competition, you basically had to have the entire book memorized, and be able to quote word-perfect any verse in it. He and I were on two of the top 5 teams that year, so I that’s how I know he had that verse memorized.

So how does a bible quizzer become a murderer? It’s really not as difficult as you might think. To quote our former school president, “Anyone is capable of committing any sin, given the proper provocation.” “Who me,” you ask? “I’ll never murder anyone!” I didn’t say you would, I just said we were capable of it. I pray that no one that’s reading this will do such a thing, but it’s not impossible.

Be sure to read the rest of manthano’s post here.

Read the update by clicking here…

This morning’s cover story from the Montgomery Advertiser’s Lifestyle Section features none other than Colton Davie, a 17-year-old rebelutionary and one of Alex and my newest and best Alabama friends. Colton collaborated with Alex and me last Saturday to create our Save The Wheel short, “Reinvented: The Dinner Table.” Now, the young Mr. Davie is garnering media attention for a greater accomplishment: snaring the Best Young Filmmaker Award at the Second Annual San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.

Enjoy the following feature article that honors 17-year-old Colton Davie and 16-year-old Tyler Litton for doing hard things, at a young age, and for the glory of God:

Let there be light, camera, action
Christian films on the rise

By Darryn Simmons
Montgomery Advertiser
November 18, 2005

In today’s movies, the comedy, horror and action flicks tend to dominate the marquees and lead at the box office.

But a new genre of films is starting to gain a foothold in the market, and some of the upcoming movies in that genre just may come from Montgomery and other spots in Alabama.

With the success of films like “The Passion of the Christ,” “The Gospel” and the “Left Behind” series, Christian films are starting to show they can do as well as the biggest summer blockbusters.

The success of those films has inspired young filmmakers to try their hand at making them, with the hope of making the next big Christian film.

Christian film festivals have continued to build momentum. The second annual San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival drew 1,200 participants from all over the world, from New York to Romania. At this event, held earlier this month, the state of Alabama was well-represented.

Seventeen-year-old Colton Davie from Matthews was awarded the Best Young Filmmaker prize for his 55-minute film, “Bluestate: Tolerance for All,” and Ed Litton, pastor of First Baptist Church in North Mobile, and his 16-year-old son Tyler were awarded Best Political Film for a film they wrote, produced and directed called “Intent.”

“Alabama is taking over,” said Doug Phillips, the founder of the festival and one of the competition’s judges.

Phillips said more than 130 film submissions at this year’s festival show there are those who want to make good Christian films that give glory to God.

The rise in the independent Christian film market can be attributed to a number of factors, Phillips said. The biggest may be that filmmakers no longer have to go through Hollywood to get a film produced or distributed, thanks to the digital technology and innovative distribution methods now available. The “Left Behind” series, for example, was marketed largely through churches.

He also said people are looking for more positive material in their movies and wholesome messages that differ from the usual Hollywood fare.

Davie said he was inspired when he attended last year’s festival. He went to some of the seminars there, and they motivated him to want to do a film for this year’s festival.

He started the script for “Bluestate” in December of last year and finished the film in August.

The movie tells the story of one family’s sacrifice in a world where tolerance has been mandated by law.

“People think it’s a political movie, but we weren’t doing that,” Davie said. “I just wanted to challenge ideas and show people what happens when you do things like take public prayer out of schools and what could happen if you continue to do things like that.”

Phillips called the movie a “major film which demonstrates incredible promise.”

“There was an overwhelming sense (among the judges) that ‘Bluestate’ should win,” Phillips said. “It is an excellent example of what is possible for a young man to do.”

Davie said it was exciting to win the award and that the festival itself was a great experience.

Ed Litton’s half-hour film, “The Wall,” was runner-up for Best Political Film last year, the inaugural year of the festival. The film focused on educating Christians on the meaning of the First Amendment.

“Intent” is an 18-minute film that explores the current crisis in the federal judiciary.

“Our hope is that ‘Intent’ will help break down barriers between Americans and their courts,” Ed Litton said. “The average citizen is key to keeping the courts in line and preserving government by the consent of the governed.”

Davie said he hopes to continue to make Christian films. While there are no current plans to have an exhibition of the films here in central Alabama, he said the success of recent movies shows there’s a desire for them on the part of moviegoers.

There is a special kind of film Davie wants to make.

“I want to make movies with good stories that people will enjoy, but I especially want to do it for the glory of God and to do films that glorify him,” he said.

There are many reasons why Alex and I are thrilled at the recognition our friend Colton is receiving. First, he just one more example of how young people that “Do Hard Things” will be honored. Our readers must understand that a very favorable article about Christian films from a reputably liberal newspaper is rare. But Colton’s age demanded attention. And not only his age, but the enormous task he undertook and completed.

But even more than that, we are thrilled at the attention Colton is receiving because he used it to glorify God and to address important issues. He earned a stage and used it to speak the truth. Now that is rebelutionary.

To view original article: Click here.