Oral Roberts University · January 23, 2015 Tulsa, Oklahoma · Vol 49, No. 8 www.oruoracle.com @oruoracle @oruoraclesports CHAPEL OFFERINGS Find out where your chapel offerings go. PAGES 8-9 EMPOWERED21 The global Spirit-empowered movement and the ORU connection PAGE 5 ALUMNUS RELEASES NEW ALBUM Five years of writing culminates in Hope’s Stand. PAGE 13 FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH ORU ‘s Vicky McIntyre emerges as team leader. PAGE 10 WHAT IS EMPOWERED21?
Transcript
Oral Roberts University · January 23, 2015 Tulsa, Oklahoma · Vol 49, No. 8
www.oruoracle.com @oruoracle @oruoraclesports
CHAPEL OFFERINGSFind out where your chapel offerings go.
PAGES 8-9
EMPOWERED21 The global Spirit-empowered movement and the ORU connection PAGE 5
ALUMNUS RELEASES NEW ALBUM Five years of writing culminates in Hope’s Stand.
PAGE 13
FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPHORU ‘s Vicky McIntyre emerges as team leader.
PAGE 10
WHAT IS EMPOWERED21?
Faculty Advisers
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7777 S. Lewis Ave.Tulsa, OK 74171www.oruoracle.com(918) [email protected]
The Oracle is the premier student news media organization of Oral Roberts University. Our mission is to serve the ORU community with accurate and relevant media content, integrity, creativity and a focus on continual improvement.
Section EditorsMeghan Drake Online EditorMorgan Redding Copy EditorDavid Sauer Sports EditorBrooke Thomas Features EditorVictoria Atterberry Scene EditorGreg Brown Muse EditorJJ Johnson News Editor
Graphics & PhotographyGerald Brown Print Production Mgr.Matthew Dean Graphic DesignerTabitha Levi Graphic DesignerChristy Kaneta Graphic DesignerAudrey Gray Photography EditorAustin St. John PhotographerNick Conroy PhotographerJoshua Carpenter PhotographerAbrienne Summerer PhotographerHannah Anderson PhotographerLaurie Kaneta PhotographerMike Giammarino Photographer
ReportersMadison McDaniel Staff WriterSolomon Williams Staff WriterAnn Chinworth Staff WriterParrish Purnell Jr. Staff WriterRussell Dorsey Staff WriterRyan Woods Staff WriterDominique Johnson Staff WriterSydney Ilg Staff WriterKaylin Thompson Staff Writer
It is my last spring semester as a student at ORU, but before I leave this harbor and set out to the oceans of the real world, I have one more important duty, and that is to lead the charge in making your campus newspaper the finest our team can make it. Most seniors walking in May will remember the first week of their college career as Harbor week; it is why I call ORU my harbor--a place for students to build mighty ships and ready for life’s challenges, even storms. Classes, assignments, relationships, late nights, and deadlines test the weak spots of our vessels giving us the opportunity to make them stronger. However, ships are not built to live in the safety of the harbor; they are built to explore the world. My personal mission has become to share the importance of fiscal responsibility with students. Student loan debt is $1.2 trillion with a high de-fault rate of 14 percent. Students graduate with an average of $30,000 in student loans, and that
Letter from the editor: Focus on student debt
is only the average. Some students graduate with no debt, but too many are graduating with debt well above the average. ORU is not immune to this phenomenon. Every semester is a battle fought with tears, prayers and pleading that the nonexistent dollars will somehow arrive miraculously. Sometimes the funds do arrive, but too often the account is short requiring a student to pack and leave without a degree and a heavy burden of debt. Every year all the universities in the nation graduate slaves into the world--graduates who must choose a career on pay rather than calling, and graduates who delay their dreams because of financial instability. This spring the Oracle staff will work to cover a variety of topics including student loans, available scholarships and related news. In addition, we will continue to deliver quality campus news and keep the ORU campus more informed. As always, we welcome your ideas and input.
Kristy SturgillEditor-in-chief
Letters to the EditorHave a thought or story idea you’d like to share? Send us an email at [email protected].
THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 23, 2015 • 3
Students set to wrap up a recordDominique Johnson
Staff Writer
On Monday, Jan. 26, students will gather in the Mabee Center in an at-tempt to make history. “We’re trying to break the Guinness world record for the number of people popping bubble wrap simultaneously,” said Carissa Bratschun, ORU public relations specialist. The university hopes to host 1,500 people popping bubble wrap simulta-neously. Set in May 2014, Twin Lakes Elementary School in Elks River, Minnesota currently holds the record of 942 students. “We don’t want to just break the record, we would like to blow it out of the water,” Bratschun said. The event will take place Monday at 11 a.m. during dead hour. Multiple ways of tracking participation will take place to assure the strict Guinness re-quirements for officially breaking world records is met. Students must check in by swiping their card and proceed up the escala-tor. People with clickers will count how many students enter into the concourse. The Mabee Center will also ticket how many people come in. Plus, multiple photographers and videographers will document the event. “There will be assigned seats,” said Whitlee Douthitt, ORU social media specialist. “For something that’s sup-posed to seem really free flowing and fun, it’s going to seem pretty structured.” Because of Guinness rules, partici-pants must be seated in groups of 50 and they have to be visible from the picture. Participants will be handed bubble wrap, which they will pop for two minutes straight. ORU will pass along the informa-tion to Guinness. It will likely take 6-12 weeks to hear back from Guinness. There will be contests and festivities to commemorate the event including
An ORU blood drive hosted by the athletic department and OBI will be at Fireside Jan. 27-28 with a goal of 100 donations. “Athletics is delighted to part-ner with OBI and their life-saving mission,” Scott Higgins, ORU senior associate athletic director. The two-day event will be from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Jan. 27, and from noon-6 p.m. on Jan. 28. An item from the “treasure chest” will be offered to each donor. The athletics department will be providing sub sandwhiches to donors and a pizza party to the wing with the most donors. “Donors can forego their incentive item from the ‘treasure chest’ and instead have a donation made in the amount it is worth to the Global Blood Fund,” said Crystal Dugger, OBI Account Consultant. Each donation is split into platelets, plasma and red blood cells and has the potential to im-pact three different lives. Donors can make appointments by visiting obi.org or by calling 877-340-8777.
Give blood for a global
causeKristy Sturgill
Editor-in-chief
social media trivia questions center-ing on bubble wrap, picture-captioning contests and more. Sophomore Nick Conroy performed the “Bubble Wrap Rap” about the event.The music video was featured in chapel, and the song recently aired on the radio. He will also host a rap-off on the day of the bubble wrap event. “When I heard the song on the radio, I thought, ‘This is a bigger deal than I thought it would be,” Conroy said. Students from the wing with the
Sophomore Nick Conroy performs the “Bubble Wrap Rap” during the filming of the music video. Conroy wrote and performed the song.
Does a mission trip last summer disqualify a donor?
Location of recent travel determines eligibility.
Interested donors should cometo the drive to be screened.
For more info goto oruonline.com.
highest percentage of participation will be entered into a drawing. The winner will receive a lower lot pass. Commut-ers will be entered into a raffle for a $50 gas card. Students can come Monday to join the attempt to make world history. “I’m looking forward to seeing everyone come together to celebrate something so random,” Douthitt said. “Who doesn’t get excited about bubble wrap?”
4 • Friday, Aug. 17, 2012 • THE ORACLE
Dean Helland MinistriesOutreach to Mormons
• Visit my Website where you can find Bible-based tools to witness to Mormon family and friends• View the online article “My Visit with Two Mormon Missionaries”--Published in 12 languages
Dr. Dean Helland, Doctor of Ministry, ORU • Former Book of Mormon Believer
www.deanhelland.com
Green family donation funds more campus renovations
Construction crews and campus operations employees stayed busy this summer razing, replac-ing and renovating parts of nearly every major building on campus, thanks to another $10 mil-lion gift from the Green family of Oklahoma City. This marks the fourth consecutive year the ORU Board of Trustees chairman and his family’s charitable foundation have given $10 million each summer for capital improvements. This year’s gift also includes an additional $10 million for reno-vating CityPlex Towers, which are owned by the university. ORU generates revenue through leas-ing offices throughout the 110 floors of combined space in the 60-, 30- and 20-story buildings im-mediately south of campus on 81st Street. This summer’s combined $20 million in grants from the Green family will cover work that already has been completed this summer as well as con-struction projects that will continue through the fall and into the spring. Rehabbing the 30-year-old CityPlex Towers will take another 18 months to finish. Tim Philley, ORU’s chief operations officer, and George Perkins, director of campus grounds and maintenance, recently sat down with the Oracle to offer an overview of how ORU’s campus is being updated.
Construction Updates Armand Hammer Alumni Student Center: Construction remains on schedule for a planned opening in January, Philley says. He estimates work is about 70 percent complete. This marks the first entirely new building on campus in several decades. Ground was broken last January, and
most of the steel was in place by the time students left for this summer’s break. “They’re buttoning up the outside of it,” Perkins says of the building, with mechanical things in place, such as plumbing and electrical systems. Crews are starting to erect drywall inside. Parking in Lower Lot will continue to be restricted until the project is completed. Philley says the university has raised $11 million for the building, which includes $8.5 million for construction and the rest for furnishing it with high-tech equipment to entertain students. Perkins points out that the center will feature “the largest-screen television in the state of Oklahoma.” The Hammer family of Los Angeles and the Cardone family of Philadelphia gave the largest financial gifts toward the project, which will be built debt free. Stovall Administration Building: Current stu-dents and staff refer to this three-story structure as the Personnel Building. When renovations are complete in October, the building will officially bear the name of a prominent ORU family who made a sizable financial investment in this proj-ect. “It’s going to look like a modern-day office – 2012 standards,” Perkins adds. For example, it now has an elevator, allowing workers to move more easily between floors, and the building features a main entrance on the west side to better serve customers seeking employment, benefits, re-imbursements and a host of other financial servic-es. A sidewalk also has been added along Evelyn Roberts Drive, aiding pedestrian traffic from the Aerobics Center parking lot (Lot E). Many of the employees who work in the Personnel Building have been moved temporarily to CityPlex Towers and will remain there for the first part of the fall semester until renovations are completed. Visitor Information Center: While the Praying Hands and Avenue of Flags serve as a marquee
entrance to the university on Lewis Avenue, most traffic enters and exits the campus via 81st Street, according to Philley. That’s why a security office and information center has been installed at the corner of University and Evelyn Roberts drives in Parking Lot E. Philley says the small center serves three purposes: (1) Provide maps and directions to campus visitors, (2) Better secure the center of campus at night, and (3) Increase security for the Mabee Center parking lot. A security guard or campus worker will be stationed inside the cen-ter during the day and at night. Motorists will not be required to stop except during special events, when parking is restricted. He adds that the gates are not directly tied to students’ 1:30 a.m. nightly curfew. A security guard will be able to monitor any unauthorized motorists trying to access the
Dozens of buildings given sub-stantial changes, more energy-efficient systems put in place
Photo by Mark Moore/ORUThe Personnel Building is now the Stovall Administration Building and has received modern improvements and a new interior.
Continued on page 5
. Visit my website where you can find Bible-based tools to witness to Mormon family and friends.. Read about healing miracles and my take on current events.
Dr. Dean Helland, Professor Emeritus, ORU . Former Book of Mormon Believer
Christian Outreach to Mormons
Courtesy Photo
News
4 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 23, 2015
Cost of plummeting U.S. fuel prices could be high
Millions of people took to the streets of Paris Sunday, Jan. 11, for a unity march against terrorism. Dozens of world leaders and relatives representing victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack led the march of more than 1.6 million people. The march began with a moment of silence starting at the Place de la Republique in Paris and concluding 4.1 miles away at the Place de la Nation. The French government reported it [the march] as the largest demonstration in French history. Global leaders linked arms as they marched symbolizing solidarity and exhibiting a united front against recent terrorist attacks. French President François Hollande led the march, joined by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Malian President Ibrahim
Boubacar Keita, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and other European and African leaders.
French take to the streets to make world historyKaylin Thompson
Staff Writer
“Paris is the capital of the world today,” said Hollande. Over 3.7 million people reportedly marched in different sites across France on Sunday. More than 2,000 police and 1,350 soldiers were deployed in the French capital to protect the participants. Thousands of ordinary citizens and travelers from various nations, beliefs and religions packed the streets of Paris to participate in the demonstrations. Participants displayed signs and wore apparel inscribed with the words, “Je suis Charlie” or “I am Charlie.” The phrase is being used worldwide as a symbol of support for the victims of the attacks on the French satirical magazine “Charlie Hebdo” and the victims of the siege on a Parisian Jewish supermarket
leaving 17 people dead in just the last two weeks. Rallies also took place in cities around the world. Thousands of people gathered to march in London, Washington and Berlin. U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were noticeably absent from the march in Paris. U.S. Ambassador to France Jane Hartley did attend the
unity rally. The purpose of the march in Paris was to support the right to freedom of expression and to show unification and strength in spite of fanaticism and terror. “We will win. Nothing will make us renounce our determination,” Hollande said. “Long live the republic. Long live France.”
With dropping oil prices this winter, college students are grinning with extra cash leaving the gas station, but the price of oil dropping below $50 a barrel has far more reaching consequences than extra cash. The average gallon of gas in the U.S. sits around
$2.05, according to the White House. Lower gas prices took a spotlight in Tuesday’s State of the Union address, with President Obama touting the country’s superior oil standing.
Sydney IlgStaff Writer
“Thanks to lower gas prices and higher fuel standards, the typical family this year should save about $750 at the pump,” said Obama. Oil prices have been notoriously high for the past 10 years due to a rise in oil demand and a lack of supply. Yet at the end of 2014 prices started plummeting due to inaction on the part of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). They were expected to cut oil production and therefore increase gas prices but instead, they chose not to rock the boat, according to vox.com. Suddenly, the world is awash with oil that has nowhere to go, and it’s affecting more than the average U.S. citizen’s savings at the pump. So far, the U.S. oil industry is beginning to counteract the lower prices with layoffs. U.S. Steel Corp. will lay off more than 750 workers and temporarily idle its plants in Texas and Ohio. Baker Hughes, an oil field service corporation, announced the layoff of 7,000 workers Tuesday. “When we reflect on the marketplace, the bearish sentiment that has pervaded our industry
is understandable, considering the steep drop in commodity prices in recent months,” said Baker Hughes Chairman and CEO Martin Craighead in their fourth quarter and annual results report. “We are taking proactive steps to manage the business through these challenges,” said Craighead. Besides, the U.S., Russia and Saudi Arabia are two of the world’s largest oil producers. The export of crude oil and natural gas accounts for 68 percent of Russia’s budget revenue. In Saudi Arabia, oil accounts for nearly 90 percent of the budget revenue. “In terms of production and pricing of oil by Middle East producers, they are beginning to recognize the challenge of U.S. [oil] production,” said Robyn Mills, Manaar Energy’s head of consulting, in an interview with BBC. Russia, who is facing a possible recession after surmounting economic sanctions due to the continuing Ukraine crisis, is also going to try to ride out the storm and wait for the economy to balance itself once again. Likewise, U.S. consumers must remain aware of the fluctuations of the American economy, something that the recent past has shown to be dangerous.
Photo by Laurie Kaneta
Courtesy PhotoAccording to the French government, the unity march against terrorism in France marked the largest demonstration in French history.
U.S. gas prices continue to fall as the cost of oil remains below $50 a barrel.
THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 23, 2015 • 5
FEATURES
JJ JohnsonNews Editor
Empowered21 has quickly risen to prominence in ORU culture, despite being a relatively new addition to the university. The organization’s vision statement, according it’s website, is “that every person on earth would have an authentic encounter with Jesus Christ through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit by Pentecost 2033.” The goal is bold and clear. However, many in the ORU community are still scratching their heads. Just how will they do that? “Empowered21 serves the Spirit-empowered community by focusing on imparting the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to the next generation,” E21 Executive Director Ossie Mills said. In simple terms, E21 is a ministry outreach of Oral Roberts University just like the GEB television network or the missions team program. The school staffs and operates the organization, but the initiative is funded solely from donations made directly toward it. In other words, E21 funds are maintained by the finance department of the uni-versity, but it does not utilize student tuition monies to assist in paying for what they do. E21 brings together Christian lead-ers from around the world, much like a Christian version of the United Nations [U.N.]. The hope is that by connecting these scattered influencers a single goal can be attained: the sustainable growth of the Spirit-empowered movement. Hold the phone. What is the “Spirit-empowered movement?” Chris-tians who consider themselves “Spirit-empowered” emphasize the importance
Empowered21: Answers to the big questions
of living a lifestyle open to the guidance and gifts of the Holy Spirit. The move-ment can be traced all the way back to Pentecost A.D. 33 when disciples of Je-sus Christ were endowed with the Holy Spirit in the famous upper room event. The modern renewal of the Spirit-em-powered movement can be traced to the Azusa Street Revival meetings in Los Angeles between 1906 and 1915. “640 million of us are on the planet today,” Mills said. “And that leaves this incredible opportunity to serve.” So how does E21 serve this group? Back to the U.N. metaphor. The United Nations consists of multiple bodies. The same is true for E21. For example, the U.N. has what is called the “General Assembly.” Here representa-tives from 193 nations meet to discuss and vote on policy for the world. The E21 equivalent, called a “Global Council,” consists of over 60 members including influential pastors and minis-try leaders from around the world. Pas-tor Brian Houston of Hillsong Church, speaker and author Lisa Bevere, Evan-gelist Reinhard Bonnke of Christ for
All Nations and are among those listed. The E21 Global Council is respon-sible for overseeing various Spirit-em-powered projects happening around the world. These projects, whether educa-tional, evangelical or youth-oriented in nature, all aim towards the vision and mission of E21. “Pentecost Sunday Initiative” is one such project directed by E21 Adminis-trative Coordinator Robin Cole. “It’s a really simple concept: ask pastors, teachers, ministry leaders to preach or teach on the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday. That’s it,” Cole said. “[They] can go to the Empowered21 website and see that we provided video. We provided outlines. We provided devotional material.” Robert Morris of Gateway Church endorsed the “Penecost Sunday Initia-tive” by providing his multimedia devo-tional series, “The God I Never Knew” for distribution. Over 132 nations participated in the initiative in 2014. The U.N. consists of other bodies as well, each dealing with unique issues such as peace-keeping, legal counsel, and social justice. E21 has three pillars aside from the Global Council: Lead-ers, Scholars, and the Next Gen Youth-Leaders Network [NGYN.] The “Leaders” pillar consists of ministry leaders who align themselves with the mission of E21. The leaders
are organized into 13 “Regional Cabi-nets,” divided by geographic lines. Each Cabinet is led by co-chairs. The “Scholars” pillar consists of various Christian leaders in the world of academia. Three meetings have been held since 2012 in Oxford, Sydney and Quito. They discussed the place of the Bible in the Spirit-empowered move-ment and how its importance can be stressed to future generations. The “NGYN” pillar consists of lead-ers within the Spirit-empowered move-ment under the age of 40. These leaders will lead the NYGN-Track, host an NGYN Youth Summit and take part in other prominent roles at the “E21 Global Congress” in Jerusa-lem in May. More than 100 leaders will speak during the five-day conference focusing on the Holy Spirit. The celebration of Pentecost closing session will feature NGYN voices from each continent proclaiming Acts 1:8 to all generations to the ends of the earth.
Check out the Feb. 6 edition of the Oracle for a better look at the Jerusa-lem 2015 event, and how students can be involved with E21 and the Spirit-
empowered movement.
Ossie Mills
Executive Director
RobinColeAdministrativeCoordinator
Ted Trandahl
Director of Operations
Empowered21 partners with Youversion to create a 30-day Devotional.
“The Spirit Filled Life”Download at bible.com/app
6 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 23, 2015
Student heads overseas as global ministry major Brooke Thomas
Features Editor “I always knew that I was going to be in the minis-try, however I wanted to do something a little differ-ent. I didn’t want to have to raise funds for everything I did in the ministry. Not that there is anything wrong with funding. It just didn’t seem ideal,” said Miller. “So when ORU introduced the idea of putting the business world and the missions world together it seemed that the degree was simply made for me.” Dr. Thomson Mathew, Dean of the College of Theology and Ministry, said the GMMP major pro-vides students several educational benefits including integrating biblical principles and business concepts for global ministry and developing a creative ministry for global influence. “This competitive new major will prepare students for a life of ministry no matter where they work or live,” said Carol Blan, ORU chair for the Under-graduate Department of Theology and Ministry. “We specifically created the program to provide business-minded students with the knowledge and experience to work cross culturally as they seek to fulfill God’s will for their life.”
Although Miller has only been in Thailand for a few weeks, she said she is adjusting quickly and at-tempting to put the key components she has learned from her education to good use. “I am learning more about the Thai culture, Bud-dhism and such as the days pass by. I am really enjoy-ing it,” she said. “I spend a majority of my days helping with the back end of the business and missions web-site, learning more about what it means to put those two worlds together.” Miller hopes to pursue a career in midwifery in the future, but for now, she is intent on learning everything she can during her time abroad. “If you asked me why I am here I would most likely say I have no idea, but I know that when I say yes, go, and give up control it means the Lord can write my story,” said Miller.
Up in the ALPS: Freshmen cultivate leadership skills
ALPS stands for Arise Leadership Program. “The ‘S’ is silent,” Aaron Brown said. Brown, the Director of ORU Student Leadership, kick started ALPS last semester with aims to cultivate student leaders, specifically from the fresh-man class. About 20 freshman make up ALPS this school year. “ALPS is an introduction into per-sonal leadership. It’s ORU’s philosophy on servant leadership,” said Brown. “Our hope is to really change how people think as a leader and who they are as
a leader. We’re trying to make people aware of their insides so they can lead people on the outside.” Brown launched ALPS in 2015 to take the place of the Blueprint fresh-man leadership development program. Blueprint was led solely by students and met once a week. Brown saw the need for stronger staff oversight. “In the last few years, it was deter-mined that there needed to be a more faculty and staff role with [Blueprint],” Brown said. “Blueprint was great, but it was just time to take it in a different direction.” Brown said the first semester of ALPS has been a learning process. “One of the difficulties was getting the formula right,” Brown said. “We thought we had some dynamite wins breaking up into small groups, but it wasn’t the interaction that the students needed. We started doing things a little differently. I took more of a teaching role.” The group is as diverse as they are involved. “Students come from all across the United States, Africa and Europe,” said lead mentor Shawn Madison.“We have
students from very poor backgrounds and students from very wealthy back-grounds, home-schooled students and students who were in college while they were in high school. Every demograph-ic.” A team of sophomores and juniors serve as mentors for the freshman. As lead mentor, Madison helps Brown direct ALPS and oversee the mentors. “It’s a really fun experience to see the freshmen grow and see them pull out some qualities they didn’t know they had,” said Madison. “It’s been great to see them open up, engage with themselves and become better student leaders.” ALPS gives freshmen the opportu-nity to serve and grow their leadership skills. The freshmen leaders helped with several Student Association events last semester. They also served during the alumni Homecoming. “When we have opportunities to serve on campus or when there’s a big hole that needs to be filled, we give them the opportunity to fill it. We also require them to do community outreach service hours,” Brown said. As a part of the 50th incoming class,
the freshmen handed out medallions to the first ORU graduating class. “ALPS is really good in terms of meeting new people,” freshman Kristen Leupen said. “As a freshman, that was a really neat thing to experience.” Leupen remembers one of her first ALPS meetings. The group spent time discussing the Bible on a deep level. “It gave us an opportunity to see where everyone was with their walk with the Lord,” Leupen said. “And it encour-aged everyone on their own walk with the Lord. Everyone is genuine.” Right now, ALPS focuses mainly on freshmen. Next year, Brown plans to introduce a facet of ALPS that will serve sophomores, with future plans of further expansion to follow.
Dominique JohnsonSenior Writer
The Night Bazaar was bizarre indeed. A tourist paradise and a small town girl’s nightmare quickly became synonymous. Shops lined up as far as the eye can see and poor renditions of popular American tunes ringing out around every corner. Cars and scooters whiz by with no regard for innocent bystanders stroll-ing through town on the narrow streets and crowded sidewalks. This is Thailand; ORU Global Ministry and the Marketplace (GMMP) student Karla Miller’s home for the next few months. “I haven’t been to such a lively place in a long time, and I will be honest, my small-town-sheltered-self came out a bit. I was a little nervous. I was looking behind me every two seconds as if the boogie monster was going to jump me,” said Miller. “So many people, so many lights. It was just like you would see in the movies.” Miller chose to pursue ORU’s budding business and ministry degree plan, is breaking ground as the first ORU student to study abroad in Thailand.
Graphic by Samantha Magnaye
THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 23, 2015 • 7
8 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 23, 2015
IT’S TIMEfor the offering
The crowd cheers at ORU. This crowd is not at the Mabee Center, but instead inside the chapel expressing joyful giving, a weekly ritual. Every chapel tithe funds global missions. This school year students and faculty have raised a to-tal of $57,182.32, completed a total of 13 projects and averages $1844.82 each chapel and the spring semester has just begun. “It is the individual donations such as yours that help us complete our mission, allow us to expand our programs, and serve the youth in our community,” said Ashley Walker of Launch Outreach. Each Chapel project has been reviewed and voted upon by the missions committee, which is comprised of a select group of staff and faculty members. Organizations must meet specific require-ments. Projects must be less than $5,000 with the ability to be completed in a relatively short time pe-riod. The project must be specific and have evidence of completion. A Guatemala project provided technology im-portant to the area’s ministry. A projector and sound system allowed children to watch “Veggie Tales,” “The Book of Matthew” and “Greatest Heroes and Legends of the Bible Series.” Camera equipment helped document a graduation for Bible students. Thanks to your support, Leket Israel is helping to alleviate this serious problem by providing 140,000 needy Israelis per week with rescued hot meals, fresh fruit and vegetables, and nutritious dairy products. Millions of pounds of nourishing food are saved from destruction and distributed free of charge to those who need it most. Thank you for helping us care for the poor and keep fresh food out of land-fills,” said Lauren Yokéd, Executive Director of Leket Israel. WMission projects cover a wide variety of needs including providing food, paying for surgeries, help-ing with construction projects and helping fund clean water initiatives.
Kristy SturgillEditor-in-Chief 13 projects completedChapel offering raises over $60 thousand for global charities to date
1. World Compassion
2. Sangir Bible Training Center
3. Child Focus Community School
4. AlS Guardian Angels
5. Every Child Matters
6. REACH World Mission
7. Gubreguracha Faith Church
8. Madeline & Jessica’s Angel House Orphanage
9. Rebuilding Prayer House
10. His Image Ministries
11. 12 To LIFE
12. ORU Outreach Christmas Outreaches
13. World Missions for Jesus
14. Guayables Church Roofwater Harvest
THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 23, 2015 • 9
Bethany Academy and the new Montessori Creative Arts Centre for little ones with learn-ing disabilities continue building initiative to accommodate more students arriving April 2015.
New dental equipment is serving the Haitian people this year at free medical clinics hosted by Jesus Way Ministries. The equipment will serve the clinics for several years.
A new mini van is helping reach the World Missions travel further with the Gospel in Guatemala.
“It is the individual donations such as yours that help us complete our mission, allow us to expand our programs, and serve the youth in our community.”- Ashley Walker of Launch Outreach.
Germany missionaries use dona-tions to continue translating the New Testament into unreached languages.
Missionaries in Guatemala use new audio equipment to preach the gospel to a crowd.
Total given from chapel offering last semester:
$57,189.32Average given during each service:
$1,844.82
Cash and Checks: $45,786.20
Online Giving: $4,062.03
Textable Giving: $7, 341.09
THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 23, 2015 • 10
From tragedy to triumphParrish Purnell Jr.
Sports Writer
Courtesy Photos
It’s Nov. 17, 2011, an im-portant day for OSU Women’s Basketball Coach Kurt Budke. The Cowgirls are just coming off a win against Rice and are ready to travel to Arkansas for a recruiting trip to scout high school pros-pects. Traveling with the head coach is Assistant Coach Miran-da Serna and two others. Rather than spending uncomfortable hours in a small, stifling car, the coaches decide to fly in a small plane with loyal booster and former Oklahoma State Senator Olin Branstetter. The plane takes off. It would be the last time anyone would see them alive. At approximately 4:10 p.m. the single-engine aircraft crashes nose-first into the ridges of Per-ryville, Arkansas, killing everyone on board. The passing of Coach Budke rever-berates through the entire Oklahoma State community finally settling on his young team. Standout freshman Vicky McIntyre is devastated. Towering over most of her teammates at 6-feet 7-inches, McIntyre is a force to be reckoned with at any level of hoops. But today isn’t about accolades and statistics; basketball doesn’t really matter much anymore. Today, the freshman post-player is in mourning, debat-ing whether or not basketball is something she can continue; at least for the Cowgirls. “After the crash, it was just different,” said McIntyre, her country accent choking a little bit. “I couldn’t play around the people or in the arena any longer, it was just too difficult. I had to get away and get a fresh start.” McIntyre parted ways with OSU after her sopho-
more campaign, and transferred to the University of Florida to continue playing the game she loved. Her next season was a roller coaster of results and emotions. The NCAA deemed McIntyre eligible to play without sitting out a year under the Div. I tranfer ruling. She appeared in 29 games, instantly becoming a post-
presence for the Lady Gators. The smell of the hardwood, the squeak of gym shoes burning the practice floor, the clank of the ball hitting the rim no longer ex-cited her. Basketball was coming to an end.
For the last eight games of the season, she decided not to dress out or participate in any more games. “I went through some really personal things and decided to quit playing ball,” said McIntyre. “I finished up my last semesters as a regular student.” That word “regular” was never the
best adjective to describe McIntyre. She finished the 2012-2013 season with
the Lady Gators and walked away from basketball. In December of 2013 she graduated from
UF with a degree in advertising. The basketball star’s experiences on the court were far from over. McIntyre got in touch with Jenni Bryan, an old teammate from OSU. Bryan had also left Stillwater hoping to escape the painful memories of losing her beloved coaches. Bryan was playing guard at ORU. “My friend and old teammate told me I should come here to play,” said McIntyre. “She told me I could
Right- Vicky McIntyre shoots over Brittany Griner as a member of the Oklahoma State women’s basketball team.
come here, get my grad degree and just have fun playing ball…I said, ‘OK.’” McIntyre was ready to play again. She joined the Golden Eagles during the 2013-2014 and was limited to practicing with the team as she redshirted the season. McIntyre is currently having the season of her life.Since the start of the 2014-2015 season, she has emerged as a team leader. McIntyre leads the nation in blocks averaging 4.6 a game. She averages 12.1 ppg and ranks second in the NCAA in rebounds and double-doubles with 14.9 and 12 respectively. “I came into this thinking I was just going to have fun with it,” said McIntyre. “I’m not the most vocal on the court, but I am leading in other ways with my play.” Despite being a less-vocal leader, her performance has spoken volumes across the nation. McIntyre has received two Summit League player of the week and a player of the month award. She also earned a spot on ncaa.com starting five after breaking a Summit League record with 27 rebounds in a game against Austin Peay. These days you can see McIntyre smiling and enjoy-ing her time as a Golden Eagle. She hopes to continue a basketball career into the professional ranks after graduation in May. “I want to play overseas for sure,” said McIntyre. “There’s lots of opportunity to travel and make a lot of money. That’s what I want to do.” Till then, she’s focused on helping her team become as successful as possible. Vicky McIntyre has found a new home; her former coaches are resting in peace and now she has found some peace of her own.
Left - Vicky McIntyre moves toward the basket as a member of the University of Florida women’s basketball team.
11 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 23, 2015
Courtesy Photos
NFL coaching carousel keeps spinning
David SauerSports Editor
Solomon WIlliamsSports Writer
The past two weeks are a blur of teams hiring and firing coaching staffs. The most notable change is in Denver. John Fox and the team mutually decided to part ways after the team lost in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Broncos turned to a former quar-terback and coach, Gary Kubiak, to lead them to another Super Bowl. Kubiak spent the last year as offensive coordina-tor of the Baltimore Ravens. Prior to Baltimore, he was head coach of the Houston Texans for eight seasons. Kubiak played quarterback for the Broncos from 1983-91 and was offensive coordinator from 1995-2005, including the two Super Bowl wins in 1997-98. John Elway, who has a strong connec-tion with Kubiak, announced the hiring on Jan. 19 and introduced him at a press conference the next day. John Fox, the man Kubiak replaced, takes over in Chicago. Fox was intro-duced in a press conference on Jan 19. New Chicago GM Ryan Pace contacted Fox only hours after Denver announced he wouldn’t be staying with the team. Fox will look to repeat the quick success he had in Denver, where he led a 4-12 team to a division championship the next year and a Super Bowl appear-ance in 2014. Rex Ryan was named the head coach
of the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 12 after being fired by the New York Jets. The Bills job opened after head coach Doug Marrone opted out of his contract with the team. Buffalo hired a familiar personality from the division rival Jets. Ryan takes over a defense that he feels is stronger than the one he left in New York. He will have to find a quarterback, something he failed to do with the Jets. The Jets replaced Ryan with the de-fensive minded Todd Bowles. Bowles was the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals for the last two years. The Cardinals allowed the fifth fewest points in the NFL during that time. The Jets will expect the same success without the media circus Rex Ryan created. The Oakland Raiders also hired a defensive coach in Jack Del Rio. Del Rio is the former defensive coor-dinator of the Broncos after nine seasons as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jag-uars. Jacksonville went 68-71 with two playoff appearances under Del Rio. The San Francisco 49ers replaced the departed Jim Harbaugh with one of their own. Jim Tomsula was promoted from defensive line coordinator to head coach.The 49ers introduced Tomsula on Jan. 15. The only team without a head coach is the Atlanta Falcons. The lead candi-date on their wishlist is Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, but nothing can be made official until after the Super Bowl.
Seahawks set to face Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX The matchups for Super Bowl XLIX are set. The Seahawks are back to defend their title, and the New England Patriots will represent the AFC for the sixth time in Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era. The Patriots completely steamrolled the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship game 45-7. LeGarrette Blount replicated his 2013-14 playoff success against the Colts with 148 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Seattle will not give up their Super Bowl crown without a fight. The Se-ahawks overcame a 16-point deficit to beat the Green Bay Packers. Seattle com-piled a series of magical plays consisting of a fake field goal, a successful two point conversion and an onside kick recovery. They finished off the Packers in overtime to win the game 28-22. The Super Bowl will be an exciting matchup between the two best teams in the NFL. The Patriots rank third in scoring, averaging 29.3 points per game. Seattle has the top defense in the league, allow-ing just 15.9 points per game. Seattle's defense held the Packers to 22 points and 306 yards even though they turned the ball over five times. Pete Carroll has certainly built an elite defense and a championship team in Seattle. The Patriots do have a few advan-tages working for them, primarily an injured Richard Sherman. Sherman has a sprained elbow and finished the NFC Championship game with one arm. For some reason, Aaron Rodgers still
chose not to throw in the direction of the All-Pro cornerback. Tom Brady will test Sherman early and often to see if that arm will hold up for an entire game. Possibly the most important advantage for New England is that Brady is simply the best quarterback in the game at the moment. Brady is going for his fourth Super Bowl win in six tries, which would tie him with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for the most Super Bowl wins ever for a quarterback. If Russell Wilson plays anyhwere near the four interception performance he had in the NFC Championship, the Patriots will make sure the game is far out of reach and eliminate any hopes of a magical comeback. The matchup features a historic New England franchise looking to add to its legacy while Seattle and Pete Carroll hope to build upon one of their own. The Patriots are getting ready to play in the franchise's eighth Su-per Bowl, tied with the Steelers and Cowboys for most appearances in NFL history. Seattle will try to be the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the 2003-04 season. The last team to do it? The New England Patriots. Despite a rough start to the season, the Seahawks are back in the Super Bowl and seem like a team of destiny.
Final Score: Seahawks 31, Patriots 27
Gary Kubiak (left) and John Fox (right) were introduced as the head coach-es of the Denver Broncos and the Chicago Bears earlier this week.
Internet Photos
The Super Bowl XLIX matchup on Feb. 1 will feature a battle between quar-terbacks Tom Brady (right) and Russell Wilson (left).
Internet Photo
THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 23, 2015 • 12
Athletics Hall of Fame to induct new members
David SauerSports Editor
The ORU Athletics Hall of Fame will add three new members this year. Steve Bontrager, Jessica Kellogg-Ed-miston and Pamela Ontiveros will be inducted during a ceremony at halftime of the men’s basketball game on Jan. 24. Steve Bontrager was a member of the ORU men’s basketball team from 1979-81. During his time at ORU he received several awards, highlighted by a Street and Smith honorable mention All-American award in 1981. “I’m not a speechless guy much,” Bontrager said about being inducted. “When Scott Higgins called me I was pretty emotional and overwhelmed. I’ve been fortunate to have all sorts of honors from high school to college to professional. This without a doubt is the best one of them all.” Bontrager is still the ORU record holder for career free throw percentage at 88 percent. “That’s a thing that I took great pride in,” Bontrager said. “I don’t think I ever shot below 90 percent from ju-nior college on and eight years of professional basketball. I took great pride in making free throws and to this day, for that record to stand for 35 years is a good deal.” Bontrager averaged a team high 16.3 points per game as a senior. His success at ORU led to great op-portunities after graduation. “I’ve been able to travel the world. I’ve seen every country in Europe,” Bontrager said. “Had I not had the great senior year at ORU that I did, I wouldn’t have got-
ten to do those things.” Bontrager currently lives in Tulsa. He is a private basketball instructor and does color commentary for Rogers State basketball games. Jessica Kellogg-Edmiston was a member of the women’s soccer team from 2002-05. Her time at ORU was marked by several records, a conference champion-ship in 2004 and runner up finishes in 2002 and 2003. She was a seven-time conference player of the week, a Mid-Con Conference record, and holds records in both the school and conference in career goals, points and game winning goals. She was selected to the all-conference team four times. “The awards that mean the most are the Athlete of the Week awards that I won multiple times while at ORU,” Kellogg said. “I also won the Outstanding Math Education Award, and I feel like ORU did an amaz-ing job of preparing me for life after soccer. The records mean a lot because I spent hours working very hard every summer practicing.” Kellogg’s most memorable game came against Ste-phen F. Austin during the 2004 season. Kellogg scored four goals in the game, three of which where in an 11 minute span. “It just seemed like every time I touched the ball I couldn’t make a mistake, and my shots were right on,” Kellogg said. “It was surreal and my sister and parents traveled to that game so it was extra special.” Kellogg’s success has continued after graduation. She is a high school math teacher and won teacher of the
year for her school and district in 2012. She is now mar-ried to her high school sweetheart and has a 19-month-old son. Pamela Ontiveros played on the women’s golf team from 2004-08. She is the first female golfer to be inducted into the ORU Athletics Hall of Fame. “It is like a dream come true,” Ontiveros said. “When I got the call from Coach [Lance] Watson, and he told me the news I couldn’t believe it. It’s been a long time since I graduated and it never crossed my mind that I could be selected for the hall of fame. It’s a dream come true because one of my goals was to make history at ORU.” Her career was filled with history making moments including the 2007 Individual Summit League Cham-pionship. Ontiveros was named Conference Golfer of the Year the same year, and she became the first Golden Eagle to qualify for the NCAA Championship.She still holds the school record for lowest single season average at 74.4. Ontiveros turned pro after graduation and played on tour for three years. She now works as a golf instructor at a Club Campestre Torreon gomez Palacio in Mexico. “I work with kids, and I love it,” Ontiveros said. “I want to show them that when you want something and fight for it you can have it, because when you do it with all your, heart you can get whatever you want.” The Hall of Fame Game will tip-off at 7 p.m. on Saturday as the ORU men’s basketball team takes on South Dakota.
Steve Bontrager Jessica Kellogg-Edmiston Pamela Ontiveros
Class of 1981 Class of 2005 Class of 2008
13 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 23, 2015
SCENE'Back to the Future' comparing the1985 predictions of 2015
Victoria AtterberryScene Editor
Twenty-six years ago, Universal studios took audiences into the future with many new and strange advances in “Back to the Future II.” Continuing the adventures of Marty McFly and Emmett “Doc” Brown, “Back to the Future II” takes the famous duo to the distant year of 2015. This year was a vast leap from 1985.Now that we’re here, it’s time to see if the film’s predictions came to pass. The first thing the 1989 audience sees is the flying car. The film portrays flying cars as the norm, but flying cars have yet to hit the market. However, companies like Aero Mobile are in the process of making flying vehicles. The film producers also envisioned hover boards. Hover board company Hendo Hover is in the process of mak-ing well functioning hover boards for consumers. Skateboard legend Tony Hawk has even been able to test the
new creation. Fashion takes a drastic change. Marty McFly sports power-laced Nike shoes in the film, which automatically lace themselves when the foot is placed inside the shoe. According to USA Today, Nike has plans to release power-laced shoes later this year. The jacket Marty McFly wears in 2015 changes size to fit its owner and comes with an internal dryer if the jacket happens to get wet. Fingerprint technology allows homeowners to unlock the doors of their homes and even make purchases. In-home technology includes flat screen TV’s and multiple channel viewing. Google Glass tech-nology allows incoming calls from your eyewear. “They got a lot right in terms of the overall feel of 2015. We’re pretty automated,” said futurist Glen Hiems-tra in an interview with Newsweek.
Keep in mind that the movie was set in Oct. 25, 2015. It’s only January, so it’s possible more creations could enter our lives in the next 11 months. Although dehydrated pizza does not fill the shelves of grocery stores, we do enjoy some of what the film
predicted. iPhone has fingerprint-unlocking technology with both Apple Pay and Google Wallet. Overall, the writers of “Back to the Future II” should be proud they pre-dicted so many things right. But the Cubs winning the World Series?
Courtesy Photo
Sydney IlgStaff Writer
Brian Nhira illuminates the dimly lit coffee shop the moment he opens the door. The barista knows him by name and laughs when Nhira orders peach blossom tea with “tons of honey.” Within the first 10 minutes of being inside, Nhira greets more than three people, and genuinely inquires about their lives. His demeanor is saturated with hope. It fills the atmosphere around him. “I want my music to be hopeful, inspirational and entertaining,” he said. At 22 years old, Nhira is releasing his first album, “Hope’s Stand.” The project includes 14 original tracks and two bonus tracks, each song showcases its own genre and musical flavor. Nhira made his musical debut at the age of four after being prompted by his parents. “They pushed me onto stage and told me to sing ‘Jesus Loves Me,’” he said. “It was the best decision God ever made me make.” “Hope’s Stand” contains a mixture of pop, gospel and rock that refuses to fit a mold.
Alumnus prepares to release new album, ‘Hope’s Stand’ “I’ve never been able to put myself in a box,” Nhira said. “[Nor] could I fit in the gospel mode because I had too much soul.” Nhira wrote “Hope’s Stand” over a span of five years. The album draws from various aspects of my life,” he said. Nhira sings about the issues of homeless-ness, judgment in the church, hope and dreams. “I am believing for national success,” Nhira said. National success may seem like a lofty goal for a young man from Tulsa, yet he said he won’t let that stop him. To Nhira, this album is the start of a hope revolu-tion, the drum-roll before kickoff, the anticipant hush that falls before the start of a film or the rumble of thunder before the storm breaks through. His story is only beginning. “I want this album to be hope’s triumphant return to our lives,” he said. “Almost as if hope is a person and she’s coming back.” “Hope’s Stand” will be available on iTunes Feb. 25.
Brian Nhira’s pictured on his new album cover for “Hope’s Stand.” Nhira hopes his music will reach people across the country with a mix of pop, gospel and rock influences.
Courtesy Photo
Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, stands in front of a flying Dolorean in “Back to the Future II.” The film was shot in 1985 and projected what life would be like in 2015.
THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 23, 2015 • 14
Morgan Redding Straff Writer
CES presents ‘food baby’ belt, wearable droneCourtesy Photos
New technology brings ‘magic’ into users’ handsKalista Balagia
Staff Writer
A wearable selfie-taking drone. A belt that adjusts to a “food baby.” Levitating Bluetooth speakers. All these devices and more were featured at The International Consumer Electronics Show. The exibit took place Jan. 6-9 in Las Vegas and attracted more than 170,000 attendees and 3,600 exhibitors. CES showcased the most innovative tech-nologies of the year. With the surge of technology on ORU’s campus from the
Information Technology Department, these innovations could be on a campus near you within the decade. “Virtual reality is going to take ORU to the next dimension in educa-tion,” said Stephen Guzman, ORU programming systems analyst. “The possibilities transcend the educational realities we currently live within.” Robots nearly outnumbered people. Toshiba’s robot “Aiko Chihara,” claimed to be the android employee of the future. The company cleverly named Future Robot, showed off their “Furo-S
Smart Service Robot,” meant to help in customer service situations. A smaller robot called “The GrillBot” could be seen cleaning grills. Levitating speakers were showcased as the next step in Bluetooth technol-ogy. The Air2 speaker comes in two pieces, a speaker and a base, with repel-ling magnets on each end of the circular components. The speaker floats above the base while it plays music. The levita-tion doesn’t improve the sound of the speaker, but it does make the speaker appear sleek. The speaker can also be
stuck to a metal surface if desired. The Brother “Dream Machine” brought something new to the world of sewing. It is a $15,000 smart sewing machine with a 10.1-inch high defini-tion display that allows a live stream of what’s happening under the needle. XYZprinting featured their edible 3-D printer, which makes cookies and other sweet treats from flour and choc-olate, much like a 3-D printer makes objects from plastic. The machine fea-tures a database of recipes from which the user selects a 3-D food item.
Above: Jelena Jovanovic, Christoph Kohstall and Intel Corp. CEO Brian Krza-nich observe Nixe’s wearable drone camera at this year’s CES. Right: A user tests the IO Hawk. Many describe the device as a combination between a skateboard and a segway.
“It’s time to bring magic into the world.” This is what the creators of Magic Leap envisioned for the future. While most people are focused making machines smarter, Magic Leap strives to make people smarter with the technology to make dreams a reality. Imagine a world filled with wonder where magical creatures walk alongside humanity and soar through the skies. A world like that might seem like only a dream, but Magic Leap is looking to make the tech-nology to make that dream a reality. “Our technology exists to unlock the creative spark found in all of us,” Rony Abovitz said in a recent press release. The company, founded in 2011, is focused on creating a technology called “Cinematic Reality.” Ac-cording to the company website, Magic Leap’s goal is to “generate images indistinguishable from real objects and then be able to place those images seam-lessly into the real world.”
The technology will allow users to create a virtual reality in which the imaginative possibilities are end-less. Several renowned investors, including Google Inc. and Qualcomm Incorporated, have shown inter-est in the venture. “Magic Leap is going beyond the current percep-tion of mobile computing, augmented reality and virtual reality,” Abovitz said. “We are transcending all three and will revolutionize the way people communi-cate, purchase, learn, share and play.” Several executives from Google and Qualcomm will be joining the board of directors for Magic Leap as well. “An 180-page patent application from Magic Leap represents the first detailed depiction of how a virtual reality company believes we’ll use their mind-bending hardware,” said Joseph Flaherty of Wired.com. Virtual reality is not far off, however consumers will have to be patient. Magic Leap is currently withholding the release date for the project.
An imaginary elephant floats in the hands of a Magic Leap user, demonstrating what the company hopes to offer. Magic Leap is currently working to bring holographic technology into mainstream use. Google and other investors have poured $542 million into the project.
Courtesy Photo
15 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Jan. 23, 2015
I like being able to say whatever I want, but that doesn’t mean I should. And I hope that none of you ever kill me
for saying something stupid.That being said, I’m sure that
you’re aware of the recent attack on the French publication Charlie Hebdo that left 12 dead as the result of some Muslim extremists’ disapproval of the French magazine publishing a satirical cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed, a supposed cardinal sin for Muslims.
In the aftermath, people all around the world, from Chechnya to Washing-
Syndicated Cynic: I like being able to say whatever I wantMUSE
Greg BrownMuse Editor
The church must hold the principle of free expression dear, but it should see that it is implemented differently than it often is in the rest of the world. This means that Christians should use their free speech to communicate both love and the uncomfortable truth. It means that the hands and feet of Christ aren’t used to harm and destroy those that believe differently than them, and it requires that we avoid violent or harm-ful reactions to the often terrible things that happen around the world.
This includes Charlie Hebdo. This includes the believers of Islam.
Those following the teachings of Jesus should look at His life, His ideas and His death. There was no violence there. Free speech was not used there to condemn and attack others, regardless of how wrong they may be. On Calvary, Christ did not offer hellfire to those murdering Him, but eternal life.
ton, have something to say about the incident. A newspaper in Iran mentions “je suis Charlie,” facing shutdown to stand in solidarity with Charlie Hebdo, while people are killed during riots in Niger sparked by the event. Where should we stand in Tulsa? What about in the church?
Obviously, as a columnist, freedom of speech is something that I treasure dearly, embracing it at every opportunity possi-ble. But I find this issue to be particularly grey, because, as a human being, I don’t want to see something as beautiful as free speech attack an ideal as precious as an individual’s religious beliefs.
So, are Christians supposed to stand with Charlie Hebdo’s pushing the limits of free speech and attacking the personal beliefs of another religious group? Do we find common ground with religious groups that are affected by the magazine’s content, even when
said groups turn to violence?Of course, I think that any reactions
of violence are absolute works of evil, and I condemn that sort of thing, as I’m sure everyone reading this column would as well. I also can’t say that I am one to back the open bashing of religion, regardless of which religion is being attacked, and I hope you agree.
But not all of what Christians believe is widely accepted in this highly secularized world. Our faith pushes us to say it anyways, and we should be able to say it without fear of being beheaded, shot or bombed.
I fully support the principle of free speech set in place to allow publications like Charlie Hebdo to operate. You should as well. It’s the same principle that keeps your church open and gov-ernment forces from raiding your home after you post Facebook rants against the president or a local congressman.
