Hostile Witness

DateLine (1/25/06 – Buies Creek, North Carolina)
Guest Contributor for Reference Point - Tripp Atkins

I like to tell my friends how hard law school is, so I am a little ashamed of what we did in class last week. We watched a movie! And not one of those boring movies like we have watched before showing us the proper technique for introducing some evidence into a trial but a “real” Hollywood movie. We watched the 1992 classic “My Cousin Vinny”.

Now, just in case you aren’t familiar with the movie, it stars Joe Pesci as an attorney and Ralph Macchio (that’s right, the Karate Kid) as a college student from New York City wrongly accused of murder in a small town in Alabama. Joe’s character has been out of law school for six years but hasn’t tried a case yet. He lead’s Ralph to believe that it’s because he is a personal injury attorney and has been able to settle his cases. Turns out that it took him six tries to pass the bar exam. Joe doesn’t know anything about trying a case, criminal procedure, trial advocacy, or discovery rights – much less about how to win a murder trial that would most definitely end in the death penalty in that small Alabama town.

During the trial, the key witness called by the defense was going to rebut the testimony of one of the prosecution’s witnesses. This witness just happened to be Joe Pesci’s fiancée and the couple had just been in a huge fight about when they were getting married. Joe had told her they would get married as soon as he won his first case. I think Joe was a little afraid of commitment and knew that it was more probable than not he wouldn’t win a case (in law school we call that the “preponderance of the evidence” standard). Since the fiancée was a little mad at Joe, she refused to answer any question that Joe asked. She was belligerent and rude. In legal terminology a witness that is called to testify on behalf of a party but becomes openly antagonistic is called a “hostile witness.” Once a judge declares a witness to be hostile it allows the attorney to take more control in the questioning of the witness.

Are you a hostile witness? God calls us to be His “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1: 8). Sometimes in our daily lives it gets hard to be the perfect witness. Someone cuts you off in traffic. You don’t get the right change when you pay for dinner. When things get tough it seems like the devil is just asking the wrong questions causing us to go down the wrong roads, say things we don’t mean, and do things we shouldn’t. When times get like this, The Supreme Judge might have to declare us “hostile” so our public defender, Jesus Christ, can take measures into His own hands. Thank God!

NSA: National Security Agency ?

DateLine (1/18/06 – Buies Creek, North Carolina)
Guest Contributor for Reference Point - Tripp Atkins (Yes Tripp is writing this column)

On the December 18, 2005 edition of “Meet the Press” with Tim Russert, there was a discussion with U.S. Secretary of State, Condi Rice. I can call her Condi because, believe me, we’re close. Any way the discussion was about the NSA “spying” on Americans within the U.S. President Bush described a scene where Americans have been communicating with known al-Qaeda groups abroad planning attacks and other treacherous actions.

There are a number of legal and constitutional arguments on each side of this issue, and a number of reasons to continue or discontinue the practice. The main reason cited by Secretary Rice (and probably a good reason at that) to continue the spying was that before 911 there was a “seam” in the intelligence community. The local and state officials had their eyes focused inward (toward the USA) while some federal agencies were focused outward, all the while none of these agencies shared any information. Thus creating a seam that could be exploited by terrorists, a seam between two worlds. The NSA’s action by “spying” on possible American terrorists was to focus some of the federal agency’s attention inwardly and eliminate the seam.

God placed his people in a world much like that described by Secretary Rice. There is a seam in the world for Christians: the spiritual world and the natural world described in John 17: 13. The natural world offers power, money, and more – but the natural world corrupts. Knowing all of this, God chose to leave His son and His people in the world.

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them in the truth; Your world is truth.
As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. (John 17: 13-18)

During these times, and especially since 9/11/2001, people need to feel secure. And the government is trying to provide that security. I’m glad that as a Christian, we do not have to rely on men to protect us, but we are protected far beyond what the government could do. The Christian’s security comes from God and knowing that Jesus prayed that God would protect His people from evil while they worked in the natural world.

The Miracle That Never Happened

DateLine (1/11/06 – Buies Creek, North Carolina)
Guest Contributor for Reference Point - Tripp Atkins

Last week, in Sago, West Virginia, the worst mining accident in 20 years occurred. Thirteen miners were caught in an underground explosion 11,000 feet down the shaft into the coal mine and about 300 feet below the surface.

In the aftermath of the explosion, a rescue effort was put into place to save the thirteen miners trapped inside. Deep holes had to be drilled to release the toxic gases in order to help the trapped miners and protect the rescuers descending the shafts. High-tech sound equipment was used to listen for any signs of life, while others rushed to clear the shaft so they could get to the trapped men. All the while, the governor of West Virginia proclaimed that he “believed in miracles.”

Days into the rescue operation, a report was broadcast, “12 Alive! 12 Alive!” And the bells of Sago Baptist Church rang out. This sent the families of the trapped miners who were praying at the church into a three-hour, joyous frenzy, praising God, singing hymns, and hugging one another. They had received a miracle.

Twelve of the miners lost their lives. The sole survivor is unconscious and the extent of his injuries are currently unknown. The family members were left in a state of shock, sadness and despair. And the more time that passed after the truth was made known feelings of anger and rage emerged. Anger toward International Coal Group, owners of the mine, Ben Hatfield, the CEO of the mine, and towards God for taking their loved ones and miracle away.

While watching the news I heard one of the lost miner’s family members say, “their miracle had been taken away” from them.

We all deal with loss in our lives. Some even more tragic than the Sago mine disaster. During these times we should turn to God, rather than away from God. God wants us to bring our problems and feelings to Him. What we have to do is outlined in scripture: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3: 5). In tough times, humans are filled with all kinds of emotions like the miner’s families. We get mad at people and mad at God.

While we don’t always know what, why or when – God does, and we can take comfort in God’s word, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

When we feel like we have lost everything – God remains – and I cannot think of a better foundation to build on. I don’t think the miracle never happened. Another team of miners coming down the shaft behind those trapped were able to escape, and one of the thirteen trapped miners made it out alive. Only God knows what he has in store for those saved.

National Champtions

DateLine (1/04/06 – Buies Creek, North Carolina)
Guest Writer for Reference Point this week - Tripp Atkins

Ahhh, college football. College football is a full time/year round job for some fans. The year starts out with following recruiting and determining which of the most talented high school seniors signing with their colleges of choice during the first week of February are coming to your favorite team. Then the college fan turns their focus to spring practice where the initial starters are selected for the fall squad – all of these practices culminating in the annual spring game. There is a little lull during the summer, but come the first week of August, the hype returns for the first weeks of practice before the regular season. September through November is a grind full of highs and lows, ups and downs, and thrill and agony.

The whole season is built to win at least six games and launch the football team into the best post-season bowl game possible – generally decided by the bowl payout to the school as well as the date of the bowl game. The lower tier bowl games occurring before Christmas while the better bowl games happen around New Years and later. All of the off-season work in the weight room, sweat, tears, and blood are fuel to take the teams through the regular season and into bowl season.

Tonight is the Rose Bowl game selected as this years BCS national championship game pitting the University of Southern California versus the University of Texas.

Christian life is somewhat like college football. It is definitely not easy, there are peaks and valleys, high hopes some days, and deep depression others. It takes hard work. Some times the most preparation and diligent work doesn’t lead us to victory, but when God is on our sideline victory is definite. In Luke when the apostles had been fishing all night and not caught anything, Jesus told them to pull the boats out into deeper waters and drop the nets. Even though they had been doing that all night with no luck, they persevered and did as Jesus directed, and they began to catch so many fish that they had to call other boats to help them bring it all in.

It has taken a lot of hard work for these two teams to make it to the national championship game tonight. Texas had to fight hard to pull out their victory over Texas A&M, and USC had a few scares during the season. Each team has had to overcome injury and other distractions to find their victories.

The devil distracts us, but we will overcome when we are backed up by God and His word. Psalm 60: 12 tells us that “With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.”