CREDO by E.

Christian Buckner

I believe that of all human functions the gift of speech is the most miraculous. I believe that, if speech were to stop, all civilized living would suddenly vanish. I believe that the ability to articulate is essential to inner harmony, to emotional maturity, and to mental balance. If all people could be completely articulate at all times, human relations might improve to the point where there would be no more wars and no more jails, more stable homes and more happy people. I believe that speech is essential to the growth of the human personality and that it provides a way for self-discovery and self-renewal. For many, it is a way of self-expression without brush or pen. I believe that the act of speech is a total process, that when it reaches optimum effectiveness, the whole man communicates. What one is, is always part of what one says. I believe that there is no substitute for content in the speaking process. Material or intellectual worth provides the essence of eloquence. Speech skills have their importance, but they no more make speech than clothes make the man. The center of gravity in all speech communications is thought and idea. I believe that every student should develop a concern for truthful and responsible speech, exhibiting sense not non-sense, sincerity not cleverness, forthrightness not superficiality, and should never be a party to plagiarized or dishonest work. I believe that speech has no absolutes, that a completely perfect speech has not yet been made. I believe that speech offers a lifetime challenge in which there is never a final summit of achievement beyond once cannot climb.

I believe that the individuality of the speaker is a valuable asset in the speaking process, and that any person with normal intelligence, normal emotional balance, and normal speech mechanisms has at his command the resources enabling him to make certain speeches that can be equaled by no other person. Every student has the potential to speak superbly at some time.

"GIVE ME THE SIMPLE LIFE"... Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he said, "We can't keep the Christians from going to church. We can't keep then from reading their Bibles & knowing the truth." "We can't even keep them from conservative values. But we can do something else. We can keep them from forming an intimate, abiding experience in Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to church, let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time, so they can't gain that experience in Jesus Christ." "This is what I want you to do, angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior & maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!" "How shall we do this?", shouted his angels. "Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life & invent unnumbered schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, then, borrow, borrow, borrow. Convince the wives to go to work & the husbands to work 6 or 7 days a week, 1012 hrs. a day, so they can afford their lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work." "Overstimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still small voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive, to keep the TV, the VCR & their CD's going constantly in their homes. And see to it that every store & restaurant in the world plays music constantly. This will jam their minds & break that union with Christ." "Fill their coffee tables with magazines & newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hrs. a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, sweepstakes, mail order catalogues & every kind of newsletter & promotional offering, free products, services & false hopes." "Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted & unprepared for the coming week. Don't let them go out in nature. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts & movies instead. And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip & small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences & unsettled emotion." "Let them be involved in soul-winning. But crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Christ. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health & family unity for the good of the cause." It was quite a convention in the end. And the evil angels went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busy, busy, busy & rush here & there. Has the devil been successful at his scheme? You be the judge.