Posted on 11/22/2003 12:35:57 PM PST by Theodore R.
Eighth-grader chastised for taking literal stand for Jesus By MELISSA TRESNER
The preacher said to take a stand for Jesus, and that's just what Cory Bean did.
The Judson Middle School eighth-grader climbed onto a table Thursday in the crowded cafeteria and shouted, "I love Jesus!"
In front of God and his fellow classmates, Cory, 14, let it be known that he is a Christian.
After a few seconds of shocked silence, Cory said the other students started clapping and chanting, "We love Jesus. We love Jesus."
Many in the cafeteria had attended the same worship service as Cory on Wednesday night.
Cory's mother, Kristi Hardin, said she got a call Thursday at work from the school's assistant principal. He told her that Cory had incited a riot.
The boy said he doesn't regret what he did.
"In whole, I know what I did was wrong — not what I said, but what I did. But the rewards far outweigh the consequences," Cory said Friday.
Cory said his friends and even students he doesn't know have told him they're proud of him.
"I haven't had one negative reaction yet. I've had a lot of people coming up to me saying, 'I love Jesus, too,' ” Cory said.
He said that's all that matters — the fact that what he did helped other students to see they can be bold about professing their faith.
Officials at Judson Middle School refused to comment Friday, but Hardin said she was told they were going to have a counseling session with Cory to let him know that he's entitled to his opinion, but it wasn't said at an appropriate time or place.
She said officials originally told her Thursday that Cory could face suspension or a $500 fine for the incident, so she's pleased with the school's final decision.
Hardin said she never knew her son had such strong convictions. She said he witnesses to his friends and even broke up with a girlfriend because she wasn't a Christian.
But it surprised her that he would say he loves Jesus in front of so many people.
"He's not shy, but he's not one to go around preaching to everyone," Hardin said.
Cory, who became a Christian about a year ago, said he got the idea from his youth pastor at the One-Eighty Church at the Longview Mall.
He said Pastor Richie Mullis told the group Wednesday night they shouldn't be ashamed or embarrassed to admit they are Christians.
"I challenged them to be strong in their faith," Mullis said.
He said Cory's actions at school were unbelievable and phenomenal.
"He definitely broke out of the box and did what everybody else always talks about," Mullis said. "He got up the nerve to stand on top of that table and shout out the words, 'I love Jesus.' That's unbelievable, especially with today's peer pressure."
Cory said he and other students had talked about Mullis' message, but he told his friends he would never have the courage to profess his love for Jesus in front of so many people.
Something inside him changed Thursday while he was eating lunch, however.
He said he felt convicted.
"I didn't do it because he challenged me, but I used his idea. I've seen a lot of things go wrong in my life. My parents are divorced and that's not right. There are things I've done that weren't right. I knew there had to be some way to let people know I love Jesus," Cory said.
The kid should have stood on the table and yelled "Death To America!" and he would have been made class president.
Well now we know the official position of "free speech" by the government schools. Applause and cheers of "We Love Jesus" is now considered cause to summon the local SWAT team.
The teacher said she couldn't hang it up and my DIL told her that if she didn't it would be censorship so she hung it up :-}
No doubt the "appropriate place" will be inside the walls of his church or his home. School is for far more appropriate things, like learning all about perverse sex or protecting the environment.
Lord only knows what mischief these disruptors would promote if this sort of thing took hold. Before you know it, they would be holding Bible studies during lunch hour!
Gadzooks! Get this kid into counseling, right away!!
God bless young, Cory Bean! So refreshing to hear a kid doing something positive and professing his love for Jesus. Contrast this to all the tragic stories we hear of kids getting involved in perverse and destructive activities.
You might say that the location of the school has a lot to do with it. This middle school is in Texas where there is still some sanity and decency left unlike other more liberal places.
The hosts presented this girl---with her mother---as the heroine of the year.
I doubt this kid would ever get the same treatment by the adoring media.
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