aha! more proof!

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-08-04 11:09am

17-year-old Brian Moore had only a short time to write something for a class. The subject as what Heaven was like. "I wowed 'em," he later told
his father, Bruce. "It's a killer. It's the bomb. It's the best thing I ever
wrote." It also was the last.

Brian's parents had forgotten about the essay when a cousin found it while cleaning out the teenager's locker at Teays Valley High School in
Pickaway County. Brian had been dead only hours, but his parents desperately wanted every piece of his life near them, notes from classmates and teachers, his homework. Only two months before, he had handwritten the essay about encountering Jesus in a file room full of cards detailing every moment of the teen's life. But it was only after Brian's death that Beth and Bruce Moore realized that their son had described his view of heaven. "It makes such an impact that people want to
share it. You feel like you are there." Mr. Moore said.

Brian Moore died May 27, 1997, the day after Memorial Day. He was
driving home from a friend's house when his car went off Bulen-Pierce Road in Pickaway County and struck a utility pole. He emerged from the wreck unharmed but stepped on a downed power line and was electrocuted.

The Moores framed a copy of Brian's essay and hung it among the
family portraits in the living room. "I think God used him to make a
point. I think we were meant to find it and make something out of it,"
Mrs. Moore said of the essay. She and her husband want to share
their son's vision of life after death. "I'm happy for Brian. I know he's in
heaven. I know I'll see him."

Brian's Essay:

The Room...

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the
room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall
covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order.

But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and
seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings.

As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention
was one that read "Girls I Have Liked." I opened it and began flipping
through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.

This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and
small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.

A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I Have Betrayed." The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. "Books I Have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I Have Given," "Jokes I Have Laughed at."

Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've Yelled
at My Brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My
Anger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped..I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived.

Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these
thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth.
Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked "TV Shows I Have Watched ," I realized the files grew to contain their contents.. The cards were packed tightly,and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that file represented.

When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run through
my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and
drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think
that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: "No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!" In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.

Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my
forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it..The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand. And then the
tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt.They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all..The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him.

No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards.. I couldn't bear to
watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of
the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. "No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to
say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, soalive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished."

I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door.
There were still cards to be written. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."- Phil. 4:13

"For God so loved the world that He
gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have
eternal life." - John 3:16

If you feel the same way forward it to as many people as you can so
the love of Jesus will touch their lives also. My "People I Shared The
Gospel With" file just got bigger, how about yours?

IF THERE IS ONE EMAIL THAT I HAVE READ THAT NEEDS TO GO AROUND THE WORLD, IT IS THIS ONE, PLEASE PASS THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW, CHRISTIAN OR NOT!
"LET'S FILL OUR OWN FILE CARD" AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

You don't have to share this with anybody, no one will know whether you did or not, but you will know and so will He

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-08-04 11:12am

Idunno bout you, but Id set up a couch and look through lustful thots.

give me a friendly friend, and Id share em ^^

Crazy Goji · Post by **Crazy Goji** » 2003-08-04 11:40am

Enforcer Talen wrote:Idunno bout you, but Id set up a couch and look through lustful thots.

give me a friendly friend, and Id share em ^^

Haha! I was thinking the same thing.

"Hey, Jesus, come see this one! Man, what an imagination I had, eh?"

Dude, seriously, what the hell was this kid smoking? I definately want some.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-08-04 11:44am

they call it REAL-junn

Rye · Post by **Rye** » 2003-08-04 01:32pm

Why did he want to burn his lustful thoughts? That kinda repression will only lead to weirder and weirder lustful thoughts.

Weird stuff.

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-08-04 02:39pm

Ha. if he died just after, he didn't have time to fill up that 'gospel' file, did he? it's too late now...

/tasteless insensitivity for a fictional person

Cromag · Post by **Cromag** » 2003-08-04 03:58pm

Thought I recognized this piece. It shows up in the Snopes files, actually, here's the low-down:

From Snopes.com

Brian Moore did read this essay aloud at a meeting of Christian athletes, and he did claim to his parents that he'd written it as an assignment for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes approximately two months before his death. The 17-year-old Teay's Valley High School student (not "Teary Valley," as claimed in the e-mail) did die on 27 May 1997 in the manner described. All that is true.

However, it's the little known story behind the story that proves most worthy of comment. You see, it turns out the deceased was a plagiarist. The piece he'd claimed authorship was actually the work of Joshua Harris, and it appeared in a book Harris published before Moore died. It had debuted two years earlier, in the Spring 1995 issue of New Attitude magazine, which was then edited by Harris.

Moore's parents had no reason to suspect the work in question was not their son's, and it was read at the boy's funeral. They and other relatives and friends subsequently broadcast the essay as his work, sincerely believing that it was. Only after the piece was published in The Columbus Dispatch on the anniversary of Moore's death did the truth about its authorship become known, when readers responded with corrections that pointed the newspaper to Harris and his book.

It's ironic that an essay describing the author's sense of shame over his personal accumulation of sins would be used by another to add a few file cards to his own stash. The dead boy not only stole someone else's work but also presented it as his own before a Christian fellowship he was part of and lied to his parents about it. That's three of the ten commandments right there (stealing, not honoring parents, and bearing false witness).

Singular Quartet · Post by **Singular Quartet** » 2003-08-04 04:46pm

Cromag wrote:Thought I recognized this piece. It shows up in the Snopes files, actually, here's the low-down:

From Snopes.com

Brian Moore did read this essay aloud at a meeting of Christian athletes, and he did claim to his parents that he'd written it as an assignment for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes approximately two months before his death. The 17-year-old Teay's Valley High School student (not "Teary Valley," as claimed in the e-mail) did die on 27 May 1997 in the manner described. All that is true.

However, it's the little known story behind the story that proves most worthy of comment. You see, it turns out the deceased was a plagiarist. The piece he'd claimed authorship was actually the work of Joshua Harris, and it appeared in a book Harris published before Moore died. It had debuted two years earlier, in the Spring 1995 issue of New Attitude magazine, which was then edited by Harris.

Moore's parents had no reason to suspect the work in question was not their son's, and it was read at the boy's funeral. They and other relatives and friends subsequently broadcast the essay as his work, sincerely believing that it was. Only after the piece was published in The Columbus Dispatch on the anniversary of Moore's death did the truth about its authorship become known, when readers responded with corrections that pointed the newspaper to Harris and his book.

It's ironic that an essay describing the author's sense of shame over his personal accumulation of sins would be used by another to add a few file cards to his own stash. The dead boy not only stole someone else's work but also presented it as his own before a Christian fellowship he was part of and lied to his parents about it. That's three of the ten commandments right there (stealing, not honoring parents, and bearing false witness).

Now, does this fall under Ironic, or just sad?

NapoleonGH · Post by **NapoleonGH** » 2003-08-04 07:20pm

pretty sure it is both ironic and sad

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-08-04 09:09pm

tis amusing.

Andrew J. · Post by **Andrew J.** » 2003-08-04 09:19pm

Now that's just pathetic.

Sindai · Post by **Sindai** » 2003-08-04 09:55pm

It's not even particularly well-written. The kid didn't have very good taste in plagarism.

Exonerate · Post by **Exonerate** » 2003-08-04 10:01pm

Sindai wrote:It's not even particularly well-written. The kid didn't have very good taste in plagarism.

You can only improve upon preaching literature so much.

Baron Scarpia · Post by **Baron Scarpia** » 2003-08-04 10:30pm

Obviously, God smote him for being such a hypocrite.