Chuck Norris tells Liberty University grads to follow God’s path
Chet White/The News & Advance
Liberty Graduate Daniel Aaron Smith, of Gretna, gives his mom, Beverly, a big hug after Saturday’s commencement ceremony at Liberty University.
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By Christa Desrets
Published: May 10, 2008
Saturday was the first time that television star Chuck Norris ever addressed a college graduation, but Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said it wouldn’t be his last.
“I don’t do this very often,” Norris told a crowd of about 20,000 at Williams Stadium. “In fact, I don’t do this at all.”
Norris delivered the keynote address at Liberty’s 35th commencement, which featured the school’s largest graduating class yet of about 4,800 students.
“Chuck! Chuck! Chuck!” the graduates chanted as he walked on stage. They were the ones who convinced Falwell to request Norris as their speaker, Falwell said.
The six-time world karate champion, actor, Internet phenomenon and humanitarian offered a piece of his own life story and said that God brought happiness back into his life.
Norris was born into poverty in Oklahoma, he told the audience, and grew up “shy, introverted and non athletic.”
After graduating from high school, he joined the Air Force, went to Korea, and had his first introduction to martial arts.
He returned home with a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and carried that into more aspects of his life by starting a martial arts school in Los Angeles.
Not long later, he started racking up national and international martial arts titles, and then began acting.
He gained fame and fortune, he said, and became well known for his starring role in the long-running CBS television series “Walker, Texas Ranger.”
But other aspects of his life were lacking, he said.
“I got sucked into the entertainment world of Hollywood,” he said. “I didn’t have that joy and that happiness that I thought I should have in my life.”
That’s when a friend introduced Norris to the woman he later married, Gena, who read to him from the Bible.
“It’s like the Holy Spirit hit me and said, ‘Chuck it’s time to come home,’” he recalled. “I was hot for the Lord, and I still am to this day.”
He told the graduating class to allow God to lead their lives.
“I hope that you’ll let him direct your steps because if you do, you can’t go wrong,” he said.
In recent years, Norris has become an Internet phenomenon from a Web site called “Chuck Norris Facts,” which pokes fun at roles the actor has portrayed.
Norris also made news this year for endorsing former Republican presidential contender Mike Huckabee, who spoke at Liberty during his campaign.
Falwell called Norris “one of the few positive role models left in the entertainment business today.”
Provost Boyd Rist recognized that role by awarding Norris an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from the school.
After Norris spoke, Falwell took note of the accomplishments of the class of 2008.
“The class of 2008 is the first to graduate from Liberty as a debt-free institution,” he said.
In August, the school announced that a portion of a $34 million life insurance payout on the late Rev. Jerry Falwell had paid off the school’s roughly $20 million debt and also started to build the school’s endowment.
Falwell Jr. said the school’s second generation would work to strengthen that endowment and continue the Christian school’s mission.
“You must be strong in what you do,” he said. “The sky is really the limit to all of you.”
Liberty graduate Nina Polley, of Lynchburg, says hello to her daughter, Lauren, after Saturday’s commencement ceremony on the campus of Liberty University. Polley graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Chet White/The News & Advance
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( rogers3 ) on May 15, 2008 at 10:38 am
Self-examination is a must. And Thomas Jefferson, while a great contributor to our country, is by no means a person I would choose to model my philosophy around. Case in point- his warped views on Africans and slavery. Yes time alters many things and today he would probably think differently. I wonder how his church and state argument would play out today. Back then, he wanted to keep the gov’t from imposing itself on religion and religious views (Church of England). Today, would he waffle and claim to be protecting the state from the church? Also, his view on individuality seemed to be somewhat Libertarian; I would imagine he would let Falwell or others say whatever they wanted, although he would probably have loudly criticized his stance- and you are doing a pretty good job bearing his torch !)
Posted by ( Cosmo Wafflefoot ) on May 15, 2008 at 6:35 am
There is no need to thank me (rogers3), I assure you that I amuse myself more than I amuse you. With regard to philosophy, do you disagree with Socrates that the unexamined life is not worth living? With regard to Old Thomas Jefferson… do you think for one minute that he would not fight tooth and nail against a group of religious fundamentalist cultists hell bent on turning our republic into a theocracy? Do you really think he would not “classify” them as dangerous? Do you remember what he did to his Bible? But most of all, lets not forget what today is. [NO MORE] Day! No more gay bashing, no more anti-science, no more made up history, no more religious bigotry AND no more Jerry Falwell. Have a great day!
Posted by ( rogers3 ) on May 14, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Cosmo- you crack me up! Don’t you have anything better to do than practice your philosophy in a newspaper blog? Your ramblings, like mine, are simply opinion; no need to get worked up! By the way- re-read your first post and realize that you are the one that chose to “classify” one particular group of people; I wonder how old TJ would view that.
Posted by ( Cosmo Wafflefoot ) on May 14, 2008 at 6:03 pm
DON’T want to attack Christians (boopatches2004)… DO want to condemn a school that teaches anti-intellectualism and anti-reason. It’s a cult! The Falwell characters have condemned more kinds of Christians than any other group I can think of. After all, their “brand” of Christianity is the only “real” kind. Why should ANYBODY respect people who “worked hard” to bring us all bact to the Dark Ages?
Posted by ( boopatches2004 ) on May 14, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Sad, sad, sad. Sad that you all have taken such a wonderful occasion - graduation for 4800 PEOPLE (which is quite an achievement no matter what!), and turned it into fighting grounds over christianity. Chuck Norris, and everyone else in this world, has a right to their beliefs just as much as you and I do - the fan who is disappointed because of what he said - can not truly be a fan of Chuck then - because if they were, they would know what kind of person he is. Obviously, they are a fan of the Chuck Norris fun facts website and all it’s sayings. Which are fun, don’t get me wrong, but do not portray who he is. If you want to attack christians, do it somewhere else, leave this graduation alone. These students worked hard to get where they did.
Posted by ( Cosmo Wafflefoot ) on May 14, 2008 at 11:21 am
“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and what never will be.” [Thomas Jefferson 1816]
“God turned his back on America and I blame gays, woman’s liberation, abortionists and A.C.L.U. lawyers.” {Jerry Falwell 2001]
Tom started a University that dedicated itself to the advancement of human knowledge and betterment. Jerry started a Bible School dedicated to mistaking mythology for history and dogma for science. One is a center of advancement in human understanding. The other a center of retardation of human progress.
Posted by ( Cosmo Wafflefoot ) on May 14, 2008 at 7:08 am
(( rxmaverick ))...I read it. I find myself in total agreement with this revue:...["Contrary to what Rodney Stark claims, neither Christianity nor any other religions can claim to be the foundation for freedom and reason. From the time Christian clerics acquired political power in the 4th Century until the Reformation and the Renaissance broke their grip, the Church suppressed any dissent that threatened its monopoly on ideology. There was no freedom of thought or expression in Europe from 400 to 1500. We all know the history of the Inquisitions against the Cathars, the Jews, the Protestants, and scientists. We are fortunate that the Islamic world for a time allowed more freedom of thought. (Alas, that is no longer the case in the Middle East.) Usually, greater freedom has been found in polytheistic cultures than in monotheistic cultures.
Throughout history, whenever government is controlled one religion or ideology whose followers hold it to be infallible, all freedom has suffered."] I would suggest YOU read:.. “The Age of American Unreason” by Susan Jacoby. Then, you can get back to me and explain how Liberty teaching children that the earth is 6000 years old is a “Victory of Reason”. I cant’ wait!
Posted by ( rxmaverick ) on May 13, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Mr. Wafflefoot- You mentioned “15th century Christian Fundamentalist nonsense. We have entered an Age of Unreasoning.” You may want to read “The Victory of Reason” by Rodney Stark (Ph.D. Berkeley and teaching at Baylor) He addresses what I feel may be some of your concerns.
Posted by ( Randolph Knipp ) on May 13, 2008 at 4:49 pm
What a terrific graduation, one that will be remembered by all participants, surely. Dr. Norris has it right, be on God’s side! Too many pray that God be on their side! It’s the other way around, and Chuck made that point. And it is marvelous to note that Dr. Falwell left the institution in such great state! LU is a model for all of us in its financial standing! How many of us can claim to be debt free?
Posted by ( alm0 ) on May 13, 2008 at 3:09 pm
It’s probably not fair to gang up on cosmo. So cut him some slack. This is obviously an issue he feels strongly about. At the risk of violating my own admonition, I wonder if cosmo realizes he’s displaying the very same characteristics he condemns. (hmmm)
I attended the LU commencement and I found Chuck to be quite a humble, down-to-earth individual with a positive message and a good moral perspective. I think I just might go out and buy myself a Total Gym!