When the chaplain at in Las Vegas’s Clark County Detention Center gave his celebrity prisoner, O.J. Simpson, some form of “The Purpose Driven Life” (news reports didn’t specify if it was the Daily Inspiration, “The PDL Journal,” “The PDL for Commuters” or the original text), we assume he was attempting to succor one of God’s own, just as Jesus taught. Perhaps inadvertently, the good padre also strengthened the connection between Rick Warren’s insanely bestselling set of books and law enforcement.
The connection was first made when Ashley Smith read part of “The PDL” to fugitive Brian Nichols and convinced him to give himself up after shooting a court officer and holding Smith hostage. If “The PDL” can bring in desperadoes, one figures, it’s the right book for jailhouse reading.
The message of the book is that we’re on Earth for a reason, usually to serve God in some way. As one believer told CNN recently, “It just says we need to be secure and confident because God made us the way we are.” This isn’t always what a person, perhaps least O.J.–who might suffer from a bit too much confidence–needs to hear. Says our PDL believer, “Even though everybody else may … think bad things about us, we don’t need to worry about them.” This doesn’t sound like something O.J. should be perusing.
Hopefully, O.J. got sprung before he got a chance to read it.
posted September 19, 2007 at 6:48 pm
First, I hope he manages to actually show up for his trial! Then a conviction on all counts and the rest of his miserable life in the clink in isolation. Unfortunately he wasn’t convicted when he murdered Nicole and Ron, but maybe he will finally get sent to the place he should have been years ago….jail. He is an arrogant S.O.B.
posted September 20, 2007 at 1:35 pm
O.J. WAS ACQUITTED. THE TRUTH LIES WITH HIMSELF AND OUR LORD AND
SAVIOUR. THE TRUTH ALWAYS COME TO LIGHT. I HAVE WONDERED, THE FACT
THAT O.J. WAS ACQUITTED, (I AM NOT A RACIST) MANY PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE IT BECAUSE HE IS AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN.****I AM OF THE OPINION, THAT
THIS CURRENT CASE WAS BLOWN UP AND OUT AND QUITE FRANKLY A SET UP.
*****
THE “BIBLE STATES” HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN, CAST THE FIRST STONE.
*****
WE ALL SHOULD PRAY, NOT BECAUSE OF 911 AND FLIP BACK TO OUR OLD WAYS.
WE ALL SHOULD BE THANKFUL TO BE AMONG THE LIVING…..LET GO AND LET GOD..
posted September 20, 2007 at 7:08 pm
Northerner:
His color certainly has nothing to do with my opinion of him. He is a murderer. The acquittal was a joke! No one with any sense thinks he is innocent of the 2 killings. As to these current charges? Not blown up IMO. If so, why in the world did the judge give him such a low bail and allow him to leave the city?
The book, PDL, says we are on this earth for a reason, and that we should be confident and secure in ourselves, because god made us the way we are. That implies OJ was made to be an arrogant man who thinks he has done no wrong. If there is a divine being, he goofed with OJ. If OJ read PDL, it just confirmed what he already believes about himself.
posted September 21, 2007 at 2:57 pm
I’m 1/2 to 3/4 with pagansister on this. O.J. was a completely jerk (I have much better words, but I don’t want to be obscene)
OJ got off the first time because our legal system sucks. I hope this time he spends the vast majority of his life in jail.
I do beleive that God had good reason for making everyone and doing everything. I don’t think that God goofed….OJ is the fool that screwed up on this one.
Human nature sucks…OJ is just one of those guys that proves how much we suck. OJ demonstrates how good lop-eared bunny rabbits are in comparison to former-football-playing sociopaths.
posted September 21, 2007 at 5:59 pm
most with the OPINION O.J. is guilty of being a ‘murderer’ are entitled to just that…their opinion. and that is all it is…an opinion. most have also come to that conclusion due to what? were they there at the scene as a witness? did they in actuality view ALL the evidence and argument for the prosecution and vice versa; for the defense? i did. i watched the COMPLETE TRIAL. IT WAS CLEAR THERE WAS DOUBT AND CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE ONLY! WOULD YOU WANT TO BE HUNG YOURSELF IF THERE WAS ENOUGH PRESENTED TO GIVE ANY ONE OF THOSE JURORS DOUBT? WHAT IS THIS JUDICIAL SYSTEM FOR? WHY IS IT MOST HAVE THE OPINION THE SYSTEM DID NOT WORK IF HE WAS ACQUITTED, BUT THEN THE ‘SHOUT’ WOULD BE “IT WORKS…OUR SYSTEM WORKS!!” IF A GUILTY VERDICT HAD BEEN GIVEN?????
it appears to me, most find a band wagon to jump on and blindly do so and typically, it’s because it’s the ‘popular’ thing to do and say. i, for one of few, do not care about the ‘popular’. there was doubt and no eyewitness PROOF and guess what? you wouldn’t want your mama hung on that basis either!!!
leave the man alone!!! Christian or no Christian!!! everyone seems to make themselves the judge, jury, and hangman, in this case! stand back and watch the lynching mob come out in droves!!! scratch the whole idea of a trial and scrap the whole judicial system. there are so many of you out there that feel you’re capable of making all the life and death verdicts… even blindly.
Lord, have mercy!!!
posted September 21, 2007 at 7:00 pm
“V”:
If OJ is innocent of the murders, where is the real killer and why hasn’t OJ done as he said he would do…find the REAL Killer!
No, he is guilty…the blood trail was proof a well as other things. AND if he was so innocent, why did he lead the police on the “white Bronco highway chase?” He was found guilty in the civil suit….which was more honest then the other trial.
The man belongs in jail, and hopefully he’ll get there soon…never to see the light of day again.
No band wagon here…just knowing the truth as most folks do.
posted September 22, 2007 at 2:30 am
While OJ’s previous trial may or may not have vindicated him, it should be separate from this incident. So many people are saying this is justice for previous crimes. How so? And how far does a system go to strip a person of all he has prior to those trials, thing that were separate from those judgements (bankrupcy or not). When does it STOP?!
posted September 22, 2007 at 3:50 am
Well you have said it all about O.J. none positive is this the heart of God speaking or is this man speaking I followed this trial all the way and I don’t think O.J.
committed any murder because of who he is and our path is already set before we were born this is why O.J. is free today I think he paid someone to commit the murder but this is my thought & his hands are free also because the system is so corrucpt and man is so greedy for money & power this is our downfall inthis beautiful country God gave us we really need to pray for O.J. and all people in jail because there are so many there in their minds also behind prison walls but God said he is the truth and the light and he jhas the victory over all our lives just trust him & watch and see. Washed in the Blood
posted September 22, 2007 at 6:59 am
whether oj did the murder directly or was involved by hiring someone else, doesnt matter, his crime even though found not guilty, he still carries with him. His behavior and continual problems with the law are his guilt and he is punishing himself. He does not live a peaceful loving life enjoying his family and the pleasures God gave a righteous man He is in torment every day and the guilt will continue to follow him. Read the Old Testament, many wicked kings were brought to justice by their own hand and this is now the end of the Oj tale we will see his fall.
posted September 22, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Why are we as christians reading about judgement and yet we still judge. If we look around at the justice system we see that man still judges according to his own perspective. Some groups like the Gena 6 situation are spared harsh punishment while others hae the maximum even if it is unjust thrown at them.
Until we as human children of God look at ourselves honestly and say “let ye without sin, cast the first stone” we will continue to disperse unfair judgements on some and leniency on others. The more we continue to hold on to unforgivness for what we think may have happened the more we are blinded by the enemy of this world Satan as to our own sins. We murder in more ways than just the act of taking a life, but with the words of our mouth. I don’t hear your out cry for those who have been unjustly imprisoned and spend 10-15-20 years of their life behind bars.
posted September 22, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Christians still amaze me when they judge. That’s the one thing God’s book is about and christian’s are the first to judge. My feelings about this whole ordeal is that if OJ was a white football player that was accused of killing Nicole and Goldman after 12 or 13 years we wouldn’t still be hearing about it. Racism is still alive and well, one of Satan’s tools that he uses. Be careful not to fall into the trap.
posted September 22, 2007 at 5:35 pm
The Jena 6 are being given unjust punishment because it is the south, and they are black children. All of them should have been in juvenile court. Nothing has changed in the south justice wise.
As to Christians judging others? I don’t consider myself a Christian, so I can give my opinion on things, and not worry about the bible. Am I perfect? No one is. However this is a high profile case and folks have opinions and judgements. Satan? That has nothing to do with anything as he/she is, IMO a figment of someone’s imagination.
As to thinking OJ is being critized due to his race? Personally I think even if he was a white football player who had duplicated OJ’s situations, I think we’d still be hearing about it. Getting off for killing 2 people, as a celebrity, (football player in this case) is hard to hide from when you continue to do stupid stuff…armed robbery?
posted September 23, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Let’s seriously not make this a race thing. We should be smarter than that. A white murderer or a black murderer is still a murderer. I think OJ is a classic example of someone whose race is totally irrelevant; after all, he’s a black man who didn’t go to jail. Help me out here, isn’t the stereotype that blacks go to jail? He does fit the stereotype of the rich though…..after all, he has money for lawyers to make sure he can beat the conviction.
Better yet, let’s drop the race issue and move on to how he’s behaving like a rich-guy….c’mon people, Enron, anyone?
The majority of the jurors on the first OJ trial thought he was guilty. I think they were right. His blood was at the scene, his footprints were at the scene, he had a history of domestic violence and he even went on a “low-speed chase” which certainly is not typical of someone who is innocent.
Let’s move on to the next issue. Christians using their brains to make sound determinations is not being judgemental. “Judging” OJ would be saying “He’s going to hell because he’s evil”. Saying “He’s guilty” is making a reasonably valid statement. I don’t know if he’s going to hell, I don’t know if he’s a good person or a bad person. That’s God’s place to decide.
I hope OJ reads PDL and gets something real and worthwhile out of it. Maybe then he can be a positive contribution to society.