Yes, I See That Hand . . .
Monday, January 29, 2007 at 07:34PM 
Jeffrey Dahmer was a brutal killer and deserved life in prison, if not the death penalty.
Supposedly, Jeffrey Dahmer become a Christian while in prison, and his pastor actually felt that he had the gifts to become an effective evangelist before his death at the hands of another inmate. Click here: Would serial killer Dahmer have been an evangelist? | US News | Reuters.com
This raises a number of interesting and troubling questions. No doubt the grace of God can reach even Jeffrey Dahmer. But Jeffrey Dahmer as an evangelist? That's a tough one. The pastor who baptized Dahmer is writing a book about Dahmer's 1994 conversion. How objective is the author? And if Dahmer actually became a Christian (and it would be wonderful if he did) what would repentance look like in the case of a man who killed 17 boys, raped many more, and cannibalistically consumed many of them? What would the families of his victims think?
And then there's the added problem of Christopher Scarver, who killed Dahmer in prison because he claimed "God told him to." Makes you wonder about providence . . .
This whole thing raises a lot of interesting questions. There's certainly no question that even a Jeffrey Dahmer is not beyond the reach of God's grace--the merits of Christ are no doubt sufficient to justify the vilest sinner. Let's hope this was not just another jail house conversion with the goal of more prison privileges, or a crass ploy to sell some books.
But the cynic in me says that Dahmer sure would have an interesting testimony!
Your thoughts?
Reader Comments (50)
my name is steve zrimec. i live in grandville, MI. i am about 1.5 years into my office as deacon at calvin crc in grand rapids; i am hoping to see a PCA church plant come about here through the ministry of Redeemer PCA in my hometown of traverse city, MI, but i am not holding my breath. i am 13.5 years happily married, 36 years old and have 2 daughters ages 4 and 8, and i have a bald spot. i decided upon entering blogdom to use my mother's nickname for my dad, which is, as you can tell, the first 4 letters of our last name (zrim). i do so because i highly revere my father, even though he and i are on very different theological and religious tracks--me reformed confessional and he pretty much liberal. i keep throwing WHI cd's at him but they have not really taken very well. i drink OJ and have a plain bagel everyday for breakfast.
zrim
Don't let the man bring ya down!
The only reason why more people aren't encouraging you or supporting you is probably because you've said all that needs to be said.
E
In case I you are still wandering about Dahmer you might be interested in this link:
http://www.themilwaukeechannel.com/news/10903529/detail.html
If this animal was a Christian then why didn't he confess to all his crimes.
thanks! props to my peeps.
tyler,
i am trying hard to discern you in the midst of apparent detractors! 'scott clark'?? are ya kiddin' me? how blasphemous to mistake *me* for someone as monumental as clark! but i readily embrace the mistake, thanks. clark is one of my devloping heroes.
zrim
well, to be fair, i think sibert tried to be clear that he didn't mean to "imply anything."
but, yes, i did pick up some weird vibes about my posts! good thing i take my good standing in a real reformed church to mean a whole lot more than what i might pick up from yahoo's on the web!
nevertheless, the irony you pick up on is a funny thing. the web is so weird.
zrim