European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 3, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 14 the stars and stripes religion saturday december 3,1994 by David Briggs a religion writer a his crimes were so horrific As to be almost unimaginable in civilized society killing mutilating and sometimes cannibalizing 17 Young men and boys. So there was no outpouring of sympathy when Jeffrey Dahmjr was beaten to death in a Wisconsin prison this week. For Many his violent demise brought to an end a morality tale where acts of pure evil were repaid kind. But for men and women of Faith pausing to reflect on religious teachings regarding the inherent Worth of All individuals a More difficult question remains is the world diminished by Dahmer a death a my initial reaction is yes it is m the sense that All human life is a gift from god a said Bishop Peter Reg Ness of the greater Milwaukee Synod of the evangelical lutheran Church in America. A on the one hand that is what makes his crimes so heinous. By the stroke of the same pen even his own loss of life is a loss of that gift a Rogness said. During his reign of terror Dahmjr was the embodiment of evil. Quot a. ,. When his death in prison became known the news was widely greeted As a Case of Justice served. Some. Former neighbors said Dahmer did not suffer enough. By any accounting of the costs and benefits of Dahmer a life the world is not diminished by Dahmer a death said the Rev. Richard Neuhaus a roman Catholic priest and director of the Institute on religion and Public life in new York. R a psychologically one can understand the attitude he got what was coming to him and Good riddance a Neuhaus said. However Dahmer was baptized in prison and the when convicts become converts is it real or fake by Roy r1venburg_ los Angeles times. A a or a a a a a a Indiana state prisoner no 922335, better known As boxing Champ turned rapist Mike Tyson converts to islam in the tank \ deposed panamanian president Manuel a drug smuggler encounters Jesus while doing time in Miami. And Wall Street wizard Ivan Brocsky reportedly grows a rabbinical Beard and studies Judaism behind bars. A around the United states Jailhouse Solitude seems to have a Way of stirring inmate introspection and spiritual interest. In los Angeles . Simpson is said to be Reading the Bible. In other cities everyone rom convicted Cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer to Manson family member Tex Watson a has joined the cavalcade of converts is it sincere remorse or cynical spin control prison religion presents a baffling juxtaposition of Good and Eyul on that has inspired wonder scepticism a and a sometimes strange array of ministries. _ in addition to representatives of such established deities As Allah and Christ inmates have followed maharishi voodoo practitioners scientologists Medicine men and the infamous Church of the new song a prison based Faith whose sacraments were Sherry and Steak. Convicts also have been known to profess an interest in scripture a occasionally because contraband has been hidden in hallowed out bibles but More often because of genuine spiritual longing a people Are too Quick to assume that Jailhouse converts Aretak Ingvi said John Shepard Wiley jr., a University of California los Angeles Law professor and a former Federal prosecutor. A actually prison is the kind of environment that might Well prompt a conversion. Its a shattering monkish existence. A Complete change in your life. Sure some turn to the worst instincts. But i done to think its implausible that some turn to the indeed. For Many inmates god offers the Only real shot at secular As Well As spiritual salvation said Whitney Nixholm executive vice president for prison Fellowship Usa the Christian ministry founded by watergate sex con Charles Colson. A you can have Job programs literacy programs drug programs and educational programs but unless something changes on the inside of a person that stuff Isnit going to make a difference Quot Kuniholm said. Soul sear Chifra Quot in Mii ates turn to religion for several Ria Dahmer Christian Faith a the understanding that Dahmer is redeemed through be Kef in Christ and ordered to eternal life with god a brings a different dimension to the question Neuhaus said. A a it san ongoing and endless bind in which the Call to love thy neighbor is to be obeyed simultaneously with the Call to honestly confront evil a Neuhaus said if in both Judaism and christianity there Are texts that some interpret As justifying capita punishment there is almost Universal condemnation of the kind of brutal beating Dahmer endured leaders of both faiths said. A we have to question the Way he died and the Way he died was bad said rabbi Norman Kahati National director of Small congregations for the Union of american hebrew congregations. A vengeance is something that belongs to god a said bist iop april ulring Larson of the la Crosse wis area Synod of the evangelical lutheran Church in America. And no individual is beyond Hope of redemption Many people of Faith believe. The Rev. Roy Ratcliff a United Church of Christ minister who baptized Dahmer in May in a prison infirmary Whirlpool said the serial killer was a deeply guilty and remorse up about his crimes. A a a it a a a Hje former heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson sentenced to prison for rape has converted to islam. Sons. A the initial factors usually have Little to do with spirituality a said Don Smarto a former probation officer and assistant Warden who now directs the Institute for prison ministries at the Billy Graham Center in Wheaton 111, a on a psychological level they re bargaining. Praying for a miraculous intervention to get them out of jail Quot they also might be enamoured with the Tranquillity of Penitentiary chapels the doughnuts and cookies offered by some prison ministries or the Chance to mingle with women volunteers. Today the god squad continues to grow. Protestants alone operate at least 2,000 prison ministry groups nationwide Smarto said. The results however Are unclear. A1990 prison Fellowship study of 360 sex cons for exam pie found that 40 percent of those who were heavily involved in Fellowship programs in jail committed new crimes after release compared with 51 percent of the non Christian honoured for aiding difficult to adopt children from the associated press Baltimore a Maryland a governor helped Honor a priest who began a program to find adoptive parents for children with special . William Donald Schaefer described the Rev. George Clements who four idea the one Church one child program in Chicago in 1984, As a a Man who solve All the problems but could help one a a by a a a a a a you made a difference in that child a life by saying t love you a a the governor said. Clements has four adopted children. The recent ceremony attended by More than 200 people at the first United Church of Jesus Christ also recognized 15 families who adopted children nobody else wanted. The of the program is to get one family in each Church to take one difficult to adopt child. The children May have severe physical problems. Some Are older than Many adoptive parents want and others have siblings who would have to be adopted at the same time. Since the program began 40,000 children in 39 states have been adopted. New Ark rising As Church Seaford Del. A two years ago leaders of the Seaford Wesleyan Church turned to a Young minister from Maryland to do something about a dwindling attendance on sundays. Dave Kiser came aboard and soon after was at work on a new 5,000-Square-foot Church building in the shape of an Ark. The minister Hopes the Church will be not just a building but a Symbol to persuade nonbelievers to come aboard and an Anchor for a congregation that had been dwindling. It r a a we know that the floods Are not coming anymore a said Kiser referring to biblical passages. A so we done to have to worry about this Ark floating a we just use it As an illustration that judgment is coming a he said. A what else out of the Blue can grab you like this when the Ark Church is completed it will seat up to 300 worshippers. Kiser Hopes to Christen the new Sanctuary on Christmas eve. Parish expecting apology Franklin ind. A a 20-year-old Man who impersonated a priest must make a Public apology to the Parish a judge ruled David Ryan Guthrie of Columbus was sentenced monday to one year on work release and three years on probation for stealing religious items from the Church. He pleaded guilty to burglary oct. 12, after1 admitting he had Tola parishioners at holy Trinity Catholic Church in Edinburgh that he was a priest and had participated in a mass at the Church. Guthrie allegedly stole a Silver Cross and priests vestments from the St. Bartholomew and St. Quot a a Quot Columba churches in Columbus in order to impersonate a priest. He is serving a jail sentence in Columbus after pleading guilty to two counts of theft and violating his probation on those charges. Calling himself a father Austin Liffick a Guthrie celebrated mass with the Rev. Paul Shikany holy Trinity a pastor in june 1993. Shikany grew suspicious and called police after the disappearance of a brass Crucifix and lectionary Book from the Church. \ express service builds ties7 Louis Ville by. A a local Baptist churches new 30-minute worship service on sundays has created a popular following among people such As Bob Belcher who Are drawn to the More relaxed atmosphere. Belcher a Carpenter said he can go to Highland Baptist Church dressed in a flannel shirt and Tan work pants a and then head to work. He said the services convenience has improved his attendance and its atmosphere has raised his Comfort level. A i probably would not have come but in a favourable to something less formal a neckties strangle me a Belcher said. A the commitment of. This amount of time is More comfortable for me.�?�. The Church began its 9 . A express worship Quot service five months ago. Attendance has been Between 100 and 125 but is growing steadily and attendance at the traditional 11 . Service which lasts for about two hours has not shrunk said the Rev. Phil Christopher pastor of the Church. _
