Which of Us Can Cast the First Stone at O.J?

We have been glutted with so much news on the O.J. Simpson trial that one wonders why another commentary would be in order. Though I enter my reflections here with some fear and trepidation my willingness to plow ahead is emboldened by the fact that one crucial element has been sorely neglected in discussions about the trial. The neglect of this issue speaks volumes about a truth that we do well to remember

When the O.J. saga started to unfold for millions of us on national television last summer, the consensus of Americans was shock. Though Mr. Simpson has the right to due process and is "innocent until proven guilty" the very prospect of his being a murderer horrifies us all. How could a bona fide American hero, a Heisman trophy winner, an NFL superstar, a winsome spokesman for a rental car company and a silly sidekick to Leslie Nielson be so cruel? We never saw the alleged dark side of O.J., so it can't really exist, can it? Even more debilitating to our collective well-being is the disturbing proposal: if an all-American hero could possibly be a double-murderer, what does that portend for us? I must say that I find this question quite disconcerting myself. I love my family, pay my taxes, obey the laws (speeding not always included!) and seek to treat all people with love and dignity.

There's something, however, that causes me to embrace the notion of my own penchant and proclivity to evil. My belief that the Bible is the Word of God gives me much pause for further consideration on this most important issue. The Bible says quite clearly that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Though conceding to be a "sinner" can easily degenerate to a mere religious platitude that has little or no bearing on one's life, the prospect of our own twisted and perverted fascination with evil is clearly taught in Holy Scripture. Furthermore, I strongly believe that a corporate sense of this ancient teaching would bode well in the marketplace and provide the wherewithal to maintain a truly civil society. (By the way I am totally opposed to the agenda of certain Christians whose goal is to erect some new theocracy. A "principled pluralism," as many have argued for, moves in the direction of what I believe is most appropriate.)

When people think of themselves as basically good, it is easy to rationalize one's behavior, even when it hurts others in the process. Examples of this are quite prevalent. Rather, a view that sees all of us as capable of both good and evil is not only more accurate, but it has the added benefit of keeping us humble, because we realize that we must "take heed lest we fall." We will be more apt to watch how we treat people knowing our own capacity to exploit and manipulate others. Furthermore, it is extremely healing both on an individual and societal level to have one confess that they did wrong.

Picking on politicians for a moment (though any profession would work, clergy included!), it is their seeming disdain to admit personal error and wrong doing (rationalizations and denials are legion) which underscores quite graphically how out of touch they really are with the American people. I firmly believe that the American people are generally ready and willing to forgive when someone is honest and contrite about what they have done. But this kind of interaction is an impossibility for those who consider that they always do good.

When the London Times asked the renowned Christian writer, G.K. Chesterton, to write an article on "What's Wrong With the World?" he simply wrote back, "Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely, GK. Chesterton." We all would do well to consider Chesterton's trenchant comment next time we ponder the O.J. trial. If O.J. did the heinous crimes that he is being tried for, he needs to receive severe punishment for them. However, all of us must be careful how much we rationalize our own behavior lest we fall into the trap of believing that "real atrocities" are something we could never commit.

Rev. David G. Moore is pastor of adult education at Grace Covenant Church in Austin and the author of The Battle for Hell (University Press of America, 1995).

Permission to post this op. ed. article is hereby granted
by the Austin American Statesman