Lance,
So many admired you for all your great cycling accomplishments, and multitudes were disappointed to learn your achievements were tainted with cheating. But, Americans are a forgiving people; and most will eagerly accept your apology.
We who are Christ-followers have all been where you are, Lance. We have all sinned and fallen short of the expectations of God. Running to Oprah to record a national apology is futile if your apology is meant to rebuild your lost reputation. True repentance must be accompanied by pure motives. Trying to cleanse yourself in Oprah’s dirty pool of therapy will not bring peace to your soul. It’s like trying to clean our hearts with dirty water taken from our hearts.
Your rush for therapy is a microscopic revelation of what is really wrong with America. We have grown comfortable seeking therapy from humans who are just as fallen as we are. The greatest sin in America today is the idea that we can come to repentance without a Mediator, the belief that repentance has no personal cost or sacrifice and that we can be converted to Christianity without the shedding of blood.
Lance, true forgiveness that will bring closure to your sin of dishonesty and relief and comfort to your soul will come from Christ, not Oprah. Seek him while you still can.
Photo credit: Cain and Todd Benson (Creative Commons)
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Amen, I agree.
Yes Our Lord Jesus is a forgiving God but we now live in a world where so many have sold their souls for 30 peices of silvers. Let’s hope it’s not to late for us. GOD FORGIVE US
Nice thought…in another and UNREAL world. Why, in a million years, would you even believe Lance Armstrong has any decency or normalcy in him? You fail to recognize that some people are Psychopaths, and “choose” to be the way they are. They are narcissists…care and do for themselves only…everything else that “appears” for others is in support of their “image”, and therefore themselves. His “charity” supported his image, his “love” of his children and family…is “self-love” because a Narcissist/Psychopath sees them all as simple extensions of themselves. There is no “self-less” act. He and other Psychopath’s eat up and destroy lives… they are the food of their pathology…and he was so good at it.
Get the picture? Lance Armstrong is doing whatever he is doing it right now FOR Lance Armstrong period. He has a plan for himself….he is doing it because either it will financially be beneficial to him or it might, in his mind, keep him out of Prison for the perjury and criminal fraud he has committed.
Remorse? A Psychopath has not remorse. Armstrong demonstrated that he is devoid of “feeling” and therefore “no remorse” for cheating. In fact he stated that he “felt” (in a cerebral meaning, not in a compassionate way …therefore he “believed”) then and “now” that what he did was justified; “everyone did it and therefore why feels bad?” He admitted he was (and continues to be ) abusive and a bully to anyone associated with him, but again had shown no signs of “remorse”, except that it might have “tarnished” his image, which he is desperately trying to resurrect for no one other than himself.
A Psychopath does not have a “right and wrong”, there is no right or wrong… there is only “me” and extensions of him, to support his image, so that he can be effective in manipulating toward benefiting his end “himself” again. He did nothing wrong in his eyes, because there is no conduct he cannot “justify” in his mind, except his failure to completely succeed. He was not as slick or clever as he thought, and got caught.
Do you understand how his “norms” are so out of touch with the norms of society? He is, in your terms, the perfect 20th century “devil”. Do YOU understand you are equally out of touch with REALITY? Please wake up; he and others like him have no interest in your concern for “true remorse” or penance. You don’t need to give him more ideals on how to manipulate public perception of him. If you don’t wake up, you will be his unwitting accomplice, in the continued manipulation public perception of him; so that he can get back on course and re-habilitate his image…not himself. If you desire to be constructive in this world, deal with truth and accept reality, then deal with it.
We can forgive anyone… but that doesn’t make it right. I could go out and rob a bank… would I be as easily forgiven when I KEPT the money? What if I raped a woman, and was to serve Jail time for 20 years… but I want forgiveness… hoping I wont have to serve 20 years… and they’ll let me out if I confess… would that be right.? As far as forgiving people for their misdeeds.. sure we all can do that… but look at all the money this joker had made off those LIES. Would you be as forgiving to Bernard Madoff who stole millions and millons when he kept the money and spent most of it on everything you and I could never buy… What about those who he stole from and has no record of the thefts….
If Lance Armstrong wants to repent.. fine… how about all those other athletes who have used drugs to enhance their abilities too… then lied in court that they didnt do it… what if tjeu asked forgiveness too… what if a man murdered your daughter and he confesses but wants out of jail… would you still be as forgiving? As far as that goes, anyone can do anyting.. then turn around and ask forgiveness… does it make it right?
No.. Armstrong needs to serve his time just as you and I would. Think of all the children who looked up to him and now they think they can do the same thing and all will be forgiven.. It’s not something I would want my children to do he did.. then turn around and say.. Forgive me… Well you can forgive them.. but he must serve his time like the rest of the thieves… for that matter.. we would have no need for jails then… all criminals can stand before the judge and say… Forgive me… for I have sinned.. and the judge can say.. Ok.. now that you’ve asked it.. it shall be done !!!!!
My open letter to Armstrong. Only God can or should forgive you! I see no contrition. You can not pay enough on this earth for your deception and fraud.
AMEN. Why would you sit there and confess to Oprah who brought us “The America Hater” Barack Hussien Obummer