(Todd A. Smith)
I once had a classmate tell me that, after O.J. Simpson got acquitted for the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, that Simpson would go to Hell where he would pay for his alleged crimes.
I told her that God forgives sinners, including alleged murderers, so popular opinion in America would not guarantee his place in Hell.
Likewise, I tell all people like Caitlin Jenner, be careful when you celebrate someone’s death because you never know if that person repented for their alleged sins and accepted Jesus Christ, no matter how the world views them.
In the world in which we all live, people have often misconstrued how one gets into Heaven.
Growing up, people outside of the church or outside of relationship with Christ would say being a good person is what gets a person into Heaven.
That never made sense to me because how do we determine if a person is good or bad?
How much good do you have to do to be labeled as good?
Additionally, how much bad does a person have to do to get the label of bad?
We all have good qualities.
And we all have bad qualities.
We all do things that are moral.
And we all do things that are immoral.
In short, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
With that said, I am no Simpson apologist.
As a journalist, I cannot call him a murderer because a jury found him not guilty in the deaths of Goldman and his ex-wife.
But as a human being, I am not stupid either and I still feel for the Goldmans and the Browns.
The pain and anguish that was written on their faces after the reading of the verdict is still painful to see.
But we live in a country that many people consider a Christian nation.
Furthermore, many people consider themselves saved and sanctified Christians.
Therefore, many could never feel empathy for a murderer.
However, many times those same Christians will quote scripture written by the Apostle Paul.
Not only was Apostle Paul a sinner before accepting Christ.
Apostle Paul was a killer.
In fact, Apostle Paul was a killer of Christians before becoming one himself.
Despite his criminal record and long rap sheet, Jesus Christ still used him in a way that his words are still words Christians live by today.
No, I am not comparing Simpson to the Apostle Paul.
But I am saying that if God can forgive one killer, then he can forgive an alleged killer too.
But Simpson’s murder arrest was never really about the murder of two innocent people in the first place.
It was about race, pure and simple.
Like former NBA player Etan Thomas said after learning of Simpson’s death, if the former Heisman Trophy winner had killed a Black woman and man, many in White America would not have cared.
Their murders sure would not have become the pop culture phenomenon that the murder of Brown Simpson and Goldman became.
Three decades later, we are often reminded of that reality as many in White America have celebrated the deaths of Trayvon Martin and others at the hands of killers of a lighter hue.
Many have even donated to the legal fund of the killers of Black people like they did for George Zimmerman, who killed Martin.
Therefore, the people who praised Zimmerman, better not be the ones castigating Simpson.
Neither was found guilty of murder.
But common sense tells us otherwise for both of them.
And as much as the Simpson case was about race, the Pro Football Hall of Famer did not represent Black people at all.
At a time in which Black athletes and entertainers used their platform to elevate civil rights and make a difference for the people in their community, Simpson seemed hellbent on only doing things to please the White community.
Many in the White community elevated stars like Simpson, who denied being Black, and crucified Black stars dedicated to the Black community like Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Many in White America made it seem like radical Black athletes like Tommy Smith and John Carlos were a poison to the country, while lifting up Black stars like Simpson who went out of their way to make many White people feel comfortable.
But it was their favorite Negro who was accused of double murder.
Despite the infamy, no one can take away from the gridiron exploits of the former Buffalo Bills running back and how he became one of the first professional athletes to capitalize on his brand outside of the game with product endorsements, television appearances and movie appearances.
Simpson’s alleged crimes were evil.
But Christ specializes in turning sinners into saints.
Who knows, but Simpson and Christ, if he made that transformation later in life?
But it is not for people to make that determination.
It is up to the sinner and the Savior.
And if Simpson really made that change, God bless him.
Regardless, let’s think of the families of Brown Simpson and Goldman during this time.
Also, let’s comfort the children and grandchildren of Simpson because no matter what their father and grandfather was accused of his death will still be difficult for those he left behind.
And let’s hope that all three (Simpson, Brown Simpson and Goldman) have found everlasting comfort in the arms of Christ now that they are no longer with us.
