The killer of Beatle John Lennon has found religion during his prison sentence, but that has not helped him get parole.
Mark David Chapman, 59, told the New York State parole board last month about his faith journey behind bars, almost 35 years since he took Lennon’s life.
Chapman told the board the reason he had killed Lennon was: “I had extremely selfish motives for my own self-glory. That’s the best way I can say it.”
But that has changed, the Christian Post reported.
“My focus is totally, it isn’t on me anymore. God has helped me through the years to see, ‘hey, there is other people in this world’. Jesus has helped me to see that he loves me, and that is what has made the difference in my life is him.”
Chapman was denied parole for the eighth time, with the reason being his premeditated act in killing Lennon.
He is serving a 20 year to life sentence in a prison near Buffalo in New York State.
Chapman said a series of letters exchanged between him and a pastor was what led him back to God.
At the beginning of Chapman’s sentence, he had received a letter from a pastor.
Although it took Chapman a year and half before he would respond to the letter, over the last 33 years Chapman has written over an estimated 500 letters to the pastor who has helped him with spiritual guidance.
Chapman said he meets with this pastor every now and again and is scheduled to meet with him in a few weeks.
Chapman said there is only one purpose in his life now: preach about the love of Jesus Christ to prisoners.
“I am interested in one thing and that is ministering to prisoners,” Chapman said.
“Me and my wife have a ministry. We distribute brochures and tell people about Christ. These kids coming in here now, they can have an option. They don’t have to go to the gangs.”
The Christian Post story reported that Chapman is still married to his wife, Gloria Abe, despite her living thousands of miles away in Hawaii.
She tries to visit him about once a year.
“I can’t believe she has stuck with me for all these years but she has,” Chapman said.
“We are closer to the Lord now than we were on the street. So I am going to credit him with keeping our marriage together and our sanity.”
Source
- Christian Post
- Image: ABC News
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