Posted on 02/12/2011 10:59:59 AM PST by SeekAndFind
A prison minister is reaching out for the third time to child-actress-turned-troubled-celebrity Lindsay Lohan, who has battled DUI, felony grand theft, and drug charges.
In his latest letter to the “Mean Girls” star, Marty Angelo, who himself was arrested in 1980 for two counts of cocaine possession, said he is “saddened” to see her face yet another formal charge.
“Lindsay, I am speaking to you today as not just a prison minister and friend of your father but as a person who has traveled down the same road you are on,” writes Angelo in a letter released Thursday. “I know what works and through God's grace, mercy and love have been straight for 30 years.”
Angelo’s attempts at reaching Lohan began when the actress’ father, Michael Lohan, contacted him in 2007 to help his daughter. The older Lohan had read Angelo’s book, Once Life Matters: A New Beginning, which he said changed his life while he was in prison.
Since then, Angelo has been sending the younger Lohan letters and books and has personally accompanied her father to court appearances in the hopes of getting her enrolled in a faith-based program.
Angelo is no stranger to the celebrity life and substance abuse.
In an interview with The Christian Post he shared: “I was in the entertainment industry for 15 years. I got my start with Jimmy Hendrix, George Harrison, John Lennon, Janis Joplin. I was working in the business when no one that was doing drugs had any consequences. It was only when Janis died and all of a sudden I kept getting arrested – I got arrested in Miami with four ounces of cocaine in my pocket – [that I realized I needed to change]."
He said he is compelled to share Jesus with these celebrities when he sees the pitfalls of his youth paralleled in Lohan’s and other troubled stars’ lives.
"I had the same problem, back in the 60s and 70s. I feel somewhat of an obligation to reaching out to them and telling them about Jesus. I've been trying over the last four years to convince her (Lohan) that Jesus can change her life."
Angelo emphasized that secular rehab programs cause little to no change in a person fighting substance abuse. He mentioned that a recent study from UCLA showed that people struggling with substance abuse who went to a rehab program did worse than those who didn’t go to a program.
"I'm talking about a program that can change her life. Not a secular 30-day program that she's gone in that just takes her money and she comes out the same way she went in,” said Angelo. “Maybe it cleaned her for a little while but then of course the temptation is still there.”
Lohan, 24, is known to have checked herself into five different rehab programs. While she had previously claimed a positive feedback, she failed a drug test just days later and publicly posted on twitter, "Regrettably, I did in fact fail my most recent drug test and if I am asked, I am prepared to appear before Judge Fox next week as a result."
On Wednesday, the "Mean Girls" star pleaded not guilty to charges of grand felony theft for allegedly stealing a $2500 necklace from a store in Venice, Calif., on Jan. 22.
Prior to her court appearance, the Catholic-raised actress had asked her friends to “pray for her.”
Angelo reminds Lohan that while most media are only looking at her mistakes, he only looks at the ways God can be glorified through all her troubles.
"[Media] feels justified judging her but who is going to cast the first stone? Which one of us is not a sinner?”
Although he finds it unfortunate that some consider her as a “the poster child of America's troubled youth,” he want to assure her that there is hope. But first she needs to repent and then get away from the industry for a year.
“She should repent. She needs to take a break from that whole industry that she's in. It glorifies that lifestyle that they are so used to that. That's why I said a 12-month faith-based program would get her started," he said.
Angelo emphasized that the first step in the program would be “introducing her to Christ.”
While he is still in contact with her father, Angelo will continue to try and reach out to her and other troubled celebrities, including Paris Hilton. He is currently offering his book for free to those in prison and rehab programs and to troubled celebrities.
Why am I seeing this man's letter to Lohan? If he wants to reach out to her, that's fine. But it sounds like he cares more about publicity than he does about her.
So much for the anonymous thing.
The way to help L.L. is to get out of her way, quit treating her as special and keep her in jail for a long time. She needs to hit the “bottom” which people keep lining with furs and pillows to soften the blow.
LL needs a long time out to think about the rest of her life and what she wants to do with it.
I hope and pray this young beautiful woman gets it. Although I’m with you, it looks like he’s tooting his own horn. God uses imperfect vessels to reach the lost.
That disgusting woman is a “hero” to her kind-—the hip-hop gangsta thugsta loathsome idiots that infest California and other failed states.
I was always a big fan of Matthew. He understood and preached that true faith was between God and the individual.
Those who trumpet their faith in public are more into their ego than the word of God.
Proclaiming the Gospel loudly, clearly and publicly is not “...practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.”
It’s called the Great Commission, and it’s what Jesus commanded us to do.
Would you say the say the same thing about Billy Graham? Other preachers? Other believers?
Please see post #9.
Also, were the first century Christians, who went through the streets proclaiming the Gospel disobeying Jesus? Please.
She has to find strength in something positive rather than in the negative, especially the tortured artist effect of Hollywood celebrity. Some never find it, some find it later in life if they survive. She also has to confront her fears: listen to the right ones and dispel the wrong ones. Ironically, drugs provides a way of both running from and heightening fears. It’s a crazy making treadmill. I hope she finds something that gives her hope.
Matthew 5:14-16 (ASV)
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house.
16 Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
My comment was not related to preaching the gospel per se. I am talking about what works for recovery from addiction. Generally, private and anonymous is better.
It has to do with getting the ego right sized.
Every now and then, Mathhew cut loose a bit.
Even those passages have some humility built into them. It is about what you do and how they are an example to others. It isn’t about what you do acting our for others.
Matthew is still my main man — he gets a lot less press than the rest of the Apostles but he was very profound in his observations.
Who knows how many other addicts may be helped by seeing this letter?
I would be very cautious in judging God’s servants, not that you are doing that.
I agree, but, in this case he should have kept his mouth closed, this should have been done privately. He could proclaim Jesus all he wants, it does not look good when you put it out there like this. If Lindsay wanted this man to shout it from the roof tops that he was speaking to her about Jesus, then he could do so.
I see your mind is closed to understand the harm such talk can produce.
Horsefeathers.
I agree with you. Is it in Matthew the parable of the poor widow who quietly puts one copper coin in the poor box and the rich man who makes a big show of doing the same?
>>Is it in Matthew the parable of the poor widow who quietly puts one copper coin in the poor box and the rich man who makes a big show of doing the same?<<
I can’t answer for sure but it would be consistent with Matthew’s teachings and philosophy.
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