Posted on 10/04/2005 6:07:06 PM PDT by Chieftain
We'll talk with Ashley Smith who became a heroine to millions of Americans when she was taken hostage by accused Fulton County Courthouse killer Brian Nichols. Smith tells the story of her life and her harrowing ordeal in her new book "Unlikely Angel: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Hostage Hero."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I have an ax to grind with self-rightoeus people who hide behind the veil of their religion, regardless of what their religion is.
Your opinion, I am in no position to jump to that conclusion, and suspect the opposite. But you may be correct, and I appreciate your post #78. I may not agree with all the conclusions, but can respect that type of discussion and analysis.
But God certainly doesn't reward people for sinning, lying about it, and refusing to change their ways.
If your friend came to you exhibiting the symtoms of a heart attack, would it be wise to refer them to a podiatrist because you never had a heart attack, but you did suffer from aching feet? If you did so, your friend would die before they got their appointment with the podiatrist. An astute friend, would recognize the syptoms being exhibited and RUSH their friend to the ER.
Many of us in the Christian community are well aware of substance addictions and the tough love approach that is needed (and for the many, many destructive behaviors/addictions far beyond substance abuse), having to routinely work with abusers or deal with the spillover effects. We are painfully aware of recidivism rates.
But from what we'd heard (and since learned) substance abuse was just one of her problems. We did see what appeared to be a willingness to begin confronting some of those and changing, hence our reaction. Such consideration of offering support to those who appear willing to change, repent, and/or seek doesn't mean we suspend reality or wisdom or street smarts. We've seen way too many backslides, stumbles, and return to various addictions. We aren't utopians, but we also don't automatically write them off.
I think the recognition of just one side (hope versus unflinching realism) without appearing to acknowledge or understand the other side is what set off the debate (for both sides.)
You and I and others are vindicated, my amigos. This woman's story stunk back then and we were absolutely flamed for daring to mention that. She was turned on by the musclebound dark man and supplied him with drugs, stashed his getaway car, made up a Christian story and got her money for more meth.
I didn't hear the interiew, but anything she did to stay alive is fine with me...and it should be with you.
"Right now, she could have given him crack in a leather garter belt in the third level of hell while reciting the Satanic bible backwards and she'd still come off nicer than some posters."
Bump! ;D!
I just saw on CNN that Ashley will be on Larry King tonight (Wed) at 9:00PM.
I noticed many of those flamers didn't show on this thread! The peanut gallery is awful quiet. :)
Wow. I got dizzy trying to follow this ( ha)....but I agree with you.
Hey, did you see this thread? I thought of you when I read it...she apparently gave him meth. I guess you and many others were right about her character and not telling the whole truth. I only pray that she truly stops using, if only for her child's sake, but some people never learn. No telling what her child has already seen in her young life.
"It's personal to me that so many FReepers gave me greif because I called bullsh!t on Ashley's story from jump street"
I'm not really familiar with this story but the comment you made about freepers giving you grief when you called bullshit on Ashley's stories struck a nerve with me. I took the same kind of beating when I called bullshit on Amber Frey's sainthood during the Scott Peterson trial.
Thanks for the heads-up. ;)
Having read the book the Purpose Driven Life, I can tell you it was written for people like Ashley. Professed Christians still struggling with sin in their lives, will find much encouragement in this book. I know I did.
OK granted, she at the time of the event was still taking meth, and had a broken relationship with her parents, but she was in the process of turning her life around, and from every thing I have seen and read she is doing just that.
It’s the Christophobes who are using this spread their anti-Christian message.
I didn't see Hannity & Colmes last night, but I have seen her interviewed several times. She always sounds like she is reading from a script to me....something about her just doesn't ring true. But, the fact of the matter is, after being with her for several hours he did give himself up with no further violence. That little voice inside my head tells me there is more to this story, but I have no choice but to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Now what I really feel... this whole story is so pefectly woven together, they will all make LOTS of money and sell LOTS of books. If Ashley doesn't WORK a 12 step program (as she has said in interviews the last 2 nights in a row, she hasn't done because she was tied up with the book), she will be back on the meth.
The general feeling here in Atlanta is that she knows far more than she's letting on.
She's portraying someone who was chosen randomly by Nichols. The catch -- and most outside of Atlanta don't realize this -- her apartment is not just off of the highway. You truly had to know where you were going to get to where Ashley Smith lived. So for someone who was on the run in a stolen vehicle at "Oh-dark-thirty" in the morning, trying to get away from Atlanta on I-85, the notion of "finding" someone who just happened to be out, plus who happened to have some meth smells incredibly suspicious.
The sainted Lady Ashley has conveniently declined to talk to any local media until her book signing next week, despite repeated calls from local radio, television and the print media (both newspapers and magazines here). From what I understand, she's looking for money from whoever interviews her -- which also smells VERY fishy.
The whole thing is very flaky. I have a hard time trusting her.
I saw a piece of her on Larry King this evening with Rick Warren, and I'm still skeptical. It's too convenient. I think that's a huge part of my problem. Call me a curmudgeon or anything else, but personally, I think the "sainted Lady Ashley" is not on the up and up.
I saw her on Larry King last night. Seems to me she's getting "a big head" from the book deal etc., and I bet she goes unstable in the future. I hope not, but she was not completely likeable on the show last night.
Dylan was and is a genius.
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