December 14, 2007
Readers Respond to the Gospel Side of Elvis
The late great Johnny Cash once told me this:
Elvis may have had a stronger relationship with God than I did. God gives us life and takes us away as He sees fit. I don't say Elvis died because of drugs. I say God decided it was time for him to die. I don't believe any of the trash I've read about him. God's the final judge for Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash too. That's solely in the hands of God.
Here's what you had to say:
From B.G.: "I was always an Elvis fan, though not 'over the edge'. I never knew him nor met him, but there was a spiritual connection as if I knew he 'knew' the Lord and he was struggling with it."
From B.L.: "Wouldn’t it be great if Elvis is in heaven? A pastor of a large church in Indiana, who is now deceased, used to tell a story about getting into an elevator and running into Elvis. He asked Elvis if he was saved and where he would spend eternity. Elvis assured him he would be in heaven one day. Interesting..."
From T.C.: "I am sure Elvis was a tormented man. There have been millions of addicted junkies and drunks who were spiritually confused and tormented and didn’t have the talent Elvis had in his left pinky finger. What’s the goal of the exercise you are doing? Are we supposed to offer up more grace and sentiment to junkies with some talent? Are we supposed to view him as some sort of role model because he yearned for meaning in a spiritual void that even God couldn’t fill for him? The guy was a drug addicted drunk who connected with the world and chose to waste his potential by dying a loser. Elvis simply used his 'torment' as a pathetic excuse to indulge himself to death."
From K.S.: "Think whatever they like BUT Jesus said it best Himself when He asked Pete, 'Who do YOU say that I AM?' What did Elvis really believe about Him? As you know the demons believe in God and tremble..."
From H.P.: "Only God will know for sure. Who are we to say we can rightly judge one's heart? As Paul said, 'The things I wish to do, that I do not do. That which I do not want to do, that I do.' Only God knows the heart."
Read the interview on today's 700 Club.
Contact Scott Ross