Lone Message on Dylann Roof's Facebook Calls on Killer to Give His Heart to Jesus: 'He Is the Only One Who Can Save Your Soul'
In the wake 21-year-old Dylan Roof being identified as the gunman who killed nine worshipers at a historic black church in South Carolina Wednesday night, a 30-year-old gospel musician posted a message on Roof's since-deleted Facebook page encouraging him to seek salvation in Jesus Christ.
After Roof was identified as the target of a massive police manhunt, Marcus Stanley, a gospel artist who's originally from Norfolk, Virginia, quickly found Roof's Facebook page before it was taken down for security reasons.
IJReview reported that Stanley commented on Roof's profile photo and explained that although Roof committed such a heinous crime, he doesn't view him through a lens of hatred but rather through a lens of love.
"I don't look at you with the eyes of hatred, or judge you by your appearance or race, but I look at you as a human being that made a horrible decision to take the lives of nine living and breathing people," Stanley wrote.
Stanley's own personal story is one of encouragement as he has been shot eight times and was paralyzed until he found Christ in 2010 and was able to walk again. Stanley's post was a clear attempt to get Roof to accept Jesus in his life and repent for his atrocious crime that was inspired by Roof's allegedly racist attitude toward African-Americans.
"Children do not grow up with hatred in their hearts. In this world we are born color blind. Somewhere along the line, you were taught to hate people that are not like you, and that is truly tragic." Stanley's post asserted. "If you are still out there and you have your phone with you … Give your heart to Jesus and confess your sins with a heart of forgiveness. He is the only one that can save your soul and forgive you for this terrible act that you have done."
"I love you Dylann ... even in the midst of the darkness and pain you've caused. But more importantly, He loves you." Stanley added.
Stanley also posted the prayer of salvation and asked Dylann to recite it with a whole heart so that he has a chance at eternal life.
"You said in Romans 10:9 that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved," Stanley wrote. "Right now, I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now, I am saved."
Roof was captured by authorities in North Carolina on Thursday.