Former US Olympic gymnast and Christian, Rachael Denhollander gave a biblical, moving and powerful speech in court to the former sports doctor who had sexually abused her.
In her 30-minute testimony, Denhollander described in detail the abuse she suffered and the anguish she felt knowing that others had experienced it too. Addressing the Judge, she said: ‘The sentence you hand down can communicate to all these little girls and to every predator to every little girl or young woman who is watching, how much a little girl is worth.’ Judge Rosemarie Aquilina sentenced Nassar to 175 years in prison.
Making reference to the Bible Nassar brought to his hearing, she said: ‘Larry, if you have read the Bible you carry, you know forgiveness does not come from doing good things, as if good deeds can erase what you have done. It comes from repentance which requires facing and acknowledging the truth about what you have done in all of its utter depravity and horror without mitigation, without excuse, without acting as if good deeds can erase what you have seen in this courtroom today. The Bible carries a final judgment where all of God’s wrath and eternal terror is poured out on men like you. Should you ever reach the point of truly facing what you have done, the guilt will be crushing.
‘And that is what makes the gospel of Christ so sweet. Because it extends grace and hope and mercy where none should be found. And it will be there for you. I pray you experience the soul-crushing weight of guilt, so you may some day experience true repentance and true forgiveness from God, which you need far more than forgiveness from me – though I extend that to you as well.’
