Is it possible that the leniency shown to famous people when they’re brought up on criminal charges delays them from fully learning the spiritual lessons they’re meant to learn?
Time and time again I see the news reports that show some type of a famous person has been arrested again on a serious charge. One of the most common ones these days seems to be a DUI. Most of these charges are frequently dismissed or are reduced to something quite minimal such as community service. While I can’t say for sure whether any of those charges ever have real truth behind them, I’ve had the tendency to believe there must be some when it comes to repeat offenders. Justin Bieber is one of those lately who keeps falling under this category as he’s been racking up criminal charges across the country. In recent years it was Lindsay Lohan though who was the one constantly in the news for getting arrested again.
I’m pretty sure that stars such as Bieber and Lohan feel great relief when their charges are completely dropped or reduced to something minimal. But I often wonder if that leniency is exactly what leads them to become those repeat offenders. In the recovery world I live in, many of my friends didn’t get that lenient treatment for the same type of criminal charges. Instead some have permanently lost their ability to drive a vehicle, some got extended jail time, and others had to go through extremely intensive programs for rehabilitation. There is a positive thing though that has come out of these more intense sentences that the courts gave them. They’re not a repeat offender anymore and they are extremely active in their 12-Step recovery.
I have a friend back in Boston who is one of them as he spent many years in prison for his alcohol and drug related behaviors. It was enough to wake him up and find recovery and today he’s a fine standing citizen who has been sober for many years now. He doesn’t regret being in prison for all those years because it was the wake up call he needed. I have many other friends who also don’t regret their sentences either because it was exactly what they needed to learn the spiritual lessons they needed to learn. It was exactly what motivated them to find recovery and stay in recovery. And it was exactly what led them to find a Higher Power to continuing guiding them on a healthy path. Famous people who get those high-priced lawyers may avoid the hefty sentences, but they also avoid the pain that could motivate them to stop doing the negative behaviors their doing that leads them back to getting arrested.
I’m not sure if things will ever change in the legal system for these stars, especially when money seems to always solve their legal problems. But I can still hope and pray that each of them may one day hit rock bottom like I once did many years ago before one of their charges is one they can’t get out of. While it may seem like they’re above the law for now, eventually they will always end up learning those spiritual lessons, it just may take a lot more time, and a lot more arrests.
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson