On occasion I get requests from a teacher or student, or an entire class to help with a project they're working on either on the subjects of criminology, psychology or sociology or something else. If it sounds legitimate I will try to help. I replied to the letter from Oswego High School on December 18.


CLASS QUESTIONS:

1) You seem to have completely changed the person you are since the events of 1976 and 1977. Do you have any explanation or recollection for what happened? Can you identify with the Son of Sam who committed these crimes or is he a completely different person at this point?

A) During that dark time in my life, from the ages of 22 to 24, I had been undergoing a time of deep emotional disturbance. Although I did not recognize it at the time, I had become very delusional. As a result, I was not thinking clearly. I was filled with occultic thoughts and was traveling a very dark path. It would be impossible to put it into words. Today, however, I do not recognize nor do I relate to the so called "Son of Sam" persona. This moniker means nothing to me today, and I do not relate to it at all. Just seeing or hearing these words causes me to experience emotional pain.


2) If you were released today, would this world we live in be safe, and do you think you will be safe?

A) If I was to be released, which is highly unlikely, I believe I would be relatively safe. Of course my personal safety would always be a concern. I would add that if someone was angry at me and feeling vengeful, it is with the person I once was, and not with who I am today.


3) You've been in prison for 40 years, but do you remember how and when you were able to find God for the very first time and why you did so? What has made you follow Christianity
in these more recent times?

A) Yes, today I am someone who has committed himself to Jesus Christ and has a personal relationship with Him. Let me say that in my darkest moments, when I had just about given up on life and was alone in a cold prison cell, somehow the Lord reached out to me. He penetrated the darkness of my lonely heart, and I was never the same again. Slowly, over the process of time, I began to grow spiritually. I was changing for the better. And I continue to grow and change.


4) Many believe that, during the specific time you found God, you made some kind of transition from a form of "evil" to a completely different form of "good." Do you believe this is possible? What is your personal definition of evil?

A) My answer is similar to what I wrote for #3. I believe that anyone can change and become a better person if he or she wants to. The Bible declares, "For with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37). I think this verse says it all.

As for my definition of evil, as Webster's Dictionary states, evil is deliberately causing injury and harm to another. It is something "morally reprehensible," and is a very destructive power.
But I would add that the potential to do evil lies more or less within the heart of every person. This being that under the right circumstances, evil can manifest itself.

History, I believe, has many examples of this. Think of Hitler and his manipulating many of Germany's citizens to round up and kill Jews, who at the time were also citizens of Germany. The same with Stalin in Russia. Pol Pot in Cambodia and Mao Tse-Tung in China. Millions turned upon their neighbors and destroyed them. This is evil!


5) I believe that serial killers, yourself in particular, are capable of remorse. Others disagree. Would you agree with this and what is your message to these people who might disagree, families of the victims in particular?

A) As for having remorse, I know from experience that even those whom society has written off as evil, are capable of remorse. Over the years I have encountered many convicted felons who are remorseful. I myself am deeply remorseful, and I have tried my best to demonstrate this. Some have accepted it, and others have not. This is okay as every person is entitled to his or her own opinion.

Consider, too, when trying to define evil, of the many business executives and financial advisors who have swindled their clients out of money, some even out of their life's savings, or those who have hurt people in other ways that did not involve actual violence? Yet at the same time not demonstrating any remorse. Surely such psychopathic behaviors can be seen in many people, even by those who have never taken a life. Therefore we should not limit the subject of remorse only to those who have committed so called "serial" type crimes.

David Berkowitz
​December 18, 2016

Lasting about an hour, this eye-opening session was presented in churches, and as well, Christian organizations sponsored it on college campuses (see Thank You card, article and email below).
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Dan would combine history, personal glimpses, and in contrast, the way the Gospel of Jesus Christ has so completely changed "Satanic Son of Sam" to become the "saved Son of Hope." An excellent DVD/video testimonial was also shown.  Dan's presentation touched many lives.  Due to some health challenges, Dan is no longer able to travel.  Your prayers for Dan are greatly appreciated. 

 

​"The Son of Sam, Son of Hope" video is so powerful that it pushed all of us to pray and thank God from our seats for being so merciful to us and saving us! That video is an upfront attack from God to the enemy because the truth is told so clearly that it puts the enemy to shame.

The skit at the end of the event was hilarious! Courtney gets up from the audience complaining that she doesn't agree with anything that is being said, and the MC begins to witness to her in front of everyone. She asked and said the things that most people were probably thinking like: "Of course DB is going to find Jesus in jail, he needed him. But I'm not such a bad person, I don't need Jesus," and "I don't believe in God," "man wrote the Bible," etc.

I thank God for opening the doors for his Gospel at Ramapo College and for allowing us to have people that preach it as it ought to be preached! Praise God! I will be letting you know of any future testimonies that we receive :). Bless you brother!!

Jonathan

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As a believer, the presentation was reviving. It revived my heart towards the power of Christ! I have said to myself many a time "If Christ can change the Son of Sam He can do anything!" And after your message I remembered that fact and had a deeper appreciation of the Lord. I don't know a lot of things. I read the Bible and pray and I have even experienced a pretty tremendous rebirth of my own. But seeing and hearing the story of the Son of Hope just goes beyond anything I have every actually experienced.

You see you can read a story in the Bible or even in the papers. You don't usually know the writer except that of course, we know God authored the Bible. But when someone you know tells you he is David's best friend and then relates what happened... And his best friend is standing in front of you telling you the story... It would be pretty hard not to believe.

I think you did an amazing job of presenting his story. Your excitement and enthusiasm were radiant and contagious.

Dan - I loved it! I think the next time you do that in the area I will bring my video camera and tape it so you can send it to places you may not be able to get to. I am praying for you Bro -

In Him,

Laney

During the summer of 2007 David was contacted by Dr. Mike Woodworth, from UBC Okanogan in Canada. Dr. Woodworth asked if David would be interested in participating in one of his classes, "to help educate and engage the minds of a group of 4th year Arts and Science students."

Dr. Woodworth explained that the topics of this particular class would ask the students to consider if someone can behave in an incomprehensibly evil manner and then find enlightenment at some other stage of their life and no longer be evil. Then the students would be asked to consider when an individual commits and extremely violent act or acts, is that something that will always define part of their core being or "soul" or if it is truly possible to still come to define something pure and good?

Dr. Woodworth's proposal was for David to "present his story of how he has found hope through religion and how he now believes that he is someone who is defined by goodness, rather than evil." The class would provide a list of questions for David to answer.


David agreed. The questions and his answers follow:

Copyright © AriseandShine.Org

1) Do you think you would have found God and religion if the concept of “forgiveness” hadn't been such a big part of the religion? What if the religion only stressed caring and love, but was unclear about the role of forgiveness?

A) This is a question that I could never answer with certainty because, first, Christianity is not a person finding God, but God, in the person of Jesus Christ comes to seek out those who are lost. Christianity involved people making peace with God, and it is God who does the forgiving. My faith does stress caring and love. In fact the Bible says that “God is love (I John 4:8).” For example also in the letter of First John, it says, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another (I John 4:11). Since “love” is the essence of the Christian faith, although many of us fall short and do not show this love and caring to others like we should, how can there ever be love and caring without forgiveness?


2) When one makes the transformation from Evil to Good, do you feel the individual will become impervious to any situation which may persuade the individual to perform Evil once more? Further, do you ever fear that you are more vulnerable or likely to succumb to evil temptations because of your previous behavior?

A) Concerning the first question here, having faith in God now and trying to live a better life today is never a guarantee that a person will not revert back to past behaviors. Regarding Christianity one is taught that the so called “sin nature” is always going to be present and an individual is always going to have the capacity to do wrong. But that through faith in Christ and by the indwelling of God’s Spirit within, that evil can be resisted and should be. But even a person of faith can fail. This is where God’s mercy comes into play. I believe that the fact I committed such horrific and irreversible criminal acts in the past, and because I am so ashamed and guilt-ridden over my past conduct, this acts in a way as a safe-guard that such conduct is never repeated. My past bad experiences cause me to absolutely never want to live an evil life ever again.


3) What do you think the ultimate definition of evil should be (what would be your evil diagnosis check-list)?

A) Many see “evil” as committing a very horrific act or acts such as committing a string of brutal crimes. But I think this is too narrow a definition. Evil can be anything which harms another individual. Evil to me can be anything which deliberately causes hurt to someone. For example, a man cheats on his wife and carries out an adulterous affair. Then he is finally discovered and his wife is devastated. She has a nervous breakdown from which she never fully recovers. She begins to drink heavily and eventually becomes an alcoholic and dies prematurely, never having come to terms with her husband’s infidelity. Hasn’t he lived with evil? After all, he destroyed his wife’s life and selfishly carried on and affair for years without any regard for his spouse. And we could think of dozens of examples of those who wrong others. To me, if one could actually make an “evil diagnosis check-list” I would have to say any person who does things that could harm another individual would be practicing evil. Realistically, therefore, most of us would be somewhere on this scale, for we’ve all done things that were selfish and could’ve caused harm to someone else, like getting behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated.


4) To what extent do you identify the events and deeds of your past as part of yourself? Do they seem at all congruent with the person you are now, or, looking back, does it feel as if it was a different person who committed the crimes?

A) It is hard nowadays to see myself as the person who once committed crimes and hurt people. I feel this was a totally different individual. I feel disconnected from the past, to a degree, and I do not go along in life rehashing those bad things. I don’t live in the past. This is not to negate it. Rather I have come to understand that oftentimes there are no clear-cut explanations for everything a person does. Sometimes the exact motives will never be discovered while of course all the “experts” will have their pet theories. Personally I believe that not every act of human behavior can always be explained. In addition, concerning the past, while I am deeply sorry for the wrong I have done, no amount of wishing can change it. I have to accept what I cannot change, fix or undo and, by God’s grace, go on with my life making amends whenever possible.


5) Do you feel that society would be safe if you were released tomorrow?

A) Yes, I am sure “society” would be safe. The real question is, with all kinds of kooks and angry people out there, would I be safe?


6) At what point did you realize your mind was unhealthy at the time of your crimes, and do you ever fear it could become like that again? Are you taking any kinds of medication for your mental health?

A) At the time of my crimes I was lost in my own delusions and I was, in my opinion, lost in a satanic web of confusion and false beliefs. So I did not see myself as being troubled. I was not seeking help. In prison, however, I have not received any psychiatric help. I am not under the care of mental health professionals and I receive no psychotropic medications. I have no disciplinary or behavioral problems and prison officials trust me to work with inmates who are legally blind, those who live in the mental health/special needs housing area (I live in the prison’s general population), and they allow me to help lead the chapel services. I’ve written a great deal about all this in my online prison journal. I believe I have a good and positive attitude toward life.


7) How often do you still have unhealthy or negative thoughts (such as self-doubt, shame, or “urges”) and how do you handle them?

A) I am not perfect by any means and I have my share of day-to-day struggles and times when I feel down. Sometimes this is because of my busy schedule or not enough rest – I am basically a “Type-A” personality and I like to work. Other times I feel sad because I miss my family and friends. Prison is a difficult environment to live in and it is not easy to overcome the general negativity that exists in such an environment. Nevertheless my faith in Christ is strong, and my hope is in God. Considering the fact that I have been incarcerated for more than thirty years, to have such a healthy and realistic outlook is something that I believe can only come with God’s help.


8) It has been reported that for a period of time after serving in the war you also considered yourself to be a born again Christian. This stage of your life preceded the criminal incidents that you are incarcerated for today. Do you have any thoughts on what is different about finding God this second time?

A) I served three years in the U.S. Army. After returning from a tour of duty overseas in Korea, I was then stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky. It was here, for about several months, that I got involved in going to church when another man invited me. There was a bus ministry from a Baptist church in town that would pick up soldiers on Sunday mornings and invite them to church followed by a special lunch. It was a nice thing for lonely soldiers like myself. The people were very friendly. I became emotionally involved with the friendship and I wanted to be accepted. However I do not believe this was a genuine conversion experience. I was lonely more than anything and I was far from home. There was almost nothing to do on the post during the weekends other than going to the movies. My military job as a clerk typist was boring, too. So my Sunday trips to town to be surrounded by kind folks was something I probably needed socially and psychologically. Yet after several months my visits to the church and their afternoon meals began to wane. I stopped going well before I left the service. So I think that, all told, the media made more of this than it actually was.


9) What has been your favorite year of your life?

A) This is a difficult question to answer, but I would say that 1964 was a nice year for me because I vividly remember several trips I made to the World’s Fair in New York City (Flushing, Queens).

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After receiving David's answers and having time to present them to his class, Dr. Woodworth replied back, "I can definitely say that many of the students are now much more unsure of how stable of a trait evil necessarily is, and found David's responses to be quite compelling."
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