From an interview on This American Life (episode: "Plan B") by host Ira Glass of Barry Keenan, a guy who, in the 60s, wrote up a business plan and decided the best way to raise money for it would be to kidnap and ransom Frank Sinatra, Jr, which he did, shortly before he was caught, convicted, and sent to prison...
Ira Glass: I wonder if the fact that you constructed such an elaborate web of logic with your business plan, if that made the kidnapping seem so reasonable, and even good for the Sinatras. I wonder if that prevented you at the time from comprehending what you were putting them through. You know?
Barry Keenan: Oh, absolutely. I had it so rationalized and justified... I had God's approval that this thing was being divinely blessed.
Glass: What was the sign that it had God's approval?
Keenan: Well, God talked to me, particularly when I would go to church and light a candle and be still and I would hear God talking to me and telling me what I had to do, and He was very definite about nobody being hurt, and, um, I had to pay the money back.
Glass: As you've gotten older and sobered up and gotten wiser, does God still talk to you?
Keenan: Oh, no, no, that went away when I got sober. And also got psychiatric help. So, you know, when I hear voices these days, I don't pay any attention to them.
[If you subscribe to the podcast, you can download each new episode free for a week. This American Life, WBEZ]
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