I feel dirty when I read about these things. I couldn't even make it through the whole Tiger story. Other recent scandals that have made me feel the same way are the whole Jon and Kate divorce, and reaching further back, poor Michael Phelps and his choice of herbal inhalants. Nationally, and even globally, our society feeds on the perceived moral failings of its god-celebrities. Somehow we think that if someone is worthy of our attention, that their sins are fair game for judgment, criticism and dissection. Something about this socially condoned and encouraged hunger feels fundamentally wrong to me, and I'm trying to figure out exactly what it is.
As Christians, we are indeed called to be holy - to be set apart. Historically this has been tied most clearly to our bodies - who we choose to sleep with, what we choose to ingest, where we choose to go and with whom we associate. But the kingdom of God is about relationship - how we interact in all our brokenness with all the other broken people in the world, and how together we can choose love over hate, peace over violence, acceptance over judgment. Too often, however, Christians have been at the forefront of the judgment parade, chastising anyone who doesn't adhere to "The Rules" as unholy, unworthy, undeserving of forgiveness unless they seem appropriately sorry.
Being called to holiness doesn't give us the right to demand the same of others. Being called to follow Christ means rejecting the wisdom of this world, it means choosing to be in relationship with others based on love, not self-interest. Should Christians read US Weekly? Why am I so drawn to this gossip, and why does it make me feel so dirty after I've partaken? What if anything should the church say about celebrities' infidelities and poor choices? And why does the whole world seem to take pleasure when one of its created gods falls so far?
