Casting Stones With Sin

I logged onto Facebook this morning and happened to glance at some vaguely interesting news that apparantly Ellen Degeneres was a guest judge on American Idol. I love Simon Cowell but that news didn't really bother me. It was a comment below that did and went something like this;

"Ellen DeGeneres is a SEXUAL PERVERT".

The individual went on to comment on how her surname seemed appropriate because she is indeed "degenerate". To be fair the person did finish by saying; "Having said that there for the grace of God go I". Well I found that the only amusing thing in the comment. The person leaving the comment was male. So it truly would be unfortunate if he became a lesbian and must, I guess, be attributed to God's grace that he does not.

A few caveats. I don't know this person (and don't have much of a desire to). This person (I am guessing) is probably a Christian but I don't know that. I am guessing that this comment is aimed at DeGeneres' sexual orientation but I don't know that.

But as you may guess by now - this comment upset me. To put it mildly. Once again the Christians are putting sexual orientation on a pedestal and seeing it as "the" worst sin. If this individual leaving this comment is a man then I would hazard a guess at some point he has lusted after a woman who is not his wife (or a man maybe ....). Therefore if we are consistent with the teaching of Jesus, he has committed adultery in his heart and certainly should be considering dealing with his sin by plucking his eyes out.

So why he is really any better than DeGeneres'? Why are any of us better than DeGeneres'? Why does her sexuality in this person's view disqualify her from a secular TV show? I would hazard a guess that the other American Idol judges just may partake in sexual practices that probably also would qualify as "perverted" or "deviant" in his eyes - such as sex outside of marriage? Or is it really homosexuality that fits the criteria?

I love Jesus Christ so much.

When a prostitute was dragged to Jesus to be condemned (and I wonder if this person would be included in that crowd doing the dragging) His response was classic. He did not defend the woman's sin. He did not throw a stone and sign her death warrant (as the Law demanded). He started simply writing in the sand and when He did finally say something, it was this;

"He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."

C H Spurgeon in a wonderful sermon on the Song of Solomon said this;

"The peril of self complacency increases in precisely the same ratio as the zeal of proselytising. When counselling others, you think yourself wise. When warning others, you feel yourself safe. When judging others, you suppose yourself above suspicion".

Ellen DeGeneres may indeed be "dead in her trespasses and sin" - but a comment like this really isn't going to make her wonder about her need for a gospel of grace. It's high time we all started listening to the words of Jesus Christ and dropping our stones where we found them and going home.