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Sex, celebrity, discipleship
Sex, celebrity, discipleship Monday's Meditation: Sex, Celebrity, & Discipleship
Monday, April 19, 2010 at 12:24PM I’m wondering today if I became a dramatically better writer overnight. With last Thursday's post, When Famous Christians are Gay, traffic to Students of Jesus increased ten-fold, and comments tripled their usual rate.
Why did so many more people visit this particular blog post and recommend it to others? To be sure, there were some unusual elements: I’ve never written specifically about sexuality before; I’ve never focused on a celebrity before; and never addressed the politically charged topic of homosexuality before. These three elements combined to generate increased buzz and discussion--but why?
Sexuality: Does our sexual activity fall under the Lordship of Jesus? Is there a connection between sexuality and spirituality? In the 16-month life of this blog I’ve never written specifically about sex and the life of a disciple. My bad--it’s a significant part of how we express our devotion to Jesus: gay, straight, single, married, widowed, divorced. My failure to address the sexual part of our being effectively pushes sex into the closet, as if spiritual people do not concern themselves with sex. Big mistake. I’m determined to address this area soon.
Celebrity: Say what you want, Jennifer Knapp still knows how to promote an album. The twin interviews with Christianity Today and The Advocate certainly put her back into the public eye after a seven-year absence. And readers apparently care. What is it about celebrity that draws our attention? As followers of Jesus, why would we respond more strongly to her story than someone unknown? True, her celebrity stems from recording “sacred” music targeted at a Christian market, but what does this reveal about our values as consumers of Christian culture?
Discipleship: Jesus invites everyone: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11: 28) He loves us just the way we are--but does he let us remain just the way we are? What activities are compatible with becoming a follower of Jesus? When--and how--does he change us? Do we want him to change us, or is Christianity simply another lifestyle choice we add as an accessory to our lives? His anger burned against religious hypocrisy. He called self-righteous people “snakes” and “blind guides.” Clearly, he urged them to repent. Yet when Jesus befriended tax collectors and prostitutes did he endorse their lifestyle? Although we have no record of it, can we imagine that the woman at the well in John 4 remained in her living arrangements? Is a life-long embrace of sin compatible with the life of a disciple? The yoke Jesus offers produces peace and rest--but it is still a yoke.
These three topics have saturated my thoughts in the last four days. I invite you to think them through and dialogue with me in the days to come.
Reader Comments (8)
I preached Sunday about the whole lack of life change in disciples. I think often times we don't want Christ to change us. We just want Him to be on our bookshelf because it makes us have a certain ego because we think it's an important part to play. Often times as Christians we don't "take up thy cross" and actually want Christ to change us because we don't want to give up things in our lives. I think we miss the point that Jesus wants us to repent and change. We focus on Christ befriending the prostitutes and tax collectors yet we miss that these people made a life change and turned away from their old ways. Great thoughts Ray, I think we do mistake what discipleship is all about.
Thanks, Matt. Here are a couple of questions I let off the post: Do we take the Lordship of Jesus seriously, or do we just want a Savior--AND--if we want a Savior, what do we think we need to be saved from? I think it's his heart toward us that his saving touch can begin right now, saving us from the ruinous attitudes and self-destructive behaviors to which we are captive right now. Peace!
Well said Ray. Jesus wasn't mean about it, but he did call his would-be disciples to leave their lives of sin behind.
I too thought a lot about celebrity after the Knapp flap. My basic thesis is that celebrities offer us a proxy for discussions, flaws, and other matters that we'd rather not face ourselves. It's easier to talk about a celebrity's sin rather than our own. While Knapp can serve as a conversation starter, it feels less threatening to make this about her rather than about us.
thanks for reflecting on this. It's helpful to think about what we're drawn to and why.
"Celebrities offer us a proxy for discussions, flaws, and other matters that we'd rather not face ourselves." Excellent observation, Ed.
MELISSA WROTE:
Wow Ray, I have missed a lot.
The statement, "we have vilified, condemned, and marginalized homosexuals while straight Christians have continued to commit any number of sexual sins" sums up my viewpoint perfectly.
God is the author of relationships and when we ignore his instructions on how to righteously participate in them (1 man + 1 woman in marriage), we are guaranteed heartache.
Jesus came to set us free from sin. Sexual immorality is an especially confining sin because it is committed in private and in the dark corners of our minds.
When we, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit or the gentle rebuke of fellow Christians, align ourselves with His design for sexual purity we discover a freedom like no other.
The most grievous error we can make is to ignore this topic or let its emotionally charged essence silence us.
Thanks, Melissa, and well said indeed. It's my firm conviction that God's way really is the best thing for us all--and that it's possible to know God's good intentions for us. Perhaps, in an effort to atone for condemnation of gay people at the hands of the church, many evangelicals are now rushing toward "grace and mercy" which ignores God's way. In the end, it will not prove to be either graceful or merciful. I hope I'm wrong. Peace to all.
MELISSA WROTE:
Wow Ray, I have missed a lot.
The statement, "we have vilified, condemned, and marginalized homosexuals while straight Christians have continued to commit any number of sexual sins" sums up my viewpoint perfectly.
God is the author of relationships and when we ignore his instructions on how to righteously participate in them (1 man + 1 woman in marriage), we are guaranteed heartache.
Jesus came to set us free from sin. Sexual immorality is an especially confining sin because it is committed in private and in the dark corners of our minds.
When we, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit or the gentle rebuke of fellow Christians, align ourselves with His design for sexual purity we discover a freedom like no other.
The most grievous error we can make is to ignore this topic or let its emotionally charged essence silence us.
I preached Sunday about the whole lack of life change in disciples. I think often times we don't want Christ to change us. We just want Him to be on our bookshelf because it makes us have a certain ego because we think it's an important part to play. Often times as Christians we don't "take up thy cross" and actually want Christ to change us because we don't want to give up things in our lives. I think we miss the point that Jesus wants us to repent and change. We focus on Christ befriending the prostitutes and tax collectors yet we miss that these people made a life change and turned away from their old ways. Great thoughts Ray, I think we do mistake what discipleship is all about.