Frank Ocean and Public Opinion

Frank Ocean came out of the closet this weekend, and immediately Jay-Z and Beyonce came out in support of him. This show of support could save his career. Regardless of my religious views, great music is great music. Period. Case in point: Tegan and Sara. I will rock out to "Call it Off" in my car like I just want to "break my own heart" right there in my Jetta. What awes me about the Frank Ocean saga is not the bravery of a hip-hop artist coming out of the closet (b/c I don't care), but rather the way in which Jay-Z and Beyonce might actually have the ability and the power to shape the landscape of public opinion.

And I thought: who's shaping my opinion? What changes my mind when I hear it? Who's seal of approval sparks my own approval? 

And I thought: The Woman Caught in Adultery

This is a famous occurrence in the Bible and people quote it ALL the time, when they don't want judgment to fall on them. However, it's conveniently forgotten when they feel the need to pass judgment.

Setting: The Temple at Dawn
Sitch: The Pharisees have just brought a woman who they "caught" in adultery to Jesus saying:

“Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” ...But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger... he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” ...At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time...until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said “Then neither do I condem you,”Jesus declared. 

Excerpts of John 8:3-11

 

Prior to JC speaking  a word, everyone approved of her stoning. Everyone's opinion was shaped in the same way. But then, out of nowhere,  Jesus re-shaped the landscape of public opinion. Right then, in the midst of what had to have been mob mentality, Jesus changed minds. And here's what's crazy:

Their opinion was based in fact. 

We know "You shall not commit adultery" is one of the 10 commandments, as well as just being icky behavior. Per a little research, I found out that  Jewish law treated adultery as super serious because it (1) violated God's ordinance and (2) wreaked havoc on the stability of marriage and family life.  Does that sound familiar? Since they were right, all they needed to do was throw the first stone. Maybe they had forgotten how to throw stones?

 Again, their opinion was based in fact.

This woman was caught in the act of adultery. The Law did command them to stone such a person...but yet they were dissuaded from throwing stones. In a pistols at dawn moment, Jesus shot Grace over Law. And he shot everyone in the heart, by introducing self-examination into the judgment process.

She's an adulterer. But what are you?

And before you say you're perfectly awesome, please check 1 John 1:8 and settle down.There, there, settle down.

But Jesus, being sinless and...ummm God, was certainly in a position to condemn her, but He didn't. And it is not like He was endorsing her lifestyle, because at the end of v. 11 He says "Go, and sin no more." But rather, He (1) dismissed all the people who judgment didn't belong to, and (2) as the one person with judgment authority...He pardoned.

Look down.

Is there a stone in your hand? If so, who's shaping the landscape of your opinion? ...Because odds are it's not Christ.