A surprise appearance on Jimmy Kimmel; hysterical fans reach to shake his hand, or to grab a t-shirt. You instantly sense that whatever once served as a barrier; as an issue, was long since forgotten. Is it Barry Bonds on his way out of the courtroom or LeBron James on his way off the court? No, it’s Charlie Sheen.
This isn’t about an athlete or an actor, it’s about accountability. It’s about right and wrong, but there are no apologies. It’s about an ignorance of arrogance; it’s about a status that far outranks a standing. It’s about a spiritual divorce of accountability and consequence.
One could argue that America takes a “multiple choice” stance on forgiveness and accountability. Destroying the integrity of baseball while destroying your body with steroids is unforgiveable and punishable to the fullest extent of the law, but destroying your body with alcohol is, well, it’s okay I guess.
“Accountability is meaningless,” said one Chicagoan. “If you can entertain through movie or sport, you are okay to do as you please. The impact that your actions, and our reactions has on the broader society is irrelevant.”
What about the children? Said one parent:
“The message is one that accountability is no longer required. You can experiment, do drugs, whatever; and people are asked to embrace it rather than to correct. If this were an athlete, would they have been condemned? Even athletes get to apologize and move on, without condemnation. We are teaching our kids that mistakes without accountability or consequence is okay. You can always join another team or network. “
The Apostle Paul mentions that God is no respecter of persons. This means that you cannot buy Him (God) with your money, wow Him with your looks, or impress Him with your talent. The expectation of you is the expectation of me. Your ability to shoot a ball or act in a movie does not impress God, but it impresses us.
Can you imagine seeing your neighbor in a drunken stupor? How would you react if he were speaking as if he was high on PCP? What would you do to try and protect his children? Once arrested, we would demand that the book be thrown at him. He can’t score a touchdown or act in a play; he should get life in prison.
This isn’t about celebrity or fame; it is about a straight line and a consistent expectation from person to person; regardless of name, or fame. Because God is not a respecter of persons;
But we are
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