Faith Reflections in Light of Tyler Clementi

October 1, 2010
Scripture Verse that Caught My attention today: Zechariah 10:8 I will signal for them and gather them in,
for I have redeemed them,
and they shall be as numerous as they were before.

Observation: the Lord is the great gatherer of people, and that’s a good thing.

Application: I’ve seen a fair amount of news in my lifetime, so it’s not very often that there is a story or headline that stays in my mind overnight. But the news of the Rutgers’ student who took his own life—quite likely because a room-mate streamed live, unauthorized, and intimate video of him over the Internet—just seems like such a travesty.

Part of me is appalled that a room-mate could take such grievous advantage of both technology and his roommate who, presumably in good faith, asked for privacy. The thought of the hidden camera and, much worse, the intentional broadcast to the public, truly sickens me. Yet the other part of me realizes that there are some things that, due to immaturity, may seem funny at the time and only later are understood for the true depth of their cruelty. Surely no-one involved envisioned things turning out as they did, including the legal process that has yet to unfold.

We live in a day of ‘reality’ TV where the view from hidden cameras is the norm. The people in those videos, however, signed up for as much. Closer to this situation was the old ‘Candid Camera’ show where people didn’t know they were being videoed and yet the segments appeared on national TV. Still, there were two important caveats. First, the subjects still had opportunity to give permission. Second, there were broadcast standards; some things were not deemed appropriate for national TV.

What does all of this have to do with the passage above? God was speaking through the prophet to the exiles. They had been scattered, partially as a consequence of their own actions and partially due to grievous injustice. God’s plan? To bring them back, to gather them in, to offer them signs of promise and hope, to personally care for them as a community.

It comes to mind that years ago there was another humiliation. It wasn’t a secret, though there was some secret plotting involved. There was no video stream, but there was a live showing of a naked and dying man. Most artist portrayals of Jesus on the cross have him tastefully covered up. But in all likelihood, he hung completely naked on the cross. Humiliation was an intentional partner to the pain. Jesus did not take his own life, but he did intentionally lay it down. And ironically, the one who ‘outed’ him (in terms of identifying him to the authorities) eventually felt such great remorse that he took his own life.

The Bible’s Gospel of John recalls the words of Zechariah after a sword was thrust into Jesus’ side to assure that he was really dead; “they will look upon the one they have pierced.”

Indeed. And when we do, we see the One who we are told will one day gather us all together, whether our name is Tyler or Dharun or Molly, or Judas…or you or I. I just wish it didn’t seem like such a long way down the road.

Prayer: Lord, be with all who are suffering in body or soul and await in life or in death the great gathering you promise. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Scripture Readings today included: Zechariah 10-12, Psalm 126 and Luke 14)