Jared Didn't Die For You

In the news recently, two high profile public persons deeply, aligned and identified with a brand or an institution, stars have imploded. Both entities connected to them are running away from them faster than you can say "Five Dollar Footlong."

Jared Fogel and Bill Cosby. Jared Fogel of course was a morbidly obese man who lost half his girth to display the healthiness of Subway, only to be shown to have other morbid fascinations (sexual) with underage children and teens. He seemed like a nice guy, amiable. Really not much obvious talent besides consuming less calories than more for a period of time. Everyman.

Cosby for years was a cranky cheerleader for Temple University. Temple attached its wagon to the Cosby star. Hoping for reflected glory, now Temple has institutional amnesia after years of milking the Cosby cow. Cosby, unlike Fogel, has decades of groundbreaking comedy and work to his credit. He was a Philly kid, Black, and Temple Grad who had done well. The preponderance of evidence suggests that he is guilty of sexual predatory behavior of an illegal nature towards drugged women. Dr. Huxtable and Mr. Hyde.

Reflected glory gone gory. Really ugly.

Humanity cries out for people who are what they appear to be. We hate hypocrisy we say. We want good images, good words and good deeds to be consistent. Yet when Jesus came, and practiced perfectly what he preached we killed Him. He loved His enemies, spoke the truth, practiced mercy and charity, etc. And we killed Him. Who's the hypocrite?

His star still rose, from the ashes of defeat that He assumed when He put on the hoary pants of humanity. The crooked timber of the human race met its end of the crooked timber of the Cross.

Let us worship Him.