Jesus himself, being arguably closer to God than any other person, once said "He who is without sin may cast the first stone." Is it not worth looking at that the soul closest to God not only refused to throw stones himself but used cutting wit to show others why they should not throw them as well?
Yet I have never seen people more in the habit of throwing stones than those who claim to follow Jesus, the one who never threw them and pointed out that none of us have that right either. Why is that? Is it because we mistakenly, in absence of scripture saying we should AND in opposition of scripture saying we shouldn't, throw stones by "righteously" judging those who aren't as "righteous" as we, or at least as righteous as they should be?
So not only do some judge "righteously," they judge by a different standard depending on which group you belong to. If they know you and like you, they are likely to give you some slack, if they don't know you but know your "kind," and therefore know all they "need" to, they are much more harsh in their judgment.
I have long believed that the purpose of life is to love and be loved unconditionally, this includes our enemies especially since those who are hateful, judgmental and use the word of God to demean others need that love more than most. I have always felt the purpose of the scriptures is to inspire that unconditional love of God within each one of us and show us not just tell us how we can apply that unconditional love in everyday life. Times may change, but our humanity is eternal and it is that humanity that requires the nourishment of divine unconditional love from us all and from the Almighty Himself.
One reason those who are closer to God feel no need or desire to throw stones is because you cannot extend love to others or even to yourself at the same time you throw stones. Those two practices are at opposite ends of the human condition. Judging others, throwing stones literally or figuratively at those who sin differently than you is an attitude indicative of fear because maybe you fear the sin of others will infect you like a virus. We as a culture and community often shun those who sin, those who commit an unforgivable act which according to Jesus and examples in scripture does not fit any sin.
The Apostle Paul contributed the the murder of the first Christian Martyr Stephen, yet God forgave him. Matthew was a tax collector who robbed his own people of what little they had to provide the Romans, who ruthlessly occupied the Holy Land, with more and more wealth and power.
The scriptures say Jesus came into the world not to condemn it but to save it. Therefore, condemnation is not the path to salvation of yourself or others. But love is.
And though Russel M. Nelson may say God's love is conditional, anyone who has felt God's love, anyone who has felt the presence of the Lord knows that is a boldfaced falsehood that would make a baby cry. Because every child knows love is unconditional. As you did when you were a child, until your elders taught you differently. The love of men can be conditional but who wants that? That is unhealthy for the "lover" and the "loved." Ask any therapist.
In Isaiah and in Romans scripture says essentially that the Law of God was written on the human heart. This is known now as your conscience and together with the Holy Spirit you are guided through any and all situations life presents you with, that is how Christ nailed Mosaic Law to the Cross as scripture also says. Once Jesus made it known that this is how you are guided, because the Kingdom of God is within you the Kingdom enters into the world through you. And the laundry list of commandments becomes unnecessary because the right answer will be known to you through confirmation of the spirit.
We are living Temples. Our bodies are temples and we bear the divine image of God. Not just physically but internally as well. And as disciples we are called to act as Christ would were he here with us today. Love and faith is what gives the priesthood its power. And if you have faith in a just God, then you should have faith to know that no good will be done by throwing stones, literally or figuratively. It is not his will since Jesus never did so when he was with us and was handed an opportunity more than once to throw them and was sinless enough to have the right to throw them. He did not, instead he told the adulteress "Neither do I condemn thee....go and sin no more."
We, as disciples, are called to love our enemies not to condemn them. You can't force someone to change, you can only inspire them to change. The Gospel spreads best through fascination not force. If we were a truly Christlike community and culture we would have people saying "If that is what it means to be Mormon, I want to be one of them!"
Yet more often then not people view us as hypocrites because so many of our leaders and members use scripture to shame, shun and condemn those who sin differently than we do. We do not, as Jesus did, live up to the sermon on the Mount. The teachings that call us to care for the needy, the poor, the ostracized, the sinners. We teach that love is conditional, even God's love when the truth is by concentrating only on outward signs of righteousness we miss the inward signs that are more important.
Those signs can be answered only by the individual who will be asked by Christ on judgment day whether or not they feed him when he was hungry, if they gave him drink when he was thirsty, if they visited him in prison, if they made him feel welcomed when he was a stranger. Many farm out their charity and alms, if they bother to give at all, to companies and organizations. But Jesus wont ask if we paid someone to do those things for him, he will ask us if we did those things for him.
Jesus said "he who loses his life in me will find it." What that means to me is when you dedicate yourself, your life to Christ as any Temple is dedicated to the Lord, you then find your true self. When you serve the Lord and others rather than your own self interests then you are fit to lead others into the Kingdom because you will show them the way into it by opening the doors of the Kingdom within and let the living water of God pour out and sustain all those you come into contact with.
Jesus refused to throw stones at the adulteress, who deserved it most according to the legalistic outward motivated Pharisees, and instead extended grace, mercy and unconditional love to a woman who needed it more than most. Jesus never met a prostitute, or a murderer, or a slave, a King. He only met sons and daughters of God along their path back to God.
The festival of colors is a Hindu Holy festival in which people throw colors at each other to celebrate the colors of spring and new life in bloom. The comradely is magical. I have been to one myself and it was a beautiful experience.
Jesus threw colors of love, comradely, compassion and of new life and love found in abundance in the Kingdom of God.
Let us follow in his footsteps.
