A Vow...

Although it is not surprising to me that marriage is given little to no respect nowadays (what with our media, in particular), it does make me sad. I have watched, among people who view marriage incorrectly, one over-arching philosophy emerge: marriage is a "trap." Of course, I wouldn't expect people who aren't Christians to view marriage in any other way, but in reality, this view is gaining ground among believers as well.

So, why do people believe marriage is a trap? Pretty simple. They look to the media for their answers. Have you ever noticed how marriages are (largely) portrayed on the television and in movies? Tell me if this sounds familiar: a stupid, blundering husband is verbally beaten down by his over-worked, haggard housewife. Disrespectful kids run rampant in the home, complaining to both parents about their latest relationship, and nothing is ever solved without a huge fight. And then there are shows like Friends. Young, beautiful, single men and women have consequence-free sex, steady jobs, and friendships that last through anything; even sleeping around with each other. Which would you pick?

Of course most of the misconceptions about marriage have to do with one thing: sex. The reason that shows like Friends are so immediately successful is because they advertise great, guilt-free, disease-free sex, with endless and beautiful partners (something that is clearly NOT happening in most shows/movies that showcase a marriage). I will agree that sex is powerful, but I cannot support or adhere to the idiotic notion that marriage prevents a person from experiencing "all that life has to offer." Yet this belief is the main reason marriage is SO looked down upon today.

I could argue against that logic from many different positions, but there is really only one point to make: the media has it backwards. They have put sex in the position of power, ahead of marriage. Unfortunately, that cannot be true. Outside the Utopian bubble of shows and movies that sell sex as "completely without boundaries or consequences" there is an ugly reality. Sexually transmitted diseases are rampant, pornography is on the rise (along with rape and adultery), and men and women, as they grow older, are becomingly increasingly more dissatisfied and disillusioned with the "anything goes" lifestyle. Why? Because sex requires context.

Imagine if you were shown Mel Gibson's battle speech as William Wallace in Braveheart. Would it mean anything to you if you hadn't seen the rest of the film? Yes, that scene might be worth watching on its own, but it has none of its power without the entirety of the film to give it gravity or weight. It requires context in order to be worthwhile.

So it is with sex. Sex cannot mean anything unless it is fulfilled within the context God gave it: marriage. Marriage is a commitment to serve another person completely selflessly. It is God's gift to us, and it is meant to clearly demonstrate Christ's relationship to His bride: the Church. Sex within marriage, therefore, is an outpouring of love and a testament to the permanence and oneness of being husband and wife. Instead of being an entrapment, sex within marriage is totally freeing, because it allows a husband and wife to serve each other selflessly. And THAT is where its true power lies.

Without marriage to give it context, sex is purely carnal, and has nothing to do with a promise to serve another person. It is entirely selfish, and it is WHY men and women who have sex outside of marriage are left dissatisfied and disillusioned: it simply has no meaning.

A Discernment...

I have been thinking a lot lately about Christian discernment, particularly as it relates to the media. American pop culture adopted, long ago, the "Oprah Winfrey" view of life and faith, i.e. "all roads lead to Heaven." Celebrities have become increasingly more infamous, garnering news features and front page spots for their more amoral acts, NOT moral ones. Men and women are singled out as "important" based on the car they drive, the purse they carry, the neighborhood they live in, or the clothes they wear. Character, honor, and modesty--these words are facing death under the ever-building popularity of others: money, beauty, and fame.

So what are Christians to do in the face of this? Interesting question. It might be easier to answer this by pointing out the responses that, I believe, are the wrong ones.

1) The Rejection: Many Christians take one look at our media, the Hollywood scene, and the film/television industry, and completely reject all of it. "There is no redemptive value in the media arts" or "God left Hollywood a long time ago" are common phrases amongst many believers. I cannot agree with this. God's perfect creation has fallen into sin, yes, but we often forget how big He is. While I do believe that much of the media is speeding away from anything of redemptive value, I know and trust that God is still at work there. Though they represent an almost invisible fraction of the industry, there are Christian artists seeking to reflect the Lord in their work. And perhaps more poignantly, God works to use non-believers as well. Look at films like The Kite Runner, The Painted Veil, or Gran Turino. Christian works of art? No. But the powerful stories of redemption within, touched by His gift of common grace, may be leading countless people to search for the true Redeemer. So let us never throw the baby out with the bath water; God DOES work in mysterious ways.

2) The Acceptance: More Christians fall into this category, I believe, than the former. Instead of carefully evaluating our media world with wisdom and discernment, many Christians simply accept the popular trends as "inevitable," or worse, look for ways to justify said trends through a "Christian" lens. The result is a "Christian-lite" view of reality, which is worse in my mind then atheism. Why? God demands TOTAL recognition, glory, and worship; to accept anything besides that, or along with that, is to lessen what is rightly due unto Him. This is, simply put, dangerous and wrong. The Oprah Winfrey all-paths-lead-to-Heaven mentality is VERY appealing, but what it invites is self-absorption, pride, and ignorance. And despite a common misguidance that is particularly rampant among younger Christians: it is NOT wrong to speak out against people who worship the creation rather than the Creator. Otherwise, how do we expect to gain any ground through evangelism? There has to be a right and a wrong.

Speaking with regards to recent history, I have noticed two prevalent examples of this "acceptance" view: 1) Obama's presidency and 2) Michael Jackson's legacy.

1) Obama's Presidency: I will not speak to party politics or debate the wisdom in voting for Obama. I will say, however, that I've been disappointed by people who follow this man based on what he SAYS alone. How long will it take men and women to recognize that words are deceitful, and it is ACTIONS that tell the truth? Satan had a lot of "convincing" things to say in the Garden of Eden, but his actions encouraged rebellion against God. I'm not calling President Obama Satan, of course, but I am asking men and women to get smart: a man's words mean only as much as the actions he chooses to support them. When the two do not match, it is time to be cautious. And no one can deny that we have seen this disjunction between words and actions from our President. So be careful.

2) Michael Jackson's legacy: I will be the first to say that Michael Jackson was an incredibly gifted artist. His talent for singing and dancing was (and is) unmatched. I will not, however, follow the hordes of men and women who are deifying this man based on his celebrity. We have lost the art of discerning where true value and admiration should be placed. Michael Jackson was hugely talented, but he was not honorable. No one can argue with this; look at the man's life. A series of tragedies that was marked by a selfish desire to attain worldly gratification and success; a goal that he achieved. But to what end? Did Michael Jackson seem or appear to be fulfilled, joyful, or at peace? No. It is important, therefore, that we distinguish between those we appreciate, and those we respect. A real hero is one who seeks fulfillment outside of himself, who worships the Creator (not the creation), and whose LIFE is carried out with dignity and honor. And Christians ought to be the FIRST to recognize this.

Of course, by recognizing that some people appear to be leading lives outside of God's grace, Christians are called judgmental and heartless. This should not deter us from telling the truth, however: God has told us what we need to know. Am I better then others, for knowing this truth? Of course not. I have been saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. But we're still called to evangelize, which naturally means that there are MANY outside of the faith who need to hear God's Word. I cannot pass judgment on a person's heart of hearts, or claim to know who is truly saved or not. But again, actions are rather telling. If someone claims to have God's truth but is acting in direct opposition to it, then we can make the case that they are not following the Lord at all. Sadly, this does appear to be the case Michael Jackson. I cannot, therefore, support him as a man worthy of the glory or honor he is receiving, though I do enjoy his musical gifts.

All in all, I think Christians in this category would be well served by remembering Matthew 10: 16: "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." That says it all.

A Rerun...

Do any of you feel like the media is on repeat lately? You cannot turn on the television without at least 5 channels featuring some story about the late Michael Jackson. While I see and admit that he had a good amount of talent, I cannot support the legacy of this man. Take away the voice, the Moonwalk, and the family name, and you're left with a confused pervert whose only claim to fame should be jail time.

There is a trend in our society to worship and idolize celebrities. I am not sure what appeals to us about them in particular, besides their enormous wealth and larger-then-life presence on TV and in film. Perhaps it's the "look where I am now" or "in your face" aspect of fame that we all wish we could share in. Who knows.

What I do know is that to idolize and celebrate the life of a man who denied his heritage through a plastic surgery overhaul, and who openly admitted to sleeping with young boys, is to completely overlook the general qualities of good vs. evil. Look at the heroes of ages past: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Helen Keller, to name a few. Men and women of honor and faith, who stood for principles outside of themselves and challenged others to lead lives of faith, trust, and humility. Now take one look at the life Michael Jackson and see if you can find any principles other than self-glorification and visceral gratification. Hero? I think not.

Of course, many disagree with me. So many, in fact, that the Cox Arena is selling tickets for his funeral, a nationwide event that will be broadcast on all the main networks. To me, this voyeuristic obsession with Jacko's death is just sickening, and speaks more to the glory days of the Roman Colosseum then it does to a nation founded in God for honor and liberty. What do we have to celebrate, besides a few hit songs and some ingenious dance moves? His addictions to prescription drugs? An idolistic obsession with his looks that resulted in a barely human appearance (and paid no respect to his black heritage)? His abuse (cue balcony scene) and exploitation of his children (all named after himself)? His fetish for young boys that not only resulted in law suits, but also extracted a confession from Michael himself that there was nothing wrong with "sleeping with boys"?

Come on, folks. This man was no hero. Our respect should be reserved for those who uphold the sanctity and honor of human life....besides our own.