CSI and the Gospel (pt. 1)

As I write this entry I am watching a re-run of CSI Miami.  That show is just so cool. I love how Horatio always says a clever little pun that leads into the intro credits. The characters on the show seem so perfect. They never say anything stupid. They never need hair cuts. They never wear shirts with stains on them. They never have something stuck in their teeth. They never crack a joke and then find out the reason people are laughing is because their fly is down. Even the criminals on the show are attractive. But I still watch the show. I like it. I like watching perfect people make perfect decisions so that every show is perfect. 

Maybe it's shows like CSI that give America such a false sense of reality. Come to think of it, TV in general promotes artificial reality. Take a reality tv show like Survivor which portrays reality as a tropical island full of skinny people who like good in swimsuits. I would like to see Survivor: Antarctica,  when every contestant wears, at a very minimum, a turtleneck, jeans, and big thick wool socks. Even the e-Harmony commercial that just featured two beautiful people who met through the website. "Join e-Harmony and you will find hundreds of picture perfect people who are just waiting to meet you and satisfy your every longing!" the commercial seems to say. 

Entertainment today screams that life is about superficial beauty, independent strength, and perfect social skills. "Be perfect, and you'll be happy!" "Hang out with us and we'll never tell you you're wrong!" "Any imperfections you have are not your fault! You just weren't hugged enough as a child!" All these messages tickle our ears and make us feel warm inside. Unfortunately, these messages are found not only on tv but in the church. Many churches today are largely becoming about a feel good message. 

I know feel good messages are not a new problem in the church, but I just felt like commenting on it. I'll try and post a part two in my next post that includes specific examples of what I'm talking about. Primarily this topic manifests itself in people's discussion of the cross of Christ. 

I want to give a big hello to my brother in Christ, Pastor Philemon, who is reading this blog from Lyberia (I think it's Lyberia). I appreciate your prayers. Also, after the Bug Man gets back from his exotic bug collecting trip to Arkansas (yes, you read that right), I plan to interview him and give him some free publicity.