|
First of all, I want to make
it clear I have never watched the television hit show, "Desperate
Housewives." But, I find it extremely fascinating that in a time
when fundamentalists religions have began to grow in numbers that a show of
this type is a huge ratings success.
Not long ago someone forwarded
me an email message from ONEMILLIONMOMS.COM instructing their
"adherents" to contact the sponsors of this show and tell them they
are boycotting their products unless they withdraw their sponsorship. ONE
MILLION MOMS.com is a "Project of the American Family Association"
whose chairman is Donald Wildmon. AFA is "2,445,654 Members Strong
and Growing" according to their website. American Family Association
is supporting boycotts against: KMart, Amazon.com, Harry Potter
Books, H & R Block, Pokemon, Johnson and Johnson ... and Disney. Even
though I am amazed at their boycott of Disney, let's stick to "Desperate
Housewives" ... the following is from the MOMS website:
Current Issue
H&R Block hard-core sponsor of Desperate Housewives
H&R Block is a hard-line sponsor of ABC's Desperate Housewives. Please ask
this company to stop its financial support of smut TV.
Synopsis of Desperate Housewives -- February 20, 2005 (Thanks to Bill Johnson
at American Decency for this review)
The debauched story lines continue on ABC’s "Desperate Housewives"
with its weekly attack on morality and marriage.
The episode begins with the narrator describing one of the "Desperate
Housewives" – Bree – stating: "Bree VandeKamp believed in
old-fashioned values. Things like respect for God, the importance of family
…" (Stated while the camera pans to a wall-hanging of Christ in her
home.)
I believe ABC and the producers relish the opportunity to portray this woman
as a Christian who compromises her values – mocking morality
This woman who 'believes in
old-fashioned values', in last week's episode went along with her husband’s
desire for 'bondage sex'. In this most recent episode Bree finds a condom in
the laundry, thinking it's her 16 year-old son's, she becomes outraged. She
wants to search his room and take away his condoms. She doesn't want to condone
pre-marital sex. But when her husband states: "He's a teenage boy. We
could take away his penis, he'd still try to have sex." 'Old-fashioned'
Bree doesn't confront her son, instead decides she would rather leave the
condom in his room than risk 'becoming a grandma'. Later we find out the condom
actually belongs to their teenage daughter, the president of the abstinence
club.
We are also shown Gabrielle, the "desperate housewife" who had an
on-going affair with John, her teenage gardener. Now his friend is doing lawn
work and wants to take up where John left off. Using very vulgar euphemisms for
sex, he propositions Gabrielle. It turns out he thinks he’s gay and wants to
find out by having sex with a woman. Married Gabrielle 'takes pity' on him,
kissing him passionately to see how he reacts. Later this boy and another boy
are shown cavorting naked in a swimming pool.
The above are just a few of ABC-Disney’s weekly attacks on time-honored
biblical values that are anything but "old-fashioned." Please help us
hold the sponsors of such trash accountable. <end>
............ in other words,
this show appears to be depicting "real life" people ... some
Christian, some probably not, who happen to have a differing opinion about
morality than do the good folks at American Family Association and MOMS ... but
isn't that what Life is truly about ... learning to respect other people's
choices, without judgment. The Master Mind Jesus called on us to
"love one another" ... He didn't say "do as they do" or
"join them in whatever they are doing" ... "love one
another" ... means to allow them to choose their own experiences through
this thing called Life.
"Desperate
Housewives" is watched by over 21.3 million viewers according to an
article in USA Today. Now let's do the math ... if AFA has 2,445,654
members and ONE MILLION MOMS.com has a millon (I doubt it) ... why has
3,445,654 people decided they can "censor" 21.3 million other
people???
I know some
wonderful Christian people who live wonderful, successful lives but they would
never think that it was there duty as Christians to tell other people what to
do with their lives. Now ... like me, if someone comes to them and says
"help me" or "what do you think" ... then of course, I
could "share" with them my beliefs and faith ... but until then, what
they do is none of my business.
Most
Christians know the statement from the Bible made by the Radical Rabbi Jesus,
"let he among you who is without sin, cast the first stone" ... but
few have truly studied the background of this great Principle that Jesus
taught. He first wrote in the sand ... and it has been said that He wrote
"what is it to you?" ... then comes the famous line about the stone.
The diatribe above regarding "Desperate Housewives" is filled with
assumptions, judgments and self-righteousness ... so unlike Jesus. Our
negative judgments come from our very own consciousness ... and stay in our
very own consciousness. As we move forward into this month of Holy Days
and Sacred events, let us remember to "love one another" ... and
study the Principles taught by the Master Mind Jesus and the Science of Mind
... and if we decide to watch "Desperate Housewives" ... that's okay
too ... just remember that you are never "desperate."
And
So It Is!
Maximum Love,
Rev.
Hank Bates
|
