To the Media: “Stop Making Us Christians Look Stupid”
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Mon, January 22, 2007
- Viewed 154
- (30) comments so far
While I don’t watch much TV, I will admit that I watched this episode with two of my children; my 11 year old daughter and my 9 year old son. For some reason, they really like to watch the show; and I do think it’s valuable for them to see how different families interact and live. This show was, of course, a contrast of two extreme families: one very serious about their faith (they not only pray as a family before meals; but before school, and bedtime; had a couple dozen crosses on their walls; didn’t let their children go out with friends and only go to church; and even ran their household by ‘man rules’, since the man is the head of the house). The atheists were just as devout; and very anti-christian.
OK, I’ve painted the picture. Now for the press release. Bill Johnson, the president of the American Decency Association said the show portrayed the Christian mom as “oppressive and narrow-minded” and the atheist mom as “normal, rational, and open-minded”.
Well, duh.
Johnson says he feels, “more mockery than respect for those beliefs was depicted.”
Again, duh.
Also, the ADA president points out, the atheist family’s activities—including attending strip clubs—were documented without bias, while narration referring to rules set down by the Christian mom for her household’s children describes those rules as “controlling.”
And the motives of the networks are usually suspect when it comes to portraying people of religious faith, he adds.
Well, yeah.
My question… did the family involved, or the ADA really think that the show would give them a fair shake?
Did they mention a very judgmental ‘christian’ mom who immediately cast judgment on the show before she even met the new family?
Did they mention that the way the ‘christian’ family presented the man being the head of the household and king of the roost was presented by the ‘christian’ family itself? All the things that were said about Christianity were said by the ‘christian’ family themselves.
Why do we expect non-christians to look at us and all our ‘rules’ and behaviors that are totally out of their norm and want to be like us? In reality, this family did look exclusive and narrow. But, so did the atheist family.
I found the show an incredible teaching moment for my children. They need to know a few things:
1. Many people don’t know Jesus. And many families need to know Him desperately.
2. We need to see how the world really views us. I realize better after the show how difficult it is to reach people like this atheist family. And a good amount of info on how NOT to reach them.
3. There is a need to start teaching our children how to love the ‘athiests’ of the world and tell them about Christ without alienating them.
And yes, the show was incredibly biased against Christians. I’m not arguing that point. It was. But my question is, ‘what do we expect’; and ‘why should we expect it to be any differently?’
Isn’t this the same type of slam job the atheist family would’ve gotten if a Christian group did a show like this?
Sadly, I think it is…
FOR DISCUSSION:
How do the unsaved in your community view you and your church?
Do you expect the unsaved in your community to give you and your church a fair shake? Why or why not?
What is the best way to reach those who are not yet Christians? Is it to post a press release demanding they treat you better and telling other Christians to have nothing to do with them until they do?
About the Author: Todd Rhoades is the Managing Editor and Publisher of MondayMorningInsight.com (MMI as most of us know it). Besides spending a good amount of time maintaining this website, Todd is on the staff of Leadership Network, helping large churches to better connect, innovate, and multiply what they do best. Todd was also the founder of ChurchStaffing.com, until he sold the site in 2005. Todd lives with his wife, Dawn, and four children in Bryan, OH. He can be reached at .
I came across an interesting press release over the weekend. It all came about as reaction from a recent episode of the TV series “WifeSwap”. If you’re not familiar with the show, WifeSwap takes two very different families and exchanges the mothers from both families for two weeks. The first week, the mothers have to live with the rules of the new house they find themselves in. Then in the final week, the new mother can change all the rules and run the new household like she would her own. The controversy that lead up to this press release was an episode a couple of weeks ago that featured an overtly Christian family and one of atheists...
Comments
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nora on Mon, January 22, 2007
I don’t know, Peter, you can be pretty wacky sometimes, too! http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/wink.gif
Andrew Cairns on Mon, January 22, 2007
I’m really getting tired of Christians whining about how poorly the media treats us. If we’re being persecuted then we should rejoice as Jesus said. And if we’re being ridiculed then we probably deserve it ... they are only making observations and drawing mostly reasonable conclusions after all.
All this bleating and crying over “mistreatment” on reality TV shows when the families knew what they were getting into is a joke! Surely our faith is not to be so superficial that it cannot stand the scrutiny of even the most biased attempt to discredit it. Or is this just ‘sour grapes’ because the self-righteous don’t appear nearly so impressively to others as they perceive themselves to be?
DanielR (a different Daniel) on Mon, January 22, 2007
I don’t think media presents ALL Christians as oppressive and narrow-minded, the show Studio 60 bashes what they portray as the narrow-minded conservative/fundamentalist/right-wing Christians, but they portray the Christian in the cast as devout and yet reasonable and tolerant. And I think the portrayal of the Christian family was not that far off this time.
In the community, we always have and always will come in contact with unsaved people who will not give us a fair shake, will not listen or open up to us, and chances are they will remain unsaved. There are also people who will give us a fair shake and listen and be saved.
Personally, I’ve run into people who got the deer-in-the-headlights look and said something like “All you Christians crazy/scary/too intolerant”, but anyone who’s taken the time to get to know me and listen has seen that me and my beliefs are nothing to be scared of. Some may not be saved and some just won’t be saved by you, save the ones you can. That’s why I believe the variety of churches there are is a good thing, those that our church’s approach may not reach, may be reached by another church.
As for the press release, I certainly don’t think it’s going to help the church reach the unsaved. It just makes them look petulant.
I second what Ima said above.
Jono Hesp on Mon, January 22, 2007
1. They probably see some of our programmes that benefit them and turn a blind eye to others
2. Definitely not, as others have said we haven’t earned the right to be heard.
3. What is the best way to reach those who are not yet Christians? Is it to post a press release demanding they treat you better and telling other Christians to have nothing to do with them until they do?
To answer the second question first no way! That just makes us look even more stupid. Telling other Christians to have nothing to do with them highlights how we are narrow minded and judgemental.
To answer the first question we have started to reach non-Christians through random acts of kindness. We ran our evening service through a course called “Irresistible Evangelism” and one of its points was the easiest way to get a say in someones lives was to do something nice for them with no string attached. So over the past 2 weeks we have washed car windshields for free around the neighbourhood and given away free coffee to people coming back from a holiday weekend. Not only has it got us into the community it has lifted the faith of the participants. And we plan to continue on reaching out to our community in this way.
Kim Zweygardt on Mon, January 22, 2007
In the front of my Bible I wrote a comment from a former pastor. “Why are we shocked by how non-Christians act? They’ve never been Christians. We have been sinners.”
It serves to remind me (when I am up in arms about my treatment or treatment of Christians) that I am wrong to expect the unregenerated to act like the regenerated! They are just acting like what they are. Unfortunately, I see many Christians who don’t act like they have new life or the love of God that fills them.
We have become so strident about how we are seen and portrayed by the media. We get up in arms about Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas and we come out looking like we are against everything! We boycott and protest at the drop of a hat. We are seen as small and mean spirited instead of filled to overflowing with the love of God. We have withdrawn from the public square in many ways (I love who ever commented on the fact that we no longer build orphanges and hospitals, but we do build monuments to ourselves in the form of larger radio towers) except to complain about our treatment.
If every Christian truly lived out the love of God in every situation—at work, with their neighbors, family and friends, with strangers…what would our world look like? I think we need to vote, be involved and engaged, and speak out, but only to be salt and light in the world, not to change the world in our image. The days are dark. We should be able to be seen glowing with the light of Christ.
Have you seen the boycott about Ford Motor Co. sponsored by the AFA ? I live in a very small town. We have one car dealership and yes, it is a Ford dealership. Though I don’t agree with what Ford is doing promoting the homosexual agenda, if I write letters to the editor and boycott Ford, I could run this dealership out of business. The owner is a devout Christian. He has Christians that work for him. Our economy is tough as it is. People would have to drive 30 to 70 miles to get their cars serviced or to buy a new car. And as they did it, they would grumble about those Christians that made their life harder. Maybe I should just pray like crazy for hearts to be changed instead of leading the charge to destroy a good business run by godly people.
Sometimes I am embarrassed by my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and hate that I get painted by the same brush. But have I known wacko Christians? Yes, they are out there. And as long as they are, the media will find them because it sells. But if my reputation is one of salt and light, it won’t ruin my witness.
Jan on Mon, January 22, 2007
As a Hollywood kid, I can tell you this:
These shows are looking for extremes. The last thing they want is ANY kind of normal family, be they atheists or Christians.
Hype and conflict and drama brings what? Watchers, which brings Ratings.
So why are we suprised?
Dan Moore on Mon, January 22, 2007
It’s Hollywood! What do we expect? Personally, I don’t watch reality shows because they are not! So they do not put Christians in a “good” light. Expect it. The early Christians in Rome were considered cannibals and atheists at one time. Since I don’t live in Hollywood, I’m more concerned about my neighbors and the people around me. That is where our attention should be - on mission.
James on Tue, January 23, 2007
Of course we aren’t going to be painted in a good light…it is Hollywood after all. I agree with most of the posts here in that we, for the most part, haven’t earned a right for an audience with most non-beleivers. Fortunately it isn’t up to imperfect me to save someone, that can only come from God and Him drawing the lost to Him. He does use us for that drawing, but utlimately it is the drawing of the Holy Spirit. Let’s love people and stop criticising them when they don’t act as we think they should. BTW, I also currently serve in a church stuck in the 50’s and we are irrelevant to our community…I am praying for change in our hearts.
Oliver on Tue, January 23, 2007
ok. you honestly can’t expect me to pass this one up! Perhaps if christians stopped being so stupid, they wouldn’t be preceived as how their actions actually portray them! For the most part, people in the community view christians as narrow minded, bigoted, and backward. Can you blame them? The shift in the religious right has led to many christian being anit-immigrant, anti-diversity, anti-affirmative action. Christians come across as unkind and unthinking. For the most part I agree that most christians are stupid. If you expect thinking people to respect someone that believe the earth is only 6,000 years old, and want that taught in public schools along with adam riding on the back of a dinosaur, most normal people are going to think christians are pretty stupid. And honestly, if they believe the above, they should be viewed as pretty stupid, because Adam riding on dinosaurs, is well plain stupid. Also, anyone who truly worries about what on TV like that, is pretty stupid also. This is entertainment, get over it!
Then you can add all this ridiculous end time crap, with people flying through the sky naked, and airplanes falling out of the sky and Jesus riding a horse through the sky, that is also not just stupid, but for the average person the height of absurdity. So after the Left Behind Series, can you expect society to look at Christians as anything but stupid? The gospel itself will always bring ridicule, I am not talking about that, I am talking about all the other stuff we add to it making it all the worse. With most pastors today abandoning reason and scripture for silly stories, illustrations, pop culture, and trying to be “cool” to reach the world, the reaction is going to be, ‘these people are a bunch of kooks”. Its sad though because what is the stumbling block isn’t the claims of the gospel, but our own stupidity which is getting in the way. The only way the community will give us a fair shake is when we stop abonding reason for madness and return to being the scriptural christians. As long as Pat Robertosn is around claiming stupid things like hurricanes and earthquakes as God’s punishment for gay people, we heap deserved criticism and needless stupidity on the church. in other words, I see the church continuting in its stupidity for a long long time.
Leonard on Tue, January 23, 2007
Oliver could you put at the end of your post a PS. I love you stupid people? That would make the whole thing come together for me.
Daniel on Tue, January 23, 2007
I am generally in agreement with Oliver’s post (if not the attitude, then at least the content). However, there is always a risk in labelling anything ‘stupid’—that in criticizing it, we become irate and mean—which is, in turn, quite silly. This dynamic is observable in every area of life where there is diversity of opinion. The traditional left-right division in politics typifies this quite well.
The conclusion seems obvious, but it is very hard for us (especially me!): regardless of what we think, we must endeavor to be kind to everyone (even those who appear ‘stupid’ to us).
Oliver on Tue, January 23, 2007
I love you stupid people…its the leadership that I mostly criticize. (ps- I dont think anyone on this board is at all stupid, remember the question was why christians appear to be so stupid to the public) I read a book called “scandal of the evangelical mind” its by noll, I recommend it. Here is a summary: christians are stupid and its a scandal. so I am not the only one that thinks this.
Chris King on Sun, April 15, 2007
Well if christians wouldnt say stupid things and discriminate shainst all groups not like them people wouldnt treat them as such.I personally dont feel a bit sorry for christians.As far as im concerned christians are a dangerous threat to our world.
Peter Hamm on Mon, April 16, 2007
Everybody in every kind of group says stupid things sometimes, Chris.
But I don’t feel sorry for Christians either. I hear where you’re coming from. It’s unfortunate that those who say they speak for me (as a Christ-follower) sometimes say things that I would never say.
But behind the scenes, we do a lot of great stuff in this world. In my church we have people working with at-risk youth to try to keep them out of a life that is going to send them to jail (but often they end up there anyway), we have people who have built a place for the homeless in our area that is doing great stuff, we have sent three large groups of people to Mississippi to help a community there rebuild from Katrina and another team to the Dominican Republic to help in similar ways. We have a family that runs a great mission organization that builds hurricane-proof housing for the poor in Jamaica.
We’re doing a lot in this world besides making stupid comments… I don’t think we’re a threat to this world at all.
BaconSoda on Wed, June 10, 2009
I do not believe in any god and don’t mind if others do. There’s no way to prove the existence or non existence of a higher power so it’s pointless. Although the moral dictatorship of religious groups and how they affect politics and laws causes me to despise most religions. Take the evolution vs creationism for example. Until they stop trying to tell other people how to live their lives through morality laws I will not fully despise them. christians, muslims, jews, whatever the denomination.
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