Over the past several weeks I have been following the Miss USA Pageant hoopla. If you don't get out much, here's the story in short form. Miss California, Carrie Prejean, had just finished her swimsuit walk. She changed into her evening gown and headed out to the front of the stage to answer her "worldview" questions. Perez Hilton, a pageant judge and open homosexual, asked Miss California to give her thoughts on same-sex marriage. Now Miss California, Carrie Prejean, is from a Christian family and goes to San Diego Christian College. Knowing her background, you could have guessed what her thoughts would be regarding this subject. She graciously explained that her view of marriage followed God's design of men and women to marry. Carrie Prejean tried her best to come across kindly as she contradicted many opinions in this country that same-sex marriage should be alright. Miss California did not win the Miss USA Pageant, and there are some out there who say her downfall was her honesty over that question. Liberal media outlets are beating her down across our nation as a conservative bigot. Other media centers closely attached to the conservative views are treating this woman like some heroine for Christian values.
So which is she? I'm not sure I would describe her as either of those perspectives. I definitely wouldn't describe her as a conservative bigot who is "intolerant of perfectly ok lifestyles" as one liberal talk show host said. I also do not think I would describe her as a great voice for the conservative Christian cirlces. This may not be a popular thing to say, but where did she find her platform to share this "Christian perspective?" No one would ever have known who Miss California was unless she was Miss California. Forgive me for being "Debbie Downer" here, but it is hard for me to listen to Christian truths from a woman who was wearing a revealing white bikini ten minutes before this comment. How many men and young boys were able to get her body out of their heads in order to hear her perspective on God's original design? How many young women walked away with mixed messages about who God is because one minute Carrie Prejean is revealing her body curves for show and the next she's revealing our Creator? Too many of our girls already think that their bodies are there to get them attention. That's the only reason we even heard this woman is...because some judges liked her body. Am I crazy, or does anyone else see the contradiction here?
Now...I cannot be too judgmental concerning this issue because I have not done a great job of integrating Christ into every aspect of my life. I'm sure more than one person sees "Josh the Hypocrite." I am sure there are too many instances in my life where I have spoken out of both sides of my mouth. However, God calls us to speak the truth. God calls us to speak his absolute truths in a world of tolerance to everything. If I am living a life of two different messages, then someone needs to restore me. If someone is skewing the integrity of God, then we must call like God sees it so that we are truly sharing his glory. God calls us to die to him so that he may fully transform us and integrate his Spirit into every single facet of our life. When will we (me as much as anyone else) allow God's glory to permeate our entire being? What a day that will be when collectively the Body of Christ surrenders completely to the overwhelming transformation of God.
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Dear Debbie Downer,this is a tough one and my initial reaction is I'm with you 100 percent. But, Ive been thinking about it so let me play devils advocate. I think Miss California represents alot of different things. She is certainly a vivid symbol of how our culture has normalized things that we should find distasteful. There was a time in our culture when a woman would be arrested for wearing the swimming wear that not only Miss California wears but also that many allow their daughters to leave the house in. I find it interesting that we worship the flesh more and more as we lose our spirituality. As a father of four girls I can attest that the pervasive sexualization of our daughters comes from us at every angle from the media, from the clothing manufacturers, and many times from the parents themselves who will sell their childrens souls so that they can wear what is popular. I truly believe that only the Holy Spirit can guard us and our children against the constant move toward a society with no morality.
ReplyDeleteMiss California also represents the hypocrisy that exists in each of us. To you and I it seems quite obvious that competing in a competition that involves the judging of the sexual attractiveness of young women is very foriegn to the life that Christ calls us to live. I am sure Miss California has been able to rationalize competing in beauty contests in her mind and has been able to mentally make it fit with her belief system. Just like we all do with the things that we do and participate in that are not of Christ. Just like Miss California there is a battle going on inside of us between the Spirit of God and the corruption of the world. In my own experience as I have grown from baby milk to meatier spirituality I think I have become more and more aware of good and evil. I don't think it is my own awareness but the Holy Spirit growing in me and changing me. I can recall a time when I was much more hypocritical than Miss California. I had not surrendered and God was someone that I turned to when I got in way over my head. God was still there, even though I had minimized him in my life. Even in this state I would still profess the God I had learned about from my parents and from church. I am sure that many people thought that I was hypocritical because I was. However, through many good and bad times, the love of my wife and family, and the death of my earthly father my eyes finally began to open. I am glad that no one convinced me that I should quit talking about God because of the things I was involved in. It took a long time for the spirit of God working in me to wake me up and I know that if the very young Miss California continues her walk and seeks the truth she will find it. So I guess I would say that we should not condemn her and in fact I think it is right to praise her for speaking her faith in the face of adversity. After all Rahab the prostitute made it into Paul's heros of faith hall of fame because by faith she welcomed the Israelite spys. Her house may have been in the wall because it was a convenient place to service soldiers. Regardless when the time came she acted in faith and was spared from death. I will say to my daughters that Miss California did a good thing but it is obvious from her participation in the pagent that she is still very immature spiritually. They probably won't understand that just like they don't understand why I don't allow them to do or wear lots of stuff that their friends are doing and wearing. But I pray that someday the Spirit will allow them to see the truth and I pray the same for Miss California.