NBC’s “The New Normal”

If you have watched TV on NBC lately, then you have seen previews for their newest comedy called The New Normal.  This show debuted earlier this week and 7 million households tuned-in.  Take a look at the plot of this show:

“In NBC’s comedy The New Normal, Bryan and David are a loving and committed gay couple with successful careers, a gorgeous house, and everything else a person could want, except one thing: a child.  But with plenty of money, the lack of an in-home womb is no problem, and Bryan and David soon rent the services of Goldie, a Midwestern mama who’s just left her cheating husband and wants David and Bryan’s cash to attend law school and make a better life for her precocious young daughter.  Crashing the party is Jane, Goldie’s concerned grandma, who doesn’t like the idea of her granddaughter serving as a surrogate for anyone, much less a gay couple, since she’s a loud-mouthed and unabashed bigot.  But when sperm meets egg and a baby happens, all of these motley characters are stitched together into one big mostly happy decidedly non-traditional family” (Common Sense Media).

Judging from the title, it is pretty obvious that the goal of this show is to redefine what is “normal.”  One might think homosexuality is abnormal, but this show’s goal is to show it as an ordinary part of life.  It also seems worth noting that the creator of this show, Ryan Murphy, is openly gay.  Clearly there are some agendas he is trying to push through this show.  Murphy is also the creator of other questionable shows such as Glee, Nip/Tuck, and Popular.  Actor Justin Bartha, who plays the role of one of the gay men, said this about the show, “I actually do hope people are offended by it.  I think hopefully it will get conversations started in family homes and that families who love it will love it for what it is, a compassionate and loving family with many positive aspects.  And the ones who are offended by it or find that it strikes them as offensive, hopefully they will maybe realize that they’re bigots and they’re ignorant and possibly our show can usher in a little more acceptance” (WashingtonBlade.com).

Taking all of this into consideration, here is my take on this show.  It seems increasingly clear that NBC, Ryan Murphy, and other media avenues are pushing for widespread acceptance of homosexuality.  They also purposely put in a hardnosed and rude character, one that most people would naturally dislike, to represent those who do not accept homosexuality (aka Christians).  They are displaying the homosexual characters as nice, successful, likeable, and normal people.  All of this is included so that more people will accept the gay lifestyle as “the new normal.”

My take aside, and most importantly, what is God’s take on this show?  First, homosexuality is called unnatural (Romans 1:26-27).  This makes homosexuality anything but normal.  After all, it is impossible for two people of the same gender to produce a baby.  Their bodies are simply not compatible with each other.  Second, God only approves of the relationship between a man and a woman (Genesis 1-2; 2:18f; 2:24; Matthew 19:1f; 1 Corinthians 3:18f; etc).  This was the model He started life with and has commanded throughout Scripture.   Third, God clearly condemns homosexuality in Scripture (Genesis 19; Leviticus 18:22, 29; 20:13; Romans 1:26-28; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; 2 Peter 2:6-8; Jude 5-7; etc).

So, does God approve of the TV show The New Normal?  If we are honest with the Scriptures, we have to answer “No.”  Therefore, I hope and pray that we will stand with God and chose not to watch or support NBC’s The New Normal.

Chick-Fil-A and Boy Scouts

What does Chick-Fil-A and the Boy Scouts of America have in common?  If you have kept up with the buzz lately, both of these groups are receiving heavy backlash for their stance against homosexuality.  In response, Eagle Scouts have mailed in their medals to voice their disapproval.  Others have vowed to no longer eat at Chick-Fil-A.  There has been a huge amount of pressure put on by our culture lately to accept homosexuality.  Such messages have come from videos, news cites, and even President Obama.  Is our culture right?  Has Chick-Fil-A and the Boy Scouts of America gone too far?  As some are claiming, is this anti-gay stance just growing a new generation of prejudice and hate?

Determining which side is “right” and “wrong” can be slippery.  Hopefully we can all agree that there is a right and wrong answer and the ultimate authority on this topic is God.  After all, He said in Isaiah 55:8-9, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’”  God determines what is right and wrong, not men, not the President, and not our culture.  It is ultimately His words we must follow (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3).  So, where should we stand?

Here is what God has said on this topic:

• The only approved intimate, sexual, and marital relationship is between a man and a woman (Genesis 1-2; 2:18f; 2:24; Matthew 19:1f; 1 Corinthians 3:18f; Ephesians 5:22f; 1 Peter 3:1f; etc).
• Homosexuality was condemned in the Old Testament (Leviticus 18:22, 29; etc).
• Homosexuality was punished by death in the Old Testament (Leviticus 20:13).
• Entire cities were destroyed by God because of homosexuality (Genesis 19; 2 Peter 2:6-8; Jude 5-7).
• Homosexuality is a choice that can be changed and controlled (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, especially vs. 11 – “such were some of you”).
• Homosexuality is called unnatural and condemned in the New Testament (Romans 1:26-28; 1 Timothy 1:9-11; etc).

One has to do a lot of twisting and contorting to get around all of God’s teaching on this topic.  God has clearly stated that homosexuality is wrong.  This doesn’t mean God hates the sinner, but He does hate the sin.  We should never act ugly and hateful towards homosexuals, but we most definitely should speak against this sin!  Therefore, we should also show support for the position Chick-Fil-A and the Boy Scouts have taken and applaud them for their boldness.  We should even join with them in proclaiming God’s truth about homosexuality.

Chances are very unlikely that taking this stance against homosexuality will be popular, but the truth has rarely been popular in the first place (Galatians 4:16).  Even God Son was persecuted, ridiculed, and killed for teaching the unpopular truth!  For this reason, I pray that we have the courage to repeat the apostles’ bold exclamation, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

When 900 Million People Are Watching You

How do you feel when you stand before a crowd with all eyes on you?  Do your palms get cold and clammy?  Do you become nervous and anxious?  Do you blush, tremble, shake, or get nauseous?  Multiple sources indicate that 90 percent of all people deal with some level of stage fright (Vijai P. Sharma).  So chances are pretty good that you deal with some degree of stage fright.  However, this article is not about overcoming stage fright.  Even though 90% of people deal with this issue, there is at least one stage where the vast majority of people feel no fright at all!

This stage is none other than Facebook.  Last month, Facebook exceeded the 900 million active user mark.  This means that there are potentially 900 million people able to watch you and see exactly what you say and do.  Are you feeling a little bit of that stage fright coming back?  Most people are very careful in front of a crowd but may not be on Facebook and other social media avenues.

God has always called His people to be different from everyone else (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 2 Timothy 2:21; etc).  The question for us is, do our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest accounts reflect this?  Here are several categories to consider:

What Do We Say and Post?  Are there any words on our accounts that reflect a less than Christian behavior?  Could someone look at our profiles and see bad language, gossip, slander, or other forms of crude and crass speech (2 Corinthians 12:20; James 3)?

What People and Activities Do We “Like” (Support)?  Do we “Like” celebrities, athletes, artists or other people with trashy reputations?  Do we support movies, music, TV shows, video games, or other things that are not Christ-like (Romans 12:2)?

What Pictures Are On Our Profiles?  Do any pictures show us engaging in sin or other less than godly behaviors (Romans 13:13-14)?  Do any pictures show us hanging with people or in places a Christians should not be (1 Corinthians 15:33)?  Do any pictures of us or anyone else on our profiles display immodesty or promote lust (1 Timothy 2:9-10; Romans 13:13; Matthew 5:28)?

In Matthew 5:14-16, God has called us to be a light in the darkness.  There is nothing further and more contrasting to darkness than light.  Do the things we say, post, support, and depict on social media sites show that we are a light to this world, or show that we are dabbling in darkness?  Potentially 900 million people can see what we put on our social media profiles depending on privacy settings.  What kind of conclusions will they make about us?  Will they even know we are Christians?

We must always be careful to be Christ-like in all parts of our lives. Whether it is out in public or online, may we always live by Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus…”

Inviting A Stranger Into The House

Several years ago the parents of a particular family were introduced to a stranger.  He seemed like a decent guy, so they invited him into their house.  To their surprise, this stranger was an incredible storyteller and very personable (even if he was an incessant talker).  The kids especially loved him.  He would walk everyone’s imaginations through adventures and mysteries.  He would tell jokes until their stomachs hurt from laughing.  He even had unparalleled knowledge of animals and other facts about life.

It didn’t take long for this stranger to become quite popular with the family.  You might even say that he became a family friend.  This stranger connected so well with the family that they decided to let him stick around for a while.  Almost every day he would captivate the family for hours with his incredible tales.

Even though this family was an upright and faithful Christian family, the stranger didn’t seem to want to abide by their rules.  He would use bad language that made the parents shift uncomfortably, but they never said anything to him about it.  He drank often and encouraged them to do the same.  Sometimes he would light up a cigarette or cigar right in front of them.  He really made it look cool and popular  There were even a few times when he brought drugs.  Beyond all of this, he talked openly about sex.  He would use suggestive, blatant, and descriptive terms.  He told the family it was okay to have sex before marriage and that homosexual relationships were no big deal.  Still though, the parents felt uncomfortable and didn’t want to interrupt him since he had become such a loved part of the family.  Day after day this stranger was bringing these things into the house, but was never rebuked or corrected for his bad influence.

What was this stranger’s name?  This family simply called him…TV.

Nearly every household in America loves this stranger.  99% of all American households have a TV in the home.  “According to the A.C. Nielsen Co., the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours/week, or 2 months of nonstop TV-watching per year).  In a 65-year life, that person will have spent 9 years glued to the tube” (csun.edu).

We would NEVER allow an actual person to come into our homes speaking and acting in such ways.  So why do we allow it to happen through the TV?

Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

This applies to every part of our life.  Does our TV watching fit within these guidelines?

Magic Johnson and HIV: 20 Years Later

On November 7^th, 1991 Magic Johnson announced to the world that he was HIV positive and would be retiring from basketball.  Last week I watched in amazement as EPSN and a host of other media outlets “celebrated” the 20-year mark of that day.  They talked about how he had overcome adversity, supported charities, founded HIV research organizations, and other things he had done.  But as I listened, watched, and read everything being said, I was left with a bad taste in my mouth.  I found it troubling that the media was honoring a man who contracted HIV through fornication and promiscuous behavior.

I have nothing personally against Magic Johnson and I don’t know what kind of person Johnson is today.  I also realize that we all make mistakes and can change our lives around.  There was just something sickening about how the media was glorifying the day when Johnson admitted to the world that he had been engaging in sinful activities and contracted a deadly virus because of it.  Yes, it is amazing that his health is so good 20 years later, but the honor and publicity he received for it just wasn’t right.

I don’t expect the media to be moral and upright.  Characteristics like those seem to be long extinct for them.  The media is becoming more impure and accepting of sin all the time.  The problem is, this seems to be rubbing off on Christians.  I am always saddened when I see Christian people supporting people like Lada Gaga, Katy Perry, Flo Rida, and a plethora of other immoral celebrities.  Just because a person is a great musician, athlete, or actor does not mean we should turn a blind eye to who they are and what they support.  We would be sickened if a close friend of family member did the things these people do, but for some reason we aren’t with celebrities.

What does God expect us to do about this?  First, He expects us to be different from the world (1 John 2:15-17).  Second, He expects us to be the “light of the world” and the “salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13-16).  If we are supporting immoral people, not only are we being just like the world, we will have a difficult time being a light for God.

It’s time we take a second look at who and what we are supporting.