Evangelicals and the making of Jon & Kate Plus Eight.
by Kevin
Thought provoking article in Christianity Today on Evangelicals and the making of Jon & Kate Plus Eight. Read the whole thing, but here is the powerful, IMO, conclusion:
Sexual immorality—whether actual or merely suspected—caught our attention, but the materialism, narcissism, and exploitation of children that preceded it was largely overlooked.
As such, the breakdown of Jon and Kate’s marriage is but a symptom of the larger weaknesses of ethics in the evangelical community. We are easily seduced by wealth and fame. We are easily contented by the shallow rhetoric of hot-button issues. In short, we are easily deceived by cultural values painted in Christian veneers (or clothed in Isaiah 40:31 T-shirts).
The hope for us—and the hope of Jon and Kate—is to turn once again to the rich, complex, and difficult ethics of Jesus and to let those ethics form us into a more discerning people in the world. It is time that we look for role models who value self-sacrifice over material gain. It is time that we practice forgiveness and the healing of broken relationships and call fellow Christians to do the same. It is time that we take our own marriage vows seriously and hold our brothers and sisters to be true to their commitments as well. Most importantly, it is time that we develop a view of faith and life that is capable of asking deep questions and courageous enough to embody real answers. Then, and only then, will Christians have something to offer the world and something to offer Jon & Kate Plus Eight.
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Great article – thanks!
Evangelical Christianity certainly misses the mark on many things, imo, but in particular on this issue of selectively ignoring some sins. No one complained that J&K made a deal to not really and truly talk about their faith on TV (t-shirts or no), no one complained about all the other sins the article enumerates, but now that adultery enters the picture – quelle surprise! There are certainly a lot of “should haves” their supporters and fans who claim to be Christian need to ask themselves.