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| Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar |
19 Kids and Counting is a very popular and polarizing television
show. Each Tuesday night TLC shares a
slice of life in the Duggar household. They
have encouraged many people to embrace higher standard of living and have been
a bold witness for Christ. They have
also attracted their share of haters.
People have call them “archaic” “out of touch” “stuck in the past” and
perhaps worst of all “part of a cult.”
Over the last few weeks, they have been at the center of a controversy
which stated when Jim Bob and Michelle recreated a kissing photo which Ben and
Jessa (Duggar) Sewald shared. They then
encouraged other married couples to do the same. I thought it was great idea and many of the
stories and photos that streamed in were sweet testimonies of God’s faithfulness.
Before long some gay couples shared their photos on the
page. The Duggars removed them because
they went against their beliefs. Now
many people are calling for their show to be canceled. This is not very surprising. After all, Jesus said “If the world hate you,
ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18)
This situation is only the latest in a growing trend in the
media and popular culture—Christian baiting.
Simply put, many people will ask well-known Christian leaders or celebrities
controversial questions and then act shocked by the way they answer.
Here are just a few examples:
A few months ago Kirk Cameron was asked his views on gay
marriage. Cameron, (who played Mike
Sever on the 80’s sitcom Growing Pains) has been a conservative evangelical
Christian for years. Yet in the 2 or 3
weeks that followed his statements, you would have thought he had unleashed a
profanity laced tirade that made the FCC blush.
He didn’t bash anyone and he didn’t even volunteer any information out
of the blue. He was asked a question and
gave an honest answer, yet because it was not the popular answer he was labeled as evil. It happened again recently when
he was trying to support the biblical family.
He was quickly labeled as an oppressor of women.
Yesterday I saw an article about how the Robertsons of Duck
Dynasty should have their show canceled because they are lying hypocrites. The irony of the story is that most of the “scandalous”
information it contained has already been admitted to and written about in
their books. Most importantly, it’s been
repented of and forgiven by Jesus Christ.
They are not hiding. Whatever you
think of their show, they are bold for our Lord and because of that people are
always looking for ways to discredit them.
One thing that really bugs me is when people dislike someone
in the public eye, but insist on liking their page so that they can disparage
anything they post. (As is the case on the Duggars pages) The only way I can arrive at an understanding
of this is to remember Jesus’ words “The thief cometh not, but for to steal,
and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they
might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Satan wants to destroy the testimony of believers and he uses other people to do it.
So what does this me for us?
I can’t speak for you but the examples of the Duggars, Kirk, (and his
sister Candace, who deserves mention here as well) Cameron, and the Robertson
family embolden me to continue to speak for the One who spoke for me, bearing
in mind that I run the risk of being misunderstood and misquoted. It’s worth noting this was par for the course
for Jesus.
I want to encourage you to continue to shine for Jesus in
this ever darkening world, keeping in mind the admonition of The Best of
Masters. “Behold, I send you forth as
sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as
doves.” (Matthew 10:16)
Speaking4Him,
Andrew Gommesen
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