Wicked Innocence - This Should Be Illegal!

For some reason, Halloween is now the holiday when women dress like prostitutes and men dress up as something scatological or alcohol related. A free country isn't always a righteous country and adults act like morons with or without costumes. I accept this. But something is horribly wrong when costumes designed for teen and tween girls are marketed with the label "Wicked Innocence."

What in the name of Saint Francis is Wicked Innocence? What sort of culture thinks it is cute for children to dress provocatively and for innocence to be adulterated with a little wickedness. And it all gets excused by being "good fun" or dress-up. If we sell contradictions like this to children and their families, then the necessary societal disapproval of child molestation, pedophilia, and sexualization of minors loses its impact.

On Sensationalism and the News

All day the major news networks and even the Weather Channel have been tracking the story of the child who supposedly floated away in a baloon. I think we will quickly learn that he was never in it. I do hope the child is well.

However, it made me think of a comment by Walter Cronkite that describes so well the national media's addiction to celebrity, sensationalism, and useless news. I wonder what it will take for one of the anchors or editors to finally say enough is enough.

Here's Cronkite's comment from CNN, Larry King show on 3/9/2001. First Larry King asks, "Are you disturbed by the seeming tabloidization of the news?"

Cronkite responds [emphasis is mine]:

"Absolutely. Very much so, very much so. The, we've always had sensationalism in the press. A lot of people think this is something new. It's not new. Look, you know, you've looked at the files, 1850, 1830, from the time of the revolution. They were terrible. The newspapers are far more, far more responsible today than they were in those days, right up, right up practically through World War I --far more responsible.

Broadcasting is reasonably responsible. But the trouble with broadcasting, as I see it, is we get hold of these stories that are really not important to the future of the democracy: Princess Di, O.J. Simpson for heaven's sake, John John's accident at Martha Vineyard. And we cling to these stories so long. We wear them out. We wear them to death, and they're not that important.

There's so little time on the air to report the important news that makes a difference whether we're going to live or die in this democracy of ours. Whether we're going to succeed or fail in our education, and our health care, all of these things. That's what should be taking our time and we spent all that time going over the same facts over and over again.

And we rush to these stories. With John Kennedy's accident, my gosh, within a half-hour one of the networks I won't name here on CNN, immediately found a pilot who piloted a plane similar to the one that Kennedy was in, and we saw that guy on the air for 24 hours telling us how that accident could have happened. He knew, had no more idea of how the accident happened than I did."

Blue Jeans Sunday

I just read the first draft of David Chadwell's bulletin article for this week. David has done a great job of chronicling the events of Sept. 27. He sums up what we all experienced so very well in a single phrase: "We felt His life in us."

Throughout Sunday and Monday I have had members of the West-Ark congregation comment that they believe something especially good happened among us. Over and above all the good works there was a good spirit. Young and old, men and women, different cultures, were working alongside one another in a spirit of unity. We were sharing, feasting, learning, and needs were being met. We are starting to resemble that picture of the church in Acts 2.

I appreciate those who have been asking for another Blue Jeans Sunday. There will be another Blue Jeans Sunday. I hope we organize projects that will take us even further out into the community and serve others. But between now and the next Blue Jeans Sunday there is nothing in the world to stop all of us from getting together to write cards, make quilts, paint a neighbor's house, clear out brush and limbs, serve at the Hope Chest or CURE. I have always hoped that one of the lessons that we gain from Blue Jeans Sunday is that our permission to get together and serve doesn't come from any office, committee, or authority. The permission to serve, the charge to serve, comes from Jesus Christ (John 13). So go and do likewise!

And yes, you can wear your blue jeans to worship -- because worship never ends!

I Do Not Have Swine Flu

I feel like Orson Wells. He had a little fun with a radio prank back on Halloween in 1938 acting as if Martians had landed and everyone took him seriously. He probably had no idea how convincing he could be.

I was sick recently and claimed that I had Swine Flu -- it is the disease d'jour of course. Besides, who wants to have something run of the mill like the "common" cold when you can claim to be infected with H1N1.

Sorry for the confusion -- for the record, I do not have Swine Flu.

But maybe I did? I have been wondering how I would even know that I did or did not have Swine Flu? What's the difference between it and the many other flu's that are available? I don't even know that I had flu.

Swine Flu triggers something in us. We are conditioned to pay attention to it. But do you remember the ominous illness of days gone by? Remember Bird Flu? How about SARS? What about Mad Cow disease? There's a farm theme going on here.

Here's one I bet we've all forgotten -- who remembers the impending invasion of Killer Bees? Remember when it seemed like a huge swarm of them was going to cross the border of Mexico and just overwhelm us?

The lesson for the day: The media peddles fear. Don't buy it.