Cautiously throwing stones at the pendulum

Let me say a few things right off the bat. First, I cut my Christian teeth in a Fundamentalist environment (IFCA). Second, I've increasingly left that frame of mind and drifted more and more toward what Mark Driscoll calls the "conservative stream" of the emergent movement. Third, I recognize that this is a bit of a pendulum swing in my life, and am therefore being very deliberate and cautious as I allow my thinking to be challenged.

With this in mind, I understand the conversation presently taking place about being 'in the world' and relevant to our peers. But... there are still lines that ought not be crossed... I'm not talking about the old "Christians should never go to bars" thinking. I don't care if you do (unless you're an alcoholic, in which case you'd be a fool to enter one). Nor am I fighthing the old fundamentalist "movie theaters are evil" battle. But surely some things are better off avoided in the life of a Follower.

Which leads me to the impetus for this particular post. If I see one more MySpace page wherein a given person spends hundreds of words divulging their allegiance to the Almighty, only to later point out that they absolutely love Grey's Anatomy and Sex in the City, I think I'll scream!! I've seen and read enough of these shows to know that "being relevant" or "keeping it real" is no excuse for exposing ourselves to this filth that passes for entertainment. I really don't think I'm being a prude here, folks. I just firmly believe in pathmarkers - guideposts, if you will. Call them lines in the sand. Call them what you will, but please acknowledge that they exist.

We can debate the fine points, and in many cases I'll simply say "let the Spirit guide you as He will". But some things seem obviously un-Christian to me. Not amoral, but immoral.

My kids ask all the time if they can read this book or see that movie. My answer is always the same, "If there's some redemptive value to it, most likely". I understand that entertainment in and of itself is okay sometimes, but we've been given precious little time on this earth to make a difference for Christ.

The New Testament admonishes us over and over again to continue being molded into the image of Christ. Somehow I doubt that this molding process includes following the vivid details of illicit sexual relationships on the telly.

But maybe I'm just old fashioned.

Hatushili