My husband and I just returned from the Nashville premiere of "Walk the Line," the story of Johnny and June Carter Cash. We had heard some great previews about it, and seeing that much of the story happened right here at home, we were excited to sort of "take part" in the history. We even purchased tickets to the Regal IMAX theatre at the Grand Olde Opry, and were especially looking forward to seeing Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon (a Nashville native) in action.
Before we left for the movie, I said to Nick, "You know, I hope this isn't some big bleeding heart plea for the legitimacy of adultery," as I knew that June Carter Cash had been married before marrying Johnny. Of course, I didn't know any of the details of her divorce (actually turned out to be two divorces), but I wasn't betting on Hollywood presenting a biblical view on the sanctity of marriage, either.
Well, once again, Hollywood didn't disappoint. As the credits were rolling at the end of the show, people were clapping while Nick and I were the only ones hanging our heads in disgust. The audience must have seen a movie about a man who was courageous or brave, who took some sort of stand for something he believed in, maybe someone who really sacrificed for the good of others. Perhaps Nick and I were watching another movie. What WE saw was a man who was childish, selfish, narcissistic, an adulterer and a drug addict. At the end, while he was calling June Carter an "angel," we were watching him continue to pursue the woman he had been pursuing while he was still married to the mother of his children. Hollywood didn't forget to stick in certain token ideologies such as, "Johnny, the reason you are such a wreck is because you don't love yourself." We could see, however, that the reason he was such a mess was that he loved himself too much and nobody else. Given that both Johnny and June were coming from broken marriages, there was also that token cameo appearance of the "tactless and uncompassionate Christian" who confronts June in a store, telling her that divorce is an abomination to the Lord and that marriage is supposed to be forever. Obviously, doing something like that WOULD be tactless and uncompassionate, but we got the point- BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY is what is tactless and uncompassionate.
The even sicker part of all of this is that the whole of America (even many Christians) will eat this up like Christmas candy, and apply it to their own everyday ideologies: "Well, if Johnny and June Cash did it, then what's the big deal? Don't people still love and admire them? Didn't you see how June LOVED him and made him feel better about himself? Didn't you hear the beautiful music behind it? Look, he sang about Jesus...he believed in God..."
I will end by saying that I don't know what the state of their souls were when they died, so obviously I won't make a judgement there. But if what we saw of their lives from the mid-50's
to the late 60's was true, then it is a sad day when we use those scenarios to celebrate something that should be mourned.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child
I'm in the middle of the finding-a-nanny-job process. It's depressing-- not because I'm job hunting, but because of what I see in the children who are screaming for their parents to discipline them. Well, not literally "screaming," but the posture of these little hearts are desperate for someone to guide them- to PARENT them.
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.
(Proverbs 22:15)
For some reason, I find that many Christians who ascribe to the Bible will search high and low to find wisdom on childrearing in every form of literature but the book to which they ascribe. I was interviewing with a family who are professing Christians and attend a local PCA church. They have two sons, ages 4 and 2 1/2. They asked me to describe how I would handle a situation where a child was being beligerently disobedient. I recounted how I made a particular two year old sit on his bed for disobeying. Immediately, they looked at me in bewilderment and said, "Well.....that's interesting. What do you do if he gets up off the bed???" My brain was wildly rolling it's eyes and sighing heavily. I spent the afternoon with this family, as per the mother's request, to see if I was a right "fit." Fair enough, and thank God for it. I helplessly looked on as the mother tried to engage her young sons in some games. The older brother was extremely demanding and would often hurt the younger. There was no recourse for this, no teaching this little tyrant that that was unacceptable behavior. Just much begging and pleading: "Hey boys, look at Mommy!" (Clumsily doing a somersault). "Ok! Now you guys do the same!" (Younger Brother enthusiastically attempts to please Mommy by mimicking her...no- too late- Edler Brother pushes him over and proceeds with his rendition of the game...) I don't recall that "Mommy" ever used the word "no." I can't tell you how painful it was to keep from suggesting: " I think that if you told Junior that if he disobeyed you again that you would give him a spanking, and then followed through with it, you would see much progress in his behavior, and subsequently, his attitude."
I tried to feel sorry for this family, thinking that maybe I could "help" them. But then as they began to explain that their last nanny just didn't work out because she was from the "days when they just spanked for everything...", I realized that this would be a hopelessly depressing position to be in, helplessly watching their little monsters turn into bigger and better ones and the late 30-something parents quickly turning into 60-year old slaves.
The really sick part of this all-too-common scenario is that the "child psychology" industry (notice I said "industry" and not "field") is making a killing off of this. Countless books, seminars, videos, tapes will talk about the evils of spanking, but there are about 2, 546 alternative, herbal ways to have a "happier, healthier" (aka..selfish) child. However, the trick is, Mom and Dad, to find just the "right" method that works for you. Hope you have alot of money saved up to do this, because the publishers of this garbage are already laughing all the way to the bank!
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.
(Proverbs 22:15)
For some reason, I find that many Christians who ascribe to the Bible will search high and low to find wisdom on childrearing in every form of literature but the book to which they ascribe. I was interviewing with a family who are professing Christians and attend a local PCA church. They have two sons, ages 4 and 2 1/2. They asked me to describe how I would handle a situation where a child was being beligerently disobedient. I recounted how I made a particular two year old sit on his bed for disobeying. Immediately, they looked at me in bewilderment and said, "Well.....that's interesting. What do you do if he gets up off the bed???" My brain was wildly rolling it's eyes and sighing heavily. I spent the afternoon with this family, as per the mother's request, to see if I was a right "fit." Fair enough, and thank God for it. I helplessly looked on as the mother tried to engage her young sons in some games. The older brother was extremely demanding and would often hurt the younger. There was no recourse for this, no teaching this little tyrant that that was unacceptable behavior. Just much begging and pleading: "Hey boys, look at Mommy!" (Clumsily doing a somersault). "Ok! Now you guys do the same!" (Younger Brother enthusiastically attempts to please Mommy by mimicking her...no- too late- Edler Brother pushes him over and proceeds with his rendition of the game...) I don't recall that "Mommy" ever used the word "no." I can't tell you how painful it was to keep from suggesting: " I think that if you told Junior that if he disobeyed you again that you would give him a spanking, and then followed through with it, you would see much progress in his behavior, and subsequently, his attitude."
I tried to feel sorry for this family, thinking that maybe I could "help" them. But then as they began to explain that their last nanny just didn't work out because she was from the "days when they just spanked for everything...", I realized that this would be a hopelessly depressing position to be in, helplessly watching their little monsters turn into bigger and better ones and the late 30-something parents quickly turning into 60-year old slaves.
The really sick part of this all-too-common scenario is that the "child psychology" industry (notice I said "industry" and not "field") is making a killing off of this. Countless books, seminars, videos, tapes will talk about the evils of spanking, but there are about 2, 546 alternative, herbal ways to have a "happier, healthier" (aka..selfish) child. However, the trick is, Mom and Dad, to find just the "right" method that works for you. Hope you have alot of money saved up to do this, because the publishers of this garbage are already laughing all the way to the bank!
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