Rabbit Holes and Misplaced Adulation

This morning as I found myself briefly lost in the rabbit hole that is Twitter, I was reminded of just how much Hollywood types hate Christians. Perhaps “hate” is too strong a word as I cannot judge their hearts, but I can judge their actions…and if it isn’t “hate”, it is certainly a not-too-distant cousin.

It began innocently enough as I read a Tweet from a very famous actor promoting his new movie. As I had never done so, I began to read some of his other tweets. While there was not a lot of direct anti-Christian sentiment (he is far too shrewd a businessman to directly attack such a large audience block), he did retweet a lot of things from some considerably lesser known “comedians” (I don’t find them particularly funny).

This is how the rabbit hole happens. I began reading the feeds of these performers and discovered a laundry list of vile, petulant insults hurled at those of Conservative and Christian persuasion. Whatever your politics – and that is a different discussion for a different day – everyone must agree that the First Amendment grants such offensive buffoonery. It would be easy enough to avoid by simply not clicking and reading.

However, the words and sentiments themselves are not the problem. The platform that we have given these performers, however well or lesser known, is. We have empowered this cult of celebrity by pouring our dollars and hours into their efforts. In the process we have, however directly or indirectly, raised them to these vaunted positions from which they spew back their venom upon us. Why? More critical for us to ask is why are we there?

Psalms 12:8 (KJV) reminds us that "The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.” Does that not mean that in being “there” – be that in the theaters, on the couches, on Facebook, or on Twitter -- that we are situating ourselves shoulder to shoulder with both the celebrants and the celebrated who revel in blasphemy, wickedness, and perversion? Are we not then just as guilty?

That very statement alone would be ripe fodder for this group to draw from and turn into “bits” and attacks. Yet, many of us, myself included, continue to prop these people up and watch them on television, buy tickets for their films, and follow them on social media despite the fact that our conscience and Our Lord tell us differently.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” we are reminded in Romans 12:2 (KJV). It seems too often we forget that charge. We will tune into a sitcom content to ignore the casual immorality. We will buy a ticket for the movie despite the director who has openly mocked our faith during the press junket. We will download a song and willfully overlook not only the lyrics but the lifestyle of the performer.

All the while, for far too many, that most worthy of our attention and time – the actual Word of God, grows dusty on a shelf six days of the week while we click on, dial in, and fill our eyes and ears with the ramblings of those who would deny and mock Him.

Perhaps it is time for us to unplug and return our attention to the One truly deserving of our praise, adulation, and eternal gratitude. Failure to do so could lead to a rabbit hole with far graver consequences than a few lost hours.