So it’s April Fools Day and it might be nice to have come up with some clever and fun post for today, (Google is now Topeka? huh?) but seriously, I’m just not feeling very clever! But I did read a blog the other day that made me think about something I do want to talk about.
Glee.
So first, here’s the blog post that caught my interest: Movies, Books & Teen Sex
So what does this have to do with Glee?
Confession - I was a musical theater geek in high school (we didn’t have a glee club). I didn’t play sports. I couldn’t play an instrument. But I did every theatrical show possible throughout high school and into college. And I love musicals. So when Glee premiered I was deliriously happy.
Glee has a great cast of misfit characters
(we won’t talk about how most of them are not teens, but rather twenty-somethings.)
Glee has great music and choreography.
Glee can be utterly hilarious.
(Sue has some of the best one-liners on television).
I started watching it last year, eager for each and every week. I ignored the “yuck” of the show and concentrated on what I loved about it. But as time went on, the “yuck” side grew and grew - to the point that I decided to turn it off.
I was SO frustrated. There were parts of the show I just loved. Why did they include the junk? Why did they have to ruin it?
For me, part of the problem was that my 10 year old daughter was watching it with me. My “mom” ears are more sensitive to the messages and behavior that is being encouraged. But even my regular “Sarah” ears were bothered by what was happening in front of me. This wildly popular show among teens - what is it saying?
1. The President of the Chastity Club gets pregnant - making the idea of chastity a complete joke. Actually, sexual comments are all over the show, all the time. So much so, that it accounts for most of the “yuck”. Treating sex so lightly and casually - it's damaging to the way God wants us to view it.
2. Will is married to such a witch that viewers actually want him to commit adultery with the sweet doe-eyed Emma. This is by far the most troublesome one for me. Adultery made it into the list of 10 commandments for a reason. This just makes marriage look like something disposable. The idea that "I can do anything for love and it's not wrong". Marriage shouldn’t be disposable. Ever.
3. Bullying - the Glee kids are regularly bullied and harassed, but it’s never stopped. Granted, Slushie in the face isn’t dangerous. But it feeds into that idea that those who are on the outskirts of High school society should expect to be abused. they should expect to be tormented. And with so many troubling news reports about bullying that is taking lives, well, should we be laughing about it?
4. Many of the “adults” of the show are usually portrayed as either idiots or just ineffective. I realize that books and shows for teens want to portray the teens as smarter than the adults and able to make their own decisions - but - and this is a pretty big but, adults cannot just be dismissed from the equation. Scriptures are full of examples of how important it is for one generation to mentor the next generation.
5. The lying. Oh, the lying. Morality? Practically non-existent.
The trouble with Glee?
It teaches, supports and encourages things that are absolutely against Scripture. And no show-stopping musical number can really make me forget that fact. I know there are tons of people who continue to watch the show with great excitement every week. I totally get it, and I’m not judging you for it. Me, I wanted to turn it off to be a role model for my daughter. And maybe for you too.
All I want is for you to Be Wise. I don’t think we should ever ignore the messages that the media is throwing at us every day. Messages that make us deaf to the true messages. We have to be discerning. We have to be thoughtful. And we have to make sure that we don't give this world permission to change us in ways that move us farther from the One and Only.
Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.
Philippians 4:8
So what do YOU think?
Blessings,
Sarah
