Are YOU Into It?

All the way back in 2000, a whopping 1.5 decades ago, I officially became a Boy Scout.  I wasn't new to Scouting; I had previously spent over 2.5 years as a Cub Scout, mostly in Webelos, which is the last part of Cub Scouting that is meant to prepare kids for Boy Scouting.  Despite that, however, it wasn't my choice to join a Boy Scout troop; in fact, I almost didn't.  When I was finishing up Cub Scouting, I wanted to stop there; I just didn't see myself as a Boy Scout.  To me, a Boy Scout is more than a moral person of the male gender; he is an outdoorsman, a sportsman, and relatively athletic, among other things...all of which I never have been.  However, my sister insisted, and I ended up wasting thirteen months in the program before my mom decided to pull the plug, saying what I had known all along: it wasn't a good fit for me.

Boy Scouting was one of many things that other people--both family members and friends--tried to get me into that just never captivated my interest.  When I was only about six or seven years old, my mom signed me up for roller skating lessons after a psychologist suggested that "non-competitive sports" would be good for me...but I didn't enjoy the class at all.  She then signed me up for swimming lessons, which I liked even less.  Also included in that category is everything from AVID--that is, Advancement via Individual Determination--to owning a dog; I think, by now, you all know the story of the latter: when my mom brought home a canine companion intended specifically for me, I was positively livid.

There are countless other stories I could tell you...but I won't.  What I will tell you is this: In every case, my lack of interest was because I just couldn't get excited about...well, whatever.  I remember back in summer of 2003, my mom and I were in a store, and I got all excited when I saw a Lizzie McGuire calendar.  I showed it to my mom, who said, "That doesn't excite me!" It's understandable that she felt that way; she would have known nothing of Lizzie had it not been for me, and just because she respected my interest in it didn't mean anything related to the show or Hilary Duff in general thrilled her the least bit.  Most of you reading this probably feel the same way about most of what I do: you're happy that I have hobbies and fun things to do, and you're glad when something good happens to me related to those hobbies...but the thought of garage saling for an entire Saturday morning or watching an entire season of a TV show in a week doesn't excite you at all.

One of the hardest things to do when dealing with young children or those who are severely mentally impaired is making them understand tough concepts.  When my niece was born just over a decade ago, my sister and brother-in-law had two dogs and three cats...but, by the time my niece turned three, both of the dogs and at least one of the cats had to be euthanized because of various health concerns.  My niece, however, couldn't stop talking about the deceased pets, and seemed to think they were coming back someday.  Their continued explanations that they just were gone forever didn't take; as my brother-in-law said, "We've tried to explain it to her so many times, and it just goes right over her head!" Losing a loved one--including a pet--is tough for anyone to accept; my niece, however, just couldn't do that at all.  In another case, a family friend who had a mentally retarded son who was well into his twenties at the time was dealing with a very caustic situation.  Long story short, some random girl told him that she was having his child, even though he had never seen her before in his life.  Most people his age would realize the ridiculousness of such a claim...but, he believed it, because he was so far behind mentally that he didn't understand the concept of human reproduction.  His parents tried to tell him time and time again that said young woman couldn't be having his baby...but, he just had trouble comprehending it.  The whole situation seriously stressed his entire family.

I'm not a little kid anymore, and I'm perfectly capable of understanding adult concepts...but, sometimes, people have trouble getting me interested in things outside my area of interest, and have to use such tactics.  Sometimes, no matter what people say, it just doesn't work; I'm just not going to get excited about some things, especially if they relate to sports.  People have gotten mad at times because of my lack of interest; my brother-in-law was once really upset because I was all excited about an upcoming youth retreat...but couldn't have cared less about any Boy Scout camping trips.  To be honest, I can understand his feelings to a degree--he had worked hard up to that point to keep me in Scouting--but, still, he knew that I really didn't want to be in the program at all, so it shouldn't have surprised him.

I know my areas of interest are limited; when I think about that, it reminds me of an episode of Home Improvement.  It starts with Jill telling Tim that she can't take their younger son Mark to a ballet, so, Tim has to do it.  At first, he plans on doing just that...but, then, his neighbor Wilson gives him courtside tickets to a Detroit Pistons game...which is happening right around the same time as the ballet.  Tim and Mark leave the ballet early to attend the ball game; they try and keep it from Jill, but, as usual, she finds out anyway.  When she and Tim discuss it, she says, "Tim, for years I have been trying to expose the boys to something other than sports, tools, and cars.  I can't get Brad interested; Randy's light is barely flickering; now, you've gone and taken what I had with Mark."  Some people could say the same for me: "Everything you do seems to involve technology, entertainment, or shopping! There's so much more to life than that; why won't you try something new?"  First off, you'd be hard-pressed to find many things that don't involve technology; even getting a shower or sitting in church--unless your house of worship doesn't use PowerPoint--would fall into that category.  Second off, you may think that's limited, but you don't realize that my scope of interests is much broader than it has ever been.  When I was younger, I usually had a favorite entity...and everything was about that entity.  It was kind of like a little child who learns his or her first word, and proceeds to think of everything as that word; my mom used to babysit a little girl who learned the word "cat", and would point at everything from the television set to our dog and say, "Cat!"  I made progress over time, but, it wasn't until recent years that my interests even came close to being as varied as they are currently.  Maybe, over time, they'll broaden even more; we'll see what the future holds.  Still, for me, where my interests are now is quite good; ask someone who knew me when I was younger if you don't believe me.

In conclusion: I realize that my tastes in pretty much everything make me unique...but that's just how I like it.  People who tell me to do the "normal" thing instead are seriously misguided; they don't truly know me, and, whether they admit it or not, they don't want me to be me.  My interests--in all areas, not just television--are a big part of who I am.  I remember a quotation in my sophomore yearbook from a guy who said that "growing up with rap music" was a very big influence on him, and made him who he was at that time.  You all know I never bother with mainstream hip-hop tunes, but, I kind of feel the same way: I am who I am today because of not only television, but movies, books, video/computer games, technology, garage saling...and all of the other things that I grew up with, most of which I still hold in high regard to this day.  It gives me a different perspective than most, but, if you're my friend, you shouldn't have a problem with that.

Why I Do..., No. 4: Why I Admire Strong Women

I was raised by women.  After my biological father walked out on us when I was too young to even remember, and my grandfather died when I was only five years old, it was up to the women in my life--my mom, my middle sister, and my grandmother--to take charge.  Without any guys to rely on--well, for the most part, anyway--they had a tough road to travel...but, with the help of friends and other family members--many of whom were also women--they showed what they were made of, and proved they didn't need husbands to do everything for them.

It's no surprise, then, that I would admire strong women.  One look at some of my favorite female fictional characters over the past decade or so is perfect proof:

• In Kickin' It, Kim, who was the lone female among her group of friends, proved that she was a force to be reckoned with, and wasn't afraid to use her karate skills on anyone who tried to threaten her, even a famous singer who turned out to be a jerk.
• On Mork & Mindy, Mindy looked after Mork and put up with his constantly childish behavior, not to mention all the times she explained Earth culture to him.
• On H2O: Just Add Water, Emma saved one of her sworn enemies from drowning using her mermaid ability, even at the risk of her big secret being found out.

There's plenty more where that came from; trust me.  I have to agree with the late author Anne McCaffrey when she said, "There is not a Cinderella theme.  Cinderella was a wimp.  My heroines are victims--strong people--who become survivors."  It's telling that, in high school, I wrote the longest piece I've written to this day: a tale of a female superhero and the guy who adored her.  It was pretty much a gender-swap of Spider-Man, except my heroine didn't shoot webs; she had a costume-matching green belt that was strong enough to knock a propane tank that someone hurled at her out of the way, not to mention the ability to teleport by simply touching her nose.  She wasn't all toughness, though; when she thought her best friend was going to die, "a tear came to her eye."  Most people didn't know, but, I actually modeled her after a real-life friend of mine who I had seen perform in my high school's production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers...which also features a strong woman as its lead.

We all know that there are some traditions as to certain things women don't do, especially in relationships.  Most people will tell you that girls never ask guys out, nor do they ever propose marriage; it's up to the guy to do that.  My question is: Why? If a girl likes some guy, why should she wait around to see if he likes her back? If a couple has been together long enough--and how long is "enough" depends on the couple--why does she have to eagerly wait in anticipation for him to "pop the question"?  It's not that I'm completely against guys asking girls out or proposing marriage; I just don't see why a lady can't take charge of the situation and do the job herself.  It's one of the many things about human tradition that I don't quite understand.

One of my favorite places to read about strong women is the Bible.  Critics of God's Word say that it maligns women and puts them at a lower status, but, I staunchly disagree.  Sure, there were some wicked women--the infamous Jezebel comes to mind--but there were some wicked guys as well, such as Judas Iscariot.  However, throughout both the Old and New Testaments, you read about honorable, God-fearing women.  In the OT, you've got Deborah, the only woman among the Judges; Hannah, who never gave up in her desire for a son, and it paid off; Abigail, who was married to a jerk--seriously, the guy's name meant "fool"--but honored her king and ended up marrying him after her loser of a husband died as a result of his own anger; and Esther, the girl who became queen and saved her people.  As for the NT, a personal favorite is Mary, Jesus' mother; not only did she take on the responsibility of carrying the Savior of the world--which led to some controversy--but even caused him to perform his first miracle, proving that even Jesus needed a mother.  Christ also used other women to spread the news about Him, such as the woman at the well, who went and told others immediately after speaking with Him, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?" (John 4:29, NIV) Of course, who could forget Mary Magdalene, who went to Jesus' tomb before the others did, and was the first to discover that He had risen? Seriously, if you think the Bible lowers the status of women...you're not reading it enough.

I have two concluding points.  First off: Though strong women are usually admirable, there are times when they aren't.  Sometimes, female characters can become a Mary Sue, which, simply defined, is a lady who is unrealistically perfect, and can do absolutely everything imaginable with no help from anyone else.  A good example of that is Zoey Brooks, lead character of Nickelodeon's Zoey 101.  In the first season alone, she becomes one of the first girls to attend a formerly all-boys school, shows up the guys on the basketball team, turns random video clips into a winning commercial, and starts a backpack-making business...all with very little effort.  That's just too much.  Not only that, but, I actually find female bodybuilders rather unattractive.  I'm not against women being physically strong--these days, they need it more than ever--but, I don't like women who look like guys.  Maybe my same-gender friends feel differently, but, I have no interest in the female version of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Second off: Many women may be strong...but that's no excuse for guys to slack on the job.  Though I agree with feminism's stance that women shouldn't be treated as second-class citizens, I also feel that men shouldn't either.  I once had a guy tell me, "We're men; we're dumb." I know what it's like to go around thinking you're an idiot or a loser; I used to feel that way all the time because of my condition.  Eventually, I realized that such feelings were wrong; I could do a lot more than I was giving myself credit for, if only I would bother to try.  The same is true of other groups of people: those of certain races, those of certain occupations...and those of either gender.  Regardless of whether you're male or female, you're doing yourself a major disservice by labeling yourself as dumb; take it from someone who did just that...for years.

What Makes Entertainment Christian?

Over the past two decades or so, we have seen Christian entertainment grow by leaps and bounds, and reach levels of popularity it never has before.  From the mega-bestselling Left Behind books, which have inspired spinoff media ranging from movies to comic book adaptations to even a computer game, to Big Idea's VeggieTales, which started off as a series of videos but has practically become a household name, even among those outside the Christian community, to Christian bands and artists ranging from Skillet to TobyMac to Amy Grant to Relient K, all of whom have fans in the millions, to various movies ranging from Biblical epics (Son of God, The Prince of Egypt) to dramas (God's Not Dead, Fireproof) to even comedies (Moms' Night Out, Thou Shalt Laugh).  In every case, you've got plenty of people who don't identify themselves as Christians, but are nonetheless fans of such entertainment.  You've also got some Christians who refuse to consume such media, because they believe it to be of low quality, or they believe a term like "contemporary Christian music" is an oxymoron.  As someone who regularly consumes entertainment of all kinds, I have to ask myself: What makes it Christian? Sometimes, that can be hard to determine; here are some thoughts I have about the whole issue:

First off: Does the media literally praise God? That can be hard to determine; I've heard praise songs that could just as easily be interpreted as being about romantic love.  It isn't just the contemporary stuff that you hear on K-Love; at my old church, we used to sing a song called "When I Fell in Love With You" that sounded like something from a cheesy Broadway musical: "When I fell in love with You/ I fell hard; what could I do?/ You took the old and left me new/ [...] When I fell in love with You/ You swept me off my feet!" (Just reading the lyrics doesn't do it justice; you have to actually hear it sung a capella to appreciate the cheesiness.) Then again, many of the best-loved Christian songs never mention God in any way, such as Relient K's "Pressing On," which even ends with an allusion to The Mary Tyler Moore Show: "We're gonna make it after all." Many popular CCM bands--including RK--have songs that have nothing to do with God, such as "I'm Lion-O!", which is all about ThunderCats.  I myself have written such songs--okay, technically, rewrites of others' songs--that do similar things, such as turning "All About That Bass" into an ode to the Disney Channel...but I wouldn't consider them Christian.  In fact, if someone made a recording of one of my spoofs and played it during a Sunday morning service at my church, I'd probably walk out; that's no time to be singing the praises of some cable channel!

Don't get me wrong: I do believe that mainstream entertainment has its place.  Some would say that a song that doesn't specifically praise God isn't worth singing, but, think about it: What would you sing at someone's birthday party; "Doxology"? How would you teach kids the alphabet? I don't know whose idea it was to put all twenty-six letters to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," but he or she was a genius; it makes it much easier to help little kids learn their ABC's, as I learned when my mom used to run a daycare.  If you look at the Bible, you'll even see that the book of Esther never mentions God; so, if God's Word has an entire book that never mentions the Almighty, why does every single thing we write, sing, watch, read, or play have to?

Second off: Is the media based in morality? Some people would assume that absolute morality implies an unequivocal "G" rating, but, I don't think so; in fact, these days, some theatrical films with a label of "PG" or higher are more moral than the ones supposedly for "general audiences".  A good example is To Save a Life, a Christian film that was given a "PG-13," and for good reason; it contains everything from profanity to drug use to illicit sex, all involving teenagers.  That may sound sinful, but, that's exactly the point: Such behaviors are vilified for the sins that they are.  It may not be first grade Sunday School material, but, it definitely gets its point across.  Still other Christian movies--and other entertainment as well--can also contain harder-edged content, but they're not glorifying it; they're simply using it as an example of what not to do.  One of the things I've always liked about the Disney Channel and old-school shows such as Mork & Mindy or The Andy Griffith Show is that characters usually either do the right thing or face the consequences of their actions, if not both.  The same is true of much Christian entertainment: It may contain people acting in sinful ways...but it decries it.  Too much media these days glorifies sin instead of vilifying it, which is a big problem, especially for discerning viewers like me.

Third off: Does it point people to Jesus? This kind of relates to the first point, but, praising God is a little different than pointing people to Jesus.  You can thank God for giving you everything you have, but that doesn't mean you've accepted Jesus as your Savior.  One of the things I've heard in recent years is that, as humans, we are made to worship; the only question is: What exactly are we worshiping? People everywhere are practically bowing down at the altars of celebrities, sports teams, fictional characters, etc. They may not think it's worship, but, it very well could be; I never literally prayed to Hilary Duff or Anne Hathaway--doing so would have been unthinkable--but, my attitude towards them bent on idolatry.  It's pretty bad when you reconnect with an old friend from high school and one of the first things he asks you is, "You still worship that one actress?" Suffice it to say: I know all about idolatry; I suffered from it for years.  Oh, sure, I went to church; I attended Bible class; I believed in God; I listened to Christian music...but, my heart still lied with whatever entertainment-related entities.  I could say those days are past, because I'm done with the celebrity crushes, but television in general could be just as much of an idol as any given celebrity.  Maybe if I spent less time talking about the Mouse network and more time discussing my faith, people would know more about the One who created us and died for our sins, and less about the ones starring in I Didn't Do It.

In conclusion, I will say this: Entertainment speaks to people everywhere; in fact, I believe part of the reason Jesus was a popular teacher was because He didn't just speak words, but also entertained folks as well.  Even people in the Christian world would agree that mainstream entertainment can be very good; when Pat Robertson started the Family Channel--before it got ruined by ABC--he intended to have family-friendly shows and movies instead of nothing but Christian media.  I read somewhere that Robertson himself said upon founding the network, "Only a masochist would want to watch religious shows all day long."  Like anything, Christian media can get tired after a while; thanks to modern technology, there are plenty of alternatives, even for seriously discerning viewers and listeners such as yours truly. 

In Defense of My Entertainment Choices

It's no secret that I wear my tastes in entertainment on my sleeve.  For most of you, the fact that I liked some entertainment-related entity--it could be anything from Star Wars to Lizzie McGuire--was probably one of the first, if not the first, thing you found out about me.  It's also all over my Facebook page; even most of my weekly memes are dedicated to some form of entertainment, such as "TUNESday" and "Movie Magic Monday".  Whatever the case, it's become my trademark, and I'm actually okay with that; I could be known for something much worse.  When I was in Boy Scouting, I knew a guy who was pretty much seen as a target; the other guys did nothing but hurl insults at him, only because he was a complete jerk to everyone when he first became part of the troop.  I don't want to be known for something negative; that's why, if Disney Channel is what I'm known for...fine with me.

Still, some people have a problem with my entertainment choices.  They may not come right out and say it, but, the signs are there; why else would people continually unfriend me or brush me off when I try and talk to them? Certain folks have even gone as far as questioning my sexuality because I'd rather watch the Mouse network instead of the big game.  I'm going to address those people and others, and I'm going to be unflinchingly honest.  You may see yourself or other people you know in what I'm saying, but, as I'll explain later, someone needs to take such people to task.

First off: Just because I don't do the "normal" guy thing does not make me "gay" or "a girl."  Homosexuality is a complicated issue, so, I'll say as little as I have to in order to get my point across: If you look up "homosexual" in the dictionary, you're not going to find a definition that says, "A guy who watches the Disney Channel," or "Someone who does not do the same things others of the same age and gender do".  I've always liked the female kind, even when others my age didn't; most elementary school boys find the fairer sex disgusting, but, I had celebrity crushes even back then.  True, they were much older than me, but they were still female.  Too many times, we tend to stereotype people based on common characteristics, such as race or gender: "All men love sports." I'll admit that many guys do, but, I have known quite a few who were only slight fans, if they were fans at all.  Even some were more into sports that aren't exactly the most popular on our shores, such as soccer or MMA.  I mentioned before that I'm just not a "rough-and-tumble" kind of guy; it's kind of an ingrained thing, as I was never too keen on participating in even non-competitive sporting activities from a young age.  My family members and others tried to get me into everything from softball to swimming to roller skating, and I just had zero interest; all I wanted was to go back inside and--you guessed it--consume entertainment.  Oh, and, by the way: Making such remarks is middle school behavior, so, unless you're in the seventh grade--well, even if you are--you're not doing yourself any favors by what you're saying.

Second off: If someone else thinks less of me because of my hobbies...that's on them.  I used to look down on sports fans; I considered anyone who enjoyed sports to be a fanatic.  That's not really true, though; yes, some people take their love of their favorite team to extremes, but not everyone does.  Once I realized that, I felt like an idiot for thinking such things; I can't lump all sports fans into one group.  It was the same way with dogs; in 2002, I was positively livid because my mother had brought home a canine companion for me.  I had said a thousand times before that I didn't want a dog; why didn't she listen? By the time I even began to realize how wrong I was, that dog was long gone; still, it was incorrect for me to lump all members of the canine kind together, and our dog couldn't help what species he was.  While I doubt anyone is lumping me together with others--because no one seems to do what I do; more on that later--they still seem to think less of me, not only because of my entertainment choices, but because of my other hobbies, such as bargain hunting; people my age, especially guys, just don't do that, they say.  I'd say that you shouldn't judge others; instead of thinking less of me just because of what I like to do, why can't you take the time to find out why I like it? Maybe you might learn to like it as well!

Third off: I already know that people my age supposedly don't do what I do...and I don't really care.  I've had people reprimand me for being the "only one" who does what I do, or tell me, "Look at what the other young adults are doing!" First off, there's no way you can know what every coeval person--whether in the world, the country, or even just among the people you know--are doing 100% of the time.  You might think none of your friends watch the Disney Channel, but, some of them very well might and just never talk about it; not everyone wears their favorite entertainment on their sleeve like I do.  I was surprised to hear a few months ago that some of my friends did just that; if you'd asked me prior to then if they did, I'd have said no.  Second off, if you truly knew me, you'd know that I've never cared about such things.  If I was worried about doing what everyone else was doing, my hobbies and entertainment diet would be completely different.  You may not like that, but, that's on you.

In conclusion: You may be wondering why I feel the need to say what I've said here; do such people even need to be addressed? Actually, they do, because their judgmental or otherwise unkind behavior is also sinful.  Some of you may be quick to tell me "Do not judge" or "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone," but, I counter with a direct command from God:

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked person, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.  Again, when a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself." (Ezekiel 3:17-21, NIV)

Jesus told people, "Unless you repent, you will likewise perish." It seems like everyone else is afraid to reprimand others for doing wrong, in fear of offending or losing them as friends; if I don't say these things...who will?

On the Issue of Pride

Most of us have something of which we're proud.  I'm not talking about being proud of your son or daughter because he/she was valedictorian of his/her high school class; I'm talking about a trait that you yourself hold that everyone who knows you knows about, and is something you feel is worth celebrating.  Maybe you're proud to be an American, or a citizen of whatever country from which you hail.  Maybe you're proud of your religious beliefs, whatever they are.  Maybe you're proud to be an alumni of whatever high school or college from which you graduated.  Maybe you're proud to hold whatever occupation you do: librarian, stay-at-home mom, police officer, etc.  Maybe you're proud of your political affiliation: Republican, Democrat, or whatever else.  Maybe you're proud to be a fan of a certain sports team or figure: the Philadelphia Eagles, Jeff Gordon, the L.A. Lakers, or whoever else.  No doubt you've seen bumper stickers, shirts and other apparel, and especially Facebook posts showing such pride; maybe you are one of those people yourself, and happily show off those traits to the entire world.  I'm not knocking that; in fact, I do the same thing...with entertainment.  Anybody who knows me knows what I like to watch, listen to, and read...and what I don't; most of them also have at least a decent idea of why.  For many of you, the first thing you found out about me was my favorite entertainment, or, at least, my favorite entertainers, aka the celebrity crushes.  Though I'm past those days, I still wear my tastes in entertainment on my sleeve.  If you've been paying attention to my Facebook posts, you probably not only know what shows I currently watch, you also know which ones I used to watch, even if you've never heard of them previously.  You might even also know random details such as who my favorite Super Smash Bros. Melee character was, or the random circumstance that led to me discovering superhero cartoons.  When I've said entertainment is my thing...one look at my Facebook history will make it obvious that I wasn't kidding.

Therein lies the problem, though: While it's great that I have something positive to be known for...it's a problem when I start to turn snobbish about my favorite entertainment.  I doubt you know anyone who watches all the various shows I do.  My rule is: As long as it's not morally offensive, it's fair game.  That's why my entertainment diet ranges from decades-old classics (Mork & Mindy, Hart to Hart) to '90's favorites (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Diagnosis Murder) to various Disney Channel sitcoms (ranging from Even Stevens to I Didn't Do It).  Sure, you might know someone who watches some of those shows--or, at least, used to--but such a broad taste in entertainment is rare; at least, in my experience.  The reason I choose to consume such entertainment is because I believe it's the right thing to do; these days, too much immoral filth is coming down the entertainment pipelines these days.  Such trash would have been banned a few decades ago, but is now everywhere you look.  It's hard to walk into a store that sells entertainment--other than a Christian bookstore, such as LifeWay--and refrain from seeing a book, magazine, or DVD cover that objectifies someone--usually a woman--or implies something obscene.  Just like other businesses, entertainment producers are interested in making money; if consumers--such as myself--use their money to support the right kinds of entertainment, that will cause more of it to be made.

While I know what I'm doing entertainment-wise and why I'm doing it, there are plenty of people, including Christians, who don't subscribe to that mentality, and will watch anything short of outright pornography, if they even are that discerning.  A comment on the Plugged In Facebook page called entertainment "one area where the Devil has a serious foothold," and I completely agree; Christians everywhere are watching shows and movies that would make Jesus weep in anguish.  I can't say that I've stayed on the moral path completely entertainment-wise; I have willingly watched some movies that could be classified as trashy, such as Satisfaction and Mean Girls 2...but, I regret doing so to this day.  Still, many people consume such media without another thought...which, to discerning viewers like me, is a problem.

As much as it pains me to admit it, I think my pride in my entertainment has gotten to the point where it bothers others, almost as if they feel that I look down on them because they don't do what I do.  Some years ago, the teacher of my high school Sunday school class was using a CD of stand-up comedy for a lesson; as he was setting it up, I asked him if the performer of the album was Mark Lowry.  He said it wasn't, and the class quickly asked me who that was; when I replied, one of my classmates said, "You shouldn't think you're better than us because you know who that is and we don't!" I quickly countered with, "Did I say I was better than you," to which she immediately retorted, "No...but you implied it!" It wasn't my intent to convey any such message; it was just a simple question.  Still, looking back, I can kind of see what she was saying; I tended to be a bit snobbish with my different entertainment diet...and I still do.

Back in 2000, I once saw a conversation between an older church member and a young guy who was new to the church that broke my heart.  The young guy asked the older guy about some computer/video games, and the older guy huffed and said, "No! I'm a Christian! I don't play those games!" and walked off in disgust; as the older guy walked away, the young guy said, "Well, [another fellow church member] is a Christian, and he plays those games!" It was very unsettling, especially since the older guy was supposed to be acting as a father figure to the younger guy, who essentially had no father.  Looking back, I can kind of understand both sides of the issue.  Gaming may not have been that older guy's thing, and it may have been a point of contention for him...but there was a better way to express such feelings than coming off as snobbish, as if he was "too good" for such an activity.  I don't really have much room to talk, though; I've spent years looking down on those who did things I didn't, especially sports fans.  Yes, my entertainment diet is different from most others'...but that doesn't make me superior!

The one thing I wonder is: How do I discuss what I do and don't do--even outside the realm of entertainment--without coming off like a snob or a jerk? I have my reasons why I don't do the "normal" thing...but, unfortunately, my approach makes it appear that, by doing what I do, I am superior to those who don't do the same thing...which is pretty much everyone! It's a mystery I've never been able to solve.

In conclusion, I will say this: Celebrity obsession is a big thing these days.  I remember a joke article in the twenty-fifth anniversary issue of CCM titled "Signs You Might Be An Amy Grant Groupie," which had a few ones only Christian music fans would get, and some that were so generic they could apply to anything, i.e., "You’ve been stopped before by people you thought were total strangers, and they say, 'Hey, I know you, you're "The Amy Grant guy"!'" It may have been humorous to the editors of that music magazine, but, some people do take their "love" for famous people to great lengths.  I remember reading a story in Reader's Digest that went like this:

Last Thanksgiving, my niece came home with her school project: a beautiful autumnal leaf with the words "I am thankful for my mommy" printed on it.
Her eyes tearing, my sister said, "This means so much to me."
Her daughter nodded. "I wanted to put ‘Hannah Montana,' but my teacher wouldn't let me."

Whether or not you laughed at that, now that I think about it, I can't find something like that humorous...because, when I was a kid, that was me, and it wasn't the least bit funny to my family members.  Over the years, I seriously hurt various people's feelings, especially my mother's, because I seemed to care more about my technology and my entertainment than I did them.  Even just a few years ago, after an incident my friends know the story of all too well, a former friend lamented, "That's just great! Some actress you're never going to meet gets more respect than a real-life friend! Yes, I'm being sarcastic!" That's one of the reasons I started my Midweek Salute meme: to give respect to people who actually know and care about me, instead of singing the praises of people who have never met me, and likely never will.  It's great that I've found a hobby...but, it shouldn't overtake the things that are truly important, such as family, friends, and God.  I could say that fixating is just a trait of my condition, but, I'm past that now; it's time to let such habits go...for good!

Why I Do..., No. 3: Why I (Generally) Avoid Sports

Unless you don't know me very well, you probably already know that I've never been a sports fan...though the reasons why may be unclear.  I used to say that it was because I wasn't raised around them, but not only is that not a valid excuse, it's also not exactly true.  Other reasons I've given have been everything from, "I just don't understand them," to...well, there's too many to list.  I realize that such an opinion puts me at odds with many people, especially those who share my gender.  To be honest, I do know quite a few guys who either don't care for sports or are only minor fans--that is, they like it, but they rarely watch it or keep track of it--but, there's no getting around the fact that the majority of the United States population loves their ball games.  I had said at the start of this series of blog posts that it was meant to help me understand why I do what I do as well as inform you of the same; now, I'm ready to share some thoughts I've compiled in my mind as to why I've never been a sports fan.

First off: I'm just not a rough-and-tumble kind of guy.  I have never taken kindly to being physically hurt, even in a painful way; when I was younger, I used to always threaten to call the police on others and have them charged with assault if they got the least bit physically rough with me.  I'd like to say that tendency has gone away...but, I still find such behaviors just as bothersome.  I wouldn't call 911 on someone for hitting me, but I definitely wouldn't be too happy about it.  It's not that I'm averse to physical contact; if you've seen me at church, you know I'm hugging and shaking hands like crazy every time I go there.  I don't even mind a tap on the shoulder, as long as it isn't done with malicious intent; I just don't want to get rough.

You probably know that, over the years, I've had many different heroes: actresses, singers/musicians, cartoon characters, video game characters, etc.  What you may not have realized is that none of them were known for attributes such as physical strength or other athletic traits; at least, not in a realistic way.  I never admired sports greats such as Michael Jordan or Sammy Sosa that much; in fact, I barely even knew who they were.  More to the point, I never aspired to do things that would involve great physical strength; it was never in my plans to become an athlete, a soldier, or even an Eagle Scout, the latter of which was much to my sister's chagrin.  People tried to help me learn such skills, but it never went anywhere...because my heart just wasn't in it.

I remember a scene in The Princess Diaries where Mia is struggling as usual in gym class.  When she seems overwhelmed by the other kids kicking soccer balls, the P.E. teacher says, "Just block one, Mia! Just block one!" Mia replies with, "I can't do this; I'm a girl," to which the teacher--a woman--responds, "What am I, a duck?" Mia quickly answers with, "No! I mean...you're an athletic girl. I am a synchronized swimming, yoga-doing, horseback-riding, wall-climbing-type girl.  My hand-eye coordination is zero." It's true that many women are athletes; even non-traditional sports such as figure skating require serious talent and strength.  I'd consider Kristi Yamaguchi--look her up if you don't know who she is--to be just as much of an athlete as anyone in the NFL.  Still, just as the celluloid princess said, there are different types of girls...and I'd go as far as saying there are different types of guys as well.  Some are meant to be soldiers; others, actors and/or singers; still others, librarians.  (Okay, so, I'm not technically a librarian, but I do plan on becoming one someday.)  Some would call guys like me wimps, but, even Romans 12:6-8 talks about all of us having different gifts, aka talents.

Second off: I have trouble understanding the intricacies of sports.  I'm not talking about the rules; I'm sure that, with practice, I could understand the workings of the games.  What I'm talking about is the rivalries.  Since I wasn't raised in a home where we always rooted for one team, I'm at a loss to figure out what makes one better than another.  You could tell me why your team is the best, but another friend could make an argument that's just as convincing for a completely different team.

All the way back in 2000, the Virginia Tech football team made it to a big championship, an occasion that had people all over my area talking.  Not only did our local ABC affiliate bombard viewers with advertisements celebrating it, but my mom even watched the big game, and she isn't any more of a sports fan than I am.  It turned out that Tech lost...which came as a shock to me.  With everyone around me singing their praises, how on earth could they lose? I later realized that I viewed it as a good-versus-evil kind of thing.  Virginia Tech may have been a big deal around where I live, but, they weren't the Power Rangers or Spider-Man, nor was the opposing team Rita Repulsa or the Green Goblin; it was a college football game, not a battle to save our planet from utter destruction.  That right there illustrates the subjectivity of sports: Who are the good guys? Depends on who you ask.

Third off: I'm too sensitive for sports.  This kind of ties in with the first point, but, it applies to being a spectator as well.  Some of you may remember this story, but, I'm going to share it anyway: All the way back in December 1999, I went with my church's youth group to a Hampton Roads Admirals hockey game.  They were playing against some team I'd never heard of; Johnstown, or something like that.  At first, the Admirals were winning...then, Johnstown got ahead...then, towards the end of the game, the Admirals got in the lead again.  The crowd was going wild, and I was happy for them...but, at the same time, I wondered how Johnstown felt, and kind of felt bad for them.  If you're a sports fan, you're no doubt saying, "There's no emotions like that in sports." I understand that completely; that's why I'm not a fan.  It's different when we're talking superheroes vs. supervillains; the latter are usually bent on world destruction or other dastardly plans, which is exactly why they need to be defeated...but, if your team loses the big game, would that cause the entire United States to be enslaved? Didn't think so.

Fourth off: I don't quite understand the appeal of sports.  All over the world, sports are a big deal; even other countries celebrate their athletes just as much as we do ours.  Some guys watch nothing on television but sports.  I once heard a discussion between two teachers and a classmate at my high school about a rumor that Cox--the only cable provider in our area at the time--was considering making ESPN a digital-cable-only channel.  One teacher, who was a big-time fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, said such a decision would cause him to switch to a satellite provider.  The classmate of mine argued that ESPN was the main reason every male subscribed to cable...and, for the most part, he was probably right; however, the only cable channel I really bothered with was, of course, the Disney Channel.

It's not that I haven't tried my hand at sports; I have...but, when I did, I didn't enjoy them.  Many of you reading this are probably sports fans to a degree, but, I doubt you would want to be grilled about it.  Back in the late '90's, someone--an adult, not a kid--took a rather critical tone with me after he saw Wheel 2000 for the first time, which was one of my favorite shows at the time.  I got a bit flustered because he seemed to be tearing into me just because I liked it and he didn't.  The same is true of sports: You may like it, and I don't...but, I doubt anything you say will convince me to become a fan, just like I probably couldn't make you a fan of the Disney Channel.  Instead of trying to "convert" me, what a true friend would do is simply accept it.

Now, for my conclusion: I realize that sports has been a hot button issue with me for quite a while.  I used to believe it should be banned from the country, if not the world, only because I didn't like it.  However, that's not right; that would be like the Disney Channel going kaput only because some nameless individual most people know nothing of didn't like it.  If one single person were responsible for the end of professional sports, he/she would likely be the most hated individual this planet has ever known.  I also used to assume all sports fans were fanatics...but, I eventually realized, that, when it comes to fanaticism, I've got no room to talk.  You may know someone who is obsessed with a certain football team, but my fixation on Hilary Duff when I was in high school could have eaten their "obsession" for dinner.  More to the point, I was against physical activity in general; I just didn't see the need for it...but, now, I do.  Not only does physical strength come in handy in many situations--i.e., helping someone move--but too much sitting around and watching television and movies or reading books can make you gain weight; it's done just that to me! I'm not a kid anymore, and, if I'm going to stay healthy, I'm going to have to get up from the recliner and do something active.  I'd rather not participate in sports, but I still need to do something that helps me get healthy...and exercise seems like the best thing.

Any comments?

Why I Do..., No. 2: Why I Watch the Disney Channel

In November 2002, I discovered something that changed my life forever.  About two months prior, I had been dismayed to discover that ABC Family had replaced Growing Pains, my favorite show at the time, with 7th Heaven, leaving me with no way to watch the Seavers.  I spent the next several weeks in a state of despair.  In fact, I even considered throwing my TV set in the trash can; without Mike and Carol, what was there to watch? However, that all changed when a kid my mom was taking care of at the time showed me a little television program called Lizzie McGuire.  I'd had some slight experience with it before, but, seeing it with an open mind made me realize what I was missing.  It didn't take long for me to watch every single episode of the show up to that point, which was rather easy, considering Disney Channel showed it every day.  I also became a fan of other shows from the Mouse network, including Even Stevens and That's So Raven.

Some people probably thought it was a fad; after all, how often had I gone from having a number one favorite thing only to despise it soon after? That wasn't the case here, though; even though I didn't watch it all that much for a while, I enjoyed it every time I did.  I wanted to see the shows in their entirety, but, I couldn't make it work with my schedule, partly because of technology issues; specifically, a broken DVD recorder and no DVR.  I have been watching the shows on iTunes lately, and am really enjoying them.

So, what's the appeal of Disney Channel? There's actually more than one reason why I like it.  First off: The Disney Channel is clean.  These days, it's getting harder and harder for parents to find morally decent entertainment for their kids.  Even "PG" films are increasingly getting edgier, and go beyond what many discerning viewers--parents or otherwise--would approve of.  However, Disney is well-known for its dedication to family friendliness, and people everywhere know that, if it's associated with the House of Mouse, it's likely morally decent.  True, that isn't always the case; some recent Disney products have had some shocking moments, such as the vulgarity that was in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.  Still, for the most part, you can count on the Mouse for clean content, and that's true for their channel as well.

Second off: The Disney Channel is entertaining.  I know some people don't think of it that way, but, I do; seriously, it's very cute and funny.  The Mouse network has provided me with plenty of entertainment; even before Lizzie, it was how I originally got into Growing Pains, which was well before the incident mentioned above.  I wouldn't keep watching it if it didn't entertain me.

Third off: The Disney Channel's products are well-made. I often say in my entertainment reviews that no one does a sitcom or telefilm like the Disney Channel, and I believe that to be true.  Their productions easily stand up in quality to anything on the other networks...plus, they have a dedication to morality that you can't really find anywhere else.  Even some of Nickelodeon's "kiddie" shows are rife with adult humor.  As long as the Mouse network keeps it up, I'll continue to be a fan.

I do have a couple of concluding points to make.  First off: Over the years, I have been well-known for my "crushes" on Disney actresses, ranging from Hilary Duff to Demi Lovato to Olivia Holt.  It's true that they did hold a certain appeal...but, now that I think about it, I think it was more their characters I liked than the stars themselves.  Actors and actresses usually get identified with a certain character, regardless of whatever else they do; however, the truth is that there's no guarantee that they're anything like that facade, whether the person they portrayed was good or bad.  That's why I don't do that anymore; seriously, the way someone acts in a movie versus the way they act in real life are two different things.

Second off: Though I may be known as a Disney Channel fan, I don't sit around and watch it all day! I remember reading an article over a decade ago where a then-twelve-year-old girl said, "I come home from school, and I turn on the Disney Channel, and I don't watch any other channel." That's not the case with me; in fact, I rarely watch live television, Mouse network or otherwise.  The new episodes of Disney Channel's shows tend to air on Sunday nights, when I'm at church; that's why I usually end up watching them either on demand or on my DVR.  I also watch many shows--not just Mouse network ones--on my Mac and iPad, either by converting them from a DVD or getting them from iTunes.  Honestly, I can't stand the way Disney Channel plays their episodes to death; I recently had two young people at church tell me that, every time they went to watch I Didn't Do It, it was the same episode.  I think they should try and vary their programming more; maybe show reruns of old favorites or air kid-friendly movies, like they used to do back in the day.  Though I love the shows they air on there, I don't want to see them a million times; that's why I stick to watching it on my own time.

Any comments?