Anna, Britney, and K-Fed ... Oh my!

By Lane Palmer, Christian Post Guest Columnist Monday, February 26, 2007

I’ve really tried to get away from the latest unholy trinity of news stories, but it seems to have attached itself to the fabric of society like the oil of a skunk. You can change locations and hold your nose, but the stench just keeps on appearing in new and ad nauseum ways.

Unless you just arrived to this nation from a small village in Liberia, you are probably aware of what I’m referring to. Anna to the left of me, Britney to the right, and here I am, stuck in the middle with K-Fed.

I guess the million dollar question is why … why do these stories infest every media outlet like a swarm of locusts? Why does our society seem obsessed with shaved heads and custody battles that in truth bear no significant value in the grand scheme of things?

But the most noteworthy thing to me is the “what” behind the “why.” What is the underlying motive and attraction behind the “why?” I know that we have been swiftly moving towards a bread and circuses society for quite some time, but this is beginning to border on the absurd. Perhaps I’m naïve or have a built in genetic resistance to most things pop culture and paparazzi, but I’m frankly too busy to keep tabs on the how many times celebs go through the revolving rehab doors or break down in the court room.

Now I realize at this point many of you may be ready to cry “hypocrite,” because I’m apparently bringing into the spotlight the very things I’m criticizing for being in the spotlight. And you would be correct if that were my motive, but it is not. The reason I point these things out is because they present a great opportunity to point people towards the only Person who brings true meaning and value to life. Instead of hand wringing and decrying decadence, let’s take the example of Christ and how He responded to the “media” of His day:

About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.” (Luke 13:1-5)

Can’t you just picture this? The lead stories on that day were Pilate’s barbaric and murderous behavior (surprise, surprise) and the senseless tragedy of an accident. So the 1st Century reporters shoved their cameras and microphones in Jesus’ face and demanded a comment.

I think they got more than they bargained for, because Jesus’ response was a clear directive to let the passing stories of the day remind us of the permanent nature of eternity. Those folks felt a need for explanations and philosophical insight, but Christ knew they had a deeper need for spiritual introspection and change.

And so do we. The questions of our day revolve around “why do celebrities flip out?” (surprise, surprise) and “who’s the father and who gets custody?” Yet I think if the cameras and microphones were shoved in Jesus’ face today, His response would center more around questions like “did you think that money and fame ever brought anyone happiness?” Or statements like ‘”there is only one path to contentment, and it doesn’t follow Hollywood Boulevard.”

To be sure, we can’t control the media or even which messy story captivates the attention of the culture, but we can use the ever increasing fascination with the relatively insignificant and temporal to start conversations about the critical nature of our eternal destiny. When we adopt that perspective, we can turn cotton candy content to a life saving elixir.

And that’s news worth reporting!
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Lane Palmer is the Youth Ministries Specialist for Dare 2 Share Ministries in Arvada, Colo., where he works with to provide resources for youth leaders and students. Dare 2 Share exists to energize and equip teens to know, live, share and own their faith in Jesus. For more information on Dare 2 Share Ministries or the GameDay youth conference tour, please visit www.dare2share.org. Send feedback to lane@dare2share.org.