Take reality television with a grain of salt
Published 7:00 am Wednesday, May 27, 2015
I was raised in a Southern Baptist home, my dad is ordained, my mom is a former church organist and I attended church three times a week.
We still pray before our meals, no matter where we are and I try to be as active in my faith as I can.
The one thing I don’t do often is watch a reality television show that is supposedly targeted to a Christian audience.
However, as a TLC junkie, I have caught a couple of episodes of shows such as “Sister Wives” and “19 Kids and Counting.”
I’m sure by now, most of you have heard about the recent revelation concerning Josh Duggar and the allegations that he molested five underage girls, some of whom were his siblings, when he was a teenager.
Perhaps, in my opinion, what makes this crime more heinous is the fact that this family advocates for Christian values in a public forum but kept it quiet. Josh never had to serve time for his actions, as many accused and convicted sexual offenders do in this country.
I have also watched a couple of seasons of “Duck Dynasty.” While it does have its funny moments, most viewers enjoy the strong Christian values they display, such praying as a family before a meal.
However, on a recent trip to Louisiana, I stopped in a gas station and saw lottery tickets with the show’s name and characters depicted on them.
Some Christians believe gambling to be morally wrong.
My point is, most of these reality shows are scripted and targeted to viewers who want to see more Christian based shows on television. But at the end of the day, I feel it’s more about making money.
I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with watching these shows; they provide clean entertainment.
My only advice would be not to utilize these characters as a moral compass. Find what works for you in your life. Whatever religion you may practice, worry about your actions and always remember to try and do the right and moral thing.