Loving Celebrities
Posted by Shannon on October 27, 2007
In the midsts of a break from reading The Story of Christianity and watching college football, I found an interesting story on Yahoo. The headline read “Kentucky church to write letters of support to Brittney Spears.”
Here is a snippet from the article:
“If she were your next-door neighbor in the same situation without the money and success, wouldn’t you care about her problems? Wouldn’t you pray for her and offer her support and encouragement?” Southland Christian Church Pastor John Weece asked members of the church.
Southland Christian Church, which is located near where I am at currently, gets it right. Sadly, it also speaks volumes to the current culture we find ourselves living in today. To often, in America, we are more concerned about instant gratification or instant glorification of a celebrity only in turn to watch Extra, Access Hollywood, or Entertainment Tonight, to watch images of the celebrities lives crumble around them. I honestly believe some people get pleasure out of jealousy watching celebrities fall into struggles similar to anyone else, but that’s for another blog at another time.
Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and the like are no different than the person next door whom you talk to every day. They have lives. They have struggles. Only theirs are play on national television. Supporters and real friends? They are few. Those who love them and will help in their struggles, even less.
I’ve been thinking a lot about family brokenness lately especially as it relates to where I believe God is leading me after seminary. Spears and Lohan are examples of that family broknesess. What they need is true and honest love that is caring and supportive, not friendship that encourages a walk down the lives they lead now. Perhaps, love and prayer is what is needed the most for these two, and others - regardless of celebrity status - who struggle with the hardships of family. And as I’ve been reminded several times lately, brokenness doesn’t just mean divorce, but lack of love, lack of honest communication, lack of support from those who should know us the best.
So here Southland Christian Church gets it right. We only can hope that others will turn to love of others instead of glorifying and profiteering from the struggles of others.
November 11, 2007 at 9:54 am
It’ s a shame so many people have been critical of Pastor over this. But what can you expect from the world?
November 27, 2007 at 10:33 pm
Thank you very much,
Finally some one understands that Southland Christian church dosn’t want to get attention like it say’s in the news paper every day. I’m an 11 year old girl that has been going to this church ever since i was in my mom’s tummy. It all started in my 7th hour class when we were assigned to do a Reading Log. A reading log is where you get a story uot of the news paper, when i saw the desturbing headline that read ” Southland Christian Church wants attention say’s critics” of corse are church is one of the lovingest church i have ever been to in my whole life. this church was there for me when my dad was on drugs, got a D.U.I, and abused my mom. Our minister came and prayed in every room in our cursed house. The only reason why we wrote those letters to Britney was because we as a church wanted to let her Know that there was a better way to go then what she is doing. We love Britney and want to let her Know that God loves her as well, Those people that write those articles in the paper will suffer because God is the Leader of our church……… Think abuot what you write………. I dare YOU
Thank you for your kind words in this article that i just read it was God telling me to write this. You will be blessed God love you.