Category: Pop. Culture & the Arts

By Stan Lemon

Did you grow up on Dr. Seuss? If you were like me, you had a stack of Dr. Seuss books somewhere in your bedroom. Before I could read my mother read them to me, and after I could read I read them to myself. I have fond memories of the original Grinch that Stole Christmas – you know, the cartoon one (that may pre-date some of you). I was excited to see a classic Dr. Seuss book, Horton Hears a Who come to the big screen – especially with an all-star cast including Jim Carey (there’s something about him that just works for Dr. Seuss) and Steve Carrell (a personal favorite).

Horton is an Elephant living in the Jungle of Nool. Played by Jim Carey, you can imagine that Horton is a silly, fun-loving Elephant that has few worries in the world. Unlike the book, we see very little of Horton’s side kick Morton, though he does make an appearance closer to the end of the movie.

The movie opens with Horton teaching a bunch of smaller creatures in the jungle, but his lesson is quickly disrupted when out of no where comes a spec, a little teeny tiny piece of something, and Horton with his Elephant sized ears and Elephant sized hearing swears that he hears a yelling!

Before too long Horton’s hearing is disrupted by Kangaroo. Played by Carol Burnett this evil and overly protective mother is upset by Horton’s ridiculous idea that on this spec exists a teeny tiny world that cannot be seen. “If you can’t see or hear something it doesn’t exist!” proclaims the Kangaroo. Horton, though, is unwilling to concede. So the Kangaroo instructs Horton to keep such things as talking specs to himself.

Eventually Horton discovers the Mayor of Whoville, played by Steven Carrel. It happens almost accidentally when the Mayor hears Horton through a strange contraption strapped to the roof of his Mayoral office in Whoville. Lately the Mayor has been noticing some strange events, tremors in the ground and such, up to this point it has even made him wonder if there was something “out there”. The Mayor entrusts Horton with finding a safe home for the Who’s little spec, one where it won’t meet its destruction.

As Horton seeks out a safe place for Whoville he quickly realizes that the jungle is a “house of death”. Meanwhile, the jungle is going, well, a little jungle-crazy over this talking spec! We see creature after creature describing their own imaginary worlds, everyone making up whatever they want. The Kangaroo, still mad, tells Horton its time for the spec to go, but Horton replies, “A person is a person, no matter how small!”

Horton is determined to save Whoville, despite the Kangaroo and what seems like the very forces of nature working against him. Why? Because “an Elephant’s faithful 100%!” Horton made a promise, and he wasn’t about to fall through on it, so he risks everything, even his life for a tiny little spec called Whoville.

One wonders how you can possibly come up with a Christian spin on a Dr. Seuss novel, but this one shouldn’t be that much of a stretch. Here we have Horton, who the Mayor of Whoville refers to as “the big elephant in the sky”, and with as hokey as that sounds no one believes the poor Mayor of Whoville. We can sympathize, can’t we? We know there’s something bigger then life out there, a God and creator from whose divine hands we live each day. The world doesn’t seem to get it; they just look at us like we’re clueless talking about a giant elephant in the sky!

What does this big Elephant in the sky do? He risks his very life, to save a tiny little spec – something that would seem so trivial and unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Our Lord Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary and suffered under Pontius Pilate for a mere spec!

Our Lord saves us from sin, death and the devil regardless of what we have done or what we will do. His death has freed us from the bonds of sin. Where we stand before God the Father eternally damned to the depths of hell, Jesus steps in and says “A person is a person, only in Christ!” He says this right up to the Cross where he hangs to die for every person, even a spec like you and me. Our big Elephant in the sky is faithful 100%, even when we aren’t!

Horton Hears a Who is a classic Dr. Seuss book turned into a pretty decent movie. Christians will recognize the similar story, Elephant (Jesus) saves spec (you) from the evil Kangaroo (Sin, death and the devil). A person is a person, only in Christ! While personally I could do without the brief anime interruption and the references to Facebook, this movie is still worth seeing in theaters. All in all, I give Horton Hears a Who four out of four Lemons!

 

Stan Lemon lives in Rural Ridge, PA with his wife Sara and dog Ivan. He is also the webmaster for Higher Things and generally speaking a pretty nice guy!

 

by Kimberly Grams

I’m merrily skipping the commercials on my DVR back in January, and I see an ad for a show where a guy has a vision of George Michael performing the ‘80’s hit “Faith” ON HIS LIVING ROOM COFFEE TABLE. My most formative pop culture years were during High School. I graduated from High School in 1987, so if George Michael’s dancing on the coffee table, I’m SO there.

There are many reasons to try the legal dramedy, Eli Stone. It’s really funny. It talks about God as the Almighty and references Moses. The characters have emotional depth, believability, and snappy dialog. It has big, Broadway-style musical numbers and numerous pop culture references.

I present to you . . . favorite moments from Eli Stone:

Episode 104, “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”

Opening scene . . .

Eli: You probably think you’ve heard it all, but trust me – this story’s different. It begins in pretty much the typical way: boy meets girl, boy proposes to girl, boy sees George Michael in his apartment, boy gets diagnosed with an inoperable brain aneurysm. Didn’t see THAT coming. Wait, it gets better. Boy meets acupuncturist who’s convinced the boy’s the 21^st century equivalent of Moses. But instead of parting seas and smashing tablets, boy must somehow interpret and follow the visions he’s having (cut to Eli running from a bi-plane) and fix the world one lawsuit at a time. Needless to say it’s kind of put a little stress on, well, everything (cut to Eli jumping into the cake at his engagement party because he thinks he’s in a WWII battlefield) – but mostly boy’s relationship. Which is why I’m returning this. (cut to jewelry store, where Eli is trying to return engagement ring). It’s a sad story, right?

 

Clerk: Do you have a receipt or not?

My note: I LOVE this scene because you THINK it’s the “previously on Eli Stone” but he’s really telling his story to the jewelry store clerk. It encapsulates the show – high powered lawyer turned do-gooder – in a fun way. Throughout the show there are references to God as the Almighty and Moses as a servant of God. A main theme is: How do you know when God is trying to tell you something, and what is he trying to tell you. (We Lutherans would know to look in our Bibles perhaps, but this IS network TV – I think God as a theme is as far as it will go. And there’s no Jesus, but again, I wasn’t expecting that either).

 

***

Scene between Eli and his boss, Jordan (his would-have-been father-in-law) regarding a case defending a guy whose marriage was annulled while he was in a coma . . .

Jordan: Suing God now, are we, Eli?

Eli: Not the Almighty, sir, just His church. Actually, not an entire church, just a priest. People do it all the time these days – it’s like buying a hybrid.

 

My note: One of the ways Lutherans differ from some church bodies is that we don’t make rules where there aren’t any. “Annulment” is one of those rules from man, not God. The Bible outlines legitimate reasons for divorce, like adultery. But none of Jesus’ miracles was “proof” – that marriage never happened!

***

As Eli leaves Jordan’s office, everyone appears to him as coma-guy dressed in a hospital gown.

Coma guy 1 (singing): I was feelin’, so bad.

Coma guy 2: I asked my family doctor just what I had.

(Cue full on choreographed rendition of “Good Lovin’’ by The Rascals which ends with Eli dancing on a table in the lobby. Since the aneurysm is still, publicly, a secret, he just looks crazy).

My note: What makes this show special is the creative way they can use music without anything being over the top. Everyone gets to sing and dance in this show (I’m SO jealous)! Eli’s secretary is suddenly wearing a red evening dress and breaking into song, there’s a boys choir in the boardroom, or – have I mentioned – a George Michael number?

Episode 106, “Something to Save”

After the firms’ main players perform Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Who’ll Stop the Rain” featuring a solo by boss Jordan, Eli visits with his acupuncturist, Dr. Chen . . .

Eli: I’m getting rained on now. It’s not bad enough that I’m facing disbarment, but now I got my own personal weather front.

Chen: God used rain to wipe out his first draft of humanity. So did Hurukan – Mayan god.

Eli: You spend a lot of time on Wikipedia, don’t you?

Chen: So, this is the second time you’ve seen your boss singing to you, Eli. What does that tell you?

Eli: He should try out for American Idol?

Chen: You said he was performing “Who’ll Stop the Rain”. Maybe Jordan is the one who’ll stop the rain. What do you think the rain represents?

Eli: My disbarment hearing, obviously, but I don’t know how Jordan can stop it. He’s too busy holding a fire sale with my caseload.

Chen: Well he’s a powerful lawyer. Maybe he could exert some professional influence with the bar.

Eli: It’s too late for that. Holly Raines is prosecuting. She’s like my own personal Javert.

Chen: The lawyer prosecuting you is named Raines? As in “who will stop the”?

My note: Here is where subtlety in acting comes in. The way it’s played, to me, seems like “God flooded the world in Noah’s time” (fact) but the Mayan god – just a story. I watched several times and I feel it’s played as God the Almighty, with a capitol G, other historical myths – lowercase “g”. It’s also among my faves because it references American Idol and Les Miserables in the same conversation.

***

Scene between Eli and ex-fiancée, Taylor . . .

Eli: So I looked for a “thanks for getting your dad to represent me at my disbarment hearing” card, but I couldn’t find one.

Taylor: Did you look next to the “sorry I called off our wedding because of the guy from Wham!” display?

 

My note: How could I not love a show with random George Michael moments? They couldn’t have picked a better Pop music icon. The themes of his music, “Faith”, “Freedom”, “Father Figure” (Eli had issues with his alcoholic father who turned out to have the same aneurysm thingy) work with the themes of the show.

***

Episode 107, “Heal the Pain”

Eli: Yeah, well God and I enjoy a pretty complicated relationship. At least now I’m starting to believe in what He wants me to do. It’s like I see things now, you know. Things that were always there but that I never noticed before.

Maggie: Like people who need help.

Eli: Including high-anxiety, borderline incompetent, junior associates.

Maggie: At least I’m borderline now.

My note: Acknowledges God, spotlights the changes in Eli, and is funny on top of it.

***

CLASSIC scene where Taylor invites Eli to a $3,000/ticket charity event . . .

Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, George Michael (appears on stage).

Eli: Oh, not now, please! (Eli thinks he’s having a vision but then realizes it’s ACTUALLY George Michael performing).

My note: Eli is a guy who’s always gone by the facts; now he’s learning to go by faith. He fought for big corporations to make rich guys richer; now he helps people. As with most Hollywood shows, there is no mention of Jesus, but they do acknowledge God as the Almighty.

Concluding thoughts: Is this a “Christian” show. No, not by any means. They do reference other gods, but in a more “text-booky” way as opposed to God, whom they seem to acknowledge and take seriously. Do I recommend it? Yes. It is funny, interesting, thought-provoking, and discussion-worthy, not to mention REALLY funny. I don’t think they’re even necessarily trying to promote God – but at least so far they are getting their facts straight (none of that garbage with shows where God is a woman or something that makes me want to hurl). I caught one more episode since writing this article, where Eli is having a “crisis” of faith and is unsure if he’s done the right thing – and they reference Martin Luther as an example of breaking the “rules” to do the right thing.

There will be a few more episodes, so you still have time to check it out, plus it’s on the fall schedule for mid-season. You can also go online (ABC) to watch previous episodes. 

Kim Grams is a writer and pastor’s wife who lives in Scottsbluff, NE. A dancer and an avid reality TV viewer, she has also written many other Pop. Culture articles. 

by Kimberly Grams

By the time this is posted, American Idol’s Top 12 will soon become the Top 10.

I’ve watched enough Idol, that I get kinda bored. I know what the judges will say, before they say it (my kids think this is a cool trick). Slow songs make my eyes glaze over. On Survivor, you can’t sit out the same person in back-to-back challenges; AI should have a rule: you can’t do two slow songs in a row. Hey, that’d be a GREAT theme week – only upbeat songs!

So, why don’t I quit? Well, once, I skipped season of Survivor. It was a great one. I missed it. And then, I didn’t know all the players on “All-Stars” or “Fans vs. Faves”. I don’t want to miss a crucial Pop Culture moment! Plus, how many shows can I watch and discuss with my daughters AND my mom?

Here’s my take so far. (FYI: we give them nicknames at the beginning to tell them apart):

Carly Smithson (Irish rocker chick) – Amazing voice, memorable. Sang well Week 1 (with bronchitis) and was best female of Week 2. She’s the top female contender.

Syesha Mercado (Big hair, big voice girl) – Some say she shouts, but I’m not hearing it. Has stage-presence. I hate the song she sang Week 2 (“Me and Mr. Jones”). I’d like to see more of her, but she needs to pick non-boring songs.

Brooke White (Carly Simon blonde) – Cute, sweet, and the blonde who stands out most. Sooner or later the power vocalists’ll knock her out.

Ramiele Malubay (Cool hair girl) – Great voice, but I remember her hairdo more than her singing.

Kristy Lee Cook (One of the other blondes) – She was clearly ill Week 1, so she gets some slack. But she hasn’t done anything amazing since “Amazing Grace”. The others will leave her in the dust.

Amanda Overmyer (Nurse rocker chick) – LOVE her, and she’s never boring. Unfortunately, her Week 2 song was atrocious. I’ll give any of my favorites a pass if they are sick/have a bad week. She can’t afford to be bad again. I hope she sings great and stays awhile.

Kady Malloy (The Brittney blonde) – Since the actual Brittney doesn’t seem to care about her career, maybe she could have it. THAT would be entertaining.

Asia’h Epperson (Girl whose dad died) – My kids: “Which one is that?” Me: “The girl whose dad died.” We could re-name her “raspy voice girl”. Like her OK, but can’t figure out if her raspy-ness and clipped consonants are stylistic, or a vocal problem.

Michael Johns (Aussie rocker) – Sometimes strains for those top notes, but pulls it out. Charismatic enough to sell out stadiums. If he doesn’t win Idol, some band will scoop him up as front man.

Jason Castro (Dreadlock dude) – He got NO airtime before the Top 24, but his unique look and interview (about how he hates to talk in interviews) are charming. I’ve still got his version of “Daydream” from WEEK 1 in my head (and not in a bad way). He proves that talent trumps TV time.

Luke Menard (Orlando Bloom’s brother) – He looks like Orlando Bloom’s brother and…he looks like Orlando Bloom’s brother. Sorry, bro, but you can’t get by on looks this season. By the time this article is posted, you’ll be bye-bye.

Danny Noriega (Snap! Snap! Snap!) – THE funnest thing to happen to Idol in awhile. His “some people weren’t likin’ it” (with the head bop), and “ish” (without) – were classic. Although Simon wasn’t likin’ his Elvis song, WE were (especially my daughters). Time for him to pull out the vocals I know he has. (I will be SO depressed if he’s voted out early).

David Herandez (the Latino guy we like) – During Hollywood week we wondered, “why haven’t they shown him more – he’s fantastic”! Week 1 he didn’t stand out enough. He didn’t have that problem Week 2 with his take on “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” (He changed it up 9 ways from the over-played radio version). He has the voice, but will have to work to compete with the others’ charisma.

Chikezie (Jacuzzi) – Awful week 1, and only OK week 2. Memorable more for his name and wardrobe than songs. Not good enough.

David Cook (other rocker dude) – I like Michael Johns better. But, since rockers are fun, I want him to stay as long as possible.

 

David Archuleta (the little guy) – All right, he’s adorable and can sing like an angel. The camera loves him. And, he took a song that I HATE (John Lennon’s “Imagine”) skipped the offensive verse (about there being no heaven) and made me LIKE it. He hasn’t made any mistakes – yet. I’ll be shocked if he’s not in the top 2.

 

My perfect Top 10:

Carly Smithson, Syesha Mercado, Amanda Overmyer, Asai’h Eperson, Michael Johns, Danny Noriega, David Hernandez, David Cook, David Archeleta, Jason Castro

 

Who should go next:

Girls – Kady Malloy, one of the other blondes, don’t care which one

Guys – Luke Menard, Chikezie

 

Ideal Final four:

Carly Smithson, Michael Johns, David Archuleta and ??? (I’m not ready to call the last spot – gotta see who makes transitions well to the big stage and who gets eaten alive).

 

Who will win:

CAN a rocker win? If so, this might be the year, with even odds (so far) going to both Carly and Michael. The main Idol demographic seems to skew the other way, which is great for David Archeleta. He seems to be the one to beat, but it’s still VERY early. Will there be “cuteness” backlash? Will he make mistakes? Are there enough rock-fan viewers to counter-act the tween girl/grandma vote?

There’s too many weeks until the end; I haven’t picked my ultimate favorite yet. In the meantime, I want to be ENTERTAINED. So, America, for the love of Idol, PLEASE boot the boring and voted for the varied!

Kim Grams is a writer and pastor’s wife who lives in Scottsbluff, NE. A dancer and an avid reality TV viewer, she has also written Diary of An American Idol Junkie. 

by Kimberly Grams

A few months ago when I heard about Cashmere Mafia (Wednesdays on ABC) and Lipstick Jungle (Thursdays on NBC), I thought “Cool! That’s an article!” Both are basically the same show about power women in New York City, and people on both projects had ties to Sex and the City. The article was going to be Cashmere Mafia vs. Lipstick Jungle. Better title? Best shoes, best cast, best plot, best acting. You know, compare them in several categories and see which one comes out on top.

I was really busy, but I wedged in some time to watch the shows. Cashmere Mafia had a few episode head start. It’s watch-able, but kind of like Desperate Housewives in the City, without the clever wittiness. Lipstick Jungle is almost cringe-worthy – the writing is clichéd, and the cast can only do so much with it. So I start thinking . . . there’s not really an article here. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend either show to Higher Things readers. And then our illustrious editor, the Rev. Richard Heinz, asked the same question: Is there an article here?

He had a GREAT idea for a different topic (which will be coming to you shortly), and so I started mentally switching gears. I mean, I have NOTHING in common with the women in these shows – not really anything to identify with. I’m not a single girl in the city or a work-outside-of the-home mom. I’m not a power executive in fashion, finance, or film. No one in Scottsbluff, Nebraska cares what I’m wearing, and there won’t be any nasty articles in the paper about my life or work. I’m not eating in the car while rushing to something else. Oh wait, I do that sometimes. But that’s not really an article.

In the middle of my brain transition from one topic to the other, I got the worst headache ever—the kind of headache that lasts a week and triggers multiple migraines—the kind that keeps you in bed and sometimes you can’t even think through it. So I emailed the aforementioned editor with the news that I was not going to make my Monday deadline; that really bothered me, because I take my commitments seriously. My schedule for February was already booked to the hilt, and the article was the only thing I could put off.

To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, in the last TWO WEEKS I have: sung for a major fundraiser (complete with a REALLY CRAZY 60’s hairdo and literally a half a can of Aquanet); sold 40 dozen enchiladas for my kids’ school; written my previous article; had workmen replacing the windows in the kitchen of the parsonage; choreographed and taught the opening number for the 4^th grade musical; had two family birthdays and my 10-year-old daughter’s first sleepover (where the basement was transformed for an “Under the Sea” theme; went to NINE stores looking for a Whitman’s chocolate heart with a stuffed Snoopy (don’t ask – that would be a whole other article). Oh yeah, and it’s Lent. Plus the headache.

This week I have: the piano tuner here as I write this; an exam for our life insurance; two more numbers to choreograph and teach to 4^th grade non-dancers (my specialty); a houseguest arriving for a long weekend; delivery of the 40 dozen enchiladas; a speech about being a writer for the annual “Friends of the Library” meeting. That is my February – and that’s not including everyday things like kids’ activities, church stuff, laundry, etc. I’m just a little overwhelmed. Why do I do so many things? They are all important to me in different ways and most are limited-time commitments. I do it once or for a certain time period and then I’m done. God gave me gifts, and I want to use them.

Somewhere around the fifth time my husband told me to stop worrying about not meeting my article deadline, I realized something. I DO have something in common with some of those women. One of the themes for some of the characters is trying to balance their work and home lives – and they are clearly over-committed and have WAY too many things on their plate. One of the Cashmere episodes even had a woman who was trying to plan her son’s Laser-tag-in-the-park birthday party while doing about 200 other things. That sounds a tad familiar. My schedule is booked up through the end of July, and although most of it is not as bad as February, some of it is close. I have very little room to cram more in or take care of anything that goes wrong.

Why should you care about my February to-do list? Because we all over-do it at some time, especially women and work-a-holics. I heard a joke once that goes something like this: I know of IRREFUTABLE proof that God is a man and not a woman . . . on the 7^th day of creation he RESTED. I know there are some of you out there – both guys and gals who haven’t had a break that really need one.

So if you’re one of those people, I recommend skipping both Cashmere Mafia and Lipstick Jungle. Put your feet up and watch something else. Read a book. Take a nap. Do anything that doesn’t involve checking something off your list. My article is being turned in a day late – but on Sunday I actually took a break. Watched some shows with my girls AND finished a book. And tomorrow, after teaching choreography – I’m going to the library to get some more. Because sometimes it IS a jungle out there – I just don’t always have time for the lipstick!

Kim Grams is a writer and pastor’s wife who lives in Scottsbluff, NE. A dancer and an avid reality TV viewer, she debuted with the article Diary of an American Idol Junkie. 

by The Rev. Rich Heinz

In her Pop Culture articles for Higher Things, Kim Grams has spoken of promises she made to herself. Several years ago I too made a promise. “If Carter ever leaves E.R., I am done. That’s it!” They have killed off or written off every original character, it seemed, and that would be the last straw.

Somehow I find myself breaking that promise; and I find myself more and more disappointed. To begin with, the show has always had an extreme-left skewed view of politics and morals. The E.R. staff has had more than its share of unquestioned extra-marital affairs, and the show just doesn’t let up on its pro-abortion and pro-homosexual agendas. That should be reason enough to call it quits.

Nevertheless, I had been watching until the writers’ strike, and this final slap in the face to Christian clergymen takes the cake. This season has seen the introduction of a new character, a female “chaplain,” Julia Dupree, who seems to embrace a belief system that comes from a spiritual “buffet” mixing many religions into one big mess.

Set aside that three-quarters of the world’s Christians belong to churches that take the Bible seriously and respect God’s decision for ordaining only males for the Holy Ministry. Try to forget that this girl has no sexual morality, and enjoys “free love” too much for any divinity school graduate. And never mind that a Christian pastor should never be searching for the latest Zen Buddhist meditation techniques nor attempting to comfort someone with a generic Christ-less “love.” What is left to admire about “Chaplain” Julia? Nothing!

I have disliked her character since she was introduced. Now I do not simply dislike her; she turns my stomach. One of the last episodes shown this year was called: “Atonement.” It featured a cancer patient named Truman who had been a prison doctor. Dr. Truman had executed prisoners by lethal injection. He now had a tortured, misguided conscience that caused him to believe he had broken the Fifth Commandment. Now he was trying to track down all the affected families to apologize, and feared dying under God’s wrath.

Instead of properly helping him cope with the Law that he felt, and giving the man the Gospel of Christ who atoned for us all, “Chaplain” Julia had some New Age hodge-podge of touchy-feely “religion.” The beauty of it all – the patient called her to the carpet! After she tells him that it is up to each person to interpret what God wants, he challenges her and says, “So people can do anything? They can rape, murder, they can steal, all in the name of God, and it’s okay?” After her inept response, he ends up shouting: “Well, what are you saying? Because all I’m hearing is some new age, God is love, one size fits all crap!”

“Chaplain” Julia has a tragic flaw – she does not know Christ! The burden that this doctor felt was unbearable. He needed the pure, healing Gospel of Jesus, assuring him that no matter how horrible the sins, (or how horrible the just actions of serving the government that God had ordained), he was completely forgiven. Ironically, this dying, scared man could have helped this “chaplain” toward the right knowledge of God.

The true God is not one size fits all. He is not open to every individual’s interpretation. There are not many paths to paradise. The teachings of religions outside of Christianity are false, plain and simple. The seminary is not the “Mega-bar” from Ryans, where you choose what you want and leave the rest. Christ Himself says: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 ESV)

“Chaplain” Julia is the perfect example of what we call “post-modern” thought. This is a belief that you can pick and choose what you want, because there is no absolute truth. Anyone can have their opinion, and no one is “wrong,” because it all is about individual points of view.

Sadly for her, and for the many others who believe this, it is not so. God does have absolutes. Jesus IS the Truth! There is no salvation apart from Christ.

As I ponder that I should have kept my promise to myself in the first place, I urge you to be on guard against such (ordained or lay) “chaplains” of another gospel. Do not give in to the thought that there is no such thing as absolute truth. Do not be run over by those who would tell you that the Bible is all subject to individual interpretation. Do not be overwhelmed by those who say there are many roads to heaven.

Instead, dear friends, be comforted. Trust in our Lord who never lies, that He is the way, and the truth, and the life. Rest assured that He has paid for your sins, and you will never have to atone for them, as Dr. Truman worried. Pay attention to the chaplains of the true Gospel! And begin to realize how choices in your television viewing may affect your opinions and moral positions if you are not careful. In the end, be assured that no matter who you are, no matter what you have watched, no matter what your past transgressions, our loving Savior is your Way, Truth, and Life!

 

The Rev. Rich Heinz is senior pastor of St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church & School in Lanesville, IN. He serves Higher Things as the front page editor and in his free time blogs some at http://revfrheinz.blogspot.com/.

by Kim Grams

Twenty tissues. That’s my record of tissues used while watching Extreme Home Makeover. It was the episode about the cop who got shot and is now in a wheelchair. The boy with the “glass” bones really got to me to. They all get to me, which is weird because I almost never cry.

When you have a chronic pain condition, you do a LOT of blocking. I have to block out huge amounts of pain, so I can focus and actually get something accomplished each day. When the pain is intense, you can’t filter out just the pain – you end up blocking a lot more. And you’re not just blocking out sad, sometimes you’re blocking happy too. I’ve heard other chronic pain-ers talk about feeling “flat”. That’s what we do to get by.

And just for the record, I’m not usually one of those whiny people who are always complaining about their health. But it’s a fact of life for me, and I’m not afraid to share. For me, as a writer, if I’m going to write about Pop Culture and how it affects us, then I have to start with how it affects me.

When I was younger, I was such a GIRL. I cried about the stupidest stuff. Now I almost never cry. If I cried whenever something was hard or painful, I’d never stop. My kids know that if something makes mom cry it must be pretty bad. Until we started watching Extreme Home Makeover, they’d probably seen me cry twice – once when I hit my head REALLY hard and then at my Dad’s funeral.

And then came the conundrum that is Extreme Home Makeover. Hadn’t watched it, and wasn’t interested – I’m not really into “weepy” shows. But one of my daughters caught a clip and asked “What’s that”? And I said, “It’s this show where they help people and fix their houses”. Then she said, “That’s cool! Can we watch it?” And then I (reluctantly) told her we could try it. We watched one episode; not only did I bawl the entire time, but we got COMPLETELY hooked.

I thought they fixed houses. I had NO IDEA how much more it was than that. They demolish the entire pre-existing house, build a new one – often specially designed for health conditions or particular needs. They tailor the rooms to the specific hopes and dreams of each person in the family. And the houses are the most amazing, creative things you’ve ever seen. They aren’t just building dream houses; they’re building dreams. They are helping each family get out of a horrible situation by wiping the slate clean. They give the family a fresh start.

Now I don’t know why I cry uncontrollably whenever I watch this show. I mean, yes, it’s very touching and emotional, but, like I said, I’m not really a crier. But then the family on TV is crying, and the design team is getting choked up and then next thing I know, I’m crying. Maybe after so much blocking, I need an emotional release under controlled conditions to get it out of my system, instead of letting it pop at inopportune moments, like when I’m trying to cook dinner. OK, that’s a bad example because after a couple fires, stitches, and some truly inedible food I don’t really cook – I heat. But you get the point. I can’t afford to get distracted by pesky emotions in the middle of everything I’m trying to do.

So I’ve been thinking about this show from a cathartic, emotional perspective, but it’s also educational. We’ve learned about rare diseases, environmental stuff, and geography. And as far as entertainment value, we love to see how they demolish the houses and the design aspects of each room, especially the theme bedrooms – often for the kids – that give them the perfect room. And if they have career aspirations or a hobby, Extreme Home Makeover outfits their room with all the necessary tools to pursue their dream.

So one day, out of the blue, this random thought hits me – this is what it will be like in heaven, only times infinity. We can’t even dream big enough for our brains to comprehend how absolutely amazing it’s going to be. Jesus is preparing a place for us. What came before will be completely demolished, and everything will be perfect. “In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2).

And THEN I realized that I won’t have to block anything out more. There won’t be sad or hit-by-a-tank pain. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev. 21:4). There will be pure, unadulterated joy. PLUS, I’ll get to see my dad again! Not only is that what waits for me, but I don’t need to make a video to send to ABC and hope I get picked. Everyone gets picked. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ, and Him crucified will get an “Extreme LIFE Makeover”. Our home, our bodies will be new. Every bad thing will be wiped away. Demolished. A fresh start.

I have a lot of shows I watch for fun, but I think I NEED Extreme Home Makeover. Not just for an emotional release, but for the reminder of the promises that have been made by our Savior. “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body”. Philippians 4:20

In the meantime, while I’m waiting, pass the tissues please!

 

Kim Grams is a writer and pastor’s wife who lives in Scottsbluff, NE. A dancer and an avid reality TV viewer, she debuted with Diary of an American Idol Junkie. 

by Kimberly Grams

I just learned that original episodes of Sesame Street are out on DVD (Volume 2 was released in November). They come with a warning: “These early ‘Sesame Street’ episodes are intended for grown-ups, and may not suit the needs of today’s preschool child.” This is a joke, right? This is the show that taught me to READ. By kindergarten, I could read any book they threw at me. Why the warning? So, I did a little research.

Back then kids rode bikes – with no helmets! Yeah, I know, it’s safer with a helmet. But now kids can’t even SEE someone riding without a helmet. How come kids don’t need a helmet for the playground, or sledding, or at the skating rink? Back in the day, no one wore a helmet. I only had one concussion (tubing on an icy hill). So today, helmets for any activity where they might fall on their heads. And let’s wrap them in bubble wrap. OK, my kids DO have helmets, which they wear (sometimes) when they scooter –they don’t even ride bikes. When we were kids we rode our bikes everywhere. My kids are 10 and 11, but they don’t go anywhere on their own because I’m much more worried about some freak grabbing them.

And that brings up another Sesame Street “Old School” moment. Gordon befriends a little girl and brings her back to meet his wife, Susan, and get a treat. OK, I can see why you’d have red flags on this one – don’t talk to strangers. Back then no one thought that scene was weird. Should today’s kids be watching this?

Reality check. THIS was the conversation I had to have with my girls, after a 15-year old newspaper carrier was murdered in our town. A man in a car with a gun approached her on her 5 a.m. route. She was afraid, so she got in. I told my daughters that even though this is unlikely to happen to them, if someone with a gun ever approaches them, they should run away (in a zig-zag) and yell. The person probably WON’T shoot at you – people will hear and they will get caught. IF they do shoot at you, they will probably miss. If they hit you, it will hurt, but you’ll probably survive. If you get in that car, you will be DEAD. Yeah, I’m SO worried about them watching old episodes of Sesame Street.

When Sesame Street premiered we had about 4 channels. When Big Bird was on, he was the only game in town. EVERYBODY watched. We weren’t all permanently damaged. In my research, an article quoted a parent as saying “What did they do to us?” Are you serious? They’re now blaming childhood obesity on Cookie Monster. Yep, a puppet yelling “Cookies! Um, num, num, num, num!” and spewing crumbs is responsible. It couldn’t POSSIBLY be the gazillion commercials for junk food. Cookie Monster is also in trouble for smoking (and eating) a pipe during a spoof called “Monsterpiece Theater”. Cookie Monster was funny. I don’t recall anyone suddenly craving a pipe for breakfast.

Other evils of early Sesame Street? Oscar is grouchy. He has no ambition and no one is treating his obvious depression. It used to be that Big Bird was the only one to ever see Snuffleupagus. Why is Big Bird hallucinating? Now EVERYONE can see Snuffie, and Big Bird won’t have to go to rehab. Don’t even get me started on Bert and Ernie. To keep the modern child safe from the horrors of 1960’s/’70’s Sesame Street, scenes have been deleted, altered, and the whole enchilada slapped with an adult-only label.

I’m more worried about consumerism than I am about a giant yellow bird’s imaginary friend. Let’s talk about Elmo, shall we? I’m not anti-Elmo. I’m irked by what they did with Elmo outside of Sesame Street. I had a LOT of stuffed animals when I was growing up, but when did we reach the point where we need 50 different kinds of Elmos? Not for collecting mind you, but animatronic ones that DO stuff. It started with “Tickle Me” Elmo and went downhill from there. My youngest daughter used her actual imagination with the single, small stuffed Elmo she had – and she survived without even one Elmo that laughed, sang, or did the Macarena!

 

I find THAT more offensive than anything I remember from my era of Sesame Street. Something else offensive? We’re watching Nick Jr., the morning block of shows especially for preschoolers. Mine were older, but there was no school and we were checking something out. During the commercials, there was an ad for an MTV award shows with clips of famous people – and one of them says the word “slut”. They showed it about 10,000 times. In what universe is that OK? I banned Nick until after the awards, kept an eye on the commercials and wrote an email complaining (no response).

Is this a rant? Maybe. I think I’m almost done now. Pop culture influences the world and vice versa, and the world has changed. I usually like to have a point in these articles, and this time I’m not sure I do. It made me sad to see how the world has changed, mad at the PC police, and generally gave me a headache. I could say some things about the old Adam, sin in the world, etc., but I’ll leave that to the theologians. All this thinking about the state of the world has made my brain hurt.

I can’t wait to Netflix “Sesame Street: Old School”. There are lots of things from the 60’s and 70’s that I’d never let my kids do now. I wouldn’t let them play in a construction zone, but when we watch it, couldn’t I just say, “That’s not safe”? I actually watch stuff with my kids and then talk about it. Instead of being labeled “adults only”, they should be viewed with kids, maybe slightly older than preschool, as a tool to talk about how the world has changed. It’ll be nostalgic, educational and fun. I want my kids to be safe, but do we really need to drain ALL the fun out of EVERYTHING? Cookie Monster, rock on!

 

Kim Grams is a writer and pastor’s wife who lives in Scottsbluff, NE. A dancer and an avid reality TV viewer, she has also written So You Think You Can Dance? True Confessions of a Former Liturgical Dancer 

by Kimberly Grams

Vicarious. Cathartic. There’s something therapeutic about watching fictional people do outrageous things. “Desperate Housewives” is my favorite, over-the-top show. It’s juicy – deliciously satisfying. I rate the greatness of the episode how many times there is a plot twist I wasn’t expecting and on the cattiness of the episode, i.e. how many times I say “that witch!”

“Desperate Housewives” is one of the only shows that I DVR, but can’t WAIT to watch. Cheating, lying, stealing, blackmailing – all complete with witty banter. Fake pregnancy so people won’t know your teenage daughter is pregnant? Check. Amnesiac husband addicted to painkillers? Check. Current husband married you to boost his political campaign, so you’re having an affair with your ex-husband? Check. Have five kids and just got through cancer treatments? Check. Mystery about the new neighbor returning to the cul-de-sac years after leaving abruptly – and some unspeakable secret involving her daughter? Check.

I thought that the tornado episode would be the last and leave us hanging on indefinitely until the end of the writer’s strike. The episode started with a comment along the lines of “little did the four women know that four hours later, one of them would lose a husband, and all of them would lose a friend”. OK, Gabrielle’s current husband is evil and got staked with a fence post during the tornado, so he’s likely the dead husband. But no one liked him, so he’s not the friend. Is it Carlos, the ex-husband who got hit in the head? Is it Tom, trapped with the kids under the rubble of what used to be Wisteria Lane? Will it be Ida, who was trapped with them? Presumably the psycho-stalker girl sucked out the door by the tornado is dead, but she wasn’t a friend either. Who else? Will any main characters die? Or will Ida be the friend they will lose?

When I saw there would be at least one more episode I was definitely relieved. How much will be revealed about the aftermath of the tornado? How much of Wisteria Lane will be destroyed? What new questions will arise? The writers of this show have never been afraid to shake things up a little. The show was just hitting its creative stride again this season, and now who knows how long we’ll have to wait to find out more.

As of mid-November EW reported that there were 3 new episodes left for “Desperate Housewives,” so the one on Sunday will most likely be the last one for a long while. I thought that we might not find out the fate of Lynette’s family and the whole episode would be melodramatic and still leave us hanging. I was pleasantly surprised to see that question resolved almost immediately, as Tom and the kids were found alive at the beginning of the episode. And, as I predicted, Victor was the dead husband, and Ida the lost friend. So, some things were resolved, but we still have to wait to find out the rest of the Catherine’s-secret-about-her-daughter storyline.

The writer’s, smart people that they are (and would the stupid people who are feuding them please give them what they want so we will not be left in limbo), moved the story line along, while still tying up some issues. It was a very satisfying episode – I cried a few times (I hate crying) but I also laughed out loud several times. Lynette switching Ida’s ashes with dust from the vacuum and then running around the baseball field to scatter them was priceless. That is totally something I would do. (Note to self: when we go to scatter Dad’s ashes, don’t call and ask in advance).

Despite its outrageousness, “Desperate Housewives,” packs an emotional punch, not in the big moments, but in the quiet moments of desperation. When Lynette realizes that she missed the opportunity to get to know the amazing Ida, who sacrificed herself for the Scavo kids, or when Susan tells Bree that she needs her domestic skills to maintain sanity – these are the moments we identify with most. Which makes the show not just entertaining, but powerful.

The truth is, anyone who’s ever been a housewife has probably been desperate at some time. Most people, not just housewives, will have moments of desperation in their life. Financial troubles, health problems, job changes, marriage/divorce, kids – life and death. If you’ve never had a desperate moment you’re either very young or very, very “lucky.” Like Lynette, Susan, Gaby, and Bree, I’ve been through some desperate moments with my own friends. When my best friend’s husband was killed in 9/11, those desperate moments – desperate for information, desperate that someone would be pulled alive out of the rubble, desperate for this to not really be happening were horrific beyond belief.

My life did not turn out like I envisioned it – not by a long shot. I didn’t know my health would keep me from being the super-mom I planned to be. There are many things I planned to do with my kids that I can’t. But you know what? God sits a lot higher than we do, and can see not just down the road, but around the corner as well. For every almost every desperate situation I’ve personally faced, something good – something unexpected – has come out of it. And despite desperate situations, there have been many, many blessings. If my health hadn’t made me almost unemployable, I probably wouldn’t have become a writer.

 

As you begin this New Year, I hope and pray that your life will be blessed and that you won’t experience many desperate moments. And if you do, remember that God is with you, bringing good out of all things for those in Christ. Remember that our Father becomes “desperate” for you, to save you from all the twists and turns of the outrageous moments in life. The Lord knows your every desperation, gifts you with faith in Jesus, and provides for all you truly need for body and soul.

 

Kim Grams is a writer and pastor’s wife who lives in Scottsbluff, NE. A dancer and an avid reality TV viewer, she has also written So You Think You Can Dance? True Confessions of a Former Liturgical Dancer 

by Nathan Fischer

The Golden Compass is a breathtaking journey into a fantasy world very similar to our own. The story itself is riveting, the characters are all quite likeable or quite villainous, and the tension between them makes for two very exciting hours. I also thought the musical score and cinematography were nearly perfect, which helped to amplify the whole experience. However, despite how well-made The Golden Compass may have been, it carried in its story some noticeably anti-Christian elements. Sometimes these elements were subtle, sometimes they were more than obvious, but they were always present.

We learn in the beginning that there many parallel universes to our own universe (think “the wood between the worlds” in The Magician’s Nephew). Binding all of these worlds together in The Golden Compass is the dust. Dust is important because it is the cause of tension between the Magisterium and the scientific community throughout the ages.

A Magisterium in the real world (our world) is, simply put, an ecclesiastical term for the teaching authority of the church. It is used much the same way in The Golden Compass, except that the entire church is portrayed as a very wicked Magisterium. It is an old, dogmatic, totalitarian group that wants nothing more than to control all so-called “free thinkers.”

This is evident when scientists create a device called an Alethiometer, which uses dust in order to determine any truth. The Magisterium (aka: Christian church) does not like any truth but their own, though, and thus they destroy every Alethiometer but one. That one is given to the heroine of the story, little Lyra Belacqua. She must now use it to stop the Magisterium from holding little children hostage in the frozen wasteland of the north.

Also interesting is that the place where the children are being held captive is called the experimental station. There the Magisterium separates their spirits from the little children and holds them under extreme totalitarian control. This stands in stark contrast to C.S. Lewis’ The Silver Chair, in which characters Eustace and Jill attend the Experiment House, where children are allowed to run free and do whatever it is they wish to do – which is generally causing mayhem and bullying other children.

There is a strong anti-Lewis theme throughout the film, which helps to fuel Pullman’s anti-Christian imagery. For example, as the four children in Narnia were given new, honorable last names by Aslan, so also is Lyra given a new last name by Lorek (bear prince who becomes king) in The Golden Compass. Her name, however, is hardly honorable, even if we are told to think it is. She is called Silvertongue. Why? Because she lies through her teeth, and as long as it is for a good purpose, it is considered noble and cunning of her to lie, so she is rewarded for it. She is such a good little utilitarian.

In the end, the overriding theme to the entire movie seems to be: the Christian church is lying to you in order to keep your free will under submission; science, however, can reveal the truth in all things and this truth that science reveals will set you free from the totalitarian dictatorship of the church. The Alethiometer is considered proof of this. The Magisterium believes that the dust came about from a bad thing that some people had done a long, long time ago – the dust causes sin. The bad thing, of course, is a reference to the eating of the Tree of the Knowledge. Science, however, views the releasing of the dust as a good thing. It is through this act that truth is finally discovered. Thus, while it is not stated outright, the implication is that God lied and Satan spoke truth.

The Golden Compass can be called nothing but anti-Christian (and, I would say, is very pointedly anti-Lewis as well). Now, it is quite painfully obvious that this is Pullman’s driving theme. But just because it is obvious does not mean it is harmless. Even Christ used parables – images are powerful tools, and Christian parents should be very cautious about letting their children see the images presented in The Golden Compass. They require discernment.

In the end, though, we must trust in Christ. Pullman never addresses the Gospel. That is his fatal mistake. He tugs on the anti-authoritarian tendencies of people (especially young people) today, but he never addresses the Gospel. He cannot! Because the Gospel sets us free in a way that science never can, and that is something Philip Pullman will never understand. The church that proclaims the Gospel of Christ’s death for our sins is a place of true freedom.

It is not a sin to see The Golden Compass, and despite its obvious agenda, it is quite an enjoyable movie overall. However, the Christian should be certain to hold Christ and Him crucified at the center of his sight throughout the film. The image of the cross must cover the images on that movie screen. Christ must be our true compass.

Though sin holds sway over us on this earth, there is an earth to come (not a parallel earth, but a new earth). From dust we came and to dust we shall return. This dust binds us all together in that sin of the first Adam. But there came a second Adam, and He died for Philip Pullman, for you, and for the entire world. Thus the final reality is not that “dust” binds all together, but that Christ binds all together. Christ Jesus Crucified is the reality from which the entire cosmos lives and is sustained. He is our reality, for we are baptized into him, and the demonic spirits truly have been separated from us in that Holy Water. Rejoice, for you are saved! Through His blood shed for you, you shall rise again on that glorious day of His returning, to live freely with Christ Jesus forever in the new creation to come.

 

Nathan Fischer is a graduate of Concordia University – Wisconsin, and a first year student of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN.