NBC’s "The New Normal"

 

If you have watched TV on NBC lately, then you have seen previews for their newest comedy called The New Normal.  This show debuted earlier this week and 7 million households tuned-in.  Take a look at the plot of this show:

“In NBC's comedy The New Normal, Bryan and David are a loving and committed gay couple with successful careers, a gorgeous house, and everything else a person could want, except one thing: a child.  But with plenty of money, the lack of an in-home womb is no problem, and Bryan and David soon rent the services of Goldie, a Midwestern mama who's just left her cheating husband and wants David and Bryan's cash to attend law school and make a better life for her precocious young daughter.  Crashing the party is Jane, Goldie's concerned grandma, who doesn't like the idea of her granddaughter serving as a surrogate for anyone, much less a gay couple, since she's a loud-mouthed and unabashed bigot.  But when sperm meets egg and a baby happens, all of these motley characters are stitched together into one big mostly happy decidedly non-traditional family” (Common Sense Media).

Judging from the title, it is pretty obvious that the goal of this show is to redefine what is “normal.”  One might think homosexuality is abnormal, but this show’s goal is to show it as an ordinary part of life.  It also seems worth noting that the creator of this show, Ryan Murphy, is openly gay.  Clearly there are some agendas he is trying to push through this show.  Murphy is also the creator of other questionable shows such as Glee, Nip/Tuck, and Popular.  Actor Justin Bartha, who plays the role of one of the gay men, said this about the show, “I actually do hope people are offended by it.  I think hopefully it will get conversations started in family homes and that families who love it will love it for what it is, a compassionate and loving family with many positive aspects.  And the ones who are offended by it or find that it strikes them as offensive, hopefully they will maybe realize that they’re bigots and they’re ignorant and possibly our show can usher in a little more acceptance” (WashingtonBlade.com).

Taking all of this into consideration, here is my take on this show.  It seems increasingly clear that NBC, Ryan Murphy, and other media avenues are pushing for widespread acceptance of homosexuality.  They also purposely put in a hardnosed and rude character, one that most people would naturally dislike, to represent those who do not accept homosexuality (aka Christians).  They are displaying the homosexual characters as nice, successful, likeable, and normal people.  All of this is included so that more people will accept the gay lifestyle as “the new normal.”

My take aside, and most importantly, what is God’s take on this show?  First, homosexuality is called unnatural (Romans 1:26-27).  This makes homosexuality anything but normal.  After all, it is impossible for two people of the same gender to produce a baby.  Their bodies are simply not compatible with each other.  Second, God only approves of the relationship between a man and a woman (Genesis 1-2; 2:18f; 2:24; Matthew 19:1f; 1 Corinthians 3:18f; etc).  This was the model He started life with and has commanded throughout Scripture.   Third, God clearly condemns homosexuality in Scripture (Genesis 19; Leviticus 18:22, 29; 20:13; Romans 1:26-28; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; 2 Peter 2:6-8; Jude 5-7; etc).

So, does God approve of the TV show The New Normal?  If we are honest with the Scriptures, we have to answer “No.”  Therefore, I hope and pray that we will stand with God and chose not to watch or support NBC’s The New Normal.

September 11th

 

Today marks the 11^th anniversary of the day the twin towers fell in New York City.  For many people, this day causes thoughts and feelings to come rushing back in.  We remember where we where when the tragic news reached us.  We remember the tears and horrified reactions of people around us.  We remember many of the details as the events unfolded.

Remembering the events of 9/11 is beneficial.  It helps us to cope, learn from past mistakes, and make improvements.  Certainly remembering the events of this day brings us together and helps us as a nation to protect ourselves for the future.

Not to minimize the benefits of remembering this day, but there are some events much more important for us to remember.  One such event is the death of Jesus Christ.  While the September 11^th attacks touched everyone on a national scale, the life of Jesus Christ has touched everyone on an eternal scale.

As we go through today remembering the events that occurred 11 years ago, let’s remember to keep Christ’s sacrifice at the forefront of our minds.

“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.  And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.  The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.  Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’” (Matthew 27:50-54).

Tough Decisions

 

“One of the most famous trials in history was that of Benjamin Francois Courvoisier in London in 1840, who is now immortalized in Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.  Courvoisier was a Swiss valet accused of killing his elderly employer, Lord William Russell.  What made this trial notorious was the argument for the defense.  The police had bungled the investigation.  The evidence against Courvoisier was entirely circumstantial or had been planted.  One of the officers had perjured himself, and the maid's testimony brought suspicion on herself.

“The defense attorney, Charles Phillips, was convinced of the innocence of Courvoisier and cross-examined witnesses aggressively.  At the beginning of the second day of the trial, however, Courvoisier confessed privately to his lawyer that he had committed the murder.  When asked if he was going to plead guilty, he replied to Charles Phillips, ‘No, sir, I expect you to defend me to the utmost.’  Phillips was faced with a dilemma. Should he declare to the court that the man was guilty, or should he defend Courvoisier as best he could?  Should he break the confidentiality of the client-lawyer relationship, or should he help a guilty man to possibly go free?  Which is more important -- truth or professional duty?” (Klyne Snodgrass, Between Two Truths - Living with Biblical Tensions, p. 11-12).

Before I reveal what the lawyer chose, what would you have done in this situation?  Would you be loyal to your profession and the guilty man, or turn him over?  As it turns out, Charles Phillips decided to defend the man.  Despite his efforts, the man was convicted.  However, when this decision became public, Charles Phillips was heavily criticized for his decision.

While this may not have been a tough decision for some, people are often faced with difficult decisions.   Consider the following: Can I be saved, and if so, how?  Which church is the right one?  Can I and should I fix my marriage?  Should I date this person?  Who should I be friends with?  Should I continue to watch this TV show or movie?  Do I need to stop doing something I enjoy?

All the answers to questions like these can be found in Scripture.  The Bible is more than just a good book, it is the ultimate instruction book specifically given by God (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  It gives us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 3:9).  There is simply no greater way to improve life than through Scripture.  We just need to take the time to read and study its divine contents.

P.S.  If you have been looking for some of the answers to the above questions, or others, please don’t hesitate to ask.  We can help show you what answers God’s Word gives.

"THE SPIRIT IS LEADING US TO __________"

Neal Pollard

When I was preaching in Virginia, I received a call from a concerned brother in another state.  He related to me that the congregation where he was attending was trying to push for women to serve in the church's leadership roles.  He explained that the preacher's and leadership's defense and rationale was that the Holy Spirit was moving among them and leading them to this conclusion.  

Have you ever heard a person or congregation seek to promote or defend a practice by claiming this kind of Spirit-guidance?  On the surface, it may seem powerful or compelling.  After all, if God is leading one to do something who is to oppose it?

The interesting (and important) thing is that the Spirit has already led us to truth on the matters pertaining to life and godliness (cf. 2 Pet. 1:3).  The Spirit inspired His Bible writers to reveal all truth (cf. John 14:26; 16:13).  Other passages, like 1 Corinthians 2:13 and 2 Peter 1:21, show God's deliberate process of revealing His truth through inspired men in the time of the Bible.  You will also notice that God confirmed the word of His spokesmen through miracles, wonders, and signs (Acts 2:22,43; 4:30; 5:12; 6:8; Rom. 15:19; Heb. 2:4).  

When someone contends today that the Spirit is moving them or the congregation to do "X," a couple of puzzling conundrums must be solved.  First, if "X" conflicts with God's revealed truth in Scripture, why is the Spirit calling for it and why should this calling trump God's original will on the matter?  Second, what miracle, wonder or sign will be done to confirm the validity of it?  Third, what if someone else says, "But the Spirit is leading me to tell you that's not correct?"  

The Spirit is leading us and speaking to us today.  He does so powerfully, through the Word He moved men to write (cf. Heb. 4:12).  This sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17) is ample to guide us to do all the will of God!

Giving Our Kids "Peaceful Fruit"

Neal Pollard

Paul's inspired illustration about the church is so rich and powerful that Ephesians 5:22-33 is a text that has been used to preach many a sermon about marriage.  What the writer of Hebrews does with Divine discipline is just as compelling.  In urging the Christians to remain faithful despite persecution (Heb. 12:4), he tells them they had forgotten the biblical exhortation about God's discipline of His children.  The writer goes on to use the illustration of earthly parents disciplining their children.

You have seen the fruit of undisciplined children.  It is both rotten and smelly, whether it's a toddler's tantrum, an adolescent's attitude, or a teenager's "'tude."  Seeing undisciplined children is enough to appreciate the wisdom of statements like "a child left to himself brings shame to his mother" (Prov. 29:15).  It is unattractive in youth, but destructive in adulthood.

In Hebrews 12, the writer uses the word "discipline" eight times in seven verses (plus one time inserted by translators in verse 10).  That makes it vital to the context of this paragraph.  Discipline proves love to children (6), provides legitimacy to children (7-8), produces loyalty from children (9), and perfects pure lives in children (10) though it prompts lamentations in children when it is administered (11).  Yet, in showing how He interacts with His faithful ones, God reminds us how He wants us to parent our children.  He wants us to teach them discipline.

How do we do that?  The writer uses words like "reprove" (5) and "scourges" (6) "as seemed best to them" (10) in a way that "for the moment" is "sorrowful" for the child (11).  If you ever had a parent who failed to "spare the rod" of correction, you can relate.  We do well to remember that "foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him" (Prov. 22:15).

"Experts" tell us that all corporal punishment will warp and frustrate the recipients.  Violent, uncontrolled hitting may well do so, but not loving, measured spankings meant to teach right from wrong.  Likewise, having rules and restrictions, consistently enforced, gives a child structure and boundaries.  Children actually want to know their limits, and they (and God) expect parents to spell them out to them.  Look down the road at the consequences of that kind of parenting.  What will your children reap?  The inspired writer calls it "the peaceful fruit of righteousness" (11).  There are few gifts as precious and meaningful as that!