Chris Brown: At It Again

Photo from CNN.COM

I’m frustrated! I’m frustrated with Chris Brown and all of the other celebrity figures who get special treatment by the justice system, or who are infamous and yet still loved.

Examples: NFL players who commit murder without consequences; NBA players who get DUIs and have their wrists slapped with a “fine”; singers who abuse their wives, do drugs, and live immoral lifestyles and yet are rich and famous.

A few weeks ago, I noticed an article on CNN about a certain celebrity, the title: The Ever Divisive Chris Brown. Evidently, Chris really wanted a certain parking space that Frank Ocean really wanted too (can you say, “first world problems”?!) and is being investigated for an altercation over the space. But I’m not frustrated with the fact that a fellow sinner like Chris got into a fight. I’m not frustrated with him for hurting Rihanna – although that did make me mad.

I’m frustrated because, regardless of the filth, fans still stand up for him and his “talent.” I’m frustrated because he will still be rewarded with millions of dollars this year. I’m frustrated because he has built a personal brand that can’t be touched by his own bad decisions. I’m frustrated because he will still show up on the Billboard Top 100 this year and will most likely perform at one or two awards shows.

How is it possible that any person with such ethical and moral issues, can enjoy success?

The article asks this differently: “As with controversial celebrities before him, at the core of the reaction to Brown are those age-old questions: What are our behavior standards for our celebrities, who sets them, and can they be enforced? If someone does something heinous, should we cease to find them entertaining? And just how much should a star's personal life override his or her work?” [quote]

I summarize it this way: when does talent stop justifying a person’s behavior? Should talent ever justify behavior?

There is a verse in Scripture that talks about this, but it doesn’t make me feel better.

In Matthew it says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

I know. I thought it was a typo, too, but it was in the Bible. We are supposed to love Chris Brown and all of the other celebrities that commit heinous acts.

HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean we need to support his music or his lifestyle. I think the question CNN raises is the wrong question. They asked, “If someone does something heinous, should we cease to find them entertaining?” The real question is: “If someone does something heinous, should we stop letting them entertain us?” And the answer to that question is: YES! Absolutely! We should stop supporting Chris Brown. We should stop wearing jerseys of NFL players that murder people or get DUIs. If we don’t stop buying their music and jerseys, we are not loving them – we are supporting their ability to engage in bad behavior.

What do you think? Do you agree? You may comment below…

Was Beyoncé Inappropriate?

Photo from: twitter.com/Beyonce

Bare skill. Exposed talent. Raw performance. Three of the many ways Beyoncés performance can be described. Facebook was alive last night during the half-time show.

There were positive comments:

Beyoncé used up all of the electricity. 

Anyone else obsessing over this half time show??? AWESOME. 

Take that Madonna and Janet, Beyoncé just showed you how to perform at a Super Bowl.

And negative comments:  

Couldn’t they have kept the sandy hook chorus around for halftime? We had to change the channel. 

Close your eyes kiddos, half time is not family friendly. 

She needs to put some pants on. 

There were people who were excited to see Destiny’s Child make a comeback on the main stage. Others were glad Justin Timberlake didn’t show up and cause a wardrobe malfunction. And some argued that the entire performance was a wardrobe malfunction. And that leads us to a question: how are we, as Christians, supposed to respond to a performance like that?

Most likely there will be two sides of the argument – the promoters and the detractors.

The promoters will quote, “Be in the world not of it…” meaning that it was okay to watch the show because they weren’t the one’s baring (almost) all for the world to see. They will say that they “appreciate Beyoncés talent,” and that “it’s a guy’s fault if he watched the show and stumbled – he should know what he can handle.”

And the promoters will have some good points, and be right about a few things.

But then the detractors will weigh in, and say things like “America’s culture is falling,” and “God would be sad to look down and see her dancing like that.” They will say, “the half-time show was inappropriate,” and “a good voice doesn’t justify her outfit.”

And the detractors will have some good points, and be right about a few things.

But what is the balance? What is the right way to view the Pepsi Halftime Show featuring Beyoncé? Weigh in on the discussion, comment below…   

The Hobbit and Adventures

Midnight showings are the best. This past week, half of the Axis staff went to the midnight showing of the Hobbit, where entertainment began well before the movie’s first scene. We arrived nearly two hours early and already the auditorium was packed with elves, hobbits, Darth Vader (oops), and one dragon. In the small open area in front of the screen we enjoyed several tumbling passes by a couple of gymnasts followed by a group of elvish Christmas carolers, a “fife-off” as Daniel Giddings (Axis Team Director) called it, and one epic accident. A teenage male with a flat-brimmed Yankees cap decided to do a back-flip, and most likely broke his leg – we’ll just leave it at that.

But this blog is not about the events before the movie, this blog is about a specific theme within the movie itself.

Apathy to action.

Don’t click off the screen yet. I know that we are Axis and we are always talking about apathy to action, but if you’ve read the book or seen the movie you know that this is a valid take-away from the story. Let me explain.

At the beginning of the Hobbit we meet Bilbo Baggins, a rather successful Hobbit, at least as Hobbits go. He had one of, if not, the nicest and most comfortable Hobbit-holes in the Shire. His pantry was full of delicious foods, he smoked a nice handcrafted wooden pipe, and lived a routine that was both relaxing and void of those nasty things called adventures. In every way he was happy, and I would argue not doing anything wrong. In other words, this story is not a story of realizing the evil in one’s life and changing. This is the story of a normal Hobbit, doing normal Hobbit things, without realizing that life has so much more to offer him. (kind of sounds like us, doesn’t it)

In quick summary, Bilbo’s life is turned upside down by a wizard and a very large group of energetic and hungry dwarves who are recruiting him for an adventure. Although there’s a look in Bilbo’s eye of curiosity, he is adamantly opposed to joining their journey. With the persuasiveness of the wizard, and in response to his gut – Bilbo decides to go for it.

One of the stronger lines in the movie is where Gandalf says, “the world is not found in your maps and compasses, Bilbo. The world is out there.” (paraphrase)

By the end of the movie and throughout the book we see Bilbo becoming a very different Hobbit than he was in his comfortable life back home. And this is where the theme of apathy to action comes in.

Bilbo could have kept living his life as a Hobbit, and wouldn’t have necessarily been doing anything wrong or evil by staying in his Hobbit-hole. But it took the adventure of a treacherous journey and noble mission for Bilbo to finally become all that he could be. Bilbo could not have imagined or cultivated the ability and talent that was within him from his armchair.

The same can be said of us. Take away the Hobbit-hole and replace it with the American dream, replace the wooden pipe with a television, and instead of an armchair picture a couch. Are we, in essence, Hobbits? Do we pursue a comfortable and relaxing life over the adventure of making a difference in the world?

While I was watching the movie, I couldn’t help but think about my own life. When Bilbo was sitting their eating his artisan meal of grilled fish with fresh lemons – I pictured myself handcrafting a latte with homemade syrups and the perfect espresso shot. And when Gandalf told Bilbo that the world is not found in his maps and compasses, but out there – I couldn’t help but picture the adventures that I try to experience through movies and books instead of actually living an adventure myself.

I don’t know about you, but my life often feels apathetic and distracted. I look around and see people who seem to be making an impact, but I look at my life and feel like, well, a Hobbit. But I have a hunch that it’s not because adventure is dead, but because I don’t search for it.  

What do you think? Do you find it hard to live an adventure? What do you think keeps us from experiencing a true adventure?

By: Daniel Day