People, we have lost our way and lost our focus. I know, 'another negative blog'. But more than just being negative I'm hoping to ask some questions of our great land and of our people: Have you lost your way? Do you know your history? Does being pleasant and decent mean anything any more? Are you more concerned with truth or image?
I have been watching the HBO mini-series on John Adams. One of our founding fathers and 2nd President, Mr. Adams was a remarkable man, in a remarkable time. To watch this show and see what it was like for our founders that argued for and against Independence from Great Britain has been inspiring and yet depressing. So much of their mistakes then are the same ones we make now. Yet, so much of their greatness is in very little of today's government. We still make the same mistakes, but we have none of their greatness. We fight now because of a (D) or an (R) before one's name. We fight now because someone associated with a large company said, 'go fight'. We fight now because we seriously 'hate' many that don't agree with us. We fight now, not as representatives of a people, but as egotists in search of headlines. What was once done for the betterment of millions in the future we now ignore for the profit of the present. Our government has lost it's way. They have lost focus.
Our kids. Children have always been curious and bearers of great joy to parents as well as bearers of great stress and grief. It used to be that children not only were expected to treat their parents with respect, but each other as well. Sure, they argued and fought but they were called down on it and taught a better way. It used to be that children would explore, read and create from their own minds. Now they have things created for them and lazily sit around waiting for something new to show up after the newest thing has worn off. Now they video tape each other doing horrible things to each other and post them on youtube for each other to revel in. Now there is little understanding or little care for their history. Now they kill each other if they are found with the wrong color on or flash the wrong sign. Our kids are losing their way. They have lost focus. But I wonder if it's because the parents lost theirs first?
Our worship. It used to be that people would seek God and wait to hear from Him. It used to be that people would share with each other all they had and care for the widows and orphans. It used to be that no one person was looked to for divine knowledge. It used to be that people met wherever they could; as often as they could to meditate and speak on the things of God. Now, we build big, ole buildings that are used about as often as I use an 'Ab lounge'. We pay people to tell us what to think, what to pray and how to dress. Now we listen to one voice and silence our own. We argue about songs and about carpet. We argue about meeting times and how much to pay the person we want to speak. The widows haven't changed. The orphans haven't changed. God hasn't changed. We've lost focus.
So much of our problem can be summed up by Mariah Carey on 'American Idol'. Huh? Yes, I will make the analogy whether you like it or not. Know this, I like to listen to her sing. She has an amazing voice and great talent for song. But she symbolizes so much of what's wrong with Government, kids, the Church.... all of us. Here's a snip it about what she did and how she acted while helping to mentor potential singers on the Fox show 'American Idol'.
Mariah Carey made her way to the FOX lot on Wednesday afternoon as the guest mentor on "American Idol." And true to her rep, our girl was quite the diva. Donning a (typical) tight-fitting outfit, Mariah worked the press area backstage — but it took a little longer than expected. Tech and camera guys apparently were made to put in the extra effort putting up lights and having them angled perfectly, with Carey's people "double checking" that she was positioned perfectly at all times. "We had to re shoot one of the questions," one cameraman told Tarts. "I had to change the lighting and alter the position and do it again because we went off angle slightly. She has a director of photography with her at all times and can only be shot from the waist up."
Well, when you are a multimillion-dollar music mogul, you do have a little authority in demanding your best angle, right? However, Maz did lose quite a few fans on Thursday night when she decided to turn up two hours late to an album-signing at Universal City.
"She strolled in with sunglasses on when it was nighttime and by that point a lot of people got fed up and had left," a photographer told Tarts. "It was ridiculous."
We want everything shot from the 'waist up' as a people, as a country and as a church. We don't want people to see us 'out of position' or see the 'imperfections'. We want things on our time-table, giving little regard to those who are expecting things from us or that need things from us. We are simply bigger than the moment; bigger than those in our care. Our politicians want 'waist up' shots. Our kids only care about 'waist up' shots. As parents we highlight 'waist up' shots. And even as a Church we want 'waist up' shots; hiding the nasty, ugly parts of our sinful natures. You know what? The world is getting fed up and they are leaving for something else.
I don't mean to paint with such a broad brush and throw out the baby for the bath water. I don't intend to only highlight the negative when our country, our kids, our churches do much good that should be mentioned. I don't mean to make you think that I'm somehow above this because I certainly am not. We all have 'director's of photography' haunting us and watching our every move. We all want to be seen 'in a good light'. Yet it has led us to doing many dark things. No, I only mean to point the camera down a bit and say to everyone....'focus down there for a bit because I think we may be losing our way.' We all look good from a certain point of view. But the law of give-and-take suggests that from some points-of-view we are hideous indeed and are in need of refocusing and focusing on the proper places.
Say cheese.....
