Baffled

Warning; this blog is potentially more controversial than my usual fare. Here’s the thing; occasionally I get the opportunity (for lack of a better word) to watch ABC’s morning talk show, The View. The concept of the show is interesting. There are five women, including Barbara Walters, who hold a variety of opinions on different topics. While sometimes the show seems more like a women’s coffee clutch, with everyone trying to get their opinion heard over the roar of the room, they do present some interesting issues.

Over the past few weeks I’ve noticed one opinion that they all seem to have in common. They do not tolerate a man stepping out on his woman. And, you’d have to have your head buried in the sand to not have noticed that there seems to be a lot of high-profile men doing just that.

The View women had plenty to say about Tiger Woods and his public apology. Was it really sincere? How would Elin react? Blah, blah, blah. And then there was the whole John Edwards mess. They were full of opinions about photos of his mistress, Riehl, with their “love child.” But seriously, this is what baffles me. Why are people, who work in an industry that pretty much promotes this kind of behavior, surprised when it actually happens?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not condoning adultery. In fact, to be clear, I believe it hurts the very heart of God. But, in Hollywood it seems, sex is what's selling the goods. We can’t watch movies, television shows, or even commercials without, at some point, hearing some sort of sexual innuendo, or seeing some scantily clad woman selling pick-up trucks. We barely even flinch when the couple in a movie goes to bed together after just one date. We’ve come to expect it, and accept it.

So, I remain baffled at how The View women are so surprised by the behavior of these men. It seems to me that what we have here is simply an example of one of the basic laws of physics. “To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction.” (If my father reads this he’ll be totally amazed that I actually know one of the laws of physics. Let’s just say, it wasn’t my strongest subject in school.)

In other words, we can’t continue to bombard society with sexual images and innuendos, and not expect some sort of fall out. Famous people aren’t exempt from temptation anymore than the rest of us. If we expect to see a change in the way people, and might I say, men in particular, behave sexually, then Hollywood might want to consider putting out more films like “The Blind Side,” and less films like “Up in the Air.”

Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not picking on men. It’s just a well known fact that sexual temptation is more of a struggle for men, where as mine is more in the arena of chocolate. I wonder if I could get the networks to quit airing commercials that show delicious, chocolaty goodness. Probably not. How then would they sell air time to the Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem people?

One thing is sure; we’ll continue to reap what we sow in the area of sexual purity so I hope the women on The View are ready.

The other thing I can guarantee is that God is still in the business of forgiveness. He has dealt with some pretty shady characters over the years. I, for one, am grateful that, in His word, He allows us to see the imperfections of those who served Him. It allows me to know that when I mess up, He’ll offer me the same forgiveness He’s offered to the likes of King David, Rahab, Solomon, Peter, and Paul. I pray that Tiger, and John Edwards, and especially you, will know the amazing forgiveness of God. It’s a pretty swell gift.