Class Goes Crass

I’m a movie fan who never watches the Oscars. Back in 2003, when Best Documentary winner Michael Moore hijacked the proceedings to launch a tirade against President Bush, I decided I’d had enough. For years I’d already been feeling “preached to” during the ceremonies by different Hollywood evangelists who used their acceptance speech time to promote various causes, but Moore’s tantrum was just too much. We’ve never watched the show since then.

Until last Sunday night, when we relented a bit and recorded it for future viewing. We turned the recording on Monday night, and after ten minutes were reminded why we’ve been opting out. Seth MacFarlane’s musical tribute to locker room humor (I’m not even gonna repeat the song’s name) almost made me miss Michael Moore. Click. Praise God for reruns of Magnum PI .

All my friends watch the Oscars; nothing wrong with that. And I’m far from prudish. When teaching seminars, I still enjoy describing a Sunday night service from my teen years, when I heard an elderly guest preacher mixing his syllables up when he was discussing Peter’s revelation, per Acts Chapter 10, of how God was bringing the Gentiles into the Kingdom. For more than 30 minutes, he enthused about Peter going to the house of the Genitals, how God loved the Genitals, and how the Genitals went all through Judea with great joy.

Come on, now, you know that’s funny, especially since the dear reverend had no idea what a linguistic felony he was committing.

But there’s funny, then there’s — well, trashy. And our ongoing drift into trashiness makes me long for earlier times when this sort of behavior would never have been tolerated. I was born in 1954, coming of age in the early to mid-1960’s. Those of you my age and up, try imagining Burt Lancaster, hosting the Oscar ceremonies in his tux, singing that obscene Seth MacFarlane song about Audrey Hepburn, Eva Marie Saint, or Grace Kelly.

Yeah, I know. You couldn’t even conjure the image up. That’s my point.

There’s moral decline, then there’s decline in civility, both happening in tandem, and both alarming. Realistically, I don’t believe there was any less sexual sin being committed when I was a kid, and I certainly don’t assume the Hollywood of 1967 was a more virtuous place than today’s Tinseltown. But there was at least some restraint, some decorum, and, for want of a better word, class. Now there’s crass, and it’s no improvement.

But what have I got to whine about? When I don’t like a show I can switch channels, and I’m still (as of this writing, at least) free to openly declare my relationship with Christ and live out His commands. Not so in Egypt, where a woman’s rumored conversion from Islam to Christianity has sparked violent protest outside the church she alleges now belongs to. God bless her with courage and care; God awaken the American church to the reality of the times. When a woman’s salvation places her earthly life in danger, we obviously have bigger fish to fry than dirty jokes at the Oscars.

Speaking of persecution, tax time is coming up. Just thought I’d remind you. Now you hate me.

But I sure love you, and hope your weekend is blessed. Thanks for being here.

Love,

Joe