if you live in kansas city you have probably already heard about the controversy regarding the statue at the overland park arboretum. surprise, surprise, i have something to say about this issue :)
here is my beef with the outrage.
if we are going to use our energy to try and have the statue removed because it's inappropriate, pornographic, outrageous, harmful, distasteful, etc..etc.. then may i suggest a few other petitions we get all pumped up about also? why aren't we picketing over at the oak park mall where half dressed women plague you at every turn. if we think simply b/c their private areas are covered with smaller pieces of clothe then a kleenex, makes it "ok" ...we are sorely mistaken. why not a petition to remove those photos, why no outrage there?
moving on. why aren't we standing outside of every gas station that has pornographic magazines all over their shelves? why no outrage regarding these issues?
why aren't we all writing our television providers and asking them to remove movie trailers with demeaning and degrading scenes of women scattered every where we look. if we are that passionate about inappropriate things we would all do well to never watch another NFL football game again. where women are used over and over again to tickle the eyes of men through cheerleaders and commercials.
why aren't we at every pool demanding that women of all ages cover up their flirtatious buns and busting breasts?
you see, my beef is the inconsistency. the AFA or some other "christian" organization picks ONE thing to get all jazzed about. we spend hours spreading the word... for what? to prove our "point". that we are a annoying and inconsistent force to reckoned with?
don't hear what i am not saying, i DO think the statue is inappropriate, but i also think LOTS of things in this city, in this state, in this nation, and in this world are inappropriate. and forgive me if i don't sign petitions that come my way regarding these things. i will not throw pearls to pigs. why in the world would we be shocked that people who don't think like we do or agree with what we believe, would think twice about placing this statue? seems to me like a bad case of false expectations.
is it our job as christians to right every wrong? to rid our world of every inappropriate thing? GOOD LUCK, if it is. i don't think that is what our calling is. rather, i am determined to spend my precious time in this life purposely and directly teaching my children how to combat these things. insisting they learn how to respond to a culture full of men and women who are obsessed and oppressed by pornography. where EVERYTHING is overly sexual. is removing the naked statue at the arboretum going to ensure my children never see another naked thing.... NO WAY! so, why not spend the time preparing them for battle. filling their minds with scripture and prayer. why aren't our churches using this outrage to demand that their leaders and teachers aggressively and unashamedly address these areas that have been taboo for so long? we are foolish to think we are going to some how convince a sick and needy world that they need Jesus by signing petitions and removing a nude statue.
my fear is the statue is removed and the conversation ends. somehow we think we have "won" one for the kingdom. we have won nothing until fathers persistently and persuasively teach their sons to protect their eyes and hearts from lust that lurks around EVERY corner. instead of a one stop shop when it comes to these intimate issues, it's a life long conversation. when mothers and daughters openly and consistently talk about guarding our bodies, our hearts, and our minds. together standing up as an army of men and women and realizing that our battle ground is not the overland park arboretum. the battle ground is the hearts and minds of each and every person on this planet who claims to love Jesus. our battle plan shouldn't be petitions. our battle plan should be a full out ground war on protecting our thought life, our heart life, the words we say, the materials we read, the shows we watch, the music we listen to, the conversation we participate in. then and only then will we be able to claim any type of victory.
if you are upset about the statue, i get it. but don't stop there. get passionate about things inappropriate all across the boards. get pumped up and jazzed about talking to and arming your kids, your spouse, your friends, your family about struggles they will encounter until the day the die.
nude statue or no nude statue... the war will still go on!
~s
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