Janet, Justin, Jesus and justices

Arkansas News Bureau ^ | Feb 8th,2004 | David Sanders

[missyme]

For years, social conservatives have waged war for America's heart and soul against the cultural left's permissiveness, godlessness and excess. The battle has been waged in such a way that the left has successfully countered that the right is solely made up of narrow-minded, hyper-religious, uptight individuals.

In recent days the culture war's leftward momentum may have been slowed a bit. Conservatives, who feel the country has gone too far down the path of depravity, have had fuel added to their fire.

The case for decency received a shot in the arm in the wake of Janet Jackson's and Justin Timberlake's overexposing halftime performance at this year's Super Bowl. Industry executives constantly tell entertainers to be "edgier." What was different about Jackson's performance wasn't what was exposed - turn on MTV or any other television program that markets to America's youth and you'll receive both an eyeful and earful.

This time, it was the response that was different. Jackson's actions were met with universal contempt. It was clear that a line had been crossed and was done so in the middle of prime time on one of the most watched television events of the year. Mom and Dad probably got a little taste of what their kids have been watching for years.

I expected the criticism of Jackson to draw the ire of many in the entertainment industry. The knee-jerk reaction is to pull out the First Amendment and cry "censorship." Not this time. Jackson, producers of the show, as well as the network that aired it, were shamed into apologizing. When was the last time an entertainer was shamed into doing anything? The incident has sparked a new debate about decency on the airwaves.

The yet-to-be-released film, "The Passion of the Christ," has been the topic of much disparagement. The controversial film, directed and produced by Mel Gibson, has been highly criticized for being anti-Semitic and fueling hate for depicting the last 12 hours of Jesus' life as told in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The irony is that Hollywood criticizes Gibson's "Passion," but has lauded works such as Scorsese's "Last Temptation of Christ" and Kevin Smith's "Dogma." Both films were highly offensive to Christians, but no one seemed to care. Mainstream Christianity has long been a target of the cultural left.

Gibson has quieted the criticism in Hollywood by screening the film with some high-profile members of the entertainment industry. Jack Valente, Chuck Norris and others have praised the film for preaching forgiveness and love, not hate.

Many in the Christian community have viewed the attack on the film as a direct attack on their faith. They aim to show Hollywood that they support Gibson. Churches all over the country have purchased tickets to give away. From the pulpit, ministers have urged their members to go see the movie. Many expect that the film will be a box-office boom. Will that be enough to silence the critics? Nonetheless, faith will now be in the spotlight for weeks to come.

On Wednesday, the Massachusetts Supreme Court said that the state must afford gay couples the right to marry. It claimed that civil unions are not enough to prevent discrimination against gays and lesbians.

Never before has the institution of marriage, which has been defined as the union of man and woman, taken such a blow. The Massachusetts justices' ruling could have a direct effect on the status of who can marry in the other 49 states.

The fear is that the court's ruling will set the stage for direct challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act, which was signed by President Clinton, as well as other state laws which define marriage as a union of a man and woman. This fight has only begun.

The culture war continues.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for your encouragement!

You might be interested in an observation I just made in a Freep mail with regard to this subject (paraphrased here):

Once upon a time, when a kid asked a teacher if it is okay to lie, the teacher would respond authoritatively that it is a sin to tell a lie. She cannot do that anymore. Nowdays she might say that lying is unacceptable conduct, which leaves the door open to the kid "lying is bad if you get caught."

IMHO, moral absolutes in the schools have been replaced with moral ambiguity.

[Fenris6]

Being raised in this culture of Sex & Violence, my only regret is that last night's Grammys were a missed target of opportunity. All that filth gathered in one room and Al Queda strangely absent.

[GSWarrior]

That affected "street" accent of his is silly.

[mel]

Well written, I hope you wrote NFL and CBS. From the start of the halftime program, I thought gee whiz this is bad

[Thug_a_nomics]

The song blows all it is is a rip off make one up your self

[Thug_a_nomics]

Jeasus would bang his wife

[Jorge]

Separation of God and Half Time!

[berserker]

Great, outraged at the two second breast exposure which is inappropriate during a sports halftime show. Of course no one objects to the latest Sports Illustrated, which has ten pages of nudes (covered by paint). That's ok in a sports magazine read by families and children. "Swimsuit issue" with nudes. No outrage there.

[mel]

Well at least they look better than Janet's flopping out there like she is preparing to breast feed someone.

[Fenris6]

Great, outraged at the two second breast exposure which is inappropriate during a sports halftime show. Of course no one objects to the latest Sports Illustrated, which has ten pages of nudes (covered by paint). That's ok in a sports magazine read by families and children. "Swimsuit issue" with nudes. No outrage there

You miss the point - its NOT about the nudity. Its about what effect the glorification of ripping a woman's bodice off in front of millions of impressionable young males has on our society. Women are not sex toys or objects to be molested. Your "logic" is also skewed - you are using one instance of soft porn (Sports Illustrated) to justify another (Janet). Thats like using dometic violence to justify suicide bombings. If you're not outraged by this, then you've become part of the problem.

[Dante3]

Re: "Passion" -- interesting article "'Passion' defended by Jewish co-star' by Alison Mutler in The Washington Times, Feb. 9, 2004).

Timberlake should also have been excluded from the Grammys. His lies are disgusting. And then, like has-been Janet, he said he would like to appologize "IF" anyone was offended. He knew what was coming and so did CBS -- they even invited Janet back, no doubt as part of payment for her taking the blame. As for Tagliabue, he is out of touch with reality, a wimp's wimp.

[Toespi]

Finally, someone really gets the point. If this incident happened in real time, there is a good chance that Justin would be standing accused of attempted rape, or sexual battery. We wonder how a little girl can be abducted, raped and murdered, yet, we rant and rave about Janet Jackson allowing her breast to be revealed. How about the violence of the act itself?

[Fenris6]

What I want to know is why we can't sue Viacom/NFL/Jackson for exposing our minors to porn.

Aren't there some pedophilia laws on the books that discourage this kinda thing?

Hey Congress-critters! The airwaves belong to the people. How about revoking the FCC lisense of any network that exposes family audiences to such filth? Don't you have daughters of your own?

[BikerNYC]

Never before has the institution of marriage, which has been defined as the union of man and woman, taken such a blow.

That's a laugh. The decision of married couples to get divorced does much more damage to marriage than letting other people get married.

[Fenris6]

The imperfections of humans should not be used as excuse to destroy the institution of marriage.

People abuse freedom of expression - doesn't mean the 1st Ammendment should be taken down.

This morning's moment of logic brought to you by a Reagan Democrat. Have a nice day :)

[BikerNYC]

You're right, people do abuse the First Amendment, and that doesn't mean we disabuse others of the priviledges the Amendment offers.

But to claim that allowing gay people to marry is a bigger body blow to the institution of marriage than the staggering divorce rate is ridiculous.

[Fenris6]

to claim that allowing gay people to marry is a bigger body blow to the institution of marriage than the staggering divorce rate is ridiculous

Nope. "Ridiculous" is making broad general statements unsupported by argument. A staggering divorce rate weakens the institution of marriage. Allowing me to "marry" my dog destroys it entirely. There is a difference.

[BikerNYC]

You should feel free to denounce human-dog marriages as often as you please.

People who get married and then get divorced do more to destroy the institution of marriage in the eyes of those, especially young people, who have yet to get married, than allowing other peopple to get married. In fact, as David Brooks said, not allowing gay people to get married also helps destroy marriage because it promotes non-marriage for long-term relationships as a viable alternative.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

...Scorsese's "Last Temptation of Christ" and Kevin Smith's "Dogma." Both films were highly offensive to Christians...
I have seen both movies and I was not offended.>>

Haven't seen "Last Temptation," but I thought Dogma was a BRILLIANT satire, not of Catholicism itself (which is the True Faith), but of that mindless gabble of nonsense that you get when you undergo Catholic "cathecism" in the United States these days.

[StatesEnemy]

The decision of married couples to get divorced does much more damage to marriage than letting other people get married.

Yup.. and no-fault/quickie/painless (for the woman anyway) Divorce is promulgated by whom?

The Godless Marxists posing as Americans - that's who.