How Will You Raise Your Kids?

I just saw the newest episode of Degrassi and found it quite interesting. These guys have a pulse on what's going on, even though of course it is a Canadian show...so it may not totally apply to the U.S. Anyway, in this episode, Spinner, a boy who's always been a troublemaker, goes on a retreat with his new girlfriend Darcy. She's a Christian and he's been seeing her for a while since all his old friends stopped talking to him after last season's catastrophe in which Rick, a boy who would hit his girlfriend and finally put her in a coma, came back to the school only to be the recipient of relentless bullying culminating in a quiz show in which Rick was tarred and feathered (think Carrie but less gross). Rick snaps and takes a gun back to the school. Spinner and an even more troubled and troblemaking youth blame the incident on Jimmy, another boy who happens to be Spinner's best friend. Sure, they don't know what Rick is up to but in the end it's all the same to everyone at school: Spinner got Jimmy shot. And now Jimmy, basketball all-star, will never walk again.

Jimmy won't forgive Spinner but Darcy sees something good in him. At the retreat the other troublemaking boy shows up to pick Spinner up and free him from the "Jesus Freaks". But he also tries to do Spinner a "favor" and tells Darcy that famed slutty girl (Manny, my favorite character) is after Spinner and how long can he old off her advances? This is a lie but Darcy falls for it. She has been living in abstinence as her faith dictates but decides to give it up for her man Spinner. She's crying the whole time he's kissing her so he knows something is wrong. Finally, the truth is uncovered and Spinner kicks the other dude's butt. (And doesn't compromise Darcy's beliefs though she obviously was willing to herself.)

The reason I found it interesting is that Degrassi can never be accused of being right-wing. They have an out gay character, Marco, who in last week's episode came out to his strict Italian dad. He's had a boyfriend, the older college-resident brother of Paige, the cheerleader who was date-raped two years ago. (Yes, there's plenty of drama!) Marco and his (now ex-) boyfriend have had kissing scenes. Also, Manny, in an episode not shown in the U.S., ends up having an abortion at age 14. This year she was photographed topless when she got drunk at a party and earlier had gone to a doctor to see about breast implants.

But in this latest episode we see a different group of kids- the ones who belong to the on-campus Christian club. We see Darcy, who has to put up with being told she's a nun or boring or a freak because of her faith-based lifestyle. In other words, she is harassed as much as Marco was the year he came out. By the way, Marco now has a very supportive crowd of cool friends and was in fact student body president. To kids who know of her beliefs, Darcy is "lame" (but very pretty).

Anyway, the kids who harass Darcy are all young- her age. So who raised them to harass a person simply because of her religious beliefs? Maybe someone wants to take it out on Darcy and her peers what they felt was done to them by the "moral majority." That concept might be true in some small town but it's obviously not true in big cities or even in the Degrassi universe. I worked with the teens in my church and I know that for them, being a Christian is exceptionally hard. They are teased about it. They are pressured to do things that go against their beliefs. Sex. Alcohol. Drugs. Cussing. Lying. Cheating. Whatever.

For me, it's kind of weird that people just don't get it or don't see it. They don't see how faithful people are treated or made fun of. They don't see that at least for me, it's not about passing judgment on anyone. I fight a battle every day. The good fight, Paul called it, and he was not referring to a fight against people or their lifestyles. He meant a fight in ourselves to continue to do what we feel is right, which is to live as the Bible teaches. Some get zealous about that part and try to cram that down people's throats instead of working on themselves (and end up as bad examples). They think this must be pleasing to God, weeding out those who don't CARE to live that way. I know it's impossible to get everyone to live this way and know I'm not here to oppress or weed them out. I just tell them about what I see as the truth, take it or leave it. Up to you, my friend.

But as for my life...I might never get married, might never have sex again, might never have children because of the way I have chosen to live my life. It has no bearing whether my friends believe what I believe- I don't want to convert you because I think I'm better than you. Conversions come from the heart of wanting people to be saved because we happen to believe they need saving. Not because, "Ooh, you're so nasty and evil" but because man is under the condition of being fallen and of living under the illusion that sin is nonexistent, that what we do does not affect our soul or eternity. You can believe that's all stupid crap if you want but I don't so that's where I'm coming from. But I certainly don't want to shove it down anyone's throat if they don't want it, though it's my duty to at least try to see if there are any open-minded people willing to listen.

Every time I have commented on faith or on Jesus on my blog or others' blogs has been out of a defense of myself, my beliefs, and the hypocrisy I feel I have seen regarding those similar to me, though I actually disagree with the majority of people ON THE PLANET (never mind U.S.) who call themselves a Christian.

So how will you raise your kids? To hate and make fun of someone for their faith? Doesn't sound like that is somehow better than the last generations have done. I realize many think that the teachings of the Bible breed hate but that's the unfortunate thing- when things are taken out of context or used (and abused) by ignorant people. But as I said before, my personal experience has been to be treated to very giving and loving people who all say they got that way from following Jesus. They have helped myself and my family a lot and I believe the teachings of Jesus have helped me as a person to make me much better than I ever was.

I'm not sure if this is the last word on this issue but I felt I had to try one more time to express where I'm coming from since Degrassi inspired me by showing me what I already knew. I know the writers of Degrassi get ideas from real kids and their experiences and so I know that all these kids are not paranoid or brainwashed by some right-wing conspiracy.

So go ahead, express yourself. But do examine your ideas to see if they hold up to the light scrutiny of hypocrisy. Do you have double standards about what you don't want to hear said about your worldview but are willing to say about others'? The problem with today's irreligious society is that they don't realize that their worldview, though it's not a theistic one, is still the very thing that shapes who they are. And there are double-standards in this country about Christian-based beliefs. I know there are tons of Asian businesses (restaurants, etc.) where a large Buddha is there for anyone to see. Somehow he blends in as decoration or something but if we saw a huge Jesus we would be offended. (It's an example but actually the Bible says not to make images so huge Jesus statues are actually not to be done.) We can teach Yoga freely, which was originally very much part of the Hindu religious practice but we can't pray. Tons of products now embrace an Eastern spiritual essence, including shampoos that are said to renew Body, Mind and Soul. These Eastern religious concepts are nonthreatening somehow but as soon as Christianity rears its head we must cut it off, quick! That's fine, I don't necessarily desire to live in world that is just a bunch of Christians. I really don't. I'm just saying it's interesting how unfair it is and sometimes I just have to speak against it just like you might want to speak against politicians who want to cram their brand of Christianity down OUR throats.

So let's see what 2006 brings. Hopefully joy, laughter and love.