Miley's Pictures in Vanity Fair

I'm still playing catch-up on Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana. When I heard a request Christmas 2007 for "anything Hannah Montana," I wasn't even sure if it was "Anna Montana" or Hannah Montana. Of course, my friends straightened me out quickly. I've never watched the show. I don't know enough about Billy Ray Cyrus to know that he's "a country legend." And I have no vision of Miley's future.

All that said, however, I have some serious concerns. I can remember when people generally thought Britney Spears was the clean-cut, virginal girl. Whether she started out that way or not, she hasn't ended that way. She's one sad woman now! I hope Miley isn't headed down the same road Britney and many others have traveled. The Hollywood life just does that to people.

Then there's just life in general. The world of 2008 is a landmine strewn landscape for any parents with young daughters they are trying to raise to be women of virtue and integrity. Exhibit A is almost any clothing store that sells clothes for this younger set. Modesty isn't a word that comes to mind when I pass through the junior department of almost any store. It's scary! I have two dearly loved granddaughters. They are far from teens, but they are growing up in this world gone mad and it's scary stuff!

Scripture describes the "King's daughter" as beautiful inside - in her heart. (Psalm 45:13). 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 cautions, "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." ("Avoid every kind of evil" is also well translated "avoid/stay away from even the appearance of evil." Avoiding even an appearance of evil isn't a photo shoot topless with a loosely held satin drape. Avoiding even an appearance of evil isn't a photograph with tongue stuck out and a sexually suggestive look like another photo of Miley I saw this week.

I do know enough about Miley Cyrus to know that she claims some kind of Christian faith. I don't know what she means by that. I seriously doubt she means the same thing I understand "Christian faith" to be. I'm not sure she could be and do what she does and still be a committed Christian - a King's daughter beautiful in her heart. I don't see into her heart, but I can see her actions. I see her pictures - recent and not-so-recent, and they are increasingly sexually suggestive. Sex sells! Miley and her parents and "handlers" know that. It's a very insidious trap!

Miley says she's "embarrassed" by the Vanity Fair pictures. Does "embarrassed" translate into "Oops, this might cost me financially!"? I don't know, but I think it's a fair question.

We see so much ugliness in almost every media that the more we allow ourselves to be bombarded with the stuff of this world, we gradually become less and less sensitive to what is right and pure and true and more and more willing to tolerate a lesser standard. King's daughters are called to the highest standard of living: "whatever is pure, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable ... excellent, praise-worthy" ! (Philippians 4:8) God calls His daughters to demonstrate restored hearts that radiate His beauty from within!

Where is technology taking us?

Everyone who knows me knows God gave me John so he could shore up my technological weakness (among other things) ! :o)

I love some of the techie gadgets we have to help us. I don’t want to know how to make them – just how to use them – like the computer. I find great pleasure in the internet for email, being in touch with lots of people, researching information with Google, etc. But I was very slow catching on and getting even up to the speed I am.

HOWEVER I saw a news item yesterday that really made me wonder. Fox News was interviewing three young women from somewhere who live together. Apparently they have had unknown and numerous men coming to their house asking for sex because of a sick “joke” being perpetrated on them on the web. Someone put an "ad" with their names, pictures address and bios somewhere on the net saying they would provide “sex on call.” They were just in the beginning stages of trying to navigate through how to stop the unwanted visitors, how to protect their reputations and how to find the perpetrator.

This isn’t the first time someone has played a sick joke over the web. We have an example right here in Pittsburgh in a story we know where someone broke into another person’s email and sent an email as tho’ from that person. The information sent wasn’t true and was defamatory.

Like feathers in the wind, these kinds of things don’t ever go totally away. And there doesn’t have to be any truth or substance to what is said, written or disseminated.

I have more than 20 nieces and nephews most of whom are in the 20 – 30 age range. I have just discovered that most of them (if not all) keep in touch through the net – not email – but “Facebook.” I am a total neophyte about this process, but I would like to be in the communication circle with my nieces and nephews particularly since I have told them for years that I am their favorite aunt and some have even “believed” me. Not all, mind you! There is at least one tenacious hold-out!

I am reminded in my musings of what Joseph told his brothers when he forgave them for their dastardly actions against him – actions which impacted not only the rest of his life but effected the future course of history as God’s story is written across the sands of time. He said, “You meant it (the things they did starting with hatred in their hearts) to me as evil but God meant it for good.”

Evil happens. Evil people use good technology for their own evil purposes. We are called to be salt and light which includes knowing enough to protect ourselves and those around us as much as possible.

The evil is not in the technology. The evil is always in the heart. We don’t need restored technology. We need restored hearts! With a restored heart we can say with Joseph (when others have done great evil to us), “You meant it for evil but (now I know) God meant it for good.”

Salt and Light...

Oprah's Promotion of Porn and Adultery Shameful, Says Christian Attorney

OneNewsNow.com reports that a special counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) is upset that Oprah Winfrey, in a recent show titled "237 Reasons to Have Sex," featured among her 'experts' a woman who traveled worldwide experiencing one night stands, and another who advocated the use of pornography for couples to enhance their marriage. ADF special counsel Pat Trueman says it is shameful that Winfrey would advocate destructive behavior on her national talk show. "Shame on Oprah!" says Truman. "There are lots of children who watch the show. Many adults; many, many Christians; she's got a loyal following because she does have good things on her show." He argues that because of Winfrey's status, giving a forum to "anti-Christian" and "sinful" values only serves to popularize such behavior, even though adultery and pornography can only harm marriages.

Why are we surprised when unbelievers act like unbelievers? That's our call to be salt and light in a dark, disgusting world! If we all flavor and light where we are for Jesus, it will make a difference! I'm gonna go out and try to be salt and light today.