Unless you have a magic way of avoiding all pop culture, big box stores, media, cable news, and word of mouth speculation, you probably have heard of a small television show on a small cable network, called “Duck Dynasty.” And only if you have been living under a rock (or have turned off all public media, and have been buried under Christmas), you may have noticed the cast of “Duck Dynasty” making the news with some religious comments recently.
Because you most likely have heard what was said, I’ll paraphrase the situation briefly. The patriarch of the Robertson clan, Phil Robertson, summarized 1 Corinthians 6:9, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,” in an interview with GQ Magazine.
His unpopular point of view on homosexuality invoked the ire of GLAAD, and he has been indefinitely suspended from the show. His family has issued a public statement making it clear that they support their patriarch, his beliefs (which they share), and that political pressure from a television network will not sway their “Godly beliefs.”
I will not waste your time with a dissection of Phil’s statements. I will not waste your time with a rehashing of whether or not the network was right or wrong to suspend him from the show. Nor will I waste your time with a discussion of whether or not it is all just a publicity stunt for the highest rated cable show in history. And I really won’t get into who wears a beard better- Phil Robertson or Lorenzo Snow.
To “Duck Dynasty” watchers, Phil’s religious beliefs come as no surprise. Every episode of the slightly (heavily) scripted reality show ends with a family prayer, usually gathered around a family meal. Rarely does an episode go by without a reference to Phil and Miss Kay’s church, or how they raised their sons to be “Godly men.” An entire episode was devoted to preparing for their church live nativity. One of Phil’s sons is a pastor, although he is not regularly shown. A particularly unforgettable segment of one show was Phil teaching one grandson how to skin and cook frogs while teaching him the importance of marriage, and how to marry a “Godly woman.” (Phil explains the prerequisites for a good woman are 1) Can she cook? 2) Does she carry a Bible and live by it? 3) She loves to eat bullfrogs.)
Phil’s “watchers” are not surprised. The only people who didn’t know what Phil believes were those who formed assumptions about reality show stars, or those who weren’t watching.
Which brings me to my question, and ultimately to my point. My point is not that Phil Robertson, and the entire Robertson clan, are good people. Or even that “Duck Dynasty” is an entertaining show.
My point is in this question, Do you live your life in such a way that those who are watching you are not surprised by what you believe?
Do you stand up for what you believe? Do you state your beliefs even when they may not be popular? Do you back down when others confront or challenge you? Will your family stand with you because they know of your conviction, sincerity, and devotion to what you believe?
Or do you let peer pressure or popular opinion dictate what you believe? Willing to bend to avoid confrontation?
There are lessons to be learned everywhere around us, even at times from reality TV show stars.
Erin Ann McBride is a writer, dreamer, and single woman. By day she works in marketing, and by night she hunts unicorns and writes romantic novels, “You Heard It Here First,” and the sequel “This Just In!”
She accepts new friends daily at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorErinAnnMcBride
And if you really want to keep on her social life, you can always find her at the Story of a Nice Mormon Girl.
KrisDecember 24, 2013
If Phil had simply stated his beliefs in a polite and respectful way, I have a feeling that none of this would be a issue. The fact that he was so crass and over-the-top and then hid behind the Bible when people called him out on it? That's why this has blown up as big as it is. In my opinion, at least.