Last week one of the major news stories of the week was the uproar that ensued over radio commentator Don Imus comments about the women’s basketball team from Rutgers. I don’t intend to repeat those comments in this post.
I have never been a regular listener of Don Imus. Occasionally, if I have been in a public place and the TV happened to be on MSNBC I have listened to him, but that’s been the limit of my exposure to him. However, from what I’ve read about him he was one of the original “shock jocks.” That means he built a following by saying crude things on the air. He said things that perhaps some were thinking but none would say.
But about two weeks ago he went too far. He made a comment that has since been played and re-played and it touched a nerve. The result was MSNBC pulled Imus show and CBS did as well.
Imus has since met with the Rutgers women’s basketball team and apologized and they have reportedly accepted his apology. Nevertheless, the uproar continues.
This story captured the headlines for a good solid week. And it’s led to other issues in society being addressed. What do we learn from this?
My first thought upon hearing about the comment was that these “shock jocks” live on the edge to build a following and often, living on the edge gets them into trouble. The thing that built their career can also bring it down.
But secondly, it made us aware of the reality of the times in which we are living. In the past several years I have adopted a personal creed that you have heard me repeat. It is, “Accept people where they are.” I think we have to do that to reach people for Christ.
The Imus comment helped us see, again, where we are.
We are in a culture where words that weren’t spoken a few years ago are now routine.
We are in a culture where many people do not seem to understand what we once referred to as “manners” and “decency.”
We are in a culture that doesn’t seem to want to be corrected when it’s wrong.
We are in a culture that seems to be bent on “personal expression” of every kind.
We are in a culture where people seem to resist any type of authority.
We are in a culture where many do not seem to want to accept responsibility for a mistake they have made. The problem has to lie with someone else. It can’t be their fault.
We are in a culture where people are skeptical of those in positions of authority.
We are in a culture where much of the programming on television is questionable at the very least.
Yet, the church is called upon to minister to people in this culture. How do we do it? Do we retreat? Do go into our cave and hide there and talk about the culture but fail to try to change it?
No. We don’t do either. We have to engage the culture. That’s the only way to change it. It’s not a pretty sight. The things you hear may turn you off but, if we are going to reach people for Christ, that’s what we have to do.
Someone has said regarding our current times, “These are not the best of times but, these are the only times we have.”
We must share the love of Christ in these times.