Growing up the TV Guide was an indispensible part of our lives. We could
plan ahead for the week, and hope our parents and brothers and sisters would
agree. With only three channels, we were limited, six if you counted the
independents, the choices were not big, but still major. Star Trek or Batman on
Thursday? And if you watched the first part of Batman on Wednesday, did it
guarantee you part two the next night? And how could your parents have such bad
taste in TV show? A cycle that would reproduce itself with future generations,
as my parents were the first generation with TV. If only they knew what they
had started way back then. But with TV, came some interesting firsts, things
seemed nerdish or boring today, but back in the 50-60’s were big time. Here are
nine firsts that changed TV, and of course those who lived by it.
1-Lucy Ricardo had the first birth mentioned on TV in 1953, and never
mentioned the word pregnant, she was expecting. As if we couldn’t
tell....
2-Later on in the fifties, the first significant death of a character
occurred, when Jean Hagen decided to quit. Divorce was taboo, so they killed
her off. Good thing she wasn’t pregnant.
3-The first toilet shown on TV was on Leave it to Beaver, shown but never
mentioned by name, or used. Didn’t kids go to the bathroom back then?
4-Sleeping in the same bed first hit in 1947, but didn’t become accepted or
repeated until after 1960. Giving the “your place or mine” a different meaning
back in those happy days.
5-1968 brought black and white together, as Capt. James T. Kirk went where
no white man had gone before, kissing Lt. Uhura. Indeed. But illogical, huh Mr.
Spock?
6-Times and time were faster in prewar America, as the first TV ad, for
Bulova lasted all of 10 seconds, during a Brooklyn Dodger/Philadelphia game.
7-It took Norman Lear to create the first TV show that had a warning before
it, Hot L Baltimore, a show about hookers, addicts, illegal immigrants and a gay
couple. Toady you have to only watch the news to see such things.
8-Mark Harmon on Chicago Hope muttered the first scripted S word on TV.
Chicago, the home of vote early and vote often. But I wonder, ever listen to
the 1968 Democratic convention on TV? The key word here is scripted.
9-Ginger or Mary Ann? Or Jeannie? How about Cher, the first to show her
belly button on air. We all have one, good thing she wasn’t pregnant or had to
use the toilet.
So maybe we have changed, or at least our morals and sense of decency
have. Today women get pregnant, indoor plumbing is the norm, salt and pepper
couples exist, in any 30 minute show you can see 7-8 minutes of commercials, and
the belly button fetish has changed to other physical attributes, more
appealing. But sin will always be sin, and it is even sadder when we have to
legislate it and have rules so we know what is right or wrong. Some 2000 years
ago the people of Corinth had come out of legalism, and were coming to Christ,
finding grace more desirable. But yet they continued in sin, which Paul
identified to them. Imagine a public letter read accusing the church of sin,
and without mentioning names the assembled crowd knew just who you were speaking
of. Years ago I was chastised for confronting a woman and man sleeping together
without benefit of marriage. They bragged in public about their lifestyle, but
the church was hesitant to confront them, even in love. And when I talked to
them publicly, I was the guy who was wrong and had the riot act read to me. It
seems if you don’t talk about sin and confront it, it is OK, but mention it
publicly and you are the bad guy. Interestingly enough the couple were not the
ones who attacked me, they knew they were in sin, and later would marry. When
accused of judging them, I answered “no, I am describing them,” they were
living a lifestyle that would not have made it to TV years ago, but now seemed
OK. “See on TV, so it must be true,” what would the Apostle Paul have said?
But interesting enough in his confronting them, he showed mercy. He told
them to stop, not to stop or you will lose your salvation, or die. He just said
stop. They lived under grace, mercy only comes when you screw up, and they got
closer to God by being forgiven.
Today we need to love the sinner and hate the sin. We need to love the
sinner more than the relationship with them, risking losing it if we confront
them in love. Why does it seem we will permit certain sins by our friends, but
chastise those we don’t like? Aren’t we supposed to pray for our enemies?
Imagine if Jesus didn’t love us before we were saved, you can eliminate the
cross and resurrection, for he loved us as sinners, so he died for us.
Shouldn’t that love extend to those caught up in sin? Saved or not? Wouldn’t
you want to be treated with love or is condemnation more your style? There is
no condemnation in Christ Jesus, we are forgiven, for all including tomorrow
sins.
It amazes me that no one has caught on and used the Bible for a series.
But would it make it to TV? We have lust, murder, incest, witchcraft,
homosexuality, idol worship, robbery, deceit, drunkenness, envy, war, and fits
of rage all in one book. Brother against brother, and friend against friend.
Would make a great series...with a number of first on TV. But with a happy
ending, and a message of hope. It is called the gospel, what do you think?
Brad Pitt as the Apostle Paul, Madonna as the Virgin Mary, etc. But who would
play Jesus? Now that would be a tough act to follow. Come to think of it, the
screen is too small for such an epic. Just give me Jesus without the commercial
interruptions. Bet you never thought of the Bible as X rated? But then sin
does have its price...so does salvation. I think I’ll stick with salvation.
Now if I can only find the TV Guide to see what’s on tonight...where the heck
did I leave the *&^%( remote, you don’t expect to get up top change channels
do you?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com
