What's your Guilty Pleasure?  

Posted by mindyluwho in ,

That's rhetorical, so please don't answer!

I had an interesting conversation with my MIL the other day. She was telling me about this TV show that she loves to watch. It’s a bit of a racy program and she said, “Oh, I know there’s some stuff in it that’s, well, kind of “hmm hmm” (her way of saying a little too much of the s3x*y stuff), but the bond these ladies have is why I really love to watch it.”

Now I love my MIL dearly, so this post is nothing against her, but her comment got me to thinking about something that I had just read in Pilgrim’s Progress. Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegory of a man’s search for the Celestial City(salvation). Christian, the hero of the story is on a journey to find the Celestial City and on his way he meets up with many temptations, threats and dangers. He finds a companion named “Hopeful” who also wishes for the Celestial City. They are directed to the path and given a Note of Direction. They are also warned about the “Flatterers”, nevertheless when they are at a crossroad and not sure which way to go a man “black of Flesh, but covered with a very light Robe, came to them, and asked them why they stood there?” They told him they were on their way to the Celestial City, but didn’t know what road to take. He told them to follow him, so they do, and consequently are led into a net where they become entangled. It is at this point that the “White robe fell off the black man’s back” and they finally recognize that they’ve been duped. They are helpless until a Shining One comes to their rescue.

When I first read that part, I was mad at them for following. It was obvious to me that they should have questioned who he was and where he intended leading them. But as I contemplated it further I thought of how sly the adversary is. He only has to “cloak” something in an appealing attire to entice us. They did recognize that the man was of “black flesh”, but the White Robe made them feel comfortable enough to follow and it was only after they became entangled in the net that he revealed himself.

My MIL’s show is all about friendship; women falling in and out of love, helping each other through the rough spots of life, day to day situations that we can identify with, scenes played out in hilarious, touching and sentimental ways—and before you know it, these women are like your best friends. You have to keep up with them; you have to know what happens to them each week.

But beneath the cloak lies the risqué. We may feel a little squeamish through some of those scenes, but we’re grown-ups. We can handle that kind of stuff right?

I’m definitely a guilty party here. I have watched shows that a friend terms a “guilty pleasure”. Last year I got hooked on a series. I had to watch it every week and I also got the DVD’s from Netflix so I could catch up and understand what was going on. I watched for a few weeks, but then noticed that my home felt a little dark. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. I kept feeling like I needed to send the DVD’s back without watching them. I put it off for a bit, but finally I prayed about it and the impression was pretty strong. I’ve found through experience not to ignore those impressions, so I sent them back. Immediately the feeling in my home changed. It was like something heavy left. I try not to think about what my home would be like had I ignored the impression and watched the programs.

I will admit to another "guilty pleasure". My computer. It's now 12:44 am and I should be in bed...

Goodnight!

This entry was posted on Jun 9, 2008 at Monday, June 09, 2008 and is filed under , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the comments feed .

5 said...

Yes, I can relate! Why must we indulge in a guilty pleasure when we know we shouldn't? I have gotten myself hooked on a book series that is very entertaining, but not very uplifting and the next book comes out next week. Is this post for me or what? But I can pretty much guarantee that I will read the book anyway. *sigh*

June 10, 2008 at 5:38 AM

Great post. Reminds me of the lesson we teach the youth with the brownies. So often we hear them (and us) say, oh there was only a "little" swearing in this movie, or there was just a "little" bit of this or that. Then you give them brownies with (supposedly) just a "little" pooh in it and no one will touch them.

Thanks for the great reminder that we need to think and remember.

June 10, 2008 at 6:47 AM

I found your blog surfing, and it is beautiful!!!

I have been trying really hard to read a popular book series thats out right now... but I really hate the way it makes me feel. I haven't wanted to be a complete dork to everyone, so I keep trying... but it really does make me feel gross...

Thanks for the reminder to pay attention to those promptings.

June 10, 2008 at 8:26 AM

I am so on the same page as this one. I rarely watch television anymore, because their is nothing good to watch. And when there is, the commercials never fail to put their little worldly things in there.

I am having to really watch myself as my daughter is growing up. With the boys out of the house now, I just have her. And she watches me like a hawk. She knows when something is not right. My standards have got to meet hers. We can never justify that we, as the parents, have a right to watch something that is not suited for our children. I can't think that way. Whats not right for her, is not right for me.

Thanks for your kind words today..

June 10, 2008 at 6:04 PM

i was reading your blog this morning (i am way behind on everyone's these days) and opened this comment window but never commented. sorry.
you are so right about the ways that the things we bring into our homes and our minds can have a profound effect on the spirit there. i try to be vigilant about ridding our home of shows that are inappropriate, but i do feel that once in a while we push that boundary a little further than we should. thanks for the reminder. and it was so fun to get together again.

June 11, 2008 at 2:55 PM

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