what kind of message is being sent?

For the past few weeks, there has a been a promotional plug on the cable network TLC about a new "reality" series: The Messengers. Just by watching the initial trailers on the show, my interest certainly peaked. The original commercials concering the show were quite hopeful -- a group of 10 individuals with a passion for reaching out to the socially lost and bringing a message of hope into their seemingly hopless lives. Beyond this plug, not much else was said about the show.

Then the show begins, and a slightly (though significantly) different nuance is given to the "plot" of this new "reality" documentary.* Here is a direct quote from the TLC site (noted above) detailing the purpose of the show: "This innovative eight-part series kicks off July 23 at 10/9c and has a simple yet lofty goal: to find America's next great inspirational speaker. Showcasing 10 speakers from a variety of perspectives, The Messengers explores their ability to communicate the many complexities of life’s toughest lessons. Along the way, the speakers address issues viewers face in their everyday lives and communities." All of a sudden, the original rhetoric implicit in the initial commercials and the explicitly stated intention of the show collide leaving many with questions of what exactly happened.

In my opinion**, the purpose of the show is not necessarily what they originally claimed (though the proclamation was somewhat implicit). The idea of actually walking a mile in someone else's shoes in order to grasp the hard (and really real) reality of what it's like to walk in those shoes is replaced with the idea of finding out who has the best ability to speak to such people in an effective manner. Another implication should be quite explicit: the show is no longer (necessarily) about those on the plagued fringes of society (though the show does involve them); the show is about how inspirational a given speaker (presumably living in a far greater standard of living than those to whom they are trying to inspire) can be in the face of such circumstances.

Once the group of 10 "messengers" complete their given task of trying to inspire a group of social outcasts, they come back to the comfortable studio filled with hundreds of people who then hear a speech created by each "messenger" based on the experience they had. After the speech is given, a small panel*** of judges critique the speech! Immediately following this period of constructive criticism, a vote is taken as to who will be eliminated from the show. Here's the kicker (again, quoting from the TLC site): "The speaker remaining at the end of the series will be crowned "The Messenger," awarded a publishing deal and given the chance to host his or her own TLC television special."

As if that was not enough, the part that troubled me the most was the very presence of one particular judge who was essentially endorsing the nature and outcome of the show: Bobby Schuller -- the grandson of the teddy-bear-theologian Robert Schuller. (Bobby is also a pastor at Crystal Cathedral in southern California). One would think that Bobby, being a minister, and especially being raised under the teaching of his grandfather, would provide a completely different agenda; one that is more in harmony with the original plug for the show -- i.e., actually sending 10 (twelve would have been a better number) people into the depths of lost society in order to bring a message of freedom and refuge. One would also think, in light of the fact that Bobby is a minister -- representing a (somewhat) well-known church -- that he would emphasize actual compassion over ethos; yet, neither one of these can be found.

The message being sent across the airwaves of cable TV -- being typified within this new series -- is indicative of a deeper problem. The focus is being taken off the message and being placed on the messenger; help is being stymied to those who actually need it so that an contestant can ultimately help himself; hope is given to one of 10 (now 9) individuals that they will become successful while millions have little hope of being rescued from their plight. Such is certainly not the message of Jesus, Paul, or any other NT writer; nor is such a message reflective of the message commissioned to those who take on the name of Christ; therefore, these 10 messengers are not really representative of the kind of messagers as defined with the NT. I dare say this: Bono (along with the One Campaign) is doing a far better job of representing the intention of Christ's commission found in Matthew 25.34-40 than Bobby Schuller's new show.

Let's (finally) consider the off-chance that one of the homeless people, to whom these 10 messengers go, sees an episode of this new show. How would they feel if they found out that the only reason why these 10 individuals came into their "world" was to increase the odds of the contestants becoming a host of their TLC show with a publication deal? What king of message would that be? It would certainly not be the message they need to hear (or, see), and it would certainly not be the message that Christ would endorse -- and Bobby Schuller should know that more than anyone.

*If you cannot tell by now, I have a strong distaste for reality shows.
** And we all know what they say about opinions; and I admit that mine is not going to smell much better.
***Surprising lacking the stereotypical make-up borrowed from American Idol -- like every other reality show of this sort.