Maybe I’m just jealous of Their beards
For the last five or so years I have grown a beard in the winter. Usually around Thanksgiving I begin to let my whiskers grow, but generally by March I am sick of the itchy old thing. When I see the beards that the Robertson clan can grow, I am truly amazed that not only do their wives seem to enjoy the things, but also that they all can sport such fine specimens of masculine machoism.
It seems that everywhere I go there is an increasingly dizzying array of products that bear the Duck Dynasty label. From boxer shorts to wines, and everything in between; the Robertson family has truly established a product Dynasty on the American landscape. Looking through the latest edition of Christian Book Distributors catalog, I even noticed a Duck Dynasty devotional and recently I have heard of churches holding Camouflage Sundays.
Is all the hoopla good for the cause of Christ and the growth of the kingdom or should mature Christians sit back cautiously with a healthy dose of skepticism? Maybe I am just jealous of their beards, but at the risk of alienating much of “rural” Christianity, let me pose a few concerns I am sensing.
God, Guns, and Bibles
A&E Television has done a wonderful job of crafting the image of the Robertson clan as prototypical evangelicals who love God, guns and country and set a rich example of the very best of American family life. To be sure, in an age where the family is disintegrating before our eyes, it is extremely heartening to see a family where the patriarch prays before the meal and they all attend church. It is also common knowledge that the Robertson family is extremely generous, giving large portions of their earnings to ministries and the needy. For all these things we can, and should highly commend them. In an age where ministries are quickly defecting to political correctness, it seems that the Robertson’s could care less what the culture at large thinks of their “old fashioned” ideals. Once again, for their boldness we can and should commend them.
However, I am concerned when I see an ad in our local paper from a liqueur store that sells Duck commander wines. The picture of Willie kicked back with his beautiful wife next to a bottle of wine with their logo on it, seems to take the Dynasty over the precipice of the cliff of “causing a brother to stumble.” I know there is much disagreement in the body of Christ over the Biblical allowance of drinking in moderation. However, as a Pastor, I can not relate the magnitude of carnage I have seen in the lives of individuals and families from the bottle. It is inconceivable to me, that a family that desires to model “the ideal” to American families, would then turn around and make money off the destruction of so many lives. Even respecting their individual soul liberty to drink if their conscience allows it; it is undeniable that many young people who love their show will also see their ads and reason “if Willie can do it…”. The Spirit’s counsel in Scripture is clear: “If meat will make my brother to offend, then I will not eat meat.” Moreover, Paul admonishes us in I Corinthians 10:31: “Whether therefore you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
Modest apparel?
Another concern I have is the Robertson women. Without going into to much detail, I find many of their choices of clothing to be provocative. No doubt, the Robertson men have been able to marry some beautiful and charming women. However, in a nation that has thrown caution to the wind when it comes to clothing, wouldn’t it be refreshing if the Robertson women set an example for our children of how a women can be both beautiful and modest? I don’t think many of our wives would be appreciative of the low neck lines, and high skirt lines that the Robertson gals seem so prone to sport. If a woman came into my office seeking counsel clad in their attire, I would doubtlessly be looking for my wife to handle that appointment. I rather doubt that most men wouldn’t be in the same predicament.
In order to do this critique, I felt I needed to watch several episodes so I could speak fairly to these concerns. One episode I found to be downright crude. It surrounded the inevitable result of a bunch of men eating too much chili. While all of us might get a chuckle from a burst of gas in our home; would you really like to have your prowess at producing methane paraded before all the world to see? Would you even think it appropriate? Once again, I fear it to be a part of the crudening of American life. Maybe this is what Paul meant when he told Titus that he wanted the older men to be dignified. I find Paul’s counsel to the Ephesians’ instructive: “Let their be no filthiness nor foolish talk, nor crude joking which are out of place…(5:4)”.
Again, while I would commend Phil Robertson for his bravery in opposing the Homosexual agenda, I found his crude way of approaching the issue to be needlessly inflammatory. Did such a crude and graphic portrayal of homosexual activity and desire, highlight the issue in a constructive way or did it merely inflame the sensibilities of most in our culture? God is as concerned with “how” we speak as “what” we speak. The Lord instructs us to speak truth, but do so in love. We should be winsome in our persuasion, not needlessly offensive.
One last observation, before you all hang me, I found the episode where Willie’s daughter wanted to go to the high school dance, to be one of the best examples of the wholesale departure of the Evangelical church from Biblical convictions. In two such episodes, Willie interacts with his daughter on the subject of dealing with the opposite sex. Thankfully, the programs present a Father who is at least concerned with his daughters purity. However, on one occasion he bows to the whims of his wife and allows his daughter to wear provocative clothing, and on another he interviews the prospective young man and repeatedly warns him to keep his hands off. Again, while I am glad he interviewed the young man, and showed parental initiative in protecting his daughter; the whole high school dance and date culture has led to the sexualization of most of the young people in America. Probably the most destructive force unleashed on our children has been the ravages of the sexual revolution. It has produced more destroyed lives than alcohol. Why not promote the high road? Why not model the exception? If our young people saw a family that was less crude, more modest, and one that set a distinctly Christian example of dating; I doubt their dynasty would have gone beyond duck’s. Think about it before you hang me.
Some facebook feeds are saying good job, about time someone spoke up about this!
Thanks pastor.
Tim,
I agree totally. I think I have offended a few people over the last several months by expressing some concern for the craze over Duck Dynasty. But this seems to happen everytime we allow the world to steal our discernment through what i will call tremendously, will though out marketing. These people are professionals, their goal is not to promote the gospel or even the Robertsons they want to make money and they will sell us whatever we will buy.
Andy