StargateGirl
03-10-04, 09:31 AM
A Model Marriage?
Campus Life, March/April 2004
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/2004/002/2.26.html
I watch the MTV show Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica a lot. What do you think of this reality show about Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey's marriage? Is it harmless?
Harmless for whom? The first couple years of marriage can be the hardest of all. I can't imagine what the stress of having cameras catching every selfish argument and awkward moment would do to newlyweds. I can't help but think that the show is extremely unhealthy for Nick and Jessica's relationship.
But how does it affect us? Well, the show does reveal two positive truths about marriage. First, it destroys the myth that marriage-even between two beautiful and rich people-is all about bliss, romance and sex. Instead, we learn from Nick and Jessica that marriage can be hard, requires good communication, and includes a lot of forgiveness.
However, Newlyweds could be harmful if anyone looks to Nick and Jessica as marriage role models. In fact, very few newlyweds could provide a good example of what it means to be a healthy husband and wife. For Christians, the standard of a lifetime marriage is set in Scriptures like Ephesians 5:22-33, and probably best learned from a much older, much more Christ-like couple in your life.
There is one other thing I would like to bring up. Jessica has been very public about being a Christian and standing for abstinence until marriage. But Jessica's faith has not been expressed on the show and she often swears. On top of that, her public image has also become much more sexual in recent years with very revealing outfits and provocative magazine photos. So, another problem is that Jessica's use of sexuality in magazines, music and TV advertising can hurt others who are trying to hold on to their commitment to purity.
Copyright © 2004 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine.
March/April 2004, Vol. 62, No. 8, Page 16
Campus Life, March/April 2004
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/2004/002/2.26.html
I watch the MTV show Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica a lot. What do you think of this reality show about Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey's marriage? Is it harmless?
Harmless for whom? The first couple years of marriage can be the hardest of all. I can't imagine what the stress of having cameras catching every selfish argument and awkward moment would do to newlyweds. I can't help but think that the show is extremely unhealthy for Nick and Jessica's relationship.
But how does it affect us? Well, the show does reveal two positive truths about marriage. First, it destroys the myth that marriage-even between two beautiful and rich people-is all about bliss, romance and sex. Instead, we learn from Nick and Jessica that marriage can be hard, requires good communication, and includes a lot of forgiveness.
However, Newlyweds could be harmful if anyone looks to Nick and Jessica as marriage role models. In fact, very few newlyweds could provide a good example of what it means to be a healthy husband and wife. For Christians, the standard of a lifetime marriage is set in Scriptures like Ephesians 5:22-33, and probably best learned from a much older, much more Christ-like couple in your life.
There is one other thing I would like to bring up. Jessica has been very public about being a Christian and standing for abstinence until marriage. But Jessica's faith has not been expressed on the show and she often swears. On top of that, her public image has also become much more sexual in recent years with very revealing outfits and provocative magazine photos. So, another problem is that Jessica's use of sexuality in magazines, music and TV advertising can hurt others who are trying to hold on to their commitment to purity.
Copyright © 2004 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine.
March/April 2004, Vol. 62, No. 8, Page 16