Man looketh on the outward appearance

I keep getting forwarded emails of a picture of a Baptist church sign with a funny message for the Mormons: "Service canceled due to loss of pastor to Mormon missionaries." "If you didn't finish the Book of Mormon, you can come to our church." I got two today. (Thanks, Jocelyn, for the inspiration for this blog.) If there are more out there, by all means, send them my way. I will start a little collection of Baptist church sayings.

But that's not what I wanted to talk about. I wanted to talk about how I was asked to speak in church on Sunday about Seeing Others the Way Heavenly Father Sees Them; aka Not Judging Others; aka Charity. As is usual with every topic about which I am asked to sermonize, I could be a little better in the area. So I'm working on it, this week especially, to try to see the infinite worth of all the individuals I encounter; to not judge them or be jealous of them or look down on them; to not do anything to them except have pure and undefiled love for them.

Which becomes hard, because for the first time in months and months, I have turned on the tv to watch prime time television. I have been suckered (by those rascally television producers who are so good at what they do) into being hooked (already!!) on American Idol. And wouldn't you know it?



The people on this show are so pathetic!! It makes me cringe that so much effort is put into making people look ridiculous, trashy, crazy, imbecilic, half-witted, desperate, insert your own adjective here--in front of all the world. It is obvious that the producers have screened out all the mediocre, boring people and allowed through to Randy, Simon, and Paula only the really good or really, really miserable auditioners. Why must we laugh at the poor fools who SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO TRY OUT FOR THIS SHOW?

It is really interfering with my dedication to living the principle of charity this week. Thank you, Baptist Church, for capturing what is in my heart on your marquee:

Comments

Anonymous said…
William Hung is kind of a cute little guy, isn't he?
January 19, 2006 7:45 AM
Anonymous said…
ok, did you post those signs somehow on some cyberlink? How?
January 19, 2006 9:21 AM
Anonymous said…
i got it now. clever.
January 19, 2006 1:04 PM
Anonymous said…
... and, he bangs.
January 21, 2006 10:20 AM
Emily said…
Today in Relief Society, the teacher mentioned a picture from the internet of a church sign with a cute message. Everyone laughed and thought it was so funny. Being the killjoy that I am, I had to raise my hand and say, "It is not real." They were surprised: "It's not?!" The truth should prevail, no?
January 22, 2006 8:46 PM
Anonymous said…
Emily, someone mentioned the sign today in our ward as well. I had to be the bearer of bad news and reveal the fraud. I said, "Look carefully at the sign and there is a web address on it called 'churchsigngenerator' or something of the like."

It cracks me up that some people believe forwarded email messages to be reliable sources of information.
January 22, 2006 10:54 PM
heidi said…
I can't watch the first few episodes of American Idol anymore. It just makes me sad. Like you say, they really should've known better.
January 22, 2006 11:28 PM
Emily said…
Mormon rumor/urban folklore over a fake picture?? I am stunned.
January 23, 2006 8:26 AM
Eliza said…
Wow, you are a killjoy. Poor baffled RS sisters. Love this post though. Had me loling.
January 26, 2006 9:04 AM
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