Football is king in Texas. And last night our local high school introduced the new season with a showcase of all the school bands. Along with the bands the various cheerleading/dance squads wowed the crowd with their award-winning routines. At least I think they did. I hardly watched, but the crowd seemed impressed.
I did not have to see much in order to be outright appalled, disgusted and burdened. It was near impossible to miss dozens of jr. and sr. high school adolescent girls parading around in scantily clad, hideously offensive outfits. What little I did catch of their routines made me think MTV was there auditioning for an Eminem video. Parents applauded, boys ogled and drueled, and the girls soaked it all in like celebrities.
Let’s be honest, these modern ‘dance’ routines are nothing less than exotic dancing under the guise of an extracurricular activity. The music to which they danced was X-rated entertainment. I suspect it’s not much different that what a perverted, sex addict would see in a ‘gentlemen’s club’. But, on a football field it’s wholesome and ‘good for the team.’ Teenagers run rampant sexually because we’ve removed the fences! We applaud sexually-suggestive material and encourage shamelessness. And then we wonder why teenagers get pregnant and boys grow up to treat women like meat in a display case. It’s because we’ve put them on display. What else are they to think? True love may wait, but can the parents? In the name of modernity, we’ve raised neanderthals and sex slaves (not so modern I would say).
I cannot see any possible justification for Christian parents to allow their daughters to participate on public school ‘dance’ teams. I don’t know if that was the case with anyone last night. And I realize this is a broad generalization. There are exceptions that maintain tasteful team spirit (private schools, etc.). But, I suspect what we saw last night was more the rule than the exception. In what universe does bare skin and provocative poses foster education and discipline?
Consider the Scriptures. I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil (Rom 16.19b). Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature (1 Cor 14.20). How could any Christian parent encourage knowledge is what is obviously evil? How could any Christian parent applaud what opposes godly virtue, gospel fruit and biblical modesty? Does Genesis 3 mean anything to us? Do we really underestimate the extent of our sin that we can entrust mature material to adolescent audiences?
We’ve sorely neglected teenagers in the church. We’ve praised girls when they’ve pranced around like showgirls. We’ve chuckled when boys gave the new girl the once-over. Yet, when it comes to gospel instruction and biblical virtue we have little to say and little to commend. God help us.
I gotta go before I have a stroke.
Barry,
We have the great privilege of sending our daughter to a private, Christian school. The administrators there are a godly couple who live out what they believe. They have drawn the line where cheerleader uniforms are concerned – moderation being the key word. They also have put their foot down on what music will be played and what kind of dancing can be performed. I applaud and appreciate them both.
What is so disgusting in our society is that things which should be (and used to be) shameful are not celebrated. I appreciate your post here and pray that God will be pleased to give it a wide reading.
Dear slmayes,
Evidently your daugther’s cheerleading outfits, music, and movements are modest by 2006 standards. Would they also be modest by 1900 standards, and by Jesus’ and Paul’s standards?
I hope you don’t think I’m hitting you too hard. I’m just poking at you, hoping to hit something solid!
Love in Christ,
Jeff
Thank you, Steve, for a moderating voice. It is great to hear of a Christian school being, well, Christian (you never know sometimes!). Wide reading? Was that a fat joke?
Jeff,
I didn’t say my daughter was a cheerleader. She’s not. If it were up to me, cheerleading would be as extinct as the dodo birds.
Barry,
Never a fat joke from me – it would hurt my own feelings.
Steve