In the last week you have perhaps heard Bill Maher’s name in the news. If you don’t know who Bill Maher is, count your blessings. He ranks among the most despicable human beings to walk the face of the earth and I second-guessed using this news story just because I did not want to give him any more air time than he already gets. However, I believe his most recent escapade illustrates an urgent problem in our society with the rise of social media. Maher is an avowed atheist who belittles and mocks anyone with any degree of faith in God every chance he gets. Thus Tim Tebow’s sudden rise to fame makes him an easy target for Maher’s particular brand of blasphemy. On Christmas Eve Tebow’s Broncos played a terrible game against the Buffalo Bills that spurred Maher to write a message on his Twitter account that Jesus had somehow betrayed Tebow causing him and Denver to play horribly. Of course Satan, Hitler, and a strategically placed curse word were included in the post that is so blasphemous and derogatory I am not going to even post it in an edited form. One has to wonder what the point of such a hateful remark is. I have a theory – fame.
Once upon a time in order to gain any type of celebrity status one actually had to have some type of discernible talent. Maybe they were a gifted actor, an impressive singer, or a particularly capable athlete. They had to be able to contribute something of an extraordinary nature to their chosen profession. However, in our information age the fastest way to become famous is to say or do something particularly stupid, hateful, or controversial. The Kardashian family is one of the most famous families in the world right now, but why? None of them have any discernible talents – they are simply famous for being famous. A little bit of money, a few celebrity boyfriends, a couple of controversial yet high-profile weddings, and one homemade pornographic video later and they are instant celebrities that many cannot get enough of. However, such fame is typically short-lived. Thus these “celebrities” see the need to keep their name in the news, requiring them to say or do these things on a regular basis. They sell themselves with shock, “and the people love to have it so” (Jeremiah 5:31).
The problem with all of this is that I have not even mentioned the most socially dangerous part of this whole sordid affair! The worst part is that this is how our children are seeing fame develop and it’s leaving its mark on them. More and more teenagers and even younger children are posting pictures, videos, and comments on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube hoping and praying that they will be the next one to go viral and achieve their fifteen minutes of fame. Innocence is being lost for the sake of name recognition, “and the people love to have it so” (Jeremiah 5:31).
In Luke 18 Jesus told the story of two men who went up to the temple to pray: “…the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess” (vs. 10-12). Did this Pharisee know that what he said in that prayer was controversial? He had to. But controversy was a small price to pay for what he wanted – fame. Did he get what he wanted? Perhaps, but Jesus’ conclusion to His parable indicates that his fame came with a great cost – his eternal soul (vs. 13-14)! It is by no means a sin to be famous, but when we sell our soul for the sake of fame we reap exactly what we sow.
“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).