There are more than a few draft articles in my collection about popular culture that have never seen the light of day. Popular culture concerns me because it occupies a level of importance in many American’s lives that it doesn’t deserve.

Pop culture is much about nothing.  It is part of Americana, but not an important part.  It allows people to live their lives vicariously through the enhanced view of others.  Popular culture feeds on itself, but leaves us empty when we think we are full.  It is one of the most powerful forces for bad in this country.

If I seem to be overstating the point, consider Anna Nicole Smith.  She not only lived her life pursuing the golden rings of pop culture, but was herself at the center of it.  Partying with movies stars, pictures in Playboy, drugs and alcohol, paparazzi, gossip columns, reality TV………she had it all and she had nothing.

Anna Nicole died an untimely death at 39.  I was never a fan of hers, but I’m bothered by her death just the same.  No one deserves to die so young.  She had suffered the pain of the death of her 20 year old son.  She was in a battle for custody and a battle for millions.  In the end, real happiness most likely eluded her.

Why do so many people turn away from things that really matter and pursue money and things and getting stoned and pretending to be someone else?  Anna Nicole could have had a truly good life, but in the end, she gave up her life for nothing that could give her even one day of real contentment. 

Popular culture beckons us; it searches us out and entices us.  It is there in the grocery store check out line, it is part of your nightly news and it bombards us through music, movies, TV, magazines, advertising and yes………..the internet.   We are intoxicated by it and we drink it up by the gallon every day.  So many Americans will be stunned and deflated by Anna Nicole Smiths death……..and it won’t be because of her age.

America can find much about her future in the death of Anna Nicole.  We can choose to recognize that pop culture produces nothing good and that Anna Nicole’s glamorous lifestyle ended all too soon.  We can recognize that America is too dependent on pop culture and that it doesn’t add to the quality of our lives or we can miss the message in Anna Nicole’s death.  The choice is ours. 

The truth is that many American citizens are caught up in popular culture and despise those who seek real meaning in life.   Popular culture means waiting overnight in lines to get the newest gaming toys or for concert tickets or for singing contests, but sleeping in on Sunday morning.  Popular culture dictates spending two hours reading about the lives of movies stars while skipping a dinner with your family. 

Popular culture will have some spending hours reading and viewing stories about the death of Anna Nicole, while refusing to listen to a story about the death of Jesus.

Where are you centered?

Once again, by way of the Libby trail, we are reminded that Valerie Plame was NOT a covert agent and had not been for several years.  How can you ‘out’ a covert agent who is not, in fact covert?  Don’t let such false premises get in the way of those on the far left who will still argue that the Bush administration purposely and vengefully outed a ‘covert’ agent. 

FBI agent,  Deborah Bond reversed her testimony today in the Libby trail after she read the transcript of her testimony last week.  Libby is on trail, ironically, for recollecting wrong information.  Many attorneys allow witnesses to review their written statements in order to help them recollect information correctly.  Libby is on trail for providing incorrect information of past events to FBI agents. 

On another note, the bigotry against Christianity continues………….again in a form that can only be described as vile and despicable.  An atheist group is having children and teens go on video and renounce God and Jesus.  The videos are showing up on YouTube for millions to see.  The group is specifically targeting Christians and convincing the young people that they are being subjected to “mental torture” by believing in the same higher power as their parents.

When I see the really happy Christian teens at my church, I am hard pressed to see their faith as ‘mental torture’.  Even non-believing young people are not subjected to mental torture if they are exposed to belief in a Creator.  This is how the atheist group frames their argument, and in the process, they are throwing more fuel on the fire of hatred and bigotry against Christians.  Their goal, of course, is to indoctrinate a generation of young people who are already turning away from God in record numbers.

This smacks of the move towards popular culture as the replacement deity for God and the far left propaganda war to win the minds of all young people with anti-Christian beliefs.  These are the same people who are winning the minds of young people in believing that hetro and homo-sexual marriage is the same.  They are the same people who want young people to believe that the occult world and satan worship are the cool alternative.  They teach that anti-Americanism is the preferred mindset.   Through videos, magazines, television, music and even the classroom, the far-left wing atheists are there pushing their message.

Interesting hypocrisy when you think about it.  This atheist group is accusing Christian adults and parents of indoctrinating their children into Christian thought.  At the same time, this group and their affiliates are indoctrinating young people into a mindset of anti-Christian bigotry and hatred for the virtues that established this country. 

Evidence of  anti-Christian bigotry is everywhere.  There is the president of the College of William and Mary, in Virginia, who ordered a small 18 inch cross removed from the chapel there.  It has adorned the chapel for 60 years.  This left-wing Christian hater is a perfect example of the almost daily stories that appear around the country, most swept under the rug.  Christianity is under assault everywhere. (you can sign a petition showing your support of the cross here).

Like the man who recently attempted to burn the church down in California, anti-Chrisitan hatred has become institutionalized and is allowed to spread unchecked