Christians Fitting the Cliche? Or Being Salt and Light?

Anyone who reads this blog will know that I love to stir things up and question the status quo (translated often as "the mess we are in"). One of my guilty secret pasttimes when I get back from work is to watch "America's Next Top Model" - a famous US reality T.V show. It's just something I enjoy daily while winding down after work.

They have been replaying previous series and I have been following with interest the progress of two Christian young women on the programme. Both are clearly evangelical and have displayed this quite evidently. For example one of the gay models had her girlfriend come visit. The two Christian girls made it quite evident that they disapproved of this visit and would not greet the visitor when she arrived. Instead they stayed in their bedroom and "prayed" and read the Bible until the visitor had safely left. Understandably this disgusted the other models in the competition.

The final showdown was when the models were sent to Paris and were asked to pose nude with diamonds as part of a couture show. The two Christians were offered the chance to wear flesh-coloured body tape but refused to take part. However the twist to the tale was that one of the Christian girls flashed herself inappropriately to the fashion director previously when watched (unseen) by Tyra Banks - the show's creator. The judges questioned the Christian model on her apparant hypocrisy - to which she had no answer.

Here's the scene:



So the question I have is this. Do these Christian women represent what's right and what's good and moral about religion? Are they good ambassadors for the gospel? Or maybe they are victims of media clever editing? Or actually are they typical of "religious" Christians who say one thing and then behind closed doors when they think no one is watching - act somewhat differently?

I have an opinion (of course!) but I'm not going to give it. I am absolutely amazed with a quote I read of Dr Stanley Jebb - he wrote it many years ago in a "Restoration Magazine" that I am reading currently. He may not believe it anymore - but I think it's excellent;

"Have eyes wide open to see the grace of God in each other. Any fool can see the negative things in a life".