MY RANT ABOUT MILEY

I felt the need to rant a little about what I witnessed while watching the MTV Video Music Awards. The behavior of Miley Cyrus was embarrassing and humiliating for herself and all women. To voluntarily reduce herself to a sex object in front of a captivated audience is something that I cannot understand. Her actions did not promote sexual freedom and expression but only belittled women as a whole. For years we all have watched Miley Cyrus's carefully constructed wholesome image come to light as she used it to garner a major following of teenage girls who looked up to her as a role model. This was intentionally done to promote her in the entertainment industry and to create a fan base. With this type of marketing comes a certain responsibility which she failed to live up to. Like it or not, because of a high profile position such as hers she is a role model and has the ability to influence the actions and attitudes of millions of people world-wide. People will listen to what she has to say and they will watch what she does. The sexual imagery that she projected was witnessed by children as young as twelve years old. These are our children and they instinctively look up to individuals such as Miley Cyrus for guidance regarding what is right and what is wrong.

It is a natural progression of children during this critical time of their development to start to formulate their own value system which will be deeply influenced by their peers, adults they interact with, and from what they witness in the multimedia. The Entertainment Industry and Society as a whole knows this all too well and uses this to their advantage to try to condition our children to accept certain behaviors and trends so as to make money. Sexualizing our children and convincing them that what is being witnessed is not only natural but should also be accepted is part of their overall plan. Sex sells. It always has and always will. To demean women as sexual objects is to their advantage. It is of no advantage to the women involved but only to those who seek to make a profit from it. The more women are viewed in a material sense, the more profitable it becomes.

The feminist movement actually promotes this behavior also. Part of the feminist platform has been sexual freedom and expression. The movement looks at marriage as a form of indentured slavery and is against it. They feel that when a woman is sexualized they are empowered. With that, they promote sex through educational programs that start from middle school and continue through college. They feel that the more a woman is sexually active, the more liberated they become. The end result from society is the constant promotion of sex and uninhibited behavior. Anything or anyone who seeks to restrain this sexualization is labeled as being repressive.

What message are we sending to the men of society when women are constantly being displayed and promoted as sex objects? Society is actually promoting the abuse and the degrading of women. It is a known fact that the frontal lobe of the brain does not reach full maturity until a person's 20's. This means that a person's thought process can be heavily influenced by what they see and what they are told before understanding the full repercussions of their actions. It is in society's best interest to formulate and control the thought process of our youth at this age so as to take advantage of them throughout their lives by preparing them to accept what is directly told to them. By teaching women to demean themselves and by telling men that women should be demeaned a sexualized marketplace is created. We see this in Hollywood, advertising, and in the marketplace as a whole. You cannot even buy beer, clothes, or watch a sporting event without being exposed to sex.

It is utterly amazing how a small minority of people can influence the actions and behaviors of a majority to its own detriment. MTV took this to the extreme with its ridiculous display of an awards show. From improper English, lewd comments, and sexual content they lowered the bar in all areas from communication, style, talent, and acceptable behavior. Through this medium, they strive to “convince” viewers as to what is acceptable and what society deems appropriate. This convincing is nothing more than a marketing tool to further their own goals at the expense of everyone else, including the self-worth of individuals such as Miley Cyrus.

We are all constantly being attacked. Society is a weapon of Satan. Jesus said that “You cannot serve both God and mammon.” Mammon is all that is present in society; the allures and temptations thereof. Saint Paul tells us that the flesh is constantly at war with the spirit. The flesh is of this earth and of sin; the spirit is eternal and belongs to God. Why would we ever put all of our trust in things of this earth that promote the things that God is against and that we created so us to immerse ourselves in materialism and debauchery. The very things that Miley Cyrus represents lead to self-destruction of the human condition. There is nothing liberating or uplifting in what she and MTV continue to promote. There is nothing everlasting about it also. In the end, the lifestyle and condition that is being displayed constantly to us offer nothing that is worthwhile and constructive. It is destructive and represents a larger problem in society.

We as Christians must recognize this and criticize it when we see it. We also need to demonstrate our reluctance to it by not participating in it. Instead, we lead our lives by the Light of Christ. Long after Miley Cyrus grinds her last grind, Christ will remain.

Deacon Tom