Back to the tree
A while back, I read an article somewhere about the brilliance of Britney Spears. I know. I re-read that overview, too- And found myself intrigued enough to read on. (Did it work for this blog?)
The article laid out how even aspects of her personal life were well-contrived, planned marketing schemes to keep her career growing and growing. Anytime you see some entertainment show mention Britney, there’s nearly always the question of “what happened to that sweet little girl on the Disney channel”. This article showed how she needed to market a sweet, girl-next-door image to sell albums as a tween star. We she got older, she had to sexy-up, sing more adult-ish lyrics, and lead a lifestyle that would clearly distance herself from her squeaky-clean past. (The article didn’t say this, but based on how much sense that made, I doubt anyone knows the real Britney. Chances are, even she has lost sense of her real self.)
Why are innocence, naivite, and inexperience characteristics that should be hidden or overcome to be respected?
Ever hear someone talk about “getting rid of their virginity”? Or “finally” finding out what something means? Ever hear people talk about “experiencing the real world”? Our world values knowledge and experience in ever subject. To be ignorant of something is to be foolish, closed-minded, and stupid.
And look how easy it is to find information? Our tv’s have 500 channels and the internet has infinite resources a click or two away to providing multiple answers to any information you desire. Our teenagers are walking around with immense amounts of data in their brains that they are not even able to process yet. Jeff Foxworthy once told a story about deciding he needed to tell his son about sex. So, to start off the conversation, he asked his son what all he know. A few minutes in, Jeff was taking notes asking in bewilderment, “You can do that?!!!”
It’s amazing how we find our way back to the tree. Not the good tree, not the tree of life, we find our way back to that tree Adam and Eve ate from and were forever changed: the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Eve was no longer content with her naivety. Adam couldn’t handle being separated from Eve because of her new knowledge. So, they both gave up their innocence and purity and their minds were opened to a world pregnant with darkness and depravity.
Our world has scoured that tree, made jelly from it’s fruit, baked it into pies, and even has chewed on the leaves and branches. Nothing is off-limits and no subject is taboo.
I love that quote from Ian Malcom in Jurassic Park, where he says, “You were so busy asking yourself if you could, that you never stopped to consider if you should.” We have no concept where the line is. But even Paul said, “…it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.” (Eph 5:12)
I’m not saying we should burn our books, toss out our computers, or move our families to remote mountain cabins. We should even value knowledge and experience- when it leads to wisdom, character, and integrity. But let’s honor and respect lines where ignorance truly is the higher path.
Perhaps then, future Britney’s of the world won’t have to live out a public self-destruction before someone will buy their albums.