OK, here goes... If this gets too long, I may break it into two posts (or more if need be...I'm finding this is a multi-faceted issue) so as not to bore you all at once!

Today I was reading a blog post about Miley Cyrus and the 'questionable' behavior, comments, photos, etc. that seem to be emerging about her. Many Christian moms ripped Miley and her parents in the comments section. (The post itself wasn't actually bad, and I found that one from a link I followed on another blog I read, "littlesanctuary" and I felt that post was really good - very well balanced). In any case, the questions being raised about Miley got me thinking... (actually, some other things within the past few weeks have had me thinking a bit already, but this really pushed me to some action as far as clarifying my thoughts and conversation with Kate.)

First of all, I'm not going to even go into what all the swirl about Miley is/has been, because that's not my point. I'm not trying to pursuade or dissuade anyone from becoming a 'Hannah Montana' fan. But some of the issues being raised in Christian circles is whether or not Miley is a good role model, and whether or not she is causing our daughters to fall into 'celebrity idolatry'. They've expressed angst toward Disney for a parade of 'good-girl-turned-hoochie' celebs that have been in the limelight the past few years. Well, here's my take...

While role models are great, and can have a profound impact on someone (especially someone young and impressionable), I don't think celebrities are where we should hope to find role models. In my opinion, NO secular source is going to have an acceptable role model, because the number one thing I want modeled for my kids is a passionate, sold-out relationship with Jesus. No one from the 'world' - not American Girl or even Little House on the Prairie (though they both represent better values than many other shows or books) - can offer that.

And the other thing to keep in mind is that NO ONE, not even christian role models, are infallable. If Miley 'falls' and begins to party, or even begins to be reported as being sexually active (which at this point her stance is that she is committed to virginity and wears a purity ring...which people are debating how authentic that all is...as if we have half an inkling what she really believes or does, as all our info is second-hand at best, and usually with a media commentary or twist of some kind on it), I'm pretty sure it will have no profound impact on my daughter. However, if a young lady from my church who may have been the 'perfect' church kid - you know, attended every youth group event, went on summer missions trips and helped teach Sunday school - someone Kaitlyn has looked up to for years, (by the way, this is a TOTALLY FICTIONAL example) one day turns up with a DUI or pregnant and not married, that is going to have much more of an effect. And believe me, folks, it happens. If you haven't seen it yet, be thankful, but if you do, don't be shocked, and also do not be quick to judge. Remember that Jesus came for sinners, and but for His grace, you (or your daughter or son) could be in the very same spot. But it doesn't mean I shouldn't encourage her to have relationship with and look to seemingly good role models in our church. It means I need to teach her not to put any human - christian or otherwise - on a pedestal. I need to make sure she knows that EVERYONE is a sinner, and capable of mistakes - even some very damaging ones - if we don't stay connected to Jesus as our life source, the basis for all we believe, and the plumbline for every decision.

As for the celebrity idolatry, I would ask this: How do you define if something is idolatry or not? (And I'll tell you up front, I don't plan to define it for you). I will say this...idolatry is a heart issue. What is idolatry for one, can be perfectly acceptable for another. Wasn't this what Paul was getting at in I Corinthians 8 when he said: