Kitna brought the dressing room culture to the public and some could not handle it.
Just as long as Cullen is fine with it, what is the problem?" remarks Terry Foster, a sports reporter for The Detroit News, on his blog.
The problem, for me, lies in the message Kitna sent to the very people he's been shown to be trying to reach; the youth. Terry Foster lambastes the Christian readership who has given Kitna a "what for" for his actions on Monday night. Drew Sharp, a sports reporter for The Detroit Free Press, which is owned by Knight Rider as is the News, started the 'bandwagon' of dissent. Sharp's article has been shown to be written under pretenses that were untrue; in as Sharp claimed Cullen didn't approve or know about the costume. What do you expect from a liberal writer? Factual reporting? Not in America's journalistic community and definitely not in the Michigan community of the News and Free Press.
Terry Foster seems to be amazed that Christians would consider what Kitna decided to wear to a costume party inappropriate. Foster defends Kitna by brushing it off as "the public introduced to locker room culture." There lies the problem that most Christians, this one in particular, have with this event.
"Kitna wasn't thinking about what the rest of society thought," claims Foster. I would disagree, Kitna was depending on what society, as a whole, thought. He wanted to win the grand prize.
"I wasn't trying to make a statement of anything," Kitna said. "I was just trying to wear a costume that I thought people would have fun with. I wasn't trying to demean Joe. If he hadn't come so far I never would have done this."
The problem there is that Kitna is saying that it is alright to tease, ridicule, or have fun at another's expense, so long as you have that person's approval. But what about the person in the darkness who is watching this? What about those children Kitna speaks to, about doing drugs, staying celibate, and seeking a higher purpose? Is this the proper emulation of a recognized, high-profile Leader from the Christian community to give? Does this actually support his walk or just show that it isn't as deep as the claims are?
A blogger on the Free Press article, who calls himself Strong Black Man, said that Jesus wouldn't have call Kitna on the carpet about what he chose to wear to the costume party, or what he chose to have his wife support him by wearing. Jesus lambasted the Pharisees and Sadducees as 'higher than thou' people. Problem is, Jesus would've called Kitna out on his Pharisaical attitude of "I was just fitting in."
And it is only the Christian community that will call its leaders out on the carpet for behavior that they feel doesn't represent the faith.
Here is the difference between Kitna and the rest of us. Some of us view the sin that Joe Cullen committed as a sign of the fallen nature of society, something not to be highlighted and joked around about. Joe Cullen, by whatever measures he has taken (hopefully the spiritual ones), has overcome or is overcoming this addiction and problem he has faced. It is wonderful that Kitna said that Cullen is recovered.
We have prayed and accepted Joe Cullen, cheered him on in his recovery from this sin and the resulting problems. Supposedly, as Kitna does, we have seen that Cullen has shed the old man and is becoming something new.
But does Kitna's actions show that view? If we are celebrating the new man, why is Kitna joking about the old? Why is Kitna highlighting and using a sinful problem to make light of?
The reason, Mr. Foster, why some of us Christians are offended by Kitna's choice of costume on that Monday night isn't because of the introduction of 'locker room culture' to society, but the step downward that Kitna had to take to make his faith a convenient article of clothing to wear when he feels like it.
"Guys know that if you do something that messes up in a dressing room you are going to get it," Kitna said, concerning the mentality of the locker room to joke about someone's screw-up.
So now the message is; if society accepts it, it is okay? What does this bode for the defense of marriage, the falling state of society's morals, and the 'hypocrital' appearance of Christianity? Now it is okay to sin, just so long as you do good the rest of the time?
It is okay to make fun of your fellow man's fallen state, or a sinful past, just so long as society claims it is done in fun?
I think that Kitna made a poor judgment call and should have held himself to a higher standard than society. He claims he does, but I don't see where in the biblical standards Christ set, he has.
This is the problem with the Christian leadership of today, where it is okay to be a shallow Christian so long as you are salvationally saved. You can address the feeding of the poor, but ignore the problem that caused the poor to be in need of feeding. You can sing "Love, Love, Love" and ignore the other aspects of God that make that Love so powerful, merciful, and strong.
As Christ said, "Would that you be either hot or cold. But because you are lukewarm, I spit you out of my mouth."
You are either on FIRE FOR GOD or you are not. Absolute Truth or anything goes.
My opinion.
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