Dancing with “Stars”?
I trust you are doing well and rejoicing in God’s grace and mercy.
I want to start with a disclaimer: I have never watched, nor will I, the program Dancing with the Stars. I have much better things to do with my time. So, admittedly, what I am about to write comes from never having watched the program. “DWTS,” originally aired in 2005 on ABC, is considered “family-friendly” and is now being aired on Disney Plus. The one-hour show is an American dance competition that pairs celebrities with professional dancers. Each couple performs predetermined dances and competes against the others for judges’ points and audience votes. The couple receiving the lowest combined total of judge’s points and audience votes is eliminated each week until only the champion dance pair remains.
Sounds harmless. Right? Until you realize that the 31st season which aired last week, features a drag queen “Shangela” and partner Gleb Savchenko. From what I read, the couple earned raving praise from the judges and tied for third overall out of the 16 competing couples.
Shangela is a 40-year-old man named Darius Pierce who grew up in Paris, Texas, and was raised by a single Army vet mother. As a child, he was part of his church’s choir but was exposed to drag at the early age of 16 for a school project. He became famous after competing on three seasons of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Darius is outspoken in his belief that children should be indoctrinated with trans ideology. He has had praise for GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) who are “rallying Hollywood and the news media to fight back against anti-trans legislation in Texas and all across the country.” Darius has also groomed his 9-year-old goddaughter Hailey for her “Toddlers and Tiaras” pageant and can be seen doing a model walk in front of children while in full drag. In the video, his goddaughter says, “I think drag queens are cool. They’re like role models.”
It should be mentioned that “Shangela” is not the first transgender participant in the program. Former Chastity Bono, now Chaz, made an appearance back in 2011.
The program is just another example of the Disney Company’s effort to push a systemic, perverted sexual agenda on impressionable children and unsuspecting, undiscriminating, and non-discriminating adults. It is amazing just how far gone our culture has fallen!
Where in the world are we headed?
A couple of things are important: I believe if you are watching a program like this, it is unwise and not at all conducive to your spiritual growth and health. Surely, there are better programs to watch – or better still, turn the TV off and read a good book.
Second, as Christian, we view reality through the lens of scripture. On this issue, the Bible is clear. Men and women are defined by their anatomical and reproductive organs. No amount of hormones or surgery can override the underlying realities of our genetic makeup. Men are men and women are women. This is a truth confirmed by nature as well. There may be genuine confusion over one’s “gender identity,” but the reality is there is no such thing as actual transgenderism.
Third, as a Christian, we need to show this misguided and confused – and sadly growing – segment of our culture the love of Jesus Christ. With the increased ‘normalization” of this evil, we must follow the ethic that is central to our beliefs as a Christian, and that is to love our neighbor. As we do, we can earn the right to be heard and share the liberating power of the gospel.
Finally, we must realize that being a Christian today requires courage. As never before, we find ourselves on the wrong side of our elite culture. But take heart. Jesus has overcome the world, and to be persecuted for His sake is to be blessed (Matthew 5:10–12; John 16:33).