The Gospel and the Gosselins-Evangelicals and the making of Jon & Kate Plus Eight

[RamboLiberal]

If you have recently stood in line at the grocery store and glanced at the tabloid covers, chances are you have seen the faces of reality TV stars Jon and Kate Gosselin. Jon and Kate are stars of the wildly popular TLC show Jon & Kate Plus Eight, which documents the life of this Pennsylvania couple as they raise their eight children, 8-year-old twins and 5-year-old sextuplets. Until recently, Jon and Kate were celebrated as models of wholesome family values. Sure, they bickered a lot, but they were committed to staying together for the long haul. Indeed, last season featured them renewing their wedding vows on the beach in Hawaii. Such commitment endeared them to the watching public and made them TLC's most profitable commodity.

Of all the viewers who followed the Gosselins, evangelicals were among the most faithful. Jon and Kate's refusal to resort to "selective reduction" when they found themselves pregnant with sextuplets, their membership in an Assemblies of God church, and their Isaiah 40:31 T-shirts all helped to make them icons of evangelical piety. Churches from across the country clamored to be added to their speaking tours. In the last two years the vast majority of Jon and Kate's presentations took place at Christian conferences or at evangelical churches, most often Baptist, nondenominational or charismatic.

Zondervan, one of the foremost evangelical presses, published two books with the Gosselins, both of which hit the New York Times bestseller list. The popular tongue-in-cheek blog Stuff Christians Like listed "Watching Jon and Kate Plus 8" on its list of favored Christian products or activities. Evangelicals dependably tuned in to the television show as the family received free trips to posh resorts, when the couple underwent plastic surgery, and when they moved from a comfortable house in the suburbs to a sprawling estate in the country. If they noticed that Jon and Kate's family and friends—most notably Aunt Jodi and Beth—were, one by one, being estranged from the family (reportedly over financial disputes), it did not stop believers from looking to this couple for inspiration on how to be a good Christian family.

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Viewers, and especially evangelical viewers, are aghast. How could such a loving, Christian family disintegrate so quickly? Is the failure of their marriage due to the stress of parenting multiples? Can it be attributed to Kate's love of celebrity versus Jon's desire to retreat from the limelight? Might it be the result of living under constant (albeit self-imposed) surveillance? I suspect that each of these theories tell part of the story. But the story that has not been told is the one that sees in Jon and Kate the shortcomings of evangelical piety itself.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/juneweb-only/122-11.0.html

[Kerrytravelers]

1. Family values. The santactity of marriage. These two are real role models.

Now, let us run around in a circle with our hair on fire worrying that Marriage Equality will somehow destroy families.

:eyes:

[DainBramaged]

3. like this?

[madeline_con]

2. I found this argument interesting:

"Too often our ethics have focused so singularly on the question of abortion that we have given comparatively little attention to the morally-significant issues surrounding infertility, reproductive technology, childbirth, and parenting. As such, we have a hard time challenging the assumptions of our consumerist culture or those who, like Jon and Kate, seem to be beholden to it.

As fellow Christians, we should have reminded the Gosselins that life is a gift to be received in gratitude, not something to be grasped, purchased, or sold."

[mwb970]

8. If they see through the Gosselins, when will they see through Sarah Palin?

Passage after passage in this article expresses regret at the superficiality of evangelical "thinking", bemoaning their tendency to elevate undeserving figures onto pedestals for all to worship. Um, hello. This is exactly what they have done with Sarah Palin.

When will they figure it out??

:shrug:

[nxylas]

11. When Sarah Palin gets divorced?

Which is why she probably won't ever leave Tawd, even if the rumors about his affairs are true.

[JoDog]

10. I'm glad

somebody on the Christian side finally said something about this. As a Jew, I've often wondered whether it's ethical and moral to use risky, invasive means to bring more children into a world that is already full of children desperate for attention and care. I think that it's very easy to have faith when you get what you want out of life. The true test is when God doesn't hand you what you want on a silver platter. That includes children. Rather than having faith in God, the Gosselins turned to science, then got puffed up with piety. Why anyone would consider them role models, I don't know.

[undergroundpanther]

4. Assemblies of God are a fucking CULT

I was involved with them,they messed up my life. I HATE AoG.

This ASSHOLE is whom I was involved with,this huge ass from Manassas had as when I was there, 11 kids.He is a liar,a manipulating con man.Evil.He may have more kids than that now.
His wife is being bred to death.
https://www.christinaction.com/index.cfm
See below about A group member, Leo,and the seek god website to see just how sick and interconnected they ARE.

And this is what one christian writer found out about AoG.After supplied with the associates names from denny's book...and group.
http://www.seekgod.ca/toast2.htm

FUCK you AoG!! You evil pieces of SHIT!!!


Of the many past guest speakers to Manassas AOG, were members of the National Religious Broadcasters. Leo Godzich and his wife, Molly, are "certified marriage specialists," who have held a marriage seminar at Nestor's Manassas Assembly of God.

Leo Godzich is one of many men and women pastors at Phoenix First Assembly of God, <http://phoenixfirst.org/Church/pastors/Biographies.htm> which is lead by CNP's Tommy Barnett. Barnett is a member of David Yonggi Cho's board among others. From the Phoenix AOG, "...TIME Magazine has cited Phoenix First Assembly of God as the sixth largest church in the United Stated of any denomination, listing average weekend attendance in excess of 10,000. As the largest congregation in the Assemblies of God, the Church is looked to for direction and innovative leadership by the more than 5,000 pastors and church leaders who attend the annual Pastors' School at Phoenix First Assembly..." http://www.phoenixfirst.org/about us.html> Others suggest Barnett's church is 3rd largest in the US.

Godzich heads NAME >http://www.nameonline.net/--National Association of Marriage Enhancement-- which promotes the Covenant Marriage. http://www.nameonline.net/issues/cmm.htm

According to Godzich, "The concept of covenant is the basis of the American legal system and that there is a higher law than human law. This belief was common at the founding of the nation, Godzich said. The Covenant Marriage Movement is what Godzich called a "grassroots popular movement" comprised of 30 national organizations. More than 70,000 Covenant Marriage Movement cards have been distributed nationwide and 100,000 are being printed.

[undergroundpanther]

5. More on AoG

Other influences or friends of Denny Nissley include:

Mark King -- pastor in rural Pennsylvania that miraculously healed his crushed leg in a church service in a barn (healed and staples miraculously removed).

"Then came Hank, a guy from the church in the barn who invited himself to move into my home and live with me so he could disciple me, since I was too young in the Lord to know how to live the Christian life. I don't know where I'd be today had Hank not obeyed God and laid down his life to train me." (p.7)

Pastor Jim Brankel -- took him under his arm and helped him get credentialed with Assemblies of God

Jonathan Gainsbrugh -- a street preacher friend taught him how to work in conjunction with the local church and equip others to carry the message of the gospel. Serves as the Growth and Evangelism consultant with the Northern California-Nevada District in the Assemblies of God. He travels nationally conducting local church, sectional, statewide, and regional conferences.

Pastor Gary Grogan -- "helped me understand the art of interpersonal relationships and set a godly example of servanthood." Gary Grogan is Senior Pastor of Urbana Assembly of God (UAG) church since June 1988. UAG has an aggressive vision and outreach to students at the University of Illinois..." http://www.urbanaassembly.org/staff_pastor_gary_and_bonnie.htm

Pastor Wendell Choy >http://ohanafellowship.com/wsn49BB.html -Pastor Wendell is licensed by the International Churches of the Foursquare Gospel, and is the founding pastor of Calvary Church of the Islands, in Kailua. He served as senior pastor there, for 15 years. His theological background comes from Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, and Calvary Church of the Coastlands, in Torrance, California, where he interned and served as associate pastor for eight years. "Pastor Wendell and Patti feel that the Lord has led them to Huntington Beach, California to impact all of Orange County"http://ohanafellowship.com/wsn49BB.html>

He is pastor of Ohana Christian Fellowship is a ministry of: The International Churches of the Foursquare Gospel, and was formerly called Beach Cities Fellowship. http://ohanafellowship.com/> Foursquare Gospel theology was founded by Aimee Semple McPherson. See: Sins of the Father:Charles Parham & A Little Identity Crisis.

Rob Schenck -- according to Denny, "president of the National Clergy Council. Rob has opened many doors for me to minister on Capitol Hill. He has made it possible for me to minister to Senators and Representatives alike."

Rob Schenck serves on the THE INSTITUTE ON RELIGION AND PUBLIC POLICY board of advisors. >http://www.religionandpolicy.org/boa-schenck.htm

From that site:

Rob Schenck is the president of the National Clergy Council. He is an author, lecturer, and the founder of the Ten Commandments Project, an effort to reintroduce the American people to the great words of Sinai. Prior to his present position, Mr. Schenck served as minister of missions and evangelism for the New Covenant Tabernacle Church in Kenmore, NY, and as an itinerant evangelist.

Mr. Schenck directs Operation Save Our Nation, in Washington. Previous to this assignment he founded the National Community Church in Washington; Operation Serve, a Christian humanitarian relief organization; and co-founded Hearts for the Homeless, an advocacy organization for underprivileged men, women and children. Mr. Schenck is also the president of the National Pro-life Religious Council.

Mr. Schenck is the author of The Ten Words That Will Change a Nation--The Ten Commandments, published in 1999 by Albury Publishing. He also is the editor of the three-volume Constitutions of American Denominations, published by William S. Hein Lawbook Publishers. He is a member of the editorial board of Culture Wars magazine, and he is a member of the American Academy of Ministry. He appears regularly in the national secular and Christian media.

Mr. Schenck trained for the ministry at Elim Bible Institute and Berean College. He received his M.A. in Christian Ministry at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Seminary

National Pro-Life Religious Council, Inc. (NPRC), mentioned above, is an ecumenical 'Christian' pro-life coalition. NPRC currently has members working within pro-life groups associated with the following denominations/churches: Conservative Congregational, Episcopalian, Evangelical, Lutheran, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Southern Baptist, United Church of Christ, and United Methodist. http://www.nprcouncil.org/newsletters/nprc2000winter.htm>

From a critical review of Schenck:

Rob Schenck launches church

Anti-abortion activist Rob Schenck is starting "an activist congregation" in Washington, DC. His newly formed church, the National Community Church, begins regular Sunday services at the Washington Court Hotel in mid-September.

Schenck, an ordained Assemblies of God minister, says the purpose of his church is to keep the national media informed on "the ways in which certain public policies violate biblical principles." The establishment of the church in the nation's capital is part of a two-pronged project called "Operation Save Our Nation." The other part of the project is aimed at evangelizing congressional staffers. "Very often," said Schenck, "it's the young staffers who make policy, the elected officials merely give their imprimatur."

Schenck and Operation Rescue's Randall Terry were arrested in 1992 when they tried to shove a fetus in the face of Bill Clinton during the Democratic National Convention in New York. http://www.ifas.org/fw/9409/update.html>



And I wonder how many GYN doctors do these assholes wanna kill?

[ejpoeta]

6. i have watched it on and off personally. I did watch last night and

it's just sad. You have to feel for those kids who are stuck in the middle of this. You wonder if it was a case of just too much stress and pressure, or the focus being placed on things as opposed to people... I'm sure their intentions were good when they started this show, but as time went on, it seemed as though, no matter how much they say all of it is for the kids, it became about something else. And you have two people who aren't on the same page anymore... I don't know. They are getting divorced and you have to wonder if people are going to want to watch a show with two divorced parents switching off and that awkwardness. I had hoped the announcement would have been that they were not going to do the show anymore and concentrate on their family.... I can only hope that people don't want to watch this new incarnation of a show. Not that I don't want them to succeed in life, don't get me wrong. But those kids are going through hell and the last thing they need is a damn camera in their face. It's just amazing to me how much they care about their kids, but just short of doing what is actually in their interest. Even if they get divorced, is it really best for the kids for them to continue the show???! I don't think so.

As for the evangelical crowd... No one has a perfect life or perfect family. There is always something that can derail people. I didn't know about all the religious aspects, but life happens. And this is life... sort of. People split up and get divorced everyday. For a variety of reasons things just don't work out. Even with evangelicals.

[kickysnana]

12. Our Dionne Sideshow Multiples.(sigh) HIstory, folks, history. n/t

[mwb970]

7. The article makes it sound like a Christian show for Christian viewers.

I've never seen the show, had never even heard of it until all the recent talk. (I don't read the tabloids at the grocery store.) Now it turns out it's been a huge hit in the right-wing churches of the land. No wonder I don't give a damn about it.

[tanyev]

9. Ah...it makes more sense now.

I had no idea they were fundie RWers. I just knew that a show full of eight young children running around screaming sounded like must-avoid TV.

[kickysnana]

13. I caught the prebirth/birth show and I was a ghast...

They did not respect each other, and seemed to be careening day to day, not solving problems, just ignoring them and storing them up for ammunition.

The show may be the only thing that kept them together this long. I never watched any more shows. It would have been like watching a real live slow motion train wreck.