Miss California & the Americanized Version of Jesus

I’m finding myself increasing frustrated with the whole ordeal surrounding Miss California, Carrie Prejean. While many are ready to label her the next “Mother Theresa”, I’m wondering if she might not be a more dangerous role model for our daughters and other young girls than the likes of Madonna or Britney Spears. Let me explain.

As a Christ-follower and as a youth pastor of many years, I’ve seen first-hand the damage that comes from half-baked, disconnected faith. I’ve seen the damage that comes from only getting religion and not truly getting a relationship with Jesus. It’s serious stuff. If you don’t believe me, just examine how much of the Gospels Jesus’ spends addressing the Pharisees and their faulty ways of thinking.

Through no fault of her own, Prejean was quick to be put on a pedestal by Christian leaders, churches, and organizations for her stand against same-sex marriage in an answer she gave to an interview question during the Miss America pageant. Certainly, her courage at the Miss America pageant was admirable. She has already received multiple invitations to serve as a spokesperson for organizations that fight to protect the Biblical definition of marriage.

Yet, why hasn't there been an outcry among “Christians” regarding her decision to pose semi-nude and nude in photo-shoots. Or, even questions as to why she would enter a Miss America contest in the first place where she would be subjected to wearing such a revealing swimsuit? I think the answer is two-fold:

(1) Politics
(2) Our Americanized version of Jesus doesn’t allow us to do so

Whenever she is asked about it, rather than admitting that posing for such photos was a mistake or inappropriate for her as a Christ-follower and a compromise of her beliefs, she has only repeatedly defended those actions by saying that “that is what models do.”

She seems to be someone who holds to the Scriptures in some areas of her life, while completely ignoring them in others. Thus, I see her as adding to the problem rather than being a part of the solution and being another example of why many Americans are turned away from the real Jesus. It’s imitation Jesus. Those on the outside looking in can surely see the hypocrisy here.

The Americanized version of Jesus treats Him like a smorgasbord. We take what we want and leave the rest for someone else. That’s not the Jesus of the Scriptures. As followers of Christ, we must realize when this happens and call it what it is or we too could be guilty of perpetuating the problem of others missing the real Jesus in the midst of our Americanized version of him.

(You can find an excellent article on this same topic by Walt Mueller titled, “Integration, Same-Sex Marriage, and White Bikinis. . . .” on his blog.)