When celebrity culture imparts wisdom

Soap operas can be an obsession. But alongside celebrity gossip they serve a function that morality plays occupied in earlier times. In morality plays characters wrestled with complex choices: between good and evil, right and wrong, the ways of life versus those of death. In popular culture it is often by following lives of celebrities that people work out how to deal with critical life choices.

In recent weeks stories surrounding high profile celebrities offer examples that illustrate the point. Outpourings at the death at age 69 of the rock star David Bowie occupied acres of newsprint and countless radio and television comments. Amidst many eulogies a comment by the singer's widow, Iman, stands out. 'The struggle is real,' she said, 'but so is God.'

Then, revelations that the television magician Paul Daniels, who has died from an incurable brain tumour, offered a media peg for insights about facing death. It prompted the President of the Association for Palliative Medicine, Professor Rob George, to say it is 'crucial' not to become 'preoccupied with the details of the illness rather than the details of the living'. He added, people with a terminal diagnosis can 'almost feel more alive knowing that time is precious'. (1)

We should welcome this insight even if our faith insists that more could be said. We need to be ready and prepared to speak if opportunities come our way. It may be possible to deploy a 'Faith Flag' as taught in the Saline Solution course. Likewise CS Lewis's great insight about pain is worth memorising: 'Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.' (2)

Christians believe humans have only one life; faith here and now determines our eternal destination. The Bible is very clear and declares, 'Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.' (3)

In a culture that's increasingly indifferent to matters of faith, God is not without a witness. There are myriads of opportunities to speak up, if we are alert.