I would not be surprised to turn on the Simpsons TV show this week and see Bart writing on the blackboard…
I will not lie to Oprah
I will not lie to Oprah
I will not lie to Oprah
I will not lie to Oprah
I will not lie to Oprah
I will not lie to Oprah
I will not lie to Oprah
I will not lie to Oprah
Whew!
Was I the only guy sweating yesterday as I watched discredited author James Frey (A Million Little Pieces) get taken to the woodshed by the Queen of Daytime? Comedians call some laughter the “laugh of recognition.” I would call my response yesterday the “squirm of recognition.” Any guy who has ever been caught in a lie knows the helpless feeling that Frey experienced. We understood that deer in the headlight stare, the stammering, and the defeated body language. The only thing I could not relate to was having to experience this on national television with a studio audience cheering for my demise.
I was very surprised that Oprah’s initial reaction to the controversy was benign. She called the early stories “much ado about nothing” and had actually called Frey during the Larry King Show to voice her support. I had written about the author’s difficulties in a post on January 13th. At that point I wrote, “the problem with the revelations about some of Frey’s book is the pall that it casts over all of it. An unknown writer said to “beware of the half truth. You may have gotten hold of the wrong half.” Unfortunately Mr.Frey has called all of his recollections into question because he misrepresented some of them. Some of his descriptions are indeed powerful. But did they really happen as he describes?”
I was originally planning to do a followup post today about this story. I was going to write about the ho-hum response to the revelations and how accepting lies and calling them embellishments was a dangerous sign of our societal ills. Oprah changed my storyline when she got a good dose of that old time religion and Frey felt the fire and brimstone of the wrath of Oprah.
“I feel duped,” she said Thursday on her syndicated talk show. “But more importantly, I feel that you betrayed millions of readers.”
James Frey did betray his readers and Oprah’s trust. But more importantly he betrayed himself. I wrote in the previous post about Steven Soderbergh. He had chillingly noted that “Lying is like alcoholism. You are always recovering.”
But then I confessed that I am in the same boat as a follower of Christ. I am always recovering from the natural instincts (aka sin) that separate me from a Holy God. I must address those issues moment by moment. James Frey tried to defend lying by rationalizing that his work was essentially true and that the inaccuracies were within “an appropriate ratio for a memoir.” Frey’s bravado led him to write in his book that “I have been to AA meetings. … The meetings themselves made me sick. Too much whining, too much complaining, too much blaming. Too much [expletive] about Higher Powers.” Yesterday James Frey looked like a man who could have used a hug and a reminder that Jesus loves him even though the audience might not. Newsweek noted that Frey “ultimately cured himself without any sissy 12-step program.” His prescription for recovery was to rely on self. The limit to self-help is that you are relying on the same self that got you in this mess.
I need a little more help to deal with my issues than just self reliance and determination. I need a daily relationship with Jesus to keep my ongoing construction project on track. I admit it. I cannot do it on my own. James Frey cannot either and I pray that yesterday’s demolition will not destroy him but will help him see his need for a Savior. King David was man who had to squirm uncomfortably in front of the Lord God after his sad detour with Bathsheba. But David was also described as a man after God’s own heart. He wrote these words in Psalm 51.
Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD?
Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?
Those who lead blameless lives
and do what is right,
speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
Those who refuse to slander others
or harm their neighbors
or speak evil of their friends.
Those who despise persistent sinners,
and honor the faithful followers of the LORD
and keep their promises even when it hurts…
Such people will stand firm forever. (NLT)
Would you pray that James Frey will understand that truth? I kind of feel sorry for him today. Because as I was busy squirming yesterday I realized that it is only the grace of God that keeps me out of that uncomfortable place. It is only the grace of God that forgives and restores me when I do stumble. Paul wrote that all of us have the ability to fall flat and the responsibility to help those that do.
If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. (Gal 6, The Message)
So pray for James Frey.
And don’t ever lie to Oprah!
1 + 1 = 2
profiteers are everywhere
politicians get the most attention but ceos of those corporations are taking their place
maybe we will be hearing now about preachers more but it will be hard for the media or anyone else to put it altogether where thepublic will believe it is true
i think before it gets to that point the churches pay them off and it all dies out i think they intimidate people too from talking
dave said he was sweating while james frey was facing oprah but i dont know why he knew what he was doing and he didnt care thats the problem they dont care selfish people dont care
lumpy
The Old Testament made provisions for the protection of people from exploitations.
God’s laws had built-in provisions for the poor, for example gleaning.
God showed concern for the weak powerless and the Christ exemplified this while on earth.
Concern was even shown for the animal kingdom and nature.
Generosity and kindness was essential in God’s laws.
Also, what we today refer to as "legalism", or changing the laws to suit oneself, was forbidden.
Have you ever heard of the Shema? 6:4 Deuteronomy From GOD to YOU!
A pastor taking liberties because of the economy?
What book does he preach from? Ask him, okay?
no name
Paul warned the church about the motive of profit-seeking. Even then it was an issue to be dealt with so we shouldn’t be surprised in today’s society where everything costs so much.
I don’t know if James Frey claims to be a Christian or even a church-goer. I might check out the book from the library, don’t want to spend my money on it – I actually work for the money I get and try to spend it wisely.
The problem in church is how much begging has to be done to meet all the expenses so I guess the temptation to take some liberties is hard to resist, especially when everyone involved are "Christians" too. God forgives anyway, they know that.
Newspapers are always full of stories of rich leaders being investigated because of abuses of power.
I wonder if George Bush is going too far in his zeal to spread the gospel of democracy. Everytime I read of another young man’s death over there and watch on the evening news another mother standing in front of her humble home saying her son died doing what he wanted – serving his country – I know he was probably over there because he didn’t know what else to do with his young life, good jobs are scarce and things are so expensive. GW is sitting pretty but many Americans don’t have it so good.
Sorry so many people are hurting. I guess its good to have a place to vent.
Thanks.
MIKE
Power freaks who abuse their positions have always been and will always be in every walk of life. It is especially sad in the case of a religious leader because of the innocence that is lost when a trusting person is scammed or worse.
Wiretapping phones and bugging homes, and even intercepting e-mail correspondence helps them control a potentially profitable situation, especially when they claim to receive "words of knowledge" because of the kind of trust that is built. Having psychiatrists and psychologists on staff make it convenient for power freaks because these relationships are confidential so NO ONE, not even an attorney, can know what is going on. And the victim is reassured by everyone that he is loved and that GOD is in control. Before you know it, money is pouring into the church for GOD’S work and the victim (seeking counsel and healing) never realized his rights had been violated and the damages meant for him actually were intercepted by his very own pastor, with the assistance of psychiatrists and psychologists on his church payroll.
Unfortunately, most who are innocent are not also wise. Trusting people trust people, and they are sitting ducks.
Cheryl
They know what is best for us, Mike, don’t you know that? They know everything, past, present, and future!
Mike
"MISLEADING AND INAPPROPRIATE". Pharisees of the day..huh. A sinner in need of a savior..self-help…sweating and squirming in your seat..betrayal…I will not tell a lie…$$$…I have something to say too all you trusting souls who are genuinely seeking the heart of God..
I have to comment that the bottom of my heap are preachers, sad but true. My experiences have not been good. They think they are better than others out working in the world, their time is more valuable, their work is more important, their wives are better than the wives of other men, their children are better than the children of other men. The most destructive characteristic of preachers is they absolutely believe that they SHOULD have money for whatever they want, from any source at all, because they are GOD’S employees and they are respresentatives of GOD. They see nothing wrong with turning people into puppets to be manipulated and played with. If anyone gets hurt because of their hunger for money, well they WILL pray for the healing of that poor soul and they might even negotiate with a tv faith-healer to actually "heal" that person so that he will become even more pliable. THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE has reached down to touch him. OR they might "put a bug in someone’s ear" concerning that poor soul’s need for sanctification because of a sin confessed to the church’s counselor. It is the saddest scheme in the world. Oh, the Catholics are in pain for sure because of the horrible sins their priests have committed against vulnerable children, but believe me, the protestants are deep into sin as well. They are never wrong and rules governing the rest of us do not apply to them or "theirs" and their decisions stand and you better not interfere if you value your own life, family, job, reputation, and future. They are respected by most, and this gives them leverage. Most start out pure, but few end their ministry that way. They have too much power over our thoughts and lives. Mortal man should not affect our faith, I agree, but how can we stay committed in church when we know what the very head of it is doing?
Cheryl
No need to feel sorry for him. His book is selling better than ever. I don’t think integrity or losing it is high on his list of priorities. He’s got all that he was ever after – $$$$$$$$$$$$$.
MATT
PS I do feel sorry for James Frey. I don’t want to see anybody publicly disgraced.
MATT
Mark, You have the revelation, and many others do as well. Your faith or mine should not be changed by mortal man, not James Frey, Joel Osteen, or those UK politicians. I am thinking it is a good thing when they (or we sinners) are caught out front because it opens our eyes to that.
I too am a sinner in need of…not James, Joel, or UK politicians, but a savior.
Mark Marsden
Worse still those who are caught out and have the front brazen it out – admitting to being "misleading" and "inappropriate" – true of some UK politicians recently. Politicians are bottom of my pile – the Pharisees of today. Or rather second to bottom, on top of me.
Sometimes I wonder if I’m worse than Hitler. He may have done far worse things than me but I’m the one with the revelation.
LOL about self-help – quite.