TLC’s “Sister Wives” – A wolf in sheep’s clothing

By: American Decency Staff

Television has been and is one of the most effective forms of inculcation – used to persuade, influence, deceive. It affects the buying habits of millions and has contributed greatly to the change in beliefs and morals of an entire generation within a matter of years. In the last few decades we have seen television change from offering shows that reinforced family values (remember Little House on the Prairie and The Cosby Show?) to actively undermining them.   And as television has relentlessly depicted sex outside of marriage as the norm with promiscuity, adultery, cohabitation foisted before watching eyes night after night, our culture in general has adopted similar morals, or lack thereof. Language on TV and in movies has become coarser and coarser and as a result words which would make the previous generation blush are now common fare.  (As example, Facebook, Twitter and text messages are filled with acronyms for profanity rarely heard in ‘polite conversation’ just a few short years ago.) However, while television works to indoctrinate, we have a duty to shed light on the darkness.  So we warn of the shows that attack your family and the values you stand for and try to instill in your children and grandchildren.  We shed light on programs that promote illicit sexual activity such as Two and a Half Men, or legitimize vulgar language and crudity as does Family Guy. However, one show of this season’s new crop of programs has none of the aforementioned concerns.  No swearing or tasteless innuendo, no overt sexual displays or erotic imagery.  In fact, some reviewers have used descriptions such as “likeable,â€Â “fascinating,â€Â “characterized by an aggressive, relentless good cheerâ€Â with “adorableâ€Â kids when commenting on the show. Sounds like the next “Cosby Showâ€Â, right?  Hardly.  In fact I would rate this as one of the most concerning programs of the new season.  The show is “Sister Wivesâ€Â on the cable network TLC.  (Formerly known as The Learning Channel.)   As we reported last week, this is a program that showcases the life of a polygamous family consisting of husband Kody, his four wives, and 16 children. Depicted oh so sweetly, “Sister Wivesâ€Â bends over backwards to portray this “familyâ€Â as not so different from any other, painting a pretty picture of polygamy.  The program is one long infomercial for polygamy (aka their “lifestyleâ€Â) as they try to convince the viewer of how wonderful it all is. Wife #1: “This is the lifestyle we’ve chosen and the more the merrier, really. … “I believed in living this lifestyle.  It just makes each of us better.â€Â Wife #2: “I think there’s room for everybody.â€Â Wife #3: “What a blessing …â€Â “Wife # 4: “There is just something very, very, awesome about this lifestyle.  …  It makes you become a better person.â€ÂÂ  … “The cool thing about it is, you’ve got people all over mothering your kids … helping out.â€ÂÂ  … “We’ll end up with a bigger, cooler family.â€Â Kody (the husband): “Love should be multiplied, not divided.â€ÂÂ  …  “My wives are very comfortable with me having another wife.â€ÂÂ  … “I just fell in love.  Then I fell in love again, and I fell in love again.â€Â The family featured in “Sister Wivesâ€Â goes to great lengths to present the so-called benefits of plural marriage, trying to shake the stigma of polygamy and portray it as just a normal lifestyle choice. While one of the wives states:  “These kids are just normal kids.  …  We’re normal and … we’re just a family.  I’m hoping that this will be something that frees the kids from living in secrecy.  … (To be able to say,) “’this is who I am’.â€Â However, one of the teenage children, even though this is the only lifestyle she has ever known, recognizes how inherently wrong it is.  She states:  “If it was my husband with another woman, I’d be ripping her hair out.â€Â Innate in our very being, for those whose consciences haven’t been warped and deadened, is a knowledge of right and wrong.  And the concept being portrayed by this “familyâ€Â is so very wrong.  It is truly disturbing to think of these poor children who are being raised in the midst of this perversity and the wives are actually pitiable as they seem to try to convince themselves as much as a watching world of how happy they are. Watching this show left me with a sense of repulsion, as it would anyone biblically grounded.   However, the fact that this show is even on the air is a troublesome indicator of the condition of our culture.  And with little public outcry of disgust, it seems clear the condition of our nation’s collective conscience.  And so while you and I may be repulsed, millions of others are being indoctrinated with the message to “rethinkâ€Â the definition of marriage and family. Satan is the master deceiver, coming as light, or in this case as a saccharine, “likeableâ€Â polygamous family.    And while television has been instrumental in changing beliefs in the past, it is in the process of doing so again through a program named “Sister Wives.â€Â Take Action! Click below to contact the sponsors of “Sister Wivesâ€Â and its destructive message. Action link: https://americandecency.org/take_action_form.php?msg_id=63 ======================================================= A classic resource available as short supply lasts: “The Holiness of Godâ€Â by R.C. Sproul.  To order your free copy, email bjohnson@americandecency.org Many of you took advantage of our offer regarding the book “The Pursuit of Holinessâ€Â by Jerry Bridges. This is what Jerry Bridges has to say about this book offer: “Every Christian who is serious about his or her growth needs to read ‘The Holiness of God.’ I profited greatly from this book.â€Â ======================================================= American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 ph: 231-924-4050 https://americandecency.org/ http://www.twitter.com/billwjohnson

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