One of my favorite lines in the movie Jurassic Park comes from Jeff Goldblum’s Dr. Ian Malcolm character. While debating John Hammond about the ethics of creating dinosaurs, he said, “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”
This goes for a lot of things, not just DNA and dinosaurs. And it reminds me of a good verse in the Bible too: “’All things are lawful,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things build up.” (1 Corinthians 10:23). Yeah, maybe we’re allowed to do something, but that doesn’t mean we should.
And that’s where I found myself early this morning. I keep an old iPod next to my bed when I sleep because sometimes if I wake up in the middle of the night, I know I can throw on one of a few different podcasts that put me right to sleep. Among them is one done by a rather popular comedian, and I’ve always enjoyed the banter between him and his cohorts before they bring on the featured guest. They can get a little risqué at times – certainly not something for the general public – but I’d felt it was bearable. And like I said, it helped me sleep. Last night it worked so well that I was out within about two minutes, which means I missed pretty much the whole thing. So when I woke up later in the night, I put it on again…and found that what I missed was well worth the missing.
The show I listened to last night just did it for me. It included allusions to acts that were so raunchy and disgusting, it had me deleting the whole podcast from my playlist first thing in the morning (so now I’m down to two podcasts that’ll put me to sleep, and unfortunately, they’re not daily).
And maybe you think I’m an old crank. Got it. And I really have no right to tell anyone else what they can listen to. Got that too. But I want to appeal to something in us all and ask you this question: “Are you really any better off for it?” And here again, something from the Bible (one among many such passages) comes to mind: “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).
And then there’s “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving” (Ephesians 5:4).
Again, I’m not applying this to the podcaster – he’s an American, and this is part of what Americans get to do. I’m talking about me…and maybe about you. I take heart in Paul’s words when it tells me that I should think about “whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable.” Can there be anything wrong with what’s on that list? I feel better just thinking of the words and concepts wrapped up within them, let alone pondering the actual things that are. And of course I would much rather be filled with thanksgiving than crudeness. Wouldn’t we all?
And the alternative? That which is represented by the words and actions of the podcaster? What good does that do me? Maybe 20-year-old Bob would laugh at it (although most of the people in my 20-year-old world would still be absolutely shocked by what these people were saying (today, not at all)). But the reality is, these things really were so utterly meaningless and base, by most any standard.
Still, today is today. It’s all relative, right? What some people think is crude and disgusting is completely harmless banter to others. Yet, I’m fine with you being you. I’m not meaning to stop you here. And I’ll go ahead and do me. But that doesn’t stop my from asking: are you any better off for it? Even in your freedom, I think not. Because not all things are helpful. Not all things build up. Some things hurt us and tear us down. Even if we think it’s just a joke.
