Why I Love Britney Spears

As you may know, I have one of those free hotmail account. It's free because it contains advertising. I've been looking at this Brittany Spears graphic all week. It links to a breathless reocount of the latest installment in the Spears family saga. I've been trying to ignore it in a noble but ultimately futile effort. Today I faced it head on and immediately thought, hmmmm... could this possibly be any more crass? The woman is melting down in front of the whole world. We might want to consider giving her a half hour or so out of the spotlight.

You want to know why Britney is melting down like this? Of course not, but let me tell you anyway. It's simply this: Even while Britney's life is coming apart at the seams, we're still exploiting her for advertising revenue. That's why. That's it - right there.

And you want to know what else? I've been like everybody else on the planet. I've watched her marriage come apart, watched her do the 24 hour rehab, seen the party pictures, seen the head shaving, seen pretty much all of it. And not once did I entertain the thought to stop and pray for a young, intelligent, talented woman who is obviously in a lot of pain, who has obviously been in pain for years, who will have a long and difficult road ahead if she wants to find freedom from that pain. What makes celebrities different from you or I? What makes them less in need of God's grace and great love than you or I? There might be a dozen reasons why their lives bear no resemblance to ours whatsoever, but there's absolutely no reason why their heart is any different than yours or mine. Yet I see them as being untouchable by life, unassailable by the pains and woundings of the world. Why? It's that assumption again, that one about money changing everything, about what success is, about wealth and status and privilege being goals in themselves, worthy goals, the 'real' goals. Seeing beyond that, I'm learning, is incredibly difficult. It goes against everything our society tells us is true, against everything we know and think and feel in the world, in our flesh and bones. Yet to see the heart, to see the image of God in everyone is to see God himself, is to touch upon the divine, is to enter the very work and presence of God in the world. 

This, then, must now be the way in which I live this brief life God has given me:  attempting to see the love God has for everyone I meet, regardless of who they are, of where they are, of what the world says they are. To see the love of God for everyone, and to enter into that love... And yet, I feel that same pain within my own heart I've felt so many times before. Can I see that same love that God has for me? Can I rest in that love, and abide in that love, and embrace as I am embraced by that love? Can I know - finally know - that God loves me too?

And another question haunts me tonight, just as it has haunted me all week. Is it possible - might it just be possible - that Britney Spears is a prophet? That God is saying something through her, that she is a living image of what worshipping fame and fortune really is? Britney Spears might very well be a chosen vessel through whom God is speaking, and If she is then I hope we hear what God is saying before it's too late - too late for Britney, too late for all of us.

Comments

[eclexia]

This is why I like reading your blog--because you "humanize" people who are easier to label, look down on, disregard the humanity of in order to block the discomfort and sadness and responsibility I might feel if I really stopped and saw them as someone who is just as real, just as human, just as intrinisically valuable and relational as I am. The crud that keeps that person from being in relationship is not something that makes them less human. It should be something that causes me to connect with them, at the very least, by feeling/sharing in grief for what is not. I'm not saying what is on my heart very well. I feel the implications of what you are saying here in far broader ways than just how it relates to Britney Spears. But, your spelling it out with regards to Britney Spears, I think brings me closer to articulating what it means to treat people with respect and honor and not demeaning their humanity by making fun of their messes, instead of grieving them.

[vicki]

I saw on my computer homepage a picture of her today. I thought the same thing, that if a person gets this much media attention, we must see what is the spritual lesson for us. I recall that she grew up in a Christian home. Is this the thing that keeps her in despair? The fact that she has known God, but chose to walk away from serving Him?

[karen]

Thanks for this post and it's valuable reminder. My views of wealth and prosperity are being dramatically shifted since I moved to Africa. I'm still trying to figure them out, but one thing I do see is that love reaches across all kinds of barriers that culture and wealth and gender and power and skin colour try to erect. People are people, and they all need love.

I appreciate your blog.

[nancy]

Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

[Tonya]

"What makes celebrities different from you or I? What makes them less in need of God's grace and great love than you or I?"

You answered your own question of course, in the rest of your post. But your question points to the reason the good people of the Hollywood Prayer Network (http://hollywoodprayernetwork.com) are committed to praying for the good people of Hollywood.

There's no doubt celebrities impact our culture - and there's no doubt the power of prayer impacts and changes lives.

Thanks for the reminder to see Britney as an Image Bearer.

[Barbara]

I have prayed for, but never considered that she may be a prophet. One never knows....but you make a good point. Her life speaks volumes if we want to hear it or not its an important lesson.

[Barbara]

Thought of you when I read this - God forbid someone watching the Superbowl should see a homeless person nearby...

http://epinoiacafe.com/

[[rhymes with kerouac]]

eclexia - It's so easy to make fun, isn't it? And sometimes I think we do that to insulate us from both the responsibility to do something about the situation and, frankly, sometimes to insulate us from our own pain.

Vicki - I don't know anything about her or her background. I have no idea how she ended up here, either - but something is terribly wrong.

Karen - Thanks. You're right - people are people, no matter where they are, or who they are.

Nancy - I was thinking more of wolves circling a wounded doe, but I think we had the same idea!

Tonya - Thanks! I was thinking of the Hollywood Prayer Network as I was writing this but didn't know what it was called or how to find it. I'm glad you lined to it.

Barbara - I might have to tone it down a bit on her being a 'prophet' - but I rather think her very life may be saying something 'prophetic' to us - if that makes any sense. And I followed your link to epinoia. Suffice it to say that every city has a "zone". Mostly we just don't talk about them.

[becky]

It goes against everything our society tells us is true, against everything we know and think and feel in the world, in our flesh and bones. Yet to see the heart, to see the image of God in everyone is to see God himself, is to touch upon the divine, is to enter the very work and presence of God in the world.

beyond thinking about it...living as it.

[ron cole]

Saddly we look at this young womans life with a microscope to see her splinters...while we are blinded with the logs that fill our eyes.
Her life is only reflects what she sees...we need to awaken to that reality.

[Elaine Barnett]

Thank you for this wonderful article.
I have a page on my site called "Christians and the Arts UNITE!"and wrote about Britney last week.
My understanding is those who have something valuable,the unconditional love and forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ, have the mandate to "take it to the streets, the highway and byways". This includes Hollywood.
A fellow blogging friend and I have been praying for the media. She has created a prayer journal which has the pictures of the "stars and celebrities" included there to remind her these are real people with real hearts and real lives. I pick someone new every week to pray for. Last week, before poor Britney was raked through the coals again, I thought she is the one I'm to pray for. Two days later, I see on my hotmail's front page (as you did!) yet another story about this young lady. Thank you for hearing God's heart and writing this .Yes, God is always speaking to us,( call it prophecy if you like) and the message I'm getting is what I just posted...people need the Lord and we need to consider the arts an untapped and very ripe mission field.
God bless,
Elaine
www.ElaineBarnett.com
Writing to Encourage YOU!

[Urbs]

Hey RWK,

Been a while since I dropped by. Probably dont remember me:) not that we actaully know each other...

Was chatting with a mate about the untimely and sad demise of Heath Ledger.. with all the hype about suicde and drugs, its easy to play the game the media wants you to.. easier still to forget that the person is a human being just like you..

As usual, refreshing to stop by again..

Ahll be bark:)