Comedy hour starring Gino Jennings
WHAT WITH boring political pronouncements by assorted politicians and the ongoing National Identification System debate, it is refreshing to be entertained by the recent imbroglio between Mr Vegas, dancehall performer, and the biblical fire-breathing Gino Jennings.
One should have forewarned Vegas that debating Bible honchos is hopeless. The Bible, as every good Christian knows, has answers for everything. They will always find some biblical passage (cherry-picking, as it were) to support a cause, with, alas, often dire consequences. Take “Women should remain silent in the churches (Corinthians 14:34).”
Although taken out of context, in the Catholic Church, women are barred from the priesthood, male priests wear skirts, and “whoever spares the rod spoils the child” (Proverbs 13:24), a catalyst for child abuse.
Painted fingernails and wigs are not mentioned in the Bible, but this does not stop Jennings from moralising: “Women who wear false hair, make-up, lipstick need to go to church. She’s nothing but a ho and a prostitute.”
Clearly, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I myself do sneak an occasional peek at these adorned ladies (when my wife is not looking). Admittedly, they do go to extremes sometimes and flaunt their appearances. Obviously Jennings lives (or pretends to live) by high moral standards. There is a difference, however, between people who lay claim to such virtues but do the opposite — knowing the better but doing the worse (we call them hypocrites) – and those who make no such claims.
History is replete with evangelists who have fallen from grace (Ted Haggard, Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart), not practising what they preach.
Moralists like Jennings think adornments are always associated with personal appearance. They claim that they are not real, but artificial, therefore deceptive, if not dishonest. But adornments, if skilfully employed, are important. If improving our garden, our education, our marriage and our lives matters, why not our looks and, thereby, our confidence? Improving our confidence is a good thing. Indeed, it is our duty.
Moralists like Jennings conceivably regard any connection with sex as intrinsically evil. Arguably, if prostitution is willingly and safely engaged, it can provide valuable service – a prop to a weak marriage and a safety valve for natural sexual urges.
My Sunday mornings are usually spent washing dishes (when my wife is at church). I sometimes resort to viewing Rev Jennings on CVM to supply much-needed entertainment to offset some of this boring task. It does remind me of high-quality comedy shows like Fawlty Towers and Yes Minister. Space for another comedy show? Over to you, CVM.