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A few days ago I posted about the semi-reality TV show Jon & Kate Plus 8. I questioned if by watching the show, people are contributing to the downward spiral of the marriage between Jon and Kate. At the end of the post, I asked if there was an ethical dilemma with watching the show.

Tonight I came across a post by Walt Mueller, founder of Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (CPYU) concerning this same topic. Mueller is one of the best Christian leaders in understanding today’s culture, and understanding how it’s affecting today’s youth. He’s also great at sorting through the mess of today’s culture and giving us a biblical response. If you’re ever looking for a great example of being in the world but not of the world…while still remaining relevant to today’s culture, Mueller is your man.

While Mueller already has a step up on most in dissecting culture, he was able to bring unique perspective into the Jon & Kate Plus 8 fiasco. Why? Mueller lives in Elizabethtown, PA, the town where the show first took place. Mueller has actually had some interactions with the family. 

If you get the opportunity, check out his website. His unique perspective brings so much to the table:

Click Here to Read Walt Mueller’s Post

Or paste this URL in your browser: http://learningmylines.blogspot.com/2009/06/jon-kate-too-late.html

Jon & Kate Plus 8 debuted on the Discovery Channel in April 2007. The show chronicles Jon and Kate Gosselin and their 8 children. In 2008, the show moved to TLC. When the show first debuted, it drew some attention, but it was not a media phenomenon. However, over the past few months, more attention and more viewers have been received by the show than ever before.

Part of the reason the show has received so much hype is because of the ongoing marital problems between Jon and Kate Gosselin. With cameras around 24/7, the problems are impossible to hide. Even off-camera, the tabloids have reported stories of Jon cheating on Kate with a younger woman, and Kate cheating on Jon with a bodyguard.

There has also been a lot of hype made about the possible exploitation of the children on the show. Some experts believe the young children have no way of protecting themselves from the media and spotlight, and they have been forced to endure emotional distress.

In spite of (or because of) the ongoing problems within this “reality TV” show, the fifth season of the show premiered with a record 9.8 million viewers, making it the most watched show of that evening, including broadcast TV. However, the show was anything but glamorous as it further chronicled the marital missteps of Jon and Kate the nosedive of their marriage.

As the problems keep on rising, more viewers tune in to watch. It’s as if more and more people want to gather around this train-wreck and watch as the tension and drama mounts. 

Do you think there is an ethical dilemma regarding viewing this show? Is it possible that the show has actually contributed to the failure of Jon and Kate’s marriage, and is it possible that by watching the show, we’re contributing to it too? 

This issue has really plagued me recently. This isn’t a fictional drama; this is real life. Is it completely innocent to watch this near-documentary of an American family, or are we taking part in the decaying moral fiber of our society?

Something to toss around and chew on…