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March 9, 2020
Maureen O’Riordan Lundy
San Francisco
Entertainment, disrespect, authenticity, sacrilege, profanity, vulgarity, art and a Lenten resolution:
Pundits of all sorts recommend spending fewer screen hours as a means of enhancing social skills, mental health, academic test scores, etc. So if my resolution were to cut back on binge watching, Googling or simply browsing; I would be in “good” company.
I am going to be very specific in my curtailment of screen time. The first speaker, character, interviewee to use the holy name of Jesus, casually, disrespectfully, angrily, or other than in a respectful or prayerful manner will cause me to end viewing, period.
I have begun Lent early this year. A recent Netflix series, “The Last Thing He Wanted,” seemed to be my kind of show: historical interest, hero versus villain, and reputable cast including a few stars. Episode one introduces Anne Hathaway and Ben Affleck, which looks like a promising match-up. She presents as a strong principled woman perhaps the representative of the moral high ground; I’m in!
And then in her first outburst in the cause of justice, truth, something good, she takes the Lord’s name in vain. I am out! My resolution says I will stay out.
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