John OR Kate Plus 8

I guess this will be the new title of the hit reality show on TLC John and Kate Plus 8. All jokes aside, I have to admit I was a big fan of the show. While I have never cared for Kate or the way she treats John at times, I like watching the kids and especially the older shows when they were babies. I even had a couple seasons on DVD. We currently don't subscribe to cable TV so I wasn't able to see the big 'announcement' of John and Kate's separation (apparently divorce it seems), but I've been keeping up with the news the past few months since all the drama started when John was caught at a bar with a younger woman while Kate was out of town.

I was pretty shocked when I heard the news. The Gosselins had seemed like a strong Christian family wearing Bible verse T-shirts on their show, posting Bible verses around their house, upholding moral values and talking about God, and even doing shows about church. They even had a blog that had devotionals. I know this shouldn't shock me though. Still I found myself hurt and somewhat angry with John and Kate's decision to 'separate'. Apparently their motives for the TV show have sadly changed in recent months/years becoming more and more money and publicity driven. Instead of deciding to stop their TV show when problems in their marriage arose they continued to make new shows and seemed to thrive on the increasing publicity. I have read some of people's comments on the TLC website above about their separation and it's so sad to hear people condoning the apparent divorce and especially the women siding with Kate. Many of those people claim to be Christians. The sanctity of marraige has been lost in America (we know that), but what's even more sad to me is when people who claim Christ and are in church do not stand up for marriage.

I'm glad we don't have cable right now because I am not tempted to support this exploitation by watching their show. I am disappointed with TLC for not standing up for the values they claim to hold and stopping the show. I feel for the children who are not only losing their chance to be raised by both parents, but are going to have all of these 'announcements' and TV interviews to serve as a memory for the rest of their lives to look at. What an example John and Kate could have been if despite all that has happened they decided to take a stand for marriage and use their TV show as a platform to show America how marriage is a picture of Christ and the Church...a covenant that is not to be broken. But maybe they don't know this and if that's the case how can I be mad at them? After all "the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18). They are to be pitied. We are to be ashamed for not teaching the truth in our churches and standing firm in it, even when it is unpopular. While I can't make John and Kate stop their show and not get divorced, I can pray for them and take every opportunity I have to share the hope I have with others. I challenge all of us who have found our hope and salvation in the one true God through Jesus to pray for John and Kate Gosselin and their children and to stop watching the show if we haven't already. If TLC won't stop the show, maybe the ratings will go down and they will be forced to stop making new shows. I am praying that God will reconcile their marraige and they they might become a great testimony of His glory to America.