It is widely acknowledged that there is an overabundance of garbage offered on TV. Social commentators have been lamenting this for decades and the situation has only gotten worse.  When confronted with some of the worst examples, like most folks, I merely shake my head and keep clicking the remote.

It is my habit to record the shows I like so I can watch at my convenience, fast-forwarding through the commercials. This week when my recorded show was over, the regular TV program that was showing was an episode of “Toddlers in Tiaras”. I’ve heard of this “reality” series and knew it wasn’t something I wanted to see. However, I was pulled into this episode the way a horrendous traffic accident catches the attention. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing as precious little girls were groomed and shown like pedigreed dogs to be judged by a panel of transvestites.

Hearing a four-year old lisp, “The drag queens were surprised at how good I did,” made me gasp, but the worst aspect of the whole thing was the way these parents were twisting their little girls’ personalities. This is blatant abuse of these babies, both emotional and sexual. Although there is no physical molestation on display, the little “beauty queens” are being sexualized and objectified in the worst possible way.

How is it that there is no outcry from Child Protective Services? Even PETA should be outraged at this treatment of infant human animals.

In the Bible we are instructed:

 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:7-9

How should Christians, or any person of sound moral judgment for that matter, respond to entertainment such as this?  The networks say they only show what people want to see and that if the audience goes away, so will the offending program.

When the abuse of innocent toddlers is tolerated as entertainment it is time to stop rolling our eyes and shrugging at today’s TV offerings and time to make our outrage known.