I got an email this morning with a funny slash particularly odd video. It featured a very white man with a fake Jamaican accent going around the office cheering people up. Then at the end they got into a Volkswagon to drive around. The audience, then suddenly has a revelation of the source of all happiness and Jamaican accents. It all comes from the VW company, who knew?

The video is on YouTube. It's a potential Superbowl Ad for Volkswagon. Here's the video:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=related&v=9H0xPWAtaa8

What interested me more though, was the conversation behind the ad. Many people are I guess offended by the video? I don't understand why. Apparently, the Jamaican accent is offensive because the guy is white and not black? The only logical conclusion we can draw from this commercial is that the ad is trying to convey that all Jamaican (one news lady said black) people are happy. *Note my sarcasm*

I've recently noticed an increased catering to the offended heart in our nation, particularly among my generation. The increased push to be politically correct could be an example of this. In studying the common inter-workings of the local church, I have seen that there is a general fear of offended congregants. It is not uncommon to see pastors change what is spoken in order to not offend people. These are just examples from my personal observation.

My point of this post is not stand in judgment over our world or the church; that is the Lord's job. My point is to give input into a valuable conversation for our generation and the issues we face sociologically today. That being said...

While this is a thought still infant in the developing room in my noggin, I do have some initial opinions on the subject. I think that the encouragement to cater to offended people is actually belittling. Is it not our job to love and care for the well-being or our fellow man? Or as the famous Cain would say, "Are we our brother's keeper?"

I think so! Validating an offended heart is not love at all. Jesus did not give a hoot about the quarrels of the Pharisees. If He did He wouldn't have been flung up on the cross. But in the act of Jesus not being moved by the Pharisee's offendedness, He was loving them. He had an expectation for them, and when they failed to meet that He did not lower the bar. In fact, I think Jesus purposely caused the Pharisees to be offended, but I will save that for another post.

In the same way, when we fear offending people and change what we say and do because of offended grumpy butts, we aren't calling them higher. Essentially we are telling them, I don't expect you to act in humility but rather in anger and pride. When we cater to the offense of people they are validated and enabled to remain where they are at, marinating in the rotten, bitter stew of their offended heart.

That was my sort of rant for the day, but I would like to know what you think. I welcome disagreements or agreements or different perspectives. Please comment to tell me and others what you think.