Although CNN lists this among their hot topics on a newly formatted homepage, I’m not certain its really all that popular a topic, since only one other person has saved my same bookmarks on Delicious. I have to say, though, that I’m intrigued that Paris Hilton “found God” in jail.
Pop culture is a funny thing. My wife and I are intrigued by different cultures, and we love to experience them, but we both find it difficult at times to accept pop culture as a valid cultural manifestation. Once we admit defeat, however, we must admit that it is present: pop culture Americana at its worst, and if ever there was an epitome of this, it is Paris Hilton.
Apparently, though, she’s left it behind her, or at least that’s what she was saying when she was discharged from her adult time-out last week and had a nice sit-down with Larry King. After having time to get to know herself, she has formulated plans that include building a halfway house. After all, that’s the sort of thing that happens when you find God in the slammer.
Among the more interesting things Hilton discussed during her post-release interviews was her new found awareness of a sense of responsibility to the young girls that look upon/worship her as a role model/idol. Certainly, she would have significant amounts of negative role modeling to undo there after some of the other modeling (and occasional videography projects) she’s done. Despite my inescapable cynicism, however, something about this sounds believable.
I fear, though, that there is a test of faith that will occur here, as Hilton was immediately assaulted with publicity upon her release, and, has been well stated, there is no such thing as bad publicity in our entertainment industry, be it from incarceration or anything else. Whatever faith she has found she will find sorely tested, I imagine, by those she labeled as negative influences and from whom she wants to stay away.
No faith comes without testing. I hope Hilton’s is up for the challenge, because her gifts lend themselves to accomplishing much good. Hopefully, her time spent finding herself led to the discovery of the good person I’m sure she is. Hopefully, it led to the discovery of a faith…and a God…she’ll find is worth holding onto, popularity be damned.
Hopefully.
Which, I guess, is sort of what faith is all about.