Feeling Alone (and Very Uncool) in a Crowd of Three Thousand

Last weekend, Ron and I went to a live taping of one of my favorite radio programs: Wait...Wait...Don't Tell Me. It was so kind of Ron to get tickets for us - he knows that I enjoy listening to the podcasts and laughing at the well written material and at the humorous bantering between the panelists.

As we took our seats in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, we were excited to see the people we've been listening to for so long. It was fun to be with other fans and see the diversity of others who listen and laugh at the same jokes we do: Old. Young. Cool. Nerdy. Granola. Green. Scholarly. Cowboy. City Girl. Distinguished. Trashy. Hip...

All of the elements of the program were there: Carl Kassell's deep, booming voice, Peter Sagal's witty remarks, the liberal bias and the ever present Republican bashing... all familiar to us and, up to this point, just overlooked by us. We were, however, unprepared for what followed.


Unfortunately, we didn't check to see who the guest would be that night who would play one of their quizzes: "Not My Job." So when the theme of the show was announced as Family, it all started to make sense when George Takei (Sulu on Star Trek) shows up. His (much too long) interview quickly turned to the topics of his homosexuality and his marriage to another man, Prop 8, gay rights. We had to suffer through an extensive (and uncomfortable) explanation of his engagement and wedding. Biggest laugh of the night: "So how many marriages have you ruined since you've gotten married?" - Not only did it receive laughter but thunderous applause, and whole-hearted approval. Another thing that was evident that night - disapproval and intolerance toward any who would disagree with them.

To be a conservative Christian in LA can be a challenge, but in the 20 years I've been here, it was never so evident at to how "alien" we are as it was that night sitting in the Civic Center.

It reminded me of an article I read from Al Mohler. (click below to see the whole article).

The quote below is from Al Mohler: The High Cost of Being and Staying Cool

"It doesn't take much. We would all like to be considered cool. Cultural opposition is a tough challenge and bearing public hatred is a hard burden. Being cool means being considered mainstream, acceptable, and admirable. Believing that same-sex marriage is wrong is enough to turn "uncool" in an instant, at least in many circles.

...No matter how cool you think you are or think that others think you are, the hour is coming when the issue of homosexuality -- taken alone -- will be the defining issue in coolness. If you accept the full normalization of homosexuality, you will be cool. If you do not, you are profoundly uncool, no matter how much good work you do nor how much love and compassion you seek to express. "

Also by Mohler:

A Christian Vision of Marriage and Family