I'm a big fan of television. I probably shouldn't be. But I am. It's probably from growing up in the country, where there isn't anything to do other than to watch tv, even if you only have 2 or 3 channels. Recently after coming to college I've been introduced to MTV. Don't get me wrong I've always have known or heard of MTV, but I've never really watched it on a consistent basis like I do now. Some of my favorite shows include Jersey Shore, The Real World, and the Buried Life. I know some consider these shows pure trash, but in my opinion if your looking at television as a source of influence or education, you have issues. I watch these shows mostly for their entertainment value, as low as that may be. It's mainly about watching how ridiculous media, and some people are.
Recently, I applied to be on The Real World. It was on a whim and I honestly had no plans for the weekend, so I went to Houston. The interviews were on a Saturday. I went in the morning. The auditions were at a patio bar in downtown, and I was surprisingly one of the first people there. I walked in and was handed a application, where I filled out question after question about myself, and every embarrassing story or hardship I had ever been apart of. I was a lot actually, and quite an array of answers. I kind of surprised myself after reading over it. Once I finished the application I was placed into a line to interview. Once they had us in line they had us grouped up into interview groups of ten, and lucky me, I was in the first one. Being a seasoned interviewer I knew that this could either hurt me, or be a very good thing. They soon moved use into a room where we were met by the producers, who would very soon be asking us lots of questions. After going around the room and introducing ourselves I found out that I was the only Christian at my table and one of 3 straight people at my table as well. I was soon asked probing question of why I wanted to be a Christian, how I felt about others taking part in premarital sex, to name a few.
After just having basic conversation with each other, and answering the question the producers threw at us, we were given ten seconds to think of a thought question to ask the person across from us. The lady sitting across from me was Allie. She was about my age, maybe a little older. She was quite small and looked like a boy. She was a lesbian, and had been sober for only a year. Soon the first questions were asked and of course people asked what was your favorite sexual position, or how much alcohol can you drink. But when it came to Allie and I we dug a little deeper. I asked Allie, "What was it like going through the process of becoming sober?" and Allie asked me, "Is it a struggle for your faith to be a Christian and be around alcohol?".
Being able to go to a place and answer serious questions from real people, reminded me of the real world. As a college student at a private baptist college I often forget about the huge amount of lost people hurting and searching for answers in the world. I've never had someone ask me or even question my faith. And when someone finally did, it felt good. It felt good to know everything that people have invested in me, and everything I've been absorbed at my Bible College actually paid off. It was refreshing to be able to glimpse into the real world.
