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Last week the other problem that came up at church was concerning a Sunday evening service scheduled two weeks away.

Come meet the Bama Twins. They will give their testimonies and share their music. Afterwards there will be a time of fellowship with the twins, make pictures, and receive an autographed 8 x 10 picture. They will not charge for the picture if you bring a canned good for the mission. A “love offering” will be received!

I’m sorry but that is just ridiculous and blasphemous for a church to be doing something like this. I don’t care who they are. Autographs are for people who worship someone else. I may enjoy hearing MacArthur or Paul Washer but I’m not standing in line for an autograph, because I do not worship them. Can you imagine the response you would get if you asked Paul Washer for his autograph? I would expect a good rebuke myself.

I knew nothing about the Bama Twins or The Houndstooth Twins, and I am not inferring that they aren’t Christians or that their testimony might not be valuable. However, they are two young college students that are making money off their image by selling photos of themselves, often wearing hound’s-tooth skirts and hats (like the idolized Bear Bryant of the University of Alabama). Their only claim to fame is that they are beautiful blonde twins who decided to wear Bear Bryant hats to an Alabama football game. Since then their image has been plastered all over the place selling just about everything. They are on billboards for cable TV, Aaron’s, ads for Sportsmania and the Bryant Museum. They have been on CBS, ESPN and at the Talladega raceway, selling autographed pictures of themselves for various activities.

They are not modestly dressed, often wearing short skirts and high heeled Go-Go Boots. I’m sorry, you can call me judgmental all you want, but if you saw the way they drape themselves around a guy for pictures you should be critical also. There is no way my boys would be getting their picture made with young ladies with so little discretion.

Prov 5:20
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? KJV

Prov 6:25
Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes, … NIV

Job 31:1
I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? KJV

Job 31:1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman? NKJV

1 Cor 10:12-14

12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. KJV

There is no reason for anyone to have an autographed picture of two young women, even as a parent I don’t want an autographed picture of my children. Why would we give such a picture to our youth and young men? Why would anyone want others to have pictures of them to ogle over? They have been the brunt of many college young man’s blog world also. The things that have been said on those sites should be enough for any loving mother to put a stop to it. I would not let my daughter be treated in such a way, but then I wouldn’t be giving everyone 8 x 10 glossy pictures, either.

This only covers the problem as it relates to our young men and even our older men.

What about the effect on the young girls? Especially those who have trouble with their image and a desire to look like what the world expects.

How many marriages could be jeopardized because “hubby is just a little too familiar or interested in the young ladies and getting a picture taken with them”?

I voiced my concern with the pastor and I included some quotes from The Desert Pastor’s website from his excellent Biblical Worship in Marriage posts. This was the response.

I can tell that you are very concerned with many activities in our church. I can assure you that we could not be farther apart in our convictions.

Just last week I had been told the following:

I am aware that we will never find common ground for agreement and I deeply regret that. I know that you are completely committed to your convictions and I respect that greatly. We see things differently …

My husband is going to bring this up in the deacon’s meeting on Wednesday. It would literally be a miracle if anyone else agreed with him, publically.

I am still very angry and I’m not going to apologize for it. I did not even discuss how the Lord might view all this.