Pinoy Celebrity Worship: So You Want to be Famous?

Is this post about the worship of celebrities, or is it about celebrities who worship?  You decide.

I had a pretty cool job at the Passion Manila event—I guarded the “VIP” entrance and seating section.  I didn’t ask for it—I simply told them to put me wherever I was needed.  They chose a few of us bigger guys to guard certain entrances/sections.

I had to keep people out of this particular entrance as the crowd flooded into the venue.  This was not a big deal—everyone was very respectful.

I stood inside the door of the VIP section after things got started.  A little later I noticed some commotion outside the door.  I peaked out and saw a very well known celebrity heading in.  A few people took pictures with him before we ushered him inside.  One young fan arrived seconds too late to get her coveted picture.  She was beside herself with excitement and disappointment: “Anong gagawin ko—anong gagawin ko!? (what will I do),” she said in a frantic, quivering voice.

The same thing happened a little later—an equally famous, good-looking celebrity came in.  I helped usher him in after a few people snapped photos.  I recognized his face, but I had to ask some of my friends who he was (I’m not completely in the loop when it comes to this kind of thing).

So there I was—a temporary “bodyguard” of sorts for two of the most famous men in the Philippines.  I guess I would have tried to meet them, but there was no way to do this without disturbing their worship.  I was there to keep that from happening.

All of us have probably wondered what it would be like to be famous.  There are many perks, but this night made me more keenly aware of the drawbacks.  Consider some of the dilemmas of celebrity status:

Always being the center of attention

I can relate to this, albeit on a very small scale.  Try looking like Mr. Clean and walking down an alley in Pasay, Taguig, or Malabon.  The attention can be a little overwhelming (especially for an introvert), but I’ve learned to adjust.

I can only imagine what it is like to be a celebrity—one thousand times more extreme than anything I’ve experienced.  One of the before-mentioned young men got a call on his cell phone during the event.  He went out into the lobby and crouched in the corner behind a large sign.  He had to keep a low profile in order to have a quick conversation in peace.

Carefully planning every move you make

The before-mentioned men arrived late and left early.  They had no choice.  They would have been swamped with fans if they had stayed until everyone was dismissed.  Several people dropped by after the concert, hoping to catch a glimpse of them (not realizing they had already left).  I’m guessing simple things like going to McDonalds or watching a movie aren’t so simple when you are famous.  Imagine not having the freedom to go out without planning for security, etc.

No Privacy

Celebrities’ personal lives are the topic of endless gossip.  Their relationship problems, failures, and mistakes come under public scrutiny.  What if everyone knew about your relationship problems?  What if everyone spent their time speculating about problems/relationships you don’t even have?

Dilemmas of Christian Celebrities

It seems there are quite a few movie actors and singers here who really want to follow Jesus.  I praise God for this, but I bet it is challenging.  Consider the temptations that such men and women face:

Purity

I’m sure it is hard to stay pure when gorgeous members of the opposite sex are constantly throwing themselves at you.

Compromise

Actors/singers are offered large sums of money to compromise (appear in sexy ads, etc).  I’m not excusing those who compromise, but I wonder how many of us would be able to maintain our standards when put under such pressure.

Public Failures

Everyone notices when a Christian celebrity falls short.  I’m not excusing anyone’s sin, but I’d hate to think of my worst moments being public knowledge.

So, do you still want to be famous?  Think about it.

See Also:

Six Lessons from the Life of Solomon

Confessions of a Suki

Learning the Hard Way: Trapped in Adultery

 

A young woman emailed me a few weeks ago.  She had just gotten out of a sinful relationship and needed some advice.  I asked her if she would be willing to share her story.  Here it is:

I never intended to commit adultery, but it happened.  It all started when I became involved in a campus ministry organization.  I met this staff member that was really friendly and easy to get along with.

He asked if we could spend time together, so we began meeting every day.  Sometimes we would meet at the ministry office, other times we would go out.  I didn’t have any close friends, so this relationship made me feel really special.  It was a month or two in our relationship that I learned he was married (and had children).  Regardless, I continued to spend time with him.  I admired him on many levels—he was musically gifted, intelligent, and understanding.  I fell for him, and we became completely involved—exchanging compliments and beautiful words.  We even talked about plans for having a family together.

We also became sexually involved.  This developed quickly since we were alone together so often.  He practiced withdrawal so I wouldn’t get pregnant, and I eventually decided to use birth control injections.  This was lust (not love), and it caused my mind to be impure—always obsessing about what we would do.

Needless to say, I was not at peace living this double life.  I felt guilty and ashamed.  Whenever I worshipped God I felt so empty and hypocritical.  My spiritual growth was completely stunted, and I wasn’t confident when I shared God’s word with others.  I wanted to serve God 100%, but I felt trapped in this sinful pattern.

I constantly battled with conflicting thoughts.  Part of me actually believed God would allow me to marry him—how deceived I was!  I also wondered what kind of future we really could have, since he wasn’t faithful to his wife.

My sin affected other relationships in my life.  I lied to my parents, for example, about where I was going and who I was spending my time with.  I even stole money from them for dates and gifts.

The relationship itself had problems.  I was a mistress, so I experienced insecurities, jealousy, and sadness.  He would warn me not to call or text too often, and we could not express our affection publicly (since we had to hide our relationship).  I couldn’t always be with him, since he wasn’t mine in the first place.

Despite all of these problems, I stayed in this relationship for three years.  I think I stayed in it because of the way he made me feel and the hope that we might one day be together as husband and wife.

I eventually escaped this relationship by God’s grace and strength.  Our pastor preached a sermon on the wise and foolish virgins—being serious about God.  This message really woke me up.  That same day, I called him and said “I’m going to follow Jesus now.”  He accepted it, because I had already told him (four times) that I wanted to end it.  To be honest, I tried to get back together with him.  But this time he was angry with me and said many hurtful words.  It was finally over.

It’s been over a month since we broke up.  It still hurts me to think about what happened, but I’m healing.  I found strength from giving my mom a big hug.  Sharing my hurt with you and reading your website also helped, Kuya Kevin.  I’m starting to get more involved in ministry with a good church.  I’ve also spent time on friendster and christianster, where I can chat with other Christians.  I study the Bible, memorize verses, listen to DZAS (Christian Radio), read Christian literature, and pray.

Escape seemed impossible, but God made a way.  There’s just nothing too impossible for Him!  His love is awesome, and He doesn’t want His children to be hurt or destroyed!

God is so great! To God be all the Glory!!!!!

Kuya Kevin, thanks so much po talaga for your ministry, may God continue to use you mightily and may God give you the desires of your heart! May u be really happy and joyful throughout your life!

Kuya Kevin’s Comments:

I wish I could say that pastors/ministers are immune from sexual temptation.  I wish I could say that these kinds of things never happen in a church or ministry setting.  Unfortunately, neither statement would be true.

I blame this minister for the way this relationship started.  He’s older and in a position of authority—those in authority have greater power/responsibility.  He should have protected his wife and family, and he did just the opposite.

As you know, you should have run for your life once you realized he was married.  You’ve learned some hard lessons from this.

I know you have lost much through this relationship.  Sadly, you have given him your virginity, which you can never get back.  You’ve wasted three years of energy and intimacy on a dead-end relationship—years that could have been spent searching for true love.

But it could have been even worse.  It’s a good thing you didn’t get pregnant—withdrawal is a notoriously unreliable method of birth control.  Imagine your life if you had a baby with him—a baby which would never have a father at home.

I’m so glad that you have repented and turned back to Jesus.  I know it was a hard decision, but it was the only right decision.  I’m glad you have people in your life that will help you grow spiritually.

Your healing has just begun, so be patient. Keep following Jesus and don’t look back!

There’s one final thing I want to say to all of my readers:  let’s remember that the vast majority of pastors, priests, and ministers do not behave this way.  We all know that this type of thing is the exception, not the rule.  Don’t use this story as an excuse to stay away from church.

Note: This is one of the stories you can find in Learning the Hard Way: True Stories of Heartbreak, Healing, and Hope.