For a Christian like Phil Robertson, patriarch of the Duck Dynasty family and A&E reality show, the testimony of faith and integrity he shows a lost world is his most valuable possession. More than intellectual property, it is his spiritual property which he intends to present to Jesus the moment after death and hopefully hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant... enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matt. 25:23) Robertson has said the overriding purpose of Duck Dynasty is advancing Christianity and its wholesome and morally consistent example.
But will the Robertson family be allowed to express their own cultural values in a liberal world which claims to support diversity? In an interview with Sports Spectrum magazine, Robertson said A&E editors repeatedly inserted audio “bleeps” into family conversations on camera, making it appear that the Robertson family was using profanity.
Why is this so wrong? It defames the Robertsons' character, making them seem like hypocrites before almost 12 million weekly viewers. It is even a form of slander. It shows contempt for the Robertsons' moral identity and values. It trivializes their beliefs, implying such values are not a sacred personal possession but something which is public property, malleable, and free to be recreated and distorted through the power of editing. Although such manipulation occurred among up to 20 A&E editors, it is inconceivable that it continued without permission or perhaps direction by top leadership.
Such license by A&E was an act of deception requiring the Robertsons to personally discover it, perhaps months after it had been going on.
Robertson also said A&E repeatedly edited the name of Jesus from the family prayers that close each episode. Again, this does violence to the sanctity of the Robertsons’ identity and values. Christians universally end prayers by invoking, “In Jesus name, amen.” Their expressions of praise, gratitude, and petitions are offered to God the Father through the mediation and power of Jesus and in His holy name. No Christian’s public prayer is complete without expression of trust in Jesus and His power.
Yet, as with A&E’s portrayal of them as hypocrites who both praise Jesus yet perhaps take His name in vain, this theft and re-creation of them as “Christians” who do not value the power of Jesus and His name to answer prayer gives the impression that, like “PC” religious compromisers, the Robertsons participate in the fear that a Jew, Muslim or atheist might be offended. The Robertsons are thus subject to further character distortion, made to appear as cowards. This sets an example to others to do the same: hold religious beliefs in private but not profess Jesus publicly.
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