Four Corners NRL Sex Scandal – My Humble Opinion
I think it’s great that the four corners program this week created a plethora of discussion about morality and sex. Unless you’ve been under a rock you would be aware that this sordid scandal has resulted in the sacking of Matthew Johns from his three NRL related jobs.
However, in my opinion, the scandal is not about what may or may not have happened, the legality of it and who got hurt by it.
The real issue is to do with our morality.
The practice of engaging in group sex with someone that you barely know (probably don’t even know by name) shows very little respect, love or human dignity. You would not ever associate it with giving qualities.
Rather, it represents the exercise of power, domination, self-pleasure and self-gratification.
Public reports of this type of behaviour and it’s shocking consequences are not rare in Rugby League or for that matter other high profile sports. It does make you wonder how many instances are covered up and don’t see the light of day.
So why is this going on?
I believe that this represents a much wider problem in society. You have to ask yourself if other men, placed in this position – with money, celebrity, constant travel, extraordinary female attention and time to burn – would do things differently?
Probably not. Most would not have a moral basis for doing so, nor a desire to.
Schools (synthetic parents) don’t teach morality. Parents for the most part divulged the responsibilities to the schools in the last century and busily went to work. Churches wrote themselves out of the morality equation by living in hypocrisy (Amongst other things, teaching abstinence while priests were interfering with children).
The consequence of this lack of taught morals is not freedom as some would suggest. If your freedom impinges on mine, then we are no longer free. The balance that is freedom would be lost.
Freedom only exists with love and discipline. It belongs with generosity and restraint.
So in our society now, we are stranded in a situation where morality is badly eroded and we will suffer as a consequence.
There is the moral of all human tales;
‘Tis but the same rehearsal of the past;
First Freedom, and the Glory – when that fails
Wealth, Vice, Corruption – Barbarism at last
And History, with all her volumes vast,
Hath but one page.
Lord Byron – Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto IV CVIII
I think that the response of the NRL and the NRL Footy Show this week to the scandal was admirable. They framed the issue in terms of respect for women and they have sent out a huge message to players and the wider public that it’s not ok to denigrate women.
However, the effectiveness of that message will be limited because there is no foundation for sustaining it in the minds of the people involved.
Throw into the mix the porn culture that has developed on the back of this decline. Look at the acceptance amongst young generations of sending each other explicit mobile phone pictures and “hooking up”. You have a powder keg of biblical proportions.
You can be certain that in the last days there will be some very hard times.
People will love only themselves and money.
They will be proud, stuck-up, rude, and disobedient to their parents.
They will also be ungrateful, godless, heartless, and hateful.
Their words will be cruel, and they will have no self-control or pity. These people will hate everything that is good.
They will be sneaky, reckless, and puffed up with pride. Instead of loving God, they will love pleasure.
Bible 2 Tim 3:1-4 Contemporary English Version
I still love watching rugby league though…
