Who's bad?

About 10 years ago I saw Mudvayne, a secular rock band, in concert for the first time.  Also on the bill were Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Zombie, and Soil.  In the middle of Mudvayne's set, between songs, the lead singer went on this speech about how every day we should turn off our phones, sit with our children and just listen to what's on their minds, without distraction, for at least 15 minutes or so.  What kind of people are we if we can't spend at least 15 minutes each day of quality time with our children?  When he finished this speech, he was met with resounding applause and approval from the audience.  Now the metal crowd has always been perceived by mainstream society, perhaps inaccurately, as being less than wholesome and a bit unconventional.  But they listened very intently to a family-friendly message from an unlikely source.

Now think about how mainstream society itself behaves.  How many "good" families have parents who are too career-driven to worry about petty things like their kids having a rough day at school?  How many of those who do worry are too impatient to do anything other than "solve" the problem with a quick-fix solution rather than actually listen to and understand their kid?  How many "upstanding" companies have a culture that just does not seem compatible with raising a family - where being childless gives one a huge advantage?  How often do successful and "upstanding" young professionals poison their minds with the mean-spirited programming of empty-vee and other similarly tacky forms of mainstream and "conventional" popular culture?

The powers-that-be in mainstream society have all heard a positive and family-friendly message that was probably presented more intimately, more often, and from more credible sources than the message presented to the attendees at the aforementioned Mudvayne concert.  Yet there is overwhelming evidence that way too many "upstanding" citizens did not listen.  The problem lies not in the message or the messenger, nor even in the status or upbringing of the recipient, but rather in the intent of the recipient.

Luke 11: 29-32