Like many of you, I was completely taken in Friday night by the spectacle that was the opening ceremonies of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing, China.
The fireworks were breathtaking, the choreography and synchronicity were stellar, and the music was beautiful, haunting, and perfectly appropriate for the event.
Now, we begin to learn that some parts of it were fake. If you haven’t read the story, look here.
All in all, it really would not have been big deal if they had come clean ahead of time. Computer generated fireworks can still be beautiful and would have created the same effect on the audience (those in the stadium and watching via television). It’s all part of the show.
More bothersome is the choice to not put the real singer on stage because she wasn’t cute enough. The musical director even admitted the choice was all about image. An illusion of truth was created for the benefit of the consumer.
In the church, we put on a production each and every Sunday. We produce a show to be consumed by our congregations each week, and we (rightly so) choose to do everything we can with excellence and skill.
Let’s make sure, in our drive and desire to do everything well, we are never fake.
