The inference: heaven can never offer what The Playboy Mansion offered. Thus, Hefner must be vastly disappointed.
Why, of course! -- for -- 'all that glitters is not Gospel' Translated: The Playboy Mansion was not all that it appeared to be. Sure, it offered fleshy pleasure for long stretches of time. But eventually, those episodes ended, and there was just more emptiness. In fact, more emptiness than before.
That's always the aftermath, after an earthly, fleshly, hedonistic romp. Zophar, the Naamathite articulates the outcome all-too-accurately:.
"...Though evil is sweet in his [the sinful person's] mouth, and he hides it under his tongue, though he cannot bear to let it go and lets it linger in his mouth, yet his food will turn sour in his stomach; it will become the venom of serpents within him..." (Job 20:12-14).
And so, earthly, fleshly, hedonistic enterprise, ultimately is a 'trick,' a deception. Tantalizing us, like the famed Trojan Horse -- it 'marches' into life 'looking good,' appearing to offer great pleasure and gain. But once inside life, it unleashes a whole army of trouble, torment, and travail.
Hugh Hefner appears to have 'held back the army.' But none of us can 'hold back the army.' Sure, we 'put on a good face' - but we tend to show each other only 'the highlight reel' of our lives -- not 'the full footage.'
Trust me: Hugh Hefner did not show 'the full footage. '
So, in the aftermath of Hugh Hefner's death, let's redouble our commitment to 'tell the truth to each other.' The only true pleasure is Jesus. The Psalmist is so clear about this reality.
"...The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree. God’s Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries…(Psalm 19:7-11, The Message).
And so Hugh Hefner's death should encourage all of us to encourage each other to head for a better place. For a life of self-serving pleasure doesn't really bring long-lasting pleasure. Only the Lord brings long-lasting pleasure.
In sleuthing around for this week's blog post, I found a message written by Holli Lewis to Cooper Hefner. Cooper, of course, is the son of Hugh Hefner, and Holi, a former Playboy bunny, now a student at Trinty International University, a Christian school, just north of Chicago.
"...Dear Cooper: So sorry to hear about your father. I was fortunate enough to double date...around 1970 to The Playboy Club in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin...I was a "backslidden" Christian then. Dr. Billy Graham led me to the Lord at Arie Crown Theater...in Chicago in the early 60's...I share a birthday with Billy Graham, and I will turn 65 -- 24 hours before your sister Christie does later this Fall/Autumn. Though no Dr. Graham, I have led playboys, strippers, pimps, prostitutes, others to the Lord...You must still be in shock...[Recently I meet a man who owned] every archive issue of Playboy magazine ever printed...But for the grace of God, there go I. Romans 3:23 Romans 10:9,10.13 You and yours are loved and prayed for during this difficult time. I will follow up with the women in the family after the deluge of condolences begins to subside https://www.earnthenecklace.com/hugh-hefner-funeral-hugh-hefner-burial-plans/
Though I do not know Holli Lewis or her underlying intent, I'm guessing she is trying to major in compassion and not condemnation in the wake of Hugh Hefner's death. Though I understand the reflex reaction of Believers to damn Hugh Hefner and his lifestyle (see: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/30/opinion/hugh-hefner.html) -- I think Holli's approach is a more-like-Jesus, Biblical approach: put the 'accent mark' on empathy and follow-up. Specifically, a follow-up that enters into the inevitable void of a hedonistic lifestyle -- but enters with Jesus, introducing Jesus to grieving folks, as a caring friend, and conversation partner.
It's interesting, Lee Strobel, the popular Christian apologist once had an opportunity to introduce Jesus to Hugh Hefner. As Strobel tells the tale...
“Yeah. I had a chance to go to the Playboy Mansion, interview Hugh Hefner for a TV program that I was doing. And I asked him about the resurrection...‘What do you do with the historical data that supports the return of Jesus from the dead?’ And he said, ‘I have never heard this before.’ And I gave him a copy of my book The Case for Christ. And he was looking through the Table of Contents and said, ‘This is fascinating. Nobody has ever told me this before.’And then he said...‘If this is true, this trips a whole bunch of dominoes that have a wonderful effect.’ He said, ‘I am getting to be an old man. I wish it were true that there were eternal life.’ And I said, ‘You know what, look into the evidence yourself...But I am telling you there is convincing...powerful, persuasive...evidence that Jesus did return from the dead. And when He tells His followers they will spend eternity with Him, we can believe Him as a result.'”
Again, we have no idea if Hefner ever came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. But Strobel's witness is a convicting reminder that our calling is not to judge hedonistic folk, but to enter into their world with a different -- 'domino tripping' -- narrative.
For as Russell Moore observed, upon hearing of Hugh Hefner' death: "...the Good Shepherd searches the thickets for his lost sheep. And sometimes for a lost rabbit, too..." http://www.russellmoore.com/2017/09/28/hugh-hefner-not-live-good-life/
But have you noticed: rabbits are harder to catch, for rabbits run faster than sheep. But all the more reason, to search and rescue them, too!
This is a fascinating read, Paul. Thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteI never have followed the Playboy mongol, Hugh Hefner, other than the tidbits that come up from time to time in the news. In fact, I've always wondered how folks like he can live with themselves, not only for their immediate transgressions, but also, for the long haul, with their conscience. I would think that Hew's lifestyle alone would have kept him awake all night, wondering where he would go from there.
As it is, Hugh will have to answer to the Almighty for his choices that, eventually, led thousands smoldering in the ditch.
I do wish for him, however, that during his lifetime, he would have looked a little farther than his gambling joints and seen the cross up on the hill. As it is, there are thousands of innocents who he led into the ditch.
Could Jesus' message have saved him, had Hugh allowed it to do so? Yes, it could have, if he had had the will to do a 180(degrees)and look into "another way of living", as prescribed by The Master.
Now, "another way of living" is something we Brethren know much about. As Christ-ians ("little Christs"), what is OUR ROLE now that Hugh is gone, and there are still thousands out there like him?
This is where our youth ministries step in, as well as redemptive sermons, visiting pastors, and merciful congregations, etc.
Instead of sweeping transgressions under the rug, our churches today need to be talking to young people and our congregations about this kind of lifestyle in order to avoid it.
I don't know what Hew Heifer saw when he arrived at the pearly gates, but I am wondering if Jesus wept when He saw Hew walking down the aisle to get what he deserved.
Maybe there is a Purgatory. We Brethren don't talk about such things, but if there is, there would be a lot of redemption in that.