Episode 19: "Don't Look at Me"
Dear DH fans,
I have to apologize for my absence lately. We have been moving and it has been NUTS!! Anyway, enough excuses. Thank you for checking back in! Now to the review for tonight's show:
"Yes, Louisa Pate knew about the power of shame. She also knew that when people have it, it's a shame not to use it."
Lynette battles whether or not to use shame to quiet Parker's curiosity about the female body. The neighbor recommends that she make Parker believe sex is dirty so that he will stop asking girls to show him their female parts. Battling the thought as she should, Lynette chooses a more creative approach. Instead, she uses his obsessive nature to distract him with something new, a puppy.
Though shame may have produced immediate results, it would ultimately be a lie that might have negative consequences later.
Inadvertently, Susan tries to shame Carl into changing his ways. She finally confronts his immaturity and cowardice after receiving advice from a man at the movies. Though she believes what she is saying to Carl, her heart is elsewhere. Wanting him to change his ways, she believes his lie and quickly falls into his snare. Tricked again. In Susan's case, the negative consequences are immediate.
Bree uses shame to keep Andrew from moving in with his grandparents. By putting gay porn videos and magazines into Andrew's moving boxes, she exposes his homosexuality in a way that brings shame to her conservative parents. Horrified, they not only leave Andrew at home, they also remove his trust fund. Though she gets what she wants now, we have yet to see the effects that her actions will have later.
Lastly, Gabrielle experiences shame, though it isn't used against her by someone else. Accidentally leaving the baby alone in the house, she experiences all of the devastating feelings that a mother feels after making a huge mistake. No words are necessary to cause a change in her behavior. This is the purest experience of shame throughout the entire show.
Shame can be good if it brings about change. However, most people don't realize that it only works if it comes from within. When one person uses it on another, it becomes a useless manipulation. Lies, trickery, and broken relationships are just a few of the devastating effects of misplaced shame.
So what is the purpose of shame? Adam and Eve experienced it firsts in the Garden of Eden. After they disobeyed God, they received the knowledge of good and evil. Shame is inherently the knowledge of evil, the understanding that one has made a mistake. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Bible clearly states that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, bringing us all to an understanding of our wrongs. Each person has an opportunity to respond to that conviction.
In the final scenes, Mary Alice says, "Yes, we've all made mistakes. But there is redemption if we grow and try to learn from those mistakes." Gabrielle experiences the textbook version of what God intends for our lives. To understand one's mistake and to turn away from it is what the Bible calls repentance. Instead of going off to her Yoga class, she straps the baby to her body and does her Yoga exercises at home. That is repentance brought about by conviction. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God made provisions for people who were willing to turn from their sin. In the Garden of Eden, an animal was killed to provide clothing for Adam and Eve. In the Old Testament, sacrifices were made to remove the guilt of wrongdoing. In the New Testament, Christ died to bring about the true and final redemption of all mankind.
Just growing and learning from one's mistakes isn't enough. As in the case with Carl, a mere change in behavior is fleeting and false. Gabrielle experienced the real change. True redemption carries a hidden requirement: a change of heart that leads to repentance.
I have to apologize for my absence lately. We have been moving and it has been NUTS!! Anyway, enough excuses. Thank you for checking back in! Now to the review for tonight's show:
"Yes, Louisa Pate knew about the power of shame. She also knew that when people have it, it's a shame not to use it."
Lynette battles whether or not to use shame to quiet Parker's curiosity about the female body. The neighbor recommends that she make Parker believe sex is dirty so that he will stop asking girls to show him their female parts. Battling the thought as she should, Lynette chooses a more creative approach. Instead, she uses his obsessive nature to distract him with something new, a puppy.
Though shame may have produced immediate results, it would ultimately be a lie that might have negative consequences later.
Inadvertently, Susan tries to shame Carl into changing his ways. She finally confronts his immaturity and cowardice after receiving advice from a man at the movies. Though she believes what she is saying to Carl, her heart is elsewhere. Wanting him to change his ways, she believes his lie and quickly falls into his snare. Tricked again. In Susan's case, the negative consequences are immediate.
Bree uses shame to keep Andrew from moving in with his grandparents. By putting gay porn videos and magazines into Andrew's moving boxes, she exposes his homosexuality in a way that brings shame to her conservative parents. Horrified, they not only leave Andrew at home, they also remove his trust fund. Though she gets what she wants now, we have yet to see the effects that her actions will have later.
Lastly, Gabrielle experiences shame, though it isn't used against her by someone else. Accidentally leaving the baby alone in the house, she experiences all of the devastating feelings that a mother feels after making a huge mistake. No words are necessary to cause a change in her behavior. This is the purest experience of shame throughout the entire show.
Shame can be good if it brings about change. However, most people don't realize that it only works if it comes from within. When one person uses it on another, it becomes a useless manipulation. Lies, trickery, and broken relationships are just a few of the devastating effects of misplaced shame.
So what is the purpose of shame? Adam and Eve experienced it firsts in the Garden of Eden. After they disobeyed God, they received the knowledge of good and evil. Shame is inherently the knowledge of evil, the understanding that one has made a mistake. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Bible clearly states that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, bringing us all to an understanding of our wrongs. Each person has an opportunity to respond to that conviction.
In the final scenes, Mary Alice says, "Yes, we've all made mistakes. But there is redemption if we grow and try to learn from those mistakes." Gabrielle experiences the textbook version of what God intends for our lives. To understand one's mistake and to turn away from it is what the Bible calls repentance. Instead of going off to her Yoga class, she straps the baby to her body and does her Yoga exercises at home. That is repentance brought about by conviction. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God made provisions for people who were willing to turn from their sin. In the Garden of Eden, an animal was killed to provide clothing for Adam and Eve. In the Old Testament, sacrifices were made to remove the guilt of wrongdoing. In the New Testament, Christ died to bring about the true and final redemption of all mankind.
Just growing and learning from one's mistakes isn't enough. As in the case with Carl, a mere change in behavior is fleeting and false. Gabrielle experienced the real change. True redemption carries a hidden requirement: a change of heart that leads to repentance.
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