Elvis and God?

As I was cleaning the house on Saturday, I had PBS on the tele as they had a special they were running on Elvis Presley and God - of course, hawking a CD compilation of his gospel music.  And I was constantly having to stop and want to hit the tele with a stick!  I was amazed, you would have thought Elvis a Christian by what they were presenting.

Film from his earliest years - to the end, memories of those whom sang with him in gospel groups, before and after his fame.  Amazingly, the man was a committed gospel singer!  And my head was swimming at the white washing the man was given.....

As I listened to them talk about his Army days and how he had bought a house, blah-blah-blah-blah!  This was the man whom used his star power to bend people to his desires, the house was built from stolen military property by GIs wanting to get in close with him.  At least, those were the charges brought against the supply clerk at the local post - and all those GIs whom were charged as well.  Yeah, my village had many a tale concerning "THE" American, whom drugged and got the local teenage girls drunk regularly at this house.  It was amazing the de-flowering which he was capable of.

And yet, hey, people can change.  Maybe he did get his act together in his later years.  But, then I was forced to remember the tales of his death - following a rousing night of alcohol, drugs and whoring around - to end in a pool of his own vomit a bathroom floor.

So, I watched in fascination the accounts of his life, gospel music and God.  All of those whom spoke had the same access, to the same information as I and yet, here was the white wash.

No, none of  us are perfect.  At least I have the ability to fail regularly.  So how does one quantify a life?  Is it to be with a blind eye to how a man lives his life daily?  Or is it to be the intent of a man?  Or, as it the case of my friend, whom current lies in a coma just blocks away in the hospital, by the works he accomplished - driven by the man he was before he came to the cross?

I would go for the latter, as I think on my friend Ray.....  Like so many men, Elvis had the ability to have made a witness of his life.  But, like so many men, he was betrayed by the fame and fortune which followed him.

If anything Elvis was the perfect example of how a man can not successfully live a life under two masters - God and the World.  Like all, he will love one far more than the other.  For him, unfortunately, his testimony has been cast in print - women, drugs, alcohol, and shame .....