Episode 12: Viral Fenway Park Video is Radicalizing; The Gospel in Outer Space

This week on Not Gullible: The Fenway Park account on X shut down the comment section after it went viral for all the wrong reasons. What can we learn from the video they posted? And the Artemis 2 is returning after a successful mission filled with many lessons for us here on earth. Both stories provide a "you are here" moment that remind us of the importance of shared values. 

Follow me on Instagram

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:09

Welcome to Not Gullible. I'm your host, Vanessa Hunt, and each week we'll be discussing faith, news, and the stories that matter, all from a biblical worldview. Hey guys, I hope you had an absolutely wonderful Easter weekend. We hosted my husband's family at our home after church and had the most beautiful weather, which is not always the case for Easter in Oregon. So we feel extra grateful for it. The stories I picked for this week are going to be like a you are here kind of experience. You know, those maps that you see in a shopping center, or maybe if you're navigating a new city, and they'll show you exactly where you are so that you can figure out where you're going. Well, that's kind of the theme for today's episode. And I hope that you'll come away feeling encouraged and also inspired to not simply sit and watch as our culture continues to decay, but to live in such a way as to make it so obvious that a society built on a biblical worldview is one that will flourish and thrive. This could be due to the fact that I neither live in Boston or care anything about baseball. But over the weekend, whoever runs the X account for Fenway Park posted a video that was supposed to get people excited about opening day, but had an effect that I'm pretty sure was not their intention. The video showed what it was like on opening day in the 1950s. Fans pouring in, everybody was wearing suits and dresses and on their very best behavior. It showed the city of Boston looking pristine and friendly with flowers everywhere and an air of excitement about this shared cultural experience. The comment section under this post on X blew up and they ended up closing the comment section because everyone was remarking on just how much things have changed since then. And apparently, whoever runs the Fenway Park account was not happy to see just how riled up people were. There is nothing quite as radicalizing as seeing the way things used to be and comparing them to the way that they are now. Because the differences are shocking. And it's not just in Boston, it's in pretty much every major city and even some smaller cities and towns throughout the US. We've all seen it because it's impossible to not notice the decline happening when it's so obvious. And not only is it just decline, but it's intentional decline. The combination of relaxed or non-existent enforcement of laws, the acceptance of slovenliness, the total abdication of parents from their roles, the lack of cultural cohesion and values, and the addiction to technology, which leads to people missing out on experiencing what is happening right in front of them so that they can get clicks and online attention. Does our government bear responsibility for much of this? Yes. But the reality is that we've allowed it. We as citizens, whether through our outright support of policies and politicians that were always going to inevitably lead to the decay or through our total apathy and cowardliness, which allowed the depravity and decay to take hold, we are ultimately the ones who are to blame. But we also really have to reckon with the fact that there are those in power who want all of this. There are those whose intention is to destroy what's been built and cause so much chaos, confusion, and fear that we will look to them to give us their so-called solutions. Understanding this truth is part of diagnosing the problem. But there is definitely more to this diagnosis. Recognizing what life used to be like compared to how it is now isn't about trying to ignore the fact that there were things that weren't perfect back then either. It's not about trying to romanticize history, it's about having that kind of you are here moment. The Fenway Park video showed us exactly what we've lost and what we hope to regain in many ways. That glimpse at the past made what's happening in the present seem so much more obvious. What we need to understand is that decades ago, there was far more social cohesion that was based on shared values and morals. And those all stemmed from a biblical worldview. Even if someone never stepped foot in a church, there was a foundation that had been built on biblical principles that was underpinning every aspect of society. So even the atheists benefited from them and mostly adhered to them. But we are definitely no longer in that world. Not only are we living in a post-Christian society, but we are living in what has been termed the negative world. Christianity and living by biblical principles is now seen as harmful or even repressive. But there's no way to deny the fact that as society has gotten further away from a Christian framework, it's all getting worse and worse. Richard Dawkins is one of the most famous atheists around. And not too long ago, he expressed his dismay over what was happening in England where he lives. He doesn't like how British culture has been so dramatically changed through the importing of millions of people from other countries. And he doesn't even like that they're celebrating those religious holidays instead of only celebrating traditional Christian holidays. What's fascinating about this is that Dawkins is a staunch atheist. But even he recognizes that a society that no longer has a Christian foundation is a society that becomes deeply unstable. Now, what would make it even better is if Dawkins would recognize that it's his own atheism and his own worldview that leads to this inevitable conclusion. But he's not there yet. So we could be praying for him. On a macro level, there are conversations happening about what it actually means to be an American. Is America just an idea? What exactly does it mean to be an American? And should we even expect to have a shared culture and shared values as a foundation? On a more personal level, I find myself wondering, what can I, as a wife, mom, and homemaker living in Oregon do about what is happening around me? Sometimes I can get really overwhelmed when I think too much about what is happening out there. And I have to refocus my energy on what is happening right in front of me. As we always told our kids as they were growing up, and even remind them now as they're young adults, we can only control what we can control. And when I watched that Fenway Park video, I observed a few things that I know we can incorporate into our lives right here in 2026 America. The first thing we can do is make the choice to not look slobby when we leave the house. The thing that's most obvious about seeing videos and photos from another era is how carefully people dressed. And this was no matter what their economic background was. Now, I'm not saying that I think we should all be wearing heels and pearls everywhere we go, although, frankly, I'd rather see that than what most girls and women wear in public these days. I'm simply saying that I can choose to put in the effort to care about how I'm presenting myself and try to match my clothing to the occasion. Now, moms, I know this is a controversial topic, but this might mean having conversations with your daughters about appropriate clothing and if it's a good idea to have so much skin on full display. I'm honestly stunned and saddened when I see how young women dress these days, and even more so when I see the beauty and elegance on display in these videos from other decades. I think we might also need to consider resisting the urge to wear athletic clothes everywhere we go. I'll admit that you will pry my oversized sweatshirts that I wear at home out of my cold, dead hands. So I'm not saying that we can't be comfortable at home or even that we can't wear comfortable clothes in public. But comfortable clothing can still be classy. That's all I'm saying. Another area we have control over is taking the time to get to know our neighbors and being involved in our community. There is only so much that I can do to make changes on a national level. But I have a circle of influence right here in my city, and we need to be connecting with other people who also care about its safety and well-being. And I'll tell you something that maybe you don't hear very often. It's perfectly okay and in fact, really good to be around like-minded people. Yes, we always want to be ready to share the gospel. And yes, we always want to be willing to engage in dialogue with people from differing worldviews. But this for the sake of our families, our cities, and our nation, we need to work together with people who have common goals if we are going to make any meaningful changes. Now, I think one of the most glaring differences I noticed in that Fenway Park video was the fact that obviously nobody had iPhones back then. Nobody was staring down at a screen or recording what was happening rather than being fully engaged in watching the game or talking to other people. We don't have to be a part of the decline that's been caused by screen addiction. We don't have to give our kids phones and social media access just because everyone else seems to do that. And when our kids are on the playground and occasionally looking over to see if mom and dad are watching their adventures, we don't have to be the parents who miss those moments because we're glued to our phones. Another facet that people were noting in the comments under the Fenway Park video was just how clean and orderly everything was. And this is a good reminder of the fact that a culture that maintains order and cleanliness is one that reflects God's design. While we have limited control over the upkeep of our cities, even though I have thought about maybe going out and trying to fill some potholes myself, we do actually have control over the care and keeping of our homes and yards. We should be intentional about creating spaces that are clean, orderly, and peaceful. We should be willing to use a little elbow grease and maintain our outside spaces, the spaces that other people pass by every day, pulling weeds, mowing lawns, touching up paint, and generally taking care of our homes, even if they're not your dream home. This should be a priority in our lives. It seems like such a simple thing, but I'm finding that many people just don't realize how important it is. And the order and cleanliness should obviously extend to the inside of our homes as well. You don't have to love decorating to create calm and inviting spaces. It just takes some intentionality. And you might be surprised to see some creativity blossom as you make it a priority. I was talking with my husband this week about the fact that so many people seem to have rebelled against common sense and anything that seems normal because they want to be considered counter-cultural. But that video from opening day is actually what seems counter-cultural now. The culture has devolved so far from anything resembling a biblical foundation that those of us who are trying to get back to that are the real rebels now. Well, the Artemis II is on its way back to Earth after going farther into space than anyone has ever been. And if you haven't been following this story, then you have really missed out because it has been so cool and had a real distinctly American feel to it in a lot of ways. It's the first return of humans to lunar space since Apollo 17 in 1972. And after reaching the moon, they went entirely around it all the way to the dark side of the moon, which some of you fellow old timers will recognize as the name of a Pink Floyd album. My favorite photo I saw online of the launch was a picture that a dad shared of his two little kids sitting on the sidewalk in front of their house watching the rocket launch into space. It looked like it could have been from a previous decade and was a wonderful reminder of how important it is for the generations behind us to witness discovery and exploration because those characteristics are embedded in who we are as a nation. The you are here moment, it created for me was the realization that there are still things that offer us the opportunity to bond together as a society. And not only do we need to celebrate them, but we need to encourage more of them to happen. Now, as much as I've enjoyed seeing all of the photos and videos coming out from this expedition, the thing that has been the most impactful is the fact that the gospel has been front and center. Astronaut and pilot of the Artemis II, Victor Glover, said that there are, quote, no atheists on rocket ships, as he described how central his Christian faith is to his work for NASA. As they approach the dark side of the moon and prepare to go radio silent, Glover quoted from Matthew 22, where Jesus answers the question posed to him about the greatest commandment, which is to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and mind. Broadcasting that from outer space is really, really powerful for so many reasons. Growing up, I had very little confidence in discussing the connection between science and faith because there was so much I didn't understand and wasn't even really ever taught. But the fact is that science actually proves what we read in the Bible. And it's been so exciting to see how new discoveries only continue to confirm creation. It's really only in the past few years as I dug into apologetics that I come to learn the cosmological argument, which essentially says that whatever begins to exist has a cause. You can't get something from nothing. The universe began to exist, so the universe has a cause. And as Christians, we know that that cause is the uncreated creator, God. And I think we could all benefit from regularly reminding ourselves that the universe is vast beyond our comprehension, and most importantly, we are not the center of it. As we wrap up today's episode, I hope that the Fenway Park glimpse into the past and Artemis II's journey to the far side of the moon have given you some things to think about as you reckon with this you are here moment in time. We live in a culture that has deliberately drifted from its biblical foundations. And the result is visible decay and the loss of beauty, order, and shared values. But we don't have to accept that decline as inevitable. The good news is that real change begins right where we are, right in our homes, our appearance, our neighborhoods, our families, and our daily chores. Dressing with dignity, stewarding our homes and communities with care, protecting our attention from endless screens, and raising the next generation with eyes on wonder and truth rather than the devices in their hands, provide living proof that a society rooted in biblical principles doesn't just survive, but it flourishes. And when we remember that the God who set the stars in place and holds the universe together is the same God who calls us to love him with all our heart, soul, and mind, we can move forward with confidence and hope rather than discouragement. My challenge to you this week is to be a woman who doesn't merely observe the decay, but will start rebuilding one faithful, beautiful, ordered day at a time. And be sure to share it with those in your community and circle of influence. All right, I'll see you back here next Friday.