Gilligan’s Island

What fun it was to watch Gilligan’s Island 🏝 when I was a kid! I was 10 years old in 1964 when it came out, and it ran for 3 seasons. I suspect it’s been in re-run syndication ever since, and is available on all sorts of media venues. As I’ve mentioned before in some of my earlier writings, I spent a lot of time watching TV 📺 when I was young; probably way too much. It kept me “busy,” a bit distracted from reality, but for the most part it entertained the little lost girl that I was.

🎼 “Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip, that started from this tropic port, aboard this tiny ship. The mate was a mighty sailor man, the skipper brave and sure. Five passengers set sail that day for a three-hour tour. A three-hour tour.” 🎶

In case you’re too young to remember, the show was about a group of seven people who were stranded on a deserted island, who’s activities and antics we’re primarily centered around getting off the island. They also entertained themselves with crazy skits and just plain silliness, however the irony and endlessly frustrating thread throughout the majority of the episodes was the fact that somehow other people came to the island and somehow always managed to get off. Whereas the seven castaways always somehow failed each time to get off of the island. And, invariably, it was Gilligan who sabotaged all of their attempts to escape the island.

Recently, while listening to a radio talk show, I learned that the show’s creator, Sherwood Schwartz, admitted that each of the “Gilligan’s Island” characters represented one of the Seven Deadly Sins (per Roman Catholic theology).

For example,

1. The Professor was guilty of pride.

2. Mary Ann was envious of Ginger.

3. Ginger was lustful.

4. The Skipper was a glutton.

5. Mrs. Howell was angry often.

6. Mr. Howell was wealthy and greedy.

7. And last, but not least, Gilligan was the sloth.

Interestingly, while researching this topic, I also found some articles that both changed and deepened the plot. The plot twists claim that Mrs. Howell was actually the sloth, that the Skipper had two sins, gluttony and anger, and that Gilligan represented the devil. Their primary reasoning was that Gilligan wore a red shirt, and sabotaged every attempt to get off the island, aka “hell.” Interesting theory. 🤔

I prefer the first theory over the second, but who knows? I could be wrong.

Gilligan was such a likable guy, but maybe he was the devil and only portrayed himself to be a likable guy. The Bible does warn us that Satan sometimes disguises himself as an angel of light. Maybe Gilligan’s sabotages were ultimately to keep them all there in their private hell, forever bound in their sin…. 🤔

Wait, it was just a TV show.

Anyway, I find it interesting that the inspiration behind the creator of Gilligan’s Island was based upon the theology of the Seven Deadly Sins. While I’m not a Catholic, I do agree that sin is deadly, But more so, I believe that sin is deadly but primarily to the point of unbelief.

Because…..

When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we’re made free in that faith. More so, it is in the gift of faith, the conviction of sin, repentance, and trust in Jesus alone, that we are freed from the penalty of sin. It’s the Great Exchange.

The bad news is that we’re all sinners, (Romans 3:23.) Furthermore, Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death, but the good news is this: the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So the moral of the story is this:

If you stay in your sin and never come to an authentic faith and relationship with Jesus; you’ll “never get off that island” and will spend eternity separated from Him.

Don’t “castaway” your life for the fleeting pleasures of sin. Sin is a snare of the devil. Don’t be fooled. Turn to Jesus today in repentance and faith; place your trust in His sacrificial death for your sins. Keeping in mind, being a Christian doesn’t make you sinless, but as you grow in Christ, you’ll sin less as God changes you from the inside out.

Christians not only make it “off that island” but have eternal life beginning here on earth and lasting into eternity with Jesus. ❤️