War of the Philosophers
My dear sire, I must confess
I find your case ridiculous
You claim there's truth that's absolute
but all these things I can refute.
For instance, take that maple tree
Its size is relative to me.
Decisions based on what I see
help make me act accordingly.
If I see no tree, very well
It does not live within my realm
with no evidence, why believe?
unless shown to the contrary
It's truth to me, can I be blamed
for ignorance's wily claims?
My truth may yet be wrong for you,
You stubbed the tree with your left shoe.
You believe from experience
A real run-in with providence.
Denied I was this lofty claim
So shall I rot in sinful shame?
Nay, that would be illogical.
How can God choose to lose my soul?
He would present Himself to me
if He wanted me to believe.
Well, what have you to say to me?
Is there an argument to see?
Sir, I have listened to your speech
I find relative thought quite bleak.
You would suggest that faith is sight
So by your claims, darkness is light
As long as you believe it so
consequences are what you know.
I cannot fathom death at all
Might I jump off Niagara Falls?
I will not taste pain, fear or death
for I don't see its existence.
But methinks we can all agree;
Death is set for every being.
Furthermore, what of the statement
"No absolutes; all truth is bent"
With your own reasoning you prove
your logic lives in absolutes.
You claim disbelief in my Lord
because He shows no neon board.
But tell me, if you have not seen
How do you know you don't believe?
After all, how can man doubt trees
if desert plain is all he sees?
Perhaps I instilled thought of God
But morality is the Law
All humans first know right from wrong
before singing subjective song
Surely the thought does not exist
Unless a force presented it.
So forgive me as I say with glee
Your relative truth is absolutely unrelative to me.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Seduction of the church
Seduction of the church
People of the church give cheer
For Christ's redeeming grace is near
Lift your hands and say the words
Your soul will soar among the birds
No matter how bad the deed
Christ's blood will cover all your needs
If you ever sin again
No fear -- just read Romans Seven
Just make sure to ignore Six
No need to think Paul contradicts.
By the way, don't read First John
He didn't mean "your sin is gone"
He knows you are far too weak;
There's no such thing as "gone" in Greek.
God just says we can be free
He really can't change you and me
I mean, it's absurd to think
Our God can cleanse us in a wink
Sinful beings cannot be fixed
The blood of Jesus does the trick
What do you mean "holy stuff"?
How dare you say God's not enough!
Our sinfulness proves our cause
Christians, holy?! We break no law
well, I mean -- we're sinners too,
but Christ says we're as good as new!
God can't expect holiness
we're ill-equipped for sin's mischief
The whole point of Calvary
was to forgive eternally.
Hmph, you think Christians obey
and carry through with all they say?
How naive! Are you judging me?
Just read God's Word and you will see:
Surely God would let us know
If sinlessness were possible.
People of the church give cheer
For Christ's redeeming grace is near
Lift your hands and say the words
Your soul will soar among the birds
No matter how bad the deed
Christ's blood will cover all your needs
If you ever sin again
No fear -- just read Romans Seven
Just make sure to ignore Six
No need to think Paul contradicts.
By the way, don't read First John
He didn't mean "your sin is gone"
He knows you are far too weak;
There's no such thing as "gone" in Greek.
God just says we can be free
He really can't change you and me
I mean, it's absurd to think
Our God can cleanse us in a wink
Sinful beings cannot be fixed
The blood of Jesus does the trick
What do you mean "holy stuff"?
How dare you say God's not enough!
Our sinfulness proves our cause
Christians, holy?! We break no law
well, I mean -- we're sinners too,
but Christ says we're as good as new!
God can't expect holiness
we're ill-equipped for sin's mischief
The whole point of Calvary
was to forgive eternally.
Hmph, you think Christians obey
and carry through with all they say?
How naive! Are you judging me?
Just read God's Word and you will see:
Surely God would let us know
If sinlessness were possible.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
The Respectables vs. The Revolutionaries: Tools of the Evil One
A peer of mine asked me recently if I had any thoughts about why society is so messed up. I have a lot to say about how society is messed up, but admittedly, I have never discussed in satisfactory detail why it has become this way. Both of us acknowledged that the easy and true answer is "Satan", but we want to delve deeper into the methods and tools used by Satan to motivate people to continue living in such a fallen world. This way we will be more informed and successfully counteract Satan’s attacks. I will attempt to answer this very difficult question as the Lord inspires me. Hopefully I can skim the surface -- this may yet become my lifelong search and question that I attempt to answer.
Society is influenced by the leaders or the more respected people.
During a given period in history there has always been one group in each culture esteemed as "The Respectables". I will define this word as I perceive it: a person or persons whose thinking holds sway over the masses. Their ideologies are cast, sometimes forcibly, among the people and become the new "norm". Here is my definition of "norm": the predominant belief system of the majority of the people regarding politics, morality, equality, and society; anyone straying from this (the "revolutionaries") is seen as dangerous, uncultured, and wrong. "Revolutionaries" are thus: a minority group who disagree with or distrust the Respectables and seek to turn the norm in their favor.
Once the Revolutionaries gain ground on the Respectables, the norm starts to change into the belief system of the revolutionaries. We see this over and over again in history. The Nazis were considered the Respectables in their country until they were overthrown by the change-seeking Revolutionaries. The church in the Middle Ages discouraged any sort of intellectualism until they were overthrown by the Enlightenment, who were in turn overthrown by another movement who reacted against the beliefs of the Enlightenment. Slavery was considered acceptable until a group of people took a stand against it.
I believe you understand my gist without me citing valid historical documents. Forgive me if my statements above are incorrect (better yet -- correct me!), but those are common and brief history lessons easily found in any textbook. One day I would like to research these in more depth, but I will ask you to call upon your history lessons of old in order to keep this blog short.
In any case, there is a pull for power from either end of the political, social, and moral spectrum. Imagine Power itself as a game of Tug-of-War; one side will be winning, the other side will fight back until they are both on equal ground, and then the other side will inevitably win. But the power struggle continues, as the winner's prize is to fight the next contestant who comes along. Power is not like Gumby, who can be stretched equally in any direction. Look at how at the Scriptures point to a tug-of-war for balance.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
1There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven--
2A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
3A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
5A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
6A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
8A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.
The leaders are often influenced by Satan and sin.
What motivates these fighting groups to start the war for Power? Most of the time it is for such sins as Pride (more fame), Greed (more spoil), or Envy (more land), but occasionally there are those valiant Freedom Fighters who yearn to release the oppressed from their chains of bondage. Perspective has a lot to do with this as well; the Nazis argued that they were oppressed by the Jews, so they decided to rid themselves of a problem. For the sake of argument, let us all agree that when I say "valiant", I mean it in the Godly way -- so no, my perspective would never suggest that the Nazis are heroes. Quite the opposite, actually. As we are all aware, those with valiant hearts who set the enslaved free will taste brief victory -- sometimes for their lifetime or for a few generations -- but inevitably, those who come after them will become the Slave Drivers instead of the Freedom Fighters. The cycle continues. Our world will never see peace.
Here is an example of a successful man of God who was succeeded by his evil son, who was in turn succeeded by an evil son -- both of whom seduced God's chosen people to sin.
[Hezekiah] did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan. He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. And the LORD was with him; wherever he went he prospered. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. 2 Kings 18:3-5, 7
[Manaasseh] did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD dispossessed before the sons of Israel. For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 2 Kings 21:2-3
Is humanity lost to its sin? Will the winnings of the valiant and brave be forever corrupted by the villainy of men until Christ comes again?
We know Satan holds sway over this world -- for now.
Ephesians 2:1-2 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
Revelation 2:12-13 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: 'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
Revelation 20:2-3 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.
Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Romans 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
We know that humans seem to be doomed to repeat history (because they never learn from their sin, not because God wants it this way!)
Ecclesiastes 1:9-11
9That which has been is that which will be,
And that which has been done is that which will be done.
So there is nothing new under the sun.
10Is there anything of which one might say,
"See this, it is new"?
Already it has existed for ages
Which were before us.
11There is no remembrance of earlier things;
And also of the later things which will occur,
There will be for them no remembrance
Among those who will come later still.
Judges 3:7-9, 12-13, 15 and 4:1 8Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years. 9When the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the sons of Israel to deliver them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. 12Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD So the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. 13And he gathered to himself the sons of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and defeated Israel, and they possessed the city of the palm trees. 15But when the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. 1Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, after Ehud died. (this just keeps going. . . )
The sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
So if sin, or disobedience to God, is the reason why humans will never have world peace, why won't they just wise up and stop sinning?! Well, you'd think that the knowledge of a loving Savior who forgives and cleanses us from sin would be enough. You'd think the Good News would actually sound good to people instead of sounding like an unfashionable trap. But then again, people often underestimate the seducing power of the Respectables and their Norm.
My next blog will discuss the root of the problem, sin, and how Satan uses his tools to make sin seem more important than obeying God.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Effects of the Media: Part 4 -- The Great Escape
After witnessing so much evil promoted via the media, I have to wonder why it is so alluring to people. Why do people abandon the path of the Lord and willingly follow a cheap imitation of life? I believe most of it has to do with wanting to escape the pressures of life itself, especially a life of righteousness. Since the rise of the hand-held media, humans have been escaping the need to self-reflect and sit quietly for a while. I rarely witness a person sitting quietly without earplugs or an iPod or a video game. The thought of sitting still and not doing anything but thinking or praying is terrifying to a great number of people. Why is this? Well, why should they when they can be amused and avoiding the nagging suspicion that something is missing in their life? They can attempt the fill the gaping hole in their heart with what the media claims will "complete" them, like sex or materialism.
These are the results of a culture saturated by godless media, who eagerly promote sin and a "freeing" escape from righteousness:
Where does it lead these people? To a life of bondage, sin, and oppression and eventually -- Hell, the final and ultimate separation from God. This seems really dramatic, but it is the sad truth of our culture. We must be passionate about setting people free just as Jesus was.
Luke 4:17-21 "And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
18"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
19TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."
20And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Discussing the effects of the media has been a horrifying and eye-opening experience. Not wanting to sound redundant, I will shy away from replacing "Lust" with every other sin the media shamelessly promotes and leave you with the gist of my findings: Proverbs 5:1-9 (imagine the 'adulteress' as the media -- who abandon the ideals of God and all the good they could do and leap willingly into bed with Satan)
"1My son, give attention to my wisdom,
Incline your ear to my understanding;
2That you may observe discretion
And your lips may reserve knowledge.
3For the lips of an adulteress drip honey
And smoother than oil is her speech;
4But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.
5Her feet go down to death,
Her steps take hold of Sheol.
6She does not ponder the path of life;
Her ways are unstable, she does not know it.
7Now then, my sons, listen to me
And do not depart from the words of my mouth.
8Keep your way far from her
And do not go near the door of her house,
9Or you will give your vigor to others
And your years to the cruel one;"
Hopefully if you've read my previous blogs on the Effects of the Media you will see how the media twists the Truth to ensnare souls. I do not suggest that as Christians, we should permanently avoid the media; however, take great discretion and care when allowing doses of potential poison to enter your mind. The eye does not readily forget what it has seen and the lasting impressions of an alluring sinful life may tempt a soul to the point of sin.
May it never be! May we never encourage this evil to continue.
If you currently find yourself ensnared by the media -- whether with an un-Biblical mindset, relationship, or means of entertainment -- and want to escape it, there is a way out. While the media offers a cheap imitation of life as an escape, Jesus Christ is the Great Escape from all evil and unrighteousness. Call upon Him in all humility and grace to rid your life of sin. There is no sin too big to be forgiven, and there is no sin too great to escape immediately. Even if you have been addicted to porn for years, you can be set free by committing your whole heart and mind to the path of the Lord. Take heart in knowing that "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 Confess your sin to God and tell of your struggles to a trusted Christian. You are never alone; Jesus was given to set us free. John 8:36: "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."
Amen.
These are the results of a culture saturated by godless media, who eagerly promote sin and a "freeing" escape from righteousness:
- Instead of focusing on God, people focus on how to get away with breaking rules.
- Instead of focusing on what makes a Godly relationship, people focus on how to improve the pleasure for self.
- Instead of self-reflecting, people distract themselves with media and consumerism.
- Instead of living life, people live it vicariously through a godless character.
Where does it lead these people? To a life of bondage, sin, and oppression and eventually -- Hell, the final and ultimate separation from God. This seems really dramatic, but it is the sad truth of our culture. We must be passionate about setting people free just as Jesus was.
Luke 4:17-21 "And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
18"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
19TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."
20And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Discussing the effects of the media has been a horrifying and eye-opening experience. Not wanting to sound redundant, I will shy away from replacing "Lust" with every other sin the media shamelessly promotes and leave you with the gist of my findings: Proverbs 5:1-9 (imagine the 'adulteress' as the media -- who abandon the ideals of God and all the good they could do and leap willingly into bed with Satan)
"1My son, give attention to my wisdom,
Incline your ear to my understanding;
2That you may observe discretion
And your lips may reserve knowledge.
3For the lips of an adulteress drip honey
And smoother than oil is her speech;
4But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.
5Her feet go down to death,
Her steps take hold of Sheol.
6She does not ponder the path of life;
Her ways are unstable, she does not know it.
7Now then, my sons, listen to me
And do not depart from the words of my mouth.
8Keep your way far from her
And do not go near the door of her house,
9Or you will give your vigor to others
And your years to the cruel one;"
Hopefully if you've read my previous blogs on the Effects of the Media you will see how the media twists the Truth to ensnare souls. I do not suggest that as Christians, we should permanently avoid the media; however, take great discretion and care when allowing doses of potential poison to enter your mind. The eye does not readily forget what it has seen and the lasting impressions of an alluring sinful life may tempt a soul to the point of sin.
May it never be! May we never encourage this evil to continue.
If you currently find yourself ensnared by the media -- whether with an un-Biblical mindset, relationship, or means of entertainment -- and want to escape it, there is a way out. While the media offers a cheap imitation of life as an escape, Jesus Christ is the Great Escape from all evil and unrighteousness. Call upon Him in all humility and grace to rid your life of sin. There is no sin too big to be forgiven, and there is no sin too great to escape immediately. Even if you have been addicted to porn for years, you can be set free by committing your whole heart and mind to the path of the Lord. Take heart in knowing that "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 Confess your sin to God and tell of your struggles to a trusted Christian. You are never alone; Jesus was given to set us free. John 8:36: "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."
Amen.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Effects of the Media: Part 3 -- "Femininity" and (de)Masculinity
Similar to the topic of love, the roles of men and women in today's society is worthy of a string of blogs. I will concentrate on the direct effect of the media on the portrayal of roles and shy away from the controversial topics of equality and leadership. I think we will all agree that America changed its views on the roles of men and women in society quite often in the past century. While some changes brought liberation to the enslaved, more recent and disturbing changes are bringing the "land of the free" into a lifestyle of sin and extreme unhappiness.
Media portrayal as it relates to intimate relationships
Women are only considered mature when they are sexual objects, to be conquered and appraised. Women should appreciate the attention, as it gives them a better selection of mates. Do you ever notice that female child stars will not be given older roles in movies unless they "put out" first? Female singers dress like strippers and the ultimate beauty contest has women walking around in bikinis onstage. The mark of a woman's worth is her transparent sexuality.
Young men are typically portrayed as glamorous womanizers, marking their masculinity by "conquering" the most females. Middle-aged men are shown as disgruntled and sexually dissatisfied husbands who seek elsewhere to fulfill their needs; the majority of movies and TV shows I have seen portray this in a negative light, but this behavior has become more socially acceptable in recent years on TV and real life.
Consequences: I already discussed some consequences of a sex-drenched media in my earlier blog, "Effects of the Media: Part 2 -- Warped Love and Sexuality". Among the divorce rates and rampant rise in sexually transmitted diseases, there is an insatiable thirst for sex. Sex was never meant to be the thing to base a relationship on or to find fulfillment in; however, our society has made everything sexual in a vain attempt to find lasting satisfaction. Sex is glamorized in the media and gives people a false sense of its true purpose and function, ultimately disappointing the millions who believed it to be a necessary and lasting proponent of a relationship. "15To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed." Titus 1:15-16
Media portrayal as it relates to work and the home
Women must react against the chauvinist pigs and propel their worthiness by refusing to be "just a mother". Women must hold down a demanding job while nearly single-handedly rearing their children into responsible adults. They typically feel resentment toward their husband, who is either too focused on his career or not enough. This leaves the wives feeling unappreciated and overwhelmed with juggling duties. The wife finds solace in asserting her intelligence; after all, what are husbands good for if she does it all?
Men are inept at raising children and allow the children to do precisely what the mother said not to do, as long as they keep it a secret. The men feel trapped in a career they no longer love and must remain in it to support the growing family and the demands of a materialistic life; conversely, they love their career too much and neglect their family emotionally while providing for them physically. Most of the time the men feel like they deserve something for their sacrifices. When the wife does not provide this "something", whether it be sex or respect, they seek elsewhere to find it.
Consequences: Marriages are more of a business transaction than a relationship. The husband and wife resent each other and feel trapped in a loveless, draining marriage based entirely on rearing children. There is no unity among husband and wife, no lasting affection, and no respect. 22"Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity." Acts 8:22-23
The new "norm" of society due to the media portrayals: Do it all, be it all
Men are expected to sow their wild oats, lead a monogamous life, and inevitably stray. They are expected to be dangerous, exciting, able to make decisions but defer to the woman (lest they be called a chauvinist). The men must also tap into their feminine side by improving their communication skills; however, if they do this they must be gay. Men must be perfect gentlemen and open doors for women, but if they do they must believe women are weaker!
Women are expected to be as sexually appealing as they can be to attract the straying men, ensnare them with their womanly wiles, have children to trap the men into a monogamous lifestyle, raise successful children while holding down a demanding career.
The men in our world are being thrown contradicting half-lies. They are always receiving criticism and never respect or encouragement. Instead of being encouraged to lead, they must be submissive so that the equality of their relationship with their wife is never questioned by outsiders. But if they don't make decisions they are considered weak. The men cannot win! Why should they even bother trying? The women in our world have always suffered from low self-esteem and crippling doubt. The one thing women have that men do not is their alluring sexuality. Women know they can typically succeed in manipulating men with their sexual advances. "And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her." Ecclesiastes 7:26 While they have been treated unfairly in the past, women now equate anything that men typically do that women are not encouraged to do with inequality and chauvinism. This can range from legitimate concerns about prejudice in the workforce to paranoid complaints about men automatically paying for dinner. In their search for equality and freedom, women found slavery to the belief that they can be just like men -- only better.
8"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:8-12
"18For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them." 2 Peter 2:18-21 (bold mine)
" 9But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?" Galatians 4:9
Media portrayal as it relates to intimate relationships
Women are only considered mature when they are sexual objects, to be conquered and appraised. Women should appreciate the attention, as it gives them a better selection of mates. Do you ever notice that female child stars will not be given older roles in movies unless they "put out" first? Female singers dress like strippers and the ultimate beauty contest has women walking around in bikinis onstage. The mark of a woman's worth is her transparent sexuality.
Young men are typically portrayed as glamorous womanizers, marking their masculinity by "conquering" the most females. Middle-aged men are shown as disgruntled and sexually dissatisfied husbands who seek elsewhere to fulfill their needs; the majority of movies and TV shows I have seen portray this in a negative light, but this behavior has become more socially acceptable in recent years on TV and real life.
Consequences: I already discussed some consequences of a sex-drenched media in my earlier blog, "Effects of the Media: Part 2 -- Warped Love and Sexuality". Among the divorce rates and rampant rise in sexually transmitted diseases, there is an insatiable thirst for sex. Sex was never meant to be the thing to base a relationship on or to find fulfillment in; however, our society has made everything sexual in a vain attempt to find lasting satisfaction. Sex is glamorized in the media and gives people a false sense of its true purpose and function, ultimately disappointing the millions who believed it to be a necessary and lasting proponent of a relationship. "15To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed." Titus 1:15-16
Media portrayal as it relates to work and the home
Women must react against the chauvinist pigs and propel their worthiness by refusing to be "just a mother". Women must hold down a demanding job while nearly single-handedly rearing their children into responsible adults. They typically feel resentment toward their husband, who is either too focused on his career or not enough. This leaves the wives feeling unappreciated and overwhelmed with juggling duties. The wife finds solace in asserting her intelligence; after all, what are husbands good for if she does it all?
Men are inept at raising children and allow the children to do precisely what the mother said not to do, as long as they keep it a secret. The men feel trapped in a career they no longer love and must remain in it to support the growing family and the demands of a materialistic life; conversely, they love their career too much and neglect their family emotionally while providing for them physically. Most of the time the men feel like they deserve something for their sacrifices. When the wife does not provide this "something", whether it be sex or respect, they seek elsewhere to find it.
Consequences: Marriages are more of a business transaction than a relationship. The husband and wife resent each other and feel trapped in a loveless, draining marriage based entirely on rearing children. There is no unity among husband and wife, no lasting affection, and no respect. 22"Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity." Acts 8:22-23
The new "norm" of society due to the media portrayals: Do it all, be it all
Men are expected to sow their wild oats, lead a monogamous life, and inevitably stray. They are expected to be dangerous, exciting, able to make decisions but defer to the woman (lest they be called a chauvinist). The men must also tap into their feminine side by improving their communication skills; however, if they do this they must be gay. Men must be perfect gentlemen and open doors for women, but if they do they must believe women are weaker!
Women are expected to be as sexually appealing as they can be to attract the straying men, ensnare them with their womanly wiles, have children to trap the men into a monogamous lifestyle, raise successful children while holding down a demanding career.
The men in our world are being thrown contradicting half-lies. They are always receiving criticism and never respect or encouragement. Instead of being encouraged to lead, they must be submissive so that the equality of their relationship with their wife is never questioned by outsiders. But if they don't make decisions they are considered weak. The men cannot win! Why should they even bother trying? The women in our world have always suffered from low self-esteem and crippling doubt. The one thing women have that men do not is their alluring sexuality. Women know they can typically succeed in manipulating men with their sexual advances. "And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her." Ecclesiastes 7:26 While they have been treated unfairly in the past, women now equate anything that men typically do that women are not encouraged to do with inequality and chauvinism. This can range from legitimate concerns about prejudice in the workforce to paranoid complaints about men automatically paying for dinner. In their search for equality and freedom, women found slavery to the belief that they can be just like men -- only better.
"It is a naive sort of feminism that insists that women prove their ability to do all the things that men do. This is a distortion and a travesty. Men have never sought to prove that they can do all the things women do. Why subject women to purely masculine criteria? Woman can and ought to be judged by the criteria of femininity, for it is in their femininity that they participate in the human race. And femininity has its limitations. So has masculinity." Elisabeth Elliot, Let me be a Woman
What if?
But what if the majority of America did not look like this? What if Christians took a noble stand and defied the media and public expectations? It would look a lot like this:
"2Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. 3Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. 6Likewise urge the young men to be sensible;7in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, 8sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us." Titus 2: 2-8
"The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will." 2 Timothy 2: 24-26
"9How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word." Psalm 119:9
Why is this not so easy?
8"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:8-12
"18For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them." 2 Peter 2:18-21 (bold mine)
" 9But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?" Galatians 4:9
We must speak out against the media when it spouts lies. If a TV show says that women are entitled to view men as sexual objects because men do it to women, I encourage you to speak out against it at the appropriate time. Even just a "well that's horrible" will stick in a person's mind and make them wonder why you disliked that statement. They might think you take things too seriously or they might get into a conversation because of it. More than just speaking out against it, we must model the Biblical approach to our relationships, work and home lives. We cannot defeat evil by encouraging evil; we must fight it with Truth.
May God grant you the strength you need to appropriately fight media's lies.Thursday, May 28, 2009
Effects of the Media: Part 2 -- Warped Love and Sexuality
Love is such an expansive topic, I cannot possibly hope to penetrate all of its amazing qualities in one blog. I will concentrate on the way the media twisted the idea and definition of love into lust. For simplicity's sake I will define love based off of 1 Corinthians 13. When I say "love", I am discussing Agape, the long-lasting choice to put your romantic partner's well-being above yours. When the media says "love" they mean Eros, the emotion-based love that is dependent on circumstances. You cannot hope to have a lasting, functional relationship without Agape, but the media suggests that love can survive entirely off of lust, or even Eros. I will show why their portrayals are faulty and how it has affected impressionable viewers.
I must take a position of compassion and righteous anger when it comes to the topic of Warped Love and sexuality. So many people destroyed their lives and the lives of others through their pursuit of Love, or what masquerades as love. My compassion mourns for the souls who have broken hearts and for those who believe their sinful actions are justified all in the name of "love". It seems as though this "love" is rampant throughout the world, reaping destruction and pain in its path. I know this love to be an impostor. Love, by definition, cannot be a thing that destroys; it is the action that builds up those around us. Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
When I make an effort to read this definition from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 slowly, I recognize all of the ways the world does not show love the way it is meant to be. The main force that encourages the lies about love is the media. Love is now synonymous with Lust and Self-Absorption. Instead of enduring all things it endures until money gets too tight. It is something to fall in and out of, uncontrollable and based entirely on emotion. What happened to change love from a selfless action into a self-absorbed emotion? Part of it was a yearning for an escape from reality. Love is the most difficult thing to work at, so it is easier to make it seem like it is out of our control. As I surmised in my last blog, the complacency of the viewers contributed greatly. They gave the media one inch and the media took it and sprinted away until all voices either faded out in the distance or joined in. Once the younger generation grew up believing sexuality was a thing to be displayed or bought and love was a cheap dance of meaningless pursuits, the world fell deeper into sin.
These three scenarios are the extremes of media love -- every other possible scenario seems to be a variation of these listed. I will explain the media's portrayal, then show the faulty beliefs (lies) and combat it with truth as it applies to the definition of love (agape) in 1 Corinthian 13.
1) Two lovers meet in a bar, get drunk, and have sex. Their relationship will continue if the sex is good and end abruptly and awkwardly if the sex is bad, assuming they were not too drunk to remember. If they continue in a long relationship, one of them will inevitably "fall in love" with somebody else or have a sexual affair.
2) Two lovers fall in love at first sight. Through all challenges they persevere, even when avoiding the root of the problem. They will forsake all else for "true love".
3) Two people grow closer through their dangerous adventures together. They learn to protect each other and are sometimes willing to sacrifice their own lives to save the other. They can't help falling in love with the person who saved them.
Millions of people watch these scenarios play out and do not recognize anything wrong with them; in fact, they believe this alternative to be better than reality and attempt to mirror it in their own lives. Their escape from reality only lasts for 2 hours in a movie, so they take what they perceived and apply it to their own lives and seek to encourage others to do the same. Once society sees how "free" these people are, it models the behavior as the new "norm".
We have hundreds of thousands of desperate people searching for lasting love in a sexual escapade. Why is this such an issue? Because once these people realize that what they have is not love (or they find something better), they want out! The projected divorce rate in America is 50%! http://www.divorcerate.org/ We have a generation of children who believe that love is not lasting, that it is something not to be trusted or even attempted. Children who were affected by adultery (or sexually dissatisfied parents) believe love cannot last without sex, and this idea is only reinforced in the media which they so readily absorb.
Before these children even grow up they are attempting to find love through sexual endeavors. "A study presented in 2008 revealed that around 26% of young American women aged 14-19 are infected with at least one of the four most common sexually transmitted infections. This amounts to around 3.2 million female teenagers. The most widespread infection is HPV (human papilloma virus, which can cause genital warts and cervical cancer), found in 18% of young women. In second place is chlamydia, with a 4% infection rate. The study found that African American teenagers are most severely affected; around 48% of young African American women have an STD, compared to 20% of young white women." http://www.avert.org/stdstatisticusa.htm
How does our brilliant and culturally evolved society attempt to combat these appalling STD statistics? By promoting miracle drugs and getting rid of any programs that promote abstinence. What's more, some people in government are attempting to enforce the HPV vaccine on ALL female girls as a "preventive measure", whether they plan to be involved with a previously sexually active male or not. http://pediatrics.about.com/od/immunizations/a/0207_hpv_school.htm
This affects our society spiritually as well: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Ephesians 5:1-5) Oh boy, well this is not very popular.
So what shall we do? Obviously we must follow God's commands and not be swayed by the evil ways of the world. I recommend you read Psalm 37. Besides the beautiful passage regularly quoted "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart...." it has this: "The wicked plots against the righteous/ And gnashes at him with his teeth. /The Lord laughs at him, /For He sees his day is coming." Pslam 37:12-13. Honestly, it makes me very relived to know that our God is so powerful He can just laugh at the wicked the way my big brother laughs at me when I try to punch him. The wicked are no force to reckon with when we have God on our side.
Be ready to speak against evil. Your time will come when you must stand up for what you believe in.
I must take a position of compassion and righteous anger when it comes to the topic of Warped Love and sexuality. So many people destroyed their lives and the lives of others through their pursuit of Love, or what masquerades as love. My compassion mourns for the souls who have broken hearts and for those who believe their sinful actions are justified all in the name of "love". It seems as though this "love" is rampant throughout the world, reaping destruction and pain in its path. I know this love to be an impostor. Love, by definition, cannot be a thing that destroys; it is the action that builds up those around us. Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
When I make an effort to read this definition from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 slowly, I recognize all of the ways the world does not show love the way it is meant to be. The main force that encourages the lies about love is the media. Love is now synonymous with Lust and Self-Absorption. Instead of enduring all things it endures until money gets too tight. It is something to fall in and out of, uncontrollable and based entirely on emotion. What happened to change love from a selfless action into a self-absorbed emotion? Part of it was a yearning for an escape from reality. Love is the most difficult thing to work at, so it is easier to make it seem like it is out of our control. As I surmised in my last blog, the complacency of the viewers contributed greatly. They gave the media one inch and the media took it and sprinted away until all voices either faded out in the distance or joined in. Once the younger generation grew up believing sexuality was a thing to be displayed or bought and love was a cheap dance of meaningless pursuits, the world fell deeper into sin.
These three scenarios are the extremes of media love -- every other possible scenario seems to be a variation of these listed. I will explain the media's portrayal, then show the faulty beliefs (lies) and combat it with truth as it applies to the definition of love (agape) in 1 Corinthian 13.
1) Two lovers meet in a bar, get drunk, and have sex. Their relationship will continue if the sex is good and end abruptly and awkwardly if the sex is bad, assuming they were not too drunk to remember. If they continue in a long relationship, one of them will inevitably "fall in love" with somebody else or have a sexual affair.
- Impressionable lies: People base their relationship entirely off of sexual appeal and satisfaction and find happiness in this. The only reason their relationship failed was because one person was unhappy sexually; therefore, sex is a requirement to make a relationship work.
- Combative truth: A "love" based on how much the partner can pleasure you is not love at all, it is merely sexual attraction and lust. Sex is a natural part of a loving relationship, where two people can entrust their hearts, minds, and bodies to each other in the committed covenant of a marriage. It is not the most important part of a relationship and should not be a "deal maker or breaker".
2) Two lovers fall in love at first sight. Through all challenges they persevere, even when avoiding the root of the problem. They will forsake all else for "true love".
- Lies: Love is based off of first impressions and chemical reactions. True love should come naturally; if it is difficult then it must not be love. Nothing is as important as true love, even if that means going back on your commitments.
- Truth: Love is a decision to act patiently, kindly, becomingly, humbly, selflessly, righteously, truthfully, faithfully, hopefully for all times in all situations no matter what. For most people it takes a lot of work to act in this way toward all people, especially in trying times. True love will not harm another person in order to thrive; it will not forsake its commitments and promises. When celebrities say "I left my wife because I found my true love" they are not acting in a selfless way. They can decide whether to love their wife whether they "feel" something or not.
3) Two people grow closer through their dangerous adventures together. They learn to protect each other and are sometimes willing to sacrifice their own lives to save the other. They can't help falling in love with the person who saved them.
- Lies: Adventure and danger makes a person more appealing. Love is always exciting and you owe it to the person who protects you.
- Truth: Love perseveres through difficulty, it is true, but it is not necessarily a product of difficult times. You choose to love someone whether that person is adventurous or not. Giving your heart to somebody should mean they are worthy of your love and respect. A person who has no morality and who treats the opposite sex as flesh to satisfy their desires is not a worthy candidate for love. They should be shown love the way Jesus loves sinners, but it would be unwise to trust and love a person who does not love anyone but themselves.
Millions of people watch these scenarios play out and do not recognize anything wrong with them; in fact, they believe this alternative to be better than reality and attempt to mirror it in their own lives. Their escape from reality only lasts for 2 hours in a movie, so they take what they perceived and apply it to their own lives and seek to encourage others to do the same. Once society sees how "free" these people are, it models the behavior as the new "norm".
We have hundreds of thousands of desperate people searching for lasting love in a sexual escapade. Why is this such an issue? Because once these people realize that what they have is not love (or they find something better), they want out! The projected divorce rate in America is 50%! http://www.divorcerate.org/ We have a generation of children who believe that love is not lasting, that it is something not to be trusted or even attempted. Children who were affected by adultery (or sexually dissatisfied parents) believe love cannot last without sex, and this idea is only reinforced in the media which they so readily absorb.
Before these children even grow up they are attempting to find love through sexual endeavors. "A study presented in 2008 revealed that around 26% of young American women aged 14-19 are infected with at least one of the four most common sexually transmitted infections. This amounts to around 3.2 million female teenagers. The most widespread infection is HPV (human papilloma virus, which can cause genital warts and cervical cancer), found in 18% of young women. In second place is chlamydia, with a 4% infection rate. The study found that African American teenagers are most severely affected; around 48% of young African American women have an STD, compared to 20% of young white women." http://www.avert.org/
How does our brilliant and culturally evolved society attempt to combat these appalling STD statistics? By promoting miracle drugs and getting rid of any programs that promote abstinence. What's more, some people in government are attempting to enforce the HPV vaccine on ALL female girls as a "preventive measure", whether they plan to be involved with a previously sexually active male or not. http://pediatrics.about.com/
This affects our society spiritually as well: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Ephesians 5:1-5) Oh boy, well this is not very popular.
So what shall we do? Obviously we must follow God's commands and not be swayed by the evil ways of the world. I recommend you read Psalm 37. Besides the beautiful passage regularly quoted "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart...." it has this: "The wicked plots against the righteous/ And gnashes at him with his teeth. /The Lord laughs at him, /For He sees his day is coming." Pslam 37:12-13. Honestly, it makes me very relived to know that our God is so powerful He can just laugh at the wicked the way my big brother laughs at me when I try to punch him. The wicked are no force to reckon with when we have God on our side.
Be ready to speak against evil. Your time will come when you must stand up for what you believe in.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Effects of the Media: Part 1 -- Absolute(ly NOT) Truth
Let's face it. The media is more than a reflection of our current culture; it is the springboard from which every "evolved" cultural generation in America stems. It holds sway over millions of minds and poisons them with faulty beliefs about love, sex, and morality. I cannot blame the media single-handedly for being the cause of everything immoral in our country. The media would never have gotten as far as it did with its immorality if it were not for the complacency of the viewers. What caused the viewers to allow this shift in standards? I cannot say exactly, but I can assume love of sin had something to do with it. Instead of complaining to the company about the sex scene in a TV show, most viewers probably found themselves watching and enjoying it -- feeling guilty about it afterward and not wanting to be hypocritical by calling it in. Oh, I can imagine how Satan used these opportunities to convince people that their 'minor sin' was not a big deal. The minimal outrage was stifled by the rise in ratings; as a result, the current moral standard of our age was born, promoted eagerly by the media: there is no absolute truth; truth is specific to the individual.
Anyone find it ironic that the statement "there is no absolute truth" is in itself a statement of absolute truth?*
I believe I am very well qualified to discuss the negative effects of media on the mind. I have seen more than my fair share of the media's attempts to normalize sex, drugs, and violence. My opinions and actions were once majorly influenced by the media. My internal sense of right and wrong became clouded over the years and replaced with society's morals. This "truth" is so prevalent in our culture it permeates every area of life, from relationships to schools to careers. It is like people take the Romans 14 idea of "some things are a sin for you and not for me" and blow it wildly out of proportion. (Reference is Romans 14:16 "Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil. The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God.") Our culture is so tired of feeling judged it is trying to make the problem of "judging sins" disappear altogether and react by judging the righteous. If you say fornication is wrong and you do not fornicate, you are now considered sexually repressed and scared of sex. These kinds of people are explained in Scripture as well: "And although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." Romans 1:31-32
Society's truth: If you are the only one doing something right, you must be wrong. Any truth is the truth except for Absolute Truth.
Absolute Truth: "We must obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29
Society's dangerous and evil ideas were preceded by the media's portrayal of what is "good" by normalizing evil. The media twists the idea of righteousness to a more carnal pursuit, so that all may stay where they are morally and feel less guilty about their sin. Who would want to watch TV if they feel guilty all the time or feel like they have to change? Most people believe characters should not be goody-goody all the time -- there is no character development and people cannot relate to the character. It is better to create a flawed, but dashingly heroic character so the audience will relate on one level and fantasize about being this character on another. TV characters can get in and out of bed seemingly without emotional consequence. Real humans strive to be like these characters by sleeping around and expecting not to get hurt emotionally or damaged physically. Then when they realize real life is not like the TV, they attempt to take a pill for every sexually transmitted disease they receive so as not to reap the consequences of their actions and possibly lie to themselves about how emotionally damaged they are. The typical person will rationalize their behavior by saying sex is good, it is natural. Now don't get me wrong -- sex is good and natural, but God decrees that it meant only for traditional marriage. I will address the topic of sex, love and relationships in my next blog.
The media tries to keep their characters morally ambiguous. It is like when somebody asks you if you would be willing to rob a bank if that was the only way to keep your wife alive. Humans can see the pros and cons of the situation, and eventually talk themselves into sin because it is the "only way", or it "isn't so bad" or "you would do it too." For example: If McDreamy and whats-her-face are hopelessly in love, then by golly -- who's to stop him from marrying her, his wife?! How preposterous! He doesn't even love her anymore! Nothing can stop true love. So what if you have to commit adultery? Love is way more important than mere commitment. Or if Harry Potter cannot save the wizarding world without lying to a grown up, isn't it more important to lie and save the world? After all -- they would not be around to know he lied if he didn't save them!
You know what is so sad about this? I used to believe these lies! I used to internally struggle with the question of "is it okay for a man to abandon his wife if he doesn't love her anymore?" I tentatively settled on "yes" until the same thing happened to my mother. Then I wasn't so keen on the whole adultery for the sake of love thing. I used to mistake sin for nobility until God revealed to me why He hates it so much: sin causes destruction and separation from Him. "Hate evil, you who love the Lord,/Who preserves the souls of His godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked." Psalm 97:10
I bet Satan pats himself on the back for leading humanity into a revolt against righteousness. As Christians, we must not settle for complacency. We should constantly re-evaluate the content of movies, TV shows, books, magazines, and websites we allow ourselves and our loved ones to absorb. With God's Word and personal conviction from the Holy Spirit we should know what we ought to avoid and what we ought to promote. Philippians 4:8 gives us some direction: "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things".
If you think your brother or sister in Christ is involved in media that you would consider dangerous, first put it in perspective. If it is something as drastic as porn, it is absolutely wrong. If it is Harry Potter, you can always respectfully discuss with them why you think the material is immoral, but chances are you will agree to disagree. For example, I find it difficult to watch a movie with any sort of intimacy in it without turning away. But if I were watching a movie with another Christian friend and they were not affected by a happy kissing couple the way I was, it is not my place to judge whether that would be a sin for them or not. My life has certain boundaries that do not apply to others. I have to take certain precautions to avoid temptation in ways that my fellow Christian has never been tempted. I find these two verses in Romans very important when dealing with a situation like this: "Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned" Romans 14:22, 23a and "Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this -- not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way." Romans 14:13
It is important for me to feel confident about what media I take in. It is equally important for me to not cause my brother to stumble. I always try to check the content of any movie I watch or recommend and warn others ahead of time if it has questionable content in it. I use the website of www.screenit.com to get detailed reviews of movies from reliable sources. There are plenty of websites out there and I urge you to use them. It may seem dorky or overly cautious at first, but you will soon find it a blessing. "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3
Do your best to keep the content clean, but remember that you cannot know everybody else's temptations (you DO know all of yours). I have made the mistake of getting a movie I thought was clean because I could not find a review of it telling me otherwise. I put many people in an uncomfortable situation. This lesson taught me to look harder for a review next time and to review it myself if I had any doubts so as not to "put an obstacle in a brother's way."
More important than the differences in individual temptations is the calling we have to stay obedient to God's specific Word that applies to everybody. This is one of many, many examples of sin to avoid:
"There are six things which the LORD hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
18A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.
Proverbs 6:16-19
Let us follow His righteous commandments with a joyful heart, united in Spirit and love. The Lord is Truth, and His reign is Absolute.
* not my original quote
Anyone find it ironic that the statement "there is no absolute truth" is in itself a statement of absolute truth?*
I believe I am very well qualified to discuss the negative effects of media on the mind. I have seen more than my fair share of the media's attempts to normalize sex, drugs, and violence. My opinions and actions were once majorly influenced by the media. My internal sense of right and wrong became clouded over the years and replaced with society's morals. This "truth" is so prevalent in our culture it permeates every area of life, from relationships to schools to careers. It is like people take the Romans 14 idea of "some things are a sin for you and not for me" and blow it wildly out of proportion. (Reference is Romans 14:16 "Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil. The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God.") Our culture is so tired of feeling judged it is trying to make the problem of "judging sins" disappear altogether and react by judging the righteous. If you say fornication is wrong and you do not fornicate, you are now considered sexually repressed and scared of sex. These kinds of people are explained in Scripture as well: "And although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." Romans 1:31-32
Society's truth: If you are the only one doing something right, you must be wrong. Any truth is the truth except for Absolute Truth.
Absolute Truth: "We must obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29
Society's dangerous and evil ideas were preceded by the media's portrayal of what is "good" by normalizing evil. The media twists the idea of righteousness to a more carnal pursuit, so that all may stay where they are morally and feel less guilty about their sin. Who would want to watch TV if they feel guilty all the time or feel like they have to change? Most people believe characters should not be goody-goody all the time -- there is no character development and people cannot relate to the character. It is better to create a flawed, but dashingly heroic character so the audience will relate on one level and fantasize about being this character on another. TV characters can get in and out of bed seemingly without emotional consequence. Real humans strive to be like these characters by sleeping around and expecting not to get hurt emotionally or damaged physically. Then when they realize real life is not like the TV, they attempt to take a pill for every sexually transmitted disease they receive so as not to reap the consequences of their actions and possibly lie to themselves about how emotionally damaged they are. The typical person will rationalize their behavior by saying sex is good, it is natural. Now don't get me wrong -- sex is good and natural, but God decrees that it meant only for traditional marriage. I will address the topic of sex, love and relationships in my next blog.
The media tries to keep their characters morally ambiguous. It is like when somebody asks you if you would be willing to rob a bank if that was the only way to keep your wife alive. Humans can see the pros and cons of the situation, and eventually talk themselves into sin because it is the "only way", or it "isn't so bad" or "you would do it too." For example: If McDreamy and whats-her-face are hopelessly in love, then by golly -- who's to stop him from marrying her, his wife?! How preposterous! He doesn't even love her anymore! Nothing can stop true love. So what if you have to commit adultery? Love is way more important than mere commitment. Or if Harry Potter cannot save the wizarding world without lying to a grown up, isn't it more important to lie and save the world? After all -- they would not be around to know he lied if he didn't save them!
You know what is so sad about this? I used to believe these lies! I used to internally struggle with the question of "is it okay for a man to abandon his wife if he doesn't love her anymore?" I tentatively settled on "yes" until the same thing happened to my mother. Then I wasn't so keen on the whole adultery for the sake of love thing. I used to mistake sin for nobility until God revealed to me why He hates it so much: sin causes destruction and separation from Him. "Hate evil, you who love the Lord,/Who preserves the souls of His godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked." Psalm 97:10
I bet Satan pats himself on the back for leading humanity into a revolt against righteousness. As Christians, we must not settle for complacency. We should constantly re-evaluate the content of movies, TV shows, books, magazines, and websites we allow ourselves and our loved ones to absorb. With God's Word and personal conviction from the Holy Spirit we should know what we ought to avoid and what we ought to promote. Philippians 4:8 gives us some direction: "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things".
If you think your brother or sister in Christ is involved in media that you would consider dangerous, first put it in perspective. If it is something as drastic as porn, it is absolutely wrong. If it is Harry Potter, you can always respectfully discuss with them why you think the material is immoral, but chances are you will agree to disagree. For example, I find it difficult to watch a movie with any sort of intimacy in it without turning away. But if I were watching a movie with another Christian friend and they were not affected by a happy kissing couple the way I was, it is not my place to judge whether that would be a sin for them or not. My life has certain boundaries that do not apply to others. I have to take certain precautions to avoid temptation in ways that my fellow Christian has never been tempted. I find these two verses in Romans very important when dealing with a situation like this: "Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned" Romans 14:22, 23a and "Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this -- not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way." Romans 14:13
It is important for me to feel confident about what media I take in. It is equally important for me to not cause my brother to stumble. I always try to check the content of any movie I watch or recommend and warn others ahead of time if it has questionable content in it. I use the website of www.screenit.com to get detailed reviews of movies from reliable sources. There are plenty of websites out there and I urge you to use them. It may seem dorky or overly cautious at first, but you will soon find it a blessing. "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3
Do your best to keep the content clean, but remember that you cannot know everybody else's temptations (you DO know all of yours). I have made the mistake of getting a movie I thought was clean because I could not find a review of it telling me otherwise. I put many people in an uncomfortable situation. This lesson taught me to look harder for a review next time and to review it myself if I had any doubts so as not to "put an obstacle in a brother's way."
More important than the differences in individual temptations is the calling we have to stay obedient to God's specific Word that applies to everybody. This is one of many, many examples of sin to avoid:
"There are six things which the LORD hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
18A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.
Proverbs 6:16-19
Let us follow His righteous commandments with a joyful heart, united in Spirit and love. The Lord is Truth, and His reign is Absolute.
* not my original quote
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