“Take heed what ye hear…”  (Mark 4)

 

Let us address our second (2nd) title first (1st) as I’m sure that one got your attention as it would mine.  I enJOY television and i use television for education probably more for education than entertainment, but I am greatly entertained by television as well.  when I watch a police program or a program like, “Criminal Minds,” I watch it and try to learn about criminals and the criminal mind.

One can learn many trick of many trades from television if one uses it as a source of education.  But back to the Lord forbidding television.  After the Lord is transfigured before Peter, James and John, He charges the three (3) with these words: “Tell the vision to no man…”   See?…. television to no man….. MWAHAHAMWAHAHAMWAHAHA. I gotcha, admit it!!! admit it. Admit it in the comment section.

However, as great as television is and for this matter, radio and the internet can be, these mediums can be an entity with great power to harm you and yours. Let me demonstrate our utter foolishness and the ease television and movies can corrupt us. We will do this (DV) by listing movie titles. Reader, I am speaking to myself as well as you, understand that.
* “John Wick,” John Wick is a movie about murder and nothing else. It is about a hitman that murders other criminals. The movie (by movie, I am speaking about the producers, the director, the writers, and the actors) seeks to get you on John Wick’s side. And we do as the movie wants, do we not?
God, in the Law, states, “Thou shalt not kill/murder.” In this law, He not only means one is not to commit murder, but one should not take pleasure in the murder of another as man is made in the Image of God. I understand no one is being murdered in the movie, but that is not the point of my arguement. The point is how the movie causes us to nod our heads in agreement with the titular character and his breaking of God’s law.

*Will they or won’t they?”  In many t.v. shows and movies there is the conceit (movie lingo) of whether or not the characters will “get together,”  “Do it, ”  “Hook up.” or “ship” as in relationship.  Reader, Do you find yourself hoping that the characters will fornicate? or commit adultery?  Many may find themselves rooting for a homosexual relationship to prevail over all the obstacles. My counsel to you can be communicated in four (4) words. “SNAP OUT OF IT!!! SNAP OUT OF IT!!! SNAPOUT OF IT!!! 

(s)atan is subtle, is he not?  When we laugh at crude and dirty words and jokes, we are being more like (s)atan’s children than God’s.  When we agree with murder or take the side of an anti-hero we are not thinking righteously. If we find ourselves siding with criminals and against law and order, we are using our mind in a wrong way and being manipulated by the movie.  Our emotions, our logic, our morals, our ethics, our FAITH are being manipulated by someone who is ungodly.

*”The Bridge Over Madison County,” is a movie about adultery and nothing else.
*”Harry Potter” is about witchcraft and the occult.
* Reality shows influence many persons. The show, “Jackass” has caused silly persons to harm themselves.  And I’m sorry to say, Wrestling programs have caused kids to harm one another and even kill.

The movies and television and music for this matter, can also harm us and our children in a very real way.  Think about this or rather answer this question, When a predatory type of person preys upon a weaker person, as in rape and torture and murder, what does the the weak, the victim do?  They play the helpless victim. They will put themselves in to a baby position or praying position (I’m going out of my way to not use the words, fetal position) and let the predator do what he wants to do instead of poking the predators eyes out and digging for brain matter. They cower instead of biting, they cower and give in instead of box the predator’s ears.

When viewers see this weakness over and over and over, again and again and again, it will become a default position, it will imprint itself upon them. You think me crazy? Put a toddler in front of a television that is putting out music and watch that toddler move with the beat. The same can be said of gamers. Reader, persons are impressionable, persons can be persuaded, intelligent persons can be manipulated; look at cults. Cults are made up of lawyers, doctors, authority figures and other credible persons. There is power is subtility.

Inculcation:  Inculcation is not a word we hear often, if ever. I suppose one could go though life without ever hearing that word. Inculcation means; impressing upon, drilling, giving knowledge by repetition. We have all been inculcated in many ways.
*Look both ways before crossing a road.
*Always say, please and thank you.
*Never pet a dog you don’t know.
*Do right, always.”

The above inculcations are rather simple but it makes the point. When something is instilled in us again and again we accept it, whatever it is.

When persons see another person on t.v. or in a movie backdown and give in to a stronger predatory type, persons are imprinted with that image. Subconsciously they may think, “This is what I should do,” if ever bullied or attacked.

A television show of old called, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” turned this victim think dynamic around. In a scary movie, the victim is always running up stairs instead of out of the house. The victim is doing everything a person should not do in a situation like they are depicting. But, with BVS the author, turned things around.

In this series, the evil, the demonic, the big bad is afraid of the small blonde girl. This series helped many persons to stand up and be seen and heard.  I know what some might think, A preacher should not be watching a show like that. That’s fine, you may think that, it matters nothing to me (1 Corinthians 2:15b.).

I am not saying we should not watch television or go to the movies, that’s legalism and I am not legalistic, no way, no how! What I am saying is, think about what you are viewing, tell yourself and God that you understand right and wrong and ask for the grace not to be influenced by the attempted inculcation of television, movies, and songs. My counsel is this. Use your shield of faith when you watch t.v. and movies or listen to music.

Why is the leftist mindset so dimwitted and ignorant of things?  Because, television controls them. Television declares the glory of (s)atan.

*SMARK is a person who believes everything they are told by media.

Godspeed.