I recently heard a story about a father and his two sons. The boys were in their teens and it was Saturday night. The school week was over and they couldn’t be more excited. The father’s boys were good kids and very active in their youth group. Randy, the oldest boy and his brother Shane informed their father that afternoon that they were going out with friends from church to see a PG-13 movie that evening. Their father inquired, “Well, does the movie have anything inappropriate in it?”
The boys were honest with their dad. They told him that there were just a couple of parts that were not God honoring. To convince his dad to let them go, Randy said, “But dad, the movie only has a little bit of bad stuff in it! Can we please go?”
Their father just smiled and said, “Alright, but before you guys go do you want to bake some chocolate chip cookies with me and have a good snack?” The boys eyes lit up! They loved cookies and very quickly began to get the ingredients out for their dad to make them a batch of cookies.
Their father mixed in all the ingredients and began to mix up the cookie dough. But just before putting the cookies in the oven, their father walked out side into the back yard. He bent over and picked up something with a napkin. Their dad came back in and put the contents of the napkin into the cookie dough and began to stir.
He popped the cookies into the oven and fifteen minutes later, they were ready to eat. The boys took their seats at the table and couldnt wait to eat their snack. But curious, Randy asked his father, “Hey dad, what did you put in the cookie dough from outside?” Their father without even batting an eye said, “Oh, just a small bit of dog poop.” Randy and Shane both were repulsed. “Dad!” Randy shouted. “There is no way we are going to eat those cookies now!” And their father responded, “But guys, I only put in a little bit of dog poop!”
I think we can be the same way with how we compromise with God at times. Our society has set the bar so low as to what is morally acceptable to watch on television and movies and even music. We as Christians watch things on television for entertainment today that fifty years ago, would have made an atheist blush. I remember when God really began working on me a few years back. One of the first things I was convicted of was what I watched for entertainment. I remember one of my favorite television shows was also one of the most popular drama shows on the network.
And I really didnt want to cut my favorite show. I was addicted to it. I had to tune in every Monday night to see where last weeks cliff hanger of an ending would lead the story! But the more I watched, the more I felt convicted. Certain words they would use, and certain characters behaviors portrayed actions that were not pleasing to God. And I would justify to sooth my conscience by saying, “Its only a little bit. Its really not that bad.” But God is sovereign. And he would not give peace to my soul.
I am very outspoken about the dangers the entertainment industry holds for Christians. Because I know that God made us visual creatures. What we see influences our world view no matter if we want to admit that or not. Again, think back to the 1950′s television shows like Leave it To Beaver or The Dick Van Dyke Show. The married couples portrayed in the shows slept in twin beds! Even to a non Christian in the 1950′s, it was considered very risqué for a couple to be seen in the same bed. Even if they were fully clothed and doing nothing more than talking.
Now we have shows littering the television with people not only sleeping in the same bed, but being intimate as well. Thirty years ago homosexuality was very taboo and very looked down upon. Now we have television and movies glamorizing this lifestyle and even going so far as to tell our kids that its acceptable. Thirty years ago if the word “darn” was said on television, it was considered pretty edgy. Now we have shows that blatantly use Gods name in vain and we sit unmoved without batting an eye. And as the decades continue to go by, millions of christians keep watching and telling themselves, “Its not that bad…its just a little bit of vulgarity.” We keep pushing that bar lower and lower. And its scary to step back and see this because it becomes apparent that in this world, Satan is winning victories and deceiving believers. Ive said it before, Satan uses the same tactics that he used back in Jesus day, and we keep falling for his same ploys.
In Matthew 4:1-11, Satan tempts Jesus in the desert with visions. In one instance, he shows Jesus a vision of worldly kingdoms and riches, and tells Jesus this can all be his if only he would worship Satan. Although he was unsuccessful, Satan attempted to get Jesus to sin by showing him visions and showing him a lifestyle or something that would appear pleasing to the eye.
We have only made it easier for Satan to continue his same scheme through the entertainment industry. The only difference between how Satan tempted Jesus and how he tempts us is that now Satan can send those visual temptations to us twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. We are constantly bombarded by movies, television and entertainment. In some religions, they actually center the furniture in their house around the idol that they worship so that their attention can constantly be on it. I heard a preacher point out this…..think about what our furniture is centered around here in America…the television set.
The word “hypocrite” is a derivative of the greek word “Hypocrisis” which is defined as “play acting” or “acting out”. Jesus often called the Pharisees hypocrites (Mat 15:7;16:3;22:18;23:23,25,27,29; Mk 7:6). According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, the Greek word Jesus used that was translated as hypocrite means, “an actor under an assumed role”. The Pharisees were the most numerous and influential of the religious sects of Jesus’ day. They were strict legalists. They stood for the rigid observance of the letter and forms of the Law, and also for the Traditions. But the Pharisees didn’t really want to be good, they just wanted to look good (Mat 23:25-27).
Jesus said to the Pharisees, “your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. (Luk 11:39).
Jesus said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” Matthew 23:27-28.
Kind of reminds me of the cover of a People magazine today. Many of the celebrities portray a beautiful image to the world. Even the ones flaunting a sinful lifestyle do it in a way that makes it almost seem trendy and cool. But on the inside, they are as dead as a corpse without Christ. Hollywood paints a deceitful lie to those who will listen. And the ruler of this world, Satan, is the one they are unknowingly following.
Anton Lavay, author of the satanic bible, once told a reporter that there was no need for pacts with the devil anymore because children were already being drawn to him through entertainment. When asked if Lavey let his own small son watch television, surprisingly he said no. He said that there was too much he didnt want him to see until he was old enough to use descresion. Isnt that odd that a Satanist has more of a filter up around his children than many professing believers in Christ? Madonna was quoted as saying something very similar in that she will not allow her kids to watch television. She said that shows like MTV are terrible for kids to watch. Yet she finds it acceptable to warp millions of other teens. Satan dulls us into accepting a demoralized reality through his influence on the entertainment industry. He is a hypocrite. And he is an actor.
“And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:14.
Denzell Washington said once in an interview that he channeled the spirits to fill him before a big performance. Jonny Depp stated openly to a reporter that he knew he had many demons inside him. Oprah Winfrey has openly talked about her connection to the spirit world and her channeling of spirits. Actress Jane Mansfield and Rat Pack performer Sammy Davis Junior were both outspoken followers of Anton Levay and his Satanic cult. Even the great Lucile Ball was known to consult her medium and channel spirits for advice on her acting career. And these are just a few of the many examples.
The religion of Scientology is huge in Hollywood. The founder of Scientology, L.Ron Hubbard, was very close friends with a man named Allister Crowley and often stated how much he was influenced by him. Crowley was one of the very first founders of Satanism and popularizing the occult. The credo Allister Crowley lived by and a key verse in Lavey’s satanic bible is,”Do what thou wilt.” Basically do as you please. Do what makes you happy. Regardless of who is hurt or how sinful it is. Have you ever paid attention to how many songs on the radio send this message from the satanic bible with lyrics like, “Its your life, do what you want to do” and “Its all about me”? If we take time to really read between the lines, the evidence is overwhelming the hold Satan has on this world.
Is it wrong to have a television or even watch television? No. TV in and of itself is not a bad thing. It all comes down to how you use it. Where are your limits and how far do you stretch the boundaries of what is morally and biblically acceptable in Gods eyes to watch. What kind of messages are you filling your head with? Are they God honoring? Or are they subtle messages and visions sent from Satan himself to pull you that much farther away from God? The next time you watch a show and think, “Its only a little bit of sin.” Think of Jesus, and the enormous amount of pain and anguish he endured to pay for that “little bit of sin.”
Dont be fooled or lulled into a trance by Hollywood. Dont be like the Pharisees and aspire to be as cool and as trendy as the world on the outside but as dead as a stone on the inside. Like the Pharisees, dont fool yourself into thinking you are righteous when your heart is in need of Christ. Some may read this and think Ive gone a bit overboard. But do some studying up on how Satan works. Read some biographies and autobiographies some of those in entertainment. And connect the dots to scripture and prophesies foretold about the last days before the return of Christ. It is then you begin to really see the invisible spiritual battle that rages all around us.
“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
