Television is addictive. We tend to have an unusual interest to see what's going to happen in the next episode of the series. While watching a movie, most of the time we forget to think of the things which are happening around us. Your ailing parents may need your help with their daily medicines or your wife may need your help in kitchen or your children may need your guidance for their project. But all these things vanishes when you are sitting in front of a television for a movie as if they don't exist. So it is an addiction.
Television makes us an idiot. Most of the time, the things which are considered abnormal or evil in real life, is portrayed as if it is 'heroic' or something which is great and admirable. We laugh at the 'hero' who mocks at the 'comedian' for his external appearance or his inefficiency, but in real life, if some does the same, we call such people as proud and arrogant. James Bond is considered to be cool for the stunts, but we may tend to give a soft corner for all the fornication which he does. So the things which are considered as sinful behavior are praised in secular movies. And we tend not to judge movies like how we judge in real life. Thus these secular programs makes us an idiot by definition.
Christians are called to walk by faith, not by sight (2Cor 5:7). Appearances are deceptive. Bible has many examples of people who had fallen into sin because trusted in their eyes not faith. Eve 'saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes' (Gen 3:6), and by trusting her own eyes more than the unchanging Word of God, she sinned. Lot 'lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord' (Gen 13:10) and went to Sodom and Gomorrah which became a snare for his life.
Let us be careful of what we watch. Our heart is deceptively wicked. And when we watch all these wicked things, our minds will be hijacked by the worldview which the TV portrays. And we may be deceived to believe them to be the truth by the visual 'treat' which we get for our eyes from them. And we can be tempted to make the lead character as an example to look for. That is the basis for all the fan clubs present behind the movie artists both in India and also in Hollywood.
Television makes us an idiot. Most of the time, the things which are considered abnormal or evil in real life, is portrayed as if it is 'heroic' or something which is great and admirable. We laugh at the 'hero' who mocks at the 'comedian' for his external appearance or his inefficiency, but in real life, if some does the same, we call such people as proud and arrogant. James Bond is considered to be cool for the stunts, but we may tend to give a soft corner for all the fornication which he does. So the things which are considered as sinful behavior are praised in secular movies. And we tend not to judge movies like how we judge in real life. Thus these secular programs makes us an idiot by definition.
Christians are called to walk by faith, not by sight (2Cor 5:7). Appearances are deceptive. Bible has many examples of people who had fallen into sin because trusted in their eyes not faith. Eve 'saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes' (Gen 3:6), and by trusting her own eyes more than the unchanging Word of God, she sinned. Lot 'lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord' (Gen 13:10) and went to Sodom and Gomorrah which became a snare for his life.
Let us be careful of what we watch. Our heart is deceptively wicked. And when we watch all these wicked things, our minds will be hijacked by the worldview which the TV portrays. And we may be deceived to believe them to be the truth by the visual 'treat' which we get for our eyes from them. And we can be tempted to make the lead character as an example to look for. That is the basis for all the fan clubs present behind the movie artists both in India and also in Hollywood.
Christians beware. Let us remember this verse: Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Eph 5:15-16). We are not going to live in this earth forever, rather our days are counted (Psa 102:11). We have to be accountable to God for the precious time which the Lord has give to us. And God is going to reward us in heaven for all that we have done for Him in this earth. If we are exchanging this time in countless hours of movies and TV series with stupid, sinful secular worldview, then we are committing idolatry.
I am not saying we should not watch movies at all. We can watch them to get some idea of the worldview which the secular world propagates. Even that can be dangerous since Bible calls us 'to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil (Rom 16:19). If you are spending your entire time watching TV and thinking about the end of 'How I met your mother' , instead of prayer and bible study, then you should reconsider your walk with God.
Finally let me end with a question to my readers: Are you glad and happy by watching a movie rather than worshiping God? Is the duties of God a boring affair when compared to movies? Do you long to watch the new superhero movie than prayer and meditation of God's Word? Do you admire your favorite actor and his actions more than Christ and His sacrificial work on the cross? If your answer is yes, then you are an idolater. Repent and trust in Jesus and ask for His mercy to deliver from this addiction. God is gracious to hear our pleas and He is mighty to save.
If you have liked this, you can also read Temptations
No comments:
Post a Comment