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towards
violence
in the world today, not to mention many other self-destructive
behaviors such as smoking, promiscuity, homosexuality, spiritualism
and mental laziness. We will group the following in three
categories, violence, immorality and spiritualism.
Violence:
How
can we as a people, consider ourselves members of a civilized nation
when our entertainment is finding pleasure in the pain and suffering
of others? I cannot understand how Christians can sit down and enjoy
seeing an individual gunned down, raped, or brutally beaten without
their conscience being smudged? For example, how can we as men
of God sit and watch boxing and call it entertainment? How can
we call it a sport? How can we sit and watch two grown
men beat each other to pulp? It is like the Romans cheering
and snacking as the Christians were slaughtered in the coliseum. We
have fallen so short because we have been conditioned and
desensitized by media violence.
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By age 12 a child will witness 12,000 violent deaths on
TV. The Center for Media and Public Affairs recently surveyed a day's T.V. programming and identified 1,846 violent scenes. The most violent periods were between 6 – 9 a.m. with 497 violent scenes and between 2 - 5 p.m. with 609 violent |
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scenes. These are hours of highest
TV viewing by children. What are we doing to our kids? We are
raising a society of barbarians that has learned to associate
violence with pleasure? They are unattached emotionally and completely desensitized to the pain and suffering of others.
Let us examine the fruits of
our labor.
Friends, by beholding we are changed. This principle holds
true for everyone. None is exempt. Our mind is like a
sponge, it soaks up everything. That is why Paul admonishes us
to be, "wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil."
Romans 16:19 In
1991, Jennifer Jordon was gunned down in a drive by shooting. Her
father Chuck, desperate to find out why, visited the gang in prison
and they said it all started with the movie "The
Godfather." They said that's when the wave of
drive-by-shootings started. Friends, consider what happened
immediately after the release of the movie "Money
Train." A guy poured gasoline in a subway boot trying to
light the attendant on fire, copying a scene in the movie. In
mid-1991 one person was killed and two dozen wounded by violence
provoked by the release of the movie "Boyz N the Hood." What about the explosion of high school shootings across
the nation? Dear reader, judge within yourself, does violence
in the media promotes violence in society?
David Grossman, a Military Psychologist and an expert in the art of
Kilology (training to kill), reveals shocking evidence by reporting
that the same military training which creates killing machines out
of relatively harmless boot camp recruits, is identical to the
trainings our kids is getting from certain video games and movies. He explained that the U.S. army
had
a big problem. The soldiers were not shooting to kill. During World War II only 15 – 20%
of soldiers shot to kill. One method of training used to
correct this problem is known to as "Operant
Conditioning." U.S. soldiers learn to fire at realistic, man-shaped silhouettes that pops-up
in their field of view. That is the stimulus. David Grossman
said that 75 to 80 percent of the shooting on the modern battlefield is the result of this kind of stimulus-response training.
By the Korean War 55% were shooting to kill And by Vietnam over 90% were shooting to kill.
We are not natural born killers. We are not naturally violent; we
have to be trained. The point and click shooting video games
are reported by David Grossman as providing the same
stimulus-response training which conditions a person to pull the
trigger. Consider the explosion of high school shootings we
experienced a few years ago. David Grossman gives his account.
"After the Jonesboro shootings, one of the high-school teachers told me how her students reacted when she told them about the shootings at the middle school. "They laughed," she told me with dismay. A similar reaction happens all the time in movie theaters when there is bloody violence. The young people laugh and cheer and keep right on eating popcorn and drinking
Pop.
The result is a phenomenon that functions much like AIDS, which I call AVIDS--Acquired Violence Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS has never killed anybody. It destroys your immune system, and then other diseases that shouldn't kill you become fatal. Television violence by itself does not kill you. It destroys your violence immune system and conditions you to derive pleasure from violence. And once you are at close range with another human being, and it's time for you to pull that trigger,
you will, because your violence immune system was
destroyed"
Friends, do you remember this song, "Watch your eyes, watch
your eyes what they see. For your Father up above
looking down in tender love, watch your eyes, watch your eyes what
they see." David the Psalmist said, “I will set before my eyes no vile
thing” Psalm 101:3
"Scientific research has shown that “violence and aggression on the screen induce children to become more violent in real life.” Today the data linking violence in the media to violence in society are superior to those linking cancer and tobacco."
(Television Time Bomb) Remember, by beholding we become
changed.
Immorality:
On our journey to the celestial city, with regret, I must report
that
it is evident, that most of earths citizens are cruising down
immorality boulevard on the vehicle of Hollywood's televised
programs. Decency and shame are lost in the sand of time.
Yesterday's heresies have become today's accepted practices. Sin is
some how no longer repulsive. Sexual immorality s televised
programs has been sanitized.
Indecent exposure is no longer frowned upon.
Profane language is
currently used to
punctuate sentences. No longer are beeps are heard which block
out the profanity. We
are living in an age where humanity has been stripped of
nobility. Many are currently enjoying full course meals of adultery
and fornication by viewing soap operas and certain sitcoms . For many people, I am afraid, the
thing that will keep them out of heaven, into which nothing impure
can enter, is their addiction to televised programs. Paul
admonishes us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, yet we
are feeding from the fountain of filth. How can we sit and
allow our kids to watch Felicity, Dawson Creek, Seinfeld, Friends and all the
others of their kind? Are you aware of the lessons these
programs are teaching our kids? They are teaching them to be
promiscuous. They are teaching our young ladies that sex
before marriage is a normal teenage activity. Pre-marital sex
is just a part of growing up. Look around you, everybody is
doing it. Those are some of the lessons they are learning.
In addition, the sanctity of marriage has been
devalued, for everyone seems to be sleeping around with everybody else's
husband or wife on TV. Not to mention indecent exposure.
We have phases like "as bear as you dear" and "skin
is in." Those phrases from Deco Drive and Extra has
announced the new fashion trend of the 20th century.
Are we disturbed and annoyed when these acts of immorality are aired
in the name of innocent fun? For most of us, they are welcomed
and entertained. Our spirits
are not vexed. Rather, we allow these programs to arrest our
attention and soon we become hypnotized and conditioned. Most
people will say to those who are raising an opposing voice to such
social slackness, "you are the one with the perverted mind", "you
are the one that has a problem if you cannot handle it".
For someone to utter those words in defense for such programs, they are
sending a clear signal that they are totally desensitized and
conditioned to sexual immorality. If
fornication is a sin, why sit down and watch it on TV and even
cultivate a liking for
the programs? Why
look at the exposed flesh and sexual gestures of the actors in
those programs? It is because our viewing taste have become perverted.
Friend, do you know that kissing is foreplay? Do you know that
it
is reserved for married individuals? Kissing promotes the act
of intercourse. If you are not in the position to promote
intercourse, why are you kissing that boy or that girl? But it
seems so cute and harmless on TV. That is how it is sold by
the media. Granted, it is a beautiful thing when
performed in the proper constraints, but when those who are not
married engage in this act, the true beauty is lost and cheapened.
It is high time for all who believe in principle and decency to take
an uncompromising stand against the social
evils of these days? Some will forfeit the choice to
stand, because thy do not want to
sound like an extremist. Many are cowards and their weak will
prevents them from preaching and living sound doctrines. Others do not want to create waves, or
have anyone upset with them, so they simply sacrifice principles
on the altar of friendship. Dear reader, we are not here to
make friends, we are here to be a friend. The Bible says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are
deceitful." Proverbs 27:6
A friend will tell you the truth in love no matter how much
it is going to hurt. Those that are not truly friends will
allow you to enjoy the pleasures of this world for a season, then
stand by and watch while you pay for it the rest of your life.
The electronic devise call television is not bad in and of itself. Whether
it is considered good or bad depends on its
programming. To paint a balanced picture, let us look at some
of benefits of having a television - news, information,
entertainment. I do believe that in many ways television has
been a blessing, but I also believe that it has done more harm than
good. The Bible say, "But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."
(James 3:8) The same can
be said of the television box. Can you step in water without
getting wet? I believe that we cannot watch regular TV and
cable programs without picking up a few sinful pollutants. We
can say we are only going to watch a church service, but what about
all the advertisement? We cannot escape the perversions for
the devil has mingled every 5, 10 or 30 minutes of programming with
corruption. Considering that fact, how do you
tame it? The Lord wants us to make covenants with our eyes not
to behold any evil thing. It is impossible to keep that
promise in a controlled environment by watching regular TV
programs. I say, "controlled environment," because
while in the privacy of your own home, you are in controll.
Rather, if you are walking down a crowded street, you are liable to
see anything. However, it is possible to control your content if you subscribe to a Christian Cable
Network. The bottom line is, we need to find a way to tame the
beast.
Homosexuality:
The forces of evil are hard at work implementing programs that will
serve to raise up a new generation, a generation that is more
sensitive and sympathetic to the homosexual lifestyle.
Parents, have you sat down lately and investigated what your kids are
watching?The homosexual society as well as everyone
else know that the television box is the universal baby
sitter. They know that most of us are not that interested in what
our kids are watching as long as they keep quiet and out of our way.
As a result, the gay movement are taking advantage of that
fact. Homosexuals know that it is very difficult to convert
adults to their perversion, so they are employing all their efforts to
corrupt young
minds of our kids. They are selling homosexuality in a subtle way on
cartoons and sitcoms.
Have you heard of the story called "The Ugly Duckling?"
The homosexual society televised a gay version of this cartoon on
HBO called the "Sissy Duckling" with a subtle
message. There are many of those cartoons out there, and they
are very cunningly disguised as well. Consider Shark Tales.
There is this shark that does not eat fish, only kelp, has a fish
for a best friend, he's not aggressive as other sharks and dresses
up like a dolphin. Think about it. Consider Sesame
Street. Just who are Ernie and Bert? They are the voice of two
homosexuals that have lived together for many years. Now you
can understand why Bert is always interested in Ernie's baths.
Would you ever have thought that a children's program would have a male
couple among its staff? Well, what about the Simpson's? Smithers is the voice of Harry Shearer (gay). "Smithers
is the ultimate sycophant, positively doting on his boss, nuclear
power plant Mogul Monty Burns. Their interest is more than
business, often extending into the romantic and erotic." (David
A. Wyatt).
TV was made for two reasons - to manipulate public opinion and to
sell products. It is a excellent tool for a mass conditioning
campaign in promoting homosexuality as a perfectly normal behavior.
Homosexuals understand the power of beholding, so they are bombarding prime
time hours with gay and lesbian programs. The homosexual
society is calling for a greater show of same sex affection on
televised programs. They understand that time is the
master. They are well aware that everyone will be against gay
affection on TV when it is introduced. But like everything
else, after time, the consistent fighters will die out, others will
get tired and the rest will be so conditioned that they will wonder
why they had a problem with it in the first place. The gay
society has employed the movie stars and the
trendsetters to introduce their alternate lifestyle. Soon many
will look at homosexuality as being cool. Soon the American
people will be conditioned in accepting this sexual
immorality. Can it happen? Of course it can.
Consider the wearing of earrings by men and the phenomena of
smoking. Before earrings was televised an as being cool by the
media, no guy would be caught even dead wearing an earring.
Now, both ears are pierced. Who would have thought we would
live to see the day when men would wear and share earrings
with the women of our society. How farfetched does normalizing
homosexuality seem now?
Smoking is a classic example. The cigarette industry had all
the "cool" characters and movie stars puffing on prime
time TV. Even though the habit is known to be a death sentence,
yet it is being practiced by many. The media buried all the bad
attributes and glorified all the so called good ones. The milk
industry did the same. The sale of milk plummeted, as a result
of many
people turning to Soya milk. What do you think they
did? They recruited "Sir Television" and the celebrities.
For a time, the only thing we saw on our television screens were
milk covered lips of Spike Lee, Britney Spears, Patrick Ewing and Austin Powers. Did it work? Yes it did. The
American people followed their role models, and the sale of milk went through the
roof.
Well, what about homosexuality? Do you think the gay society
can pull the same trick on the American people? What if Tom
Cruz, Michael Jordan and Will Smith announced to the world that they
are gay? How many people do you think would follow them?
Think about that. Let us look at
what they are currently doing via the help of the media. They
are currently redefining the face of homosexuality with the help of
our well loved characters on various sitcoms. Let us look at a
few of those sitcoms to identify their game plan. Consider
"Will & Grace." Everyone just loves that
program. Will is a homosexual attorney. He does not only
have a great, respectable job, he has a great body. He is
masculine looking. He is also portrayed to be cool and a
really fun guy. He is so cool, that Grace a straight woman,
would not mind dating him. Gays are now noble, respectable and
fun. Do you get the picture? Do you see what homosexuals
are trying to do? Friends, no matter how hard they try, they
cannot sanitize a perverted act as homosexuality. They are not
only seeking acceptance, but they are also promoting cross gender
relationships. The new norm they are trying to establish is
the dating of John on Monday by Tim, then Jane on Tuesday also by Tim.
Let us look at a few other sitcoms. Party of Five -
lesbian writing instructor kissing another women in prime
time. Friends - lesbian couple raising a child.
Chicago Hope, ER, Spin City, The Simpsons, Suddenly Susan and Mad
About You all features gay, lesbian and/or transgender relations
during prime time viewing. Do we see what is happening?
They are simulating real life situations and using respectable
characters to play those rolls. "When a teen see Jack
(gay character) on "Dawson's Creek" portrayed as well-loved,
talented and accepted, it sends a strong message that he can be
those things as well as a gay person." GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance
Against Defamation) got an email message from a 14-year-old boy who
decided to come out after watching "Dawson's Creek."
Jack, on the show, comes out with the support of friends and family
members. Even his former girlfriend is understanding."
We are bombarded every day with the same message from the
media. We cannot escape. The perversion is in our game
shows and movies. Even the advertisements are sending a strong
message. Consider what happened on a "breath Mint ad. A
male cop pulls over a male driver, puts a breath mint in his mouth,
walks up to the car, kiss the male driver and said, "I have
fresh breath" during prime time viewing. Dear reader, can
you explain what just happened? Parents, you have to be very
selective of what your family watch on TV in these extremely
corrupting days.
Spiritualism:
The media promotes everything evil as ugly and everything pretty as
good. The devil is presented as a monstrous beast with horns
and a long tail. That is exactly what the devil wants.
He want us to look for a monstrous beast, so that when he appears as
a beautiful angel of light impersonating Christ, everyone will
accept him, for everything about him in appearance is beautiful and
good. Let us consider the following as well, such as,
subliminal messages, N.D.E (Near Death Experience) and the state of
the dead.
Subliminal messages work, else large corporations would not invest
thousands to incorporate them into their programming. For
example, "John Travolta's movie "Battlefield Earth"
is based on a science-fiction book by Scientology founder L. Ron
Hubbard. Travolta, a devout Scientologist, had been trying for
15 years to get that movie made. Two former members of the
cult Scientology are claiming that the movie will carry subliminal
messages. The message, "Don't you miss Ron? Ron
Hubbard, Ron Ron Ron, Ron Hubbard make contact"
Urging the viewers to join the cult movement
scientology." Ron Hubbard is the founder of the
movement.
Around six years ago in the Evening Standard and the Sunday Times,
both British news papers, reported the use of subliminal messages in
a widely watched cartoon. The use of the subliminal message
was causing it's viewers to vomit. Friends, subliminal
messages works. The Simpson's is reported to use subliminal
messages, as well as many commercials. For example,
Pepsi. No one is safe from or immune to the corrupting influence of
television.
Spiritualism seems to be the key ingredient in almost all Disney
cartoons. I randomly choose to examine Hercules.
Hercules was once a god. Somehow he lost his deity and the
entire cartoon is about finding himself, finding his inner strength
which lies dormant, so that he can be a god again. Notice, that
the thing that make him good is himself. He does not need any
help from the one true God. The power that he needs to tap
into lie deep within himself. This teaching goes completely against
Christian belief. We know that without God we are
nothing and can never be anything without Him. The cartoon
features, the immortality of the soul and reincarnation. Such
cartoons are very damaging and confusing to young impressionable
minds.
Have you ever felt hypnotized by watching television? Have you
ever thought to yourself, by observing a friend or family member
while watching a TV program, that they look hypnotized? That
actually might just be the case. Spiritualist priests and
satanic groups are not hiding their diabolic plans. If you
visit www.4newage.com amongst
others, they will tell you that they are using the flicker effect on
television to hypnotize their viewers. This is induced by the
various flashes of light and color from the televised program.
This information is not fiction, it is fact. We believe that
informed viewers will make informed decisions.
Research Findings: (Television Time Bomb)
- By the time a child reaches the age of 16, he or she will have seen 200,000 acts of violence in the media.
- It is an intellectual sedative – weakens the ability to solve problems.
- Responsible for a certain amount of obesity in this country - body metabolism (and calorie-burning) is an average of 14.5 percent lower when watching TV than when simply lying in bed.
- Teaches revenge and that humiliating someone is clever.
- Creates an artificial world of beauty, glitter and excitement.
- Desensitizes us to the pain and suffering of others.
- Teaches that the world is a hostile, horrible, scary place to live - some people will not leave their homes.
- Statistics indicate the average viewer will see 90,000 incidents of drinking on television by age 21, and 100,000 beer commercials by age 18.
Have you ever heard the couch potatoes version of the 23 Psalm?
"The TV set is my shepherd. My spiritual growth shall want. It maketh me to sit down and do nothing because it requireth all my spare time. It restoreth my knowledge of the things of the world and keepeth me from the study of God’s Word. It leadeth me in paths of titillation and bewitchment and mayhem and lust for amusement’s sake, so that I skip the worship services and do nothing for the kingdom of God.
Yea, though I live to be a hundred, I shall keep on viewing my TV as long as it worketh, for it is my closest companion. Its sound and its picture, they comfort me. It presenteth entertainment before me, and keepeth me from spending time with my family. It filleth my head with ideas which differ from those set forth in the Word of God. My life overfloweth with contention and sorrows. Surely, no good thing will come of my life, because my TV offereth me no good time to do God’s will; thus I will dwell in the place of the devil and his angels forever."
In closing, consider the following. "A Russian born
scientist by the name of Vladimir Kosma Zwirykin is largely
responsible for the invention of television. Zworykin has not
been very enthusiastic about what has happened to his
invention. On his ninety-second birthday, Zworykin expressed
his disgust with the whole matter and said, "I would never let
my children even come close to it.""
"In all thy ways acknowledge
the Lord and He will direct thy
path."
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