Editorial: Race Relations under our current president

Editorial


After everything that happened in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, one can ask if race relations have gotten better in the U.S. under the current president. It seems they have gotten worse, right?

Hannah Montana Values

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about how popular culture affects the U.S. and other countries. This follows this post about the will of the U.S. to fight terrorists. For a free magazine subscription or to get the book shown for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.

Hannah Montana Values


From where do you draw your values? How much does entertainment influence you?

[Steve Myers] Miley Cyrus' performance at the MTV Video Awards kind of turned the entertainment world upside down. Some have said that Hannah has left Montana. Of course, Miley Cyrus was the little girl that at one time played the Disney character of Hannah Montana, this kind of all-American cute little girl. And yet her performance this week some have characterized as something totally abrasive, something that was immoral, all kinds of adjectives have been attributed to it. And yet as we look at this scenario, can we really be surprised in the kind of world that we live in?

You know where do we obtain our values? Where does morality come from? Now this isn't an accusation against Miley Cyrus. Instead our world accepts these kinds of things. Our society, even though we say we're a people who believe in God. If you did a survey in America, probably over 90% of the people would say they believe in God. But there's a problem because the point is then, yes we may say we believe in God, but do we really believe God? When it comes to morals, when it comes to our mindset, when it comes to how we look at the world do we really look to God?

There's a wonderful Proverb that should really set the tone for our world view, for our perspective. If you look to Proverbs 2:6For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

See All... here's what it says, it says: "The Lord gives wisdom. From His mouth come knowledge and understanding."

So if we're really a believing people, we have to look at these kinds of sections from the Bible and say: If I believe in God, I have to have an understanding where does wisdom come from? Where does knowledge come from? Where does morality, where does understanding from? You see it shouldn't come from Hollywood. It shouldn't come from entertainment. It shouldn't come from the mindset of this world, but instead it's got to come from the pages of this word, this word of God.

And so if we say we believe in God, let's make sure we don't get tuned into the ways of this world and this entertainment that surrounds us and invades us. Instead let's look to the word of God and believe God.

That's BT Daily . We'll see you next time.

VMA Music Awards: I thank God?

I wanted to send you this article so that you can know things that are going on in the culture around us. It is nice to see that they are at least acknowledging God exists, but this is also a good time to review the third and seventh commandments from our book The Ten Commandments here. http://www.gnmagazine.org/booklets/TC/thirdcommandment.asp


Youth Culture Window: The MTV Video Music Awards-The Night Belonged to Brittany, Li'l Wayne... and God?
by Jonathan McKee and David Smith
No celebrity fistfights. No lesbian lip locks. Slightly fewer racy jokes and censored vulgarity. Has MTV gone soft? Unfortunately no; the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards still had plenty for youth workers and parents to detest.This year provided some of the most ironic "I thank God" accolades yet, a host with no refrain from ridiculing the Jonas Bros about their purity rings, and an impressive retort from 2007 American Idol Winner Jordin Sparks. Who knows? Maybe the message communicated this night was "not as it would seem."Nothing Is As It Seems...That's what this year's host Russell Brand kept telling viewers at the 25th Anniversary of the Video Music Awards (VMAs) hosted live on MTV. Not only did the entertainment include an exciting lineup of stars that just kept getting hotter, but the "nothing is as it seems" theme kept audience members on the edge of their seats. Just when viewers thought that a concert was happening across town, a wall would fall and reveal the singer in-house. A celebrity might go missing temporarily, only to be found by a frantic race around the studio. Several times, artists would strut in from the "back lot" of Paramount's huge property. Remember, nothing is as it seems.Even when it comes to God.Our DisclaimerNow, I don't want to lead you astray with my title; yes, we at TheSource4YM.com would consider this to be a "tamer" VMA than we've seen in the past, but keep in mind that "tame" is relative when MTV is involved. (Here's our re-cap of the 2005, 2006, and 2007 VMAs so you can decide for yourself.)Nobody ever truly knows what to expect from MTV's live VMAs each year. But given that this was the 25th Anniversary of the awards show, and MTV has a reputation for being...well, MTV...some of us were holding our breath to see what was in store for America's youth.As far as celebrity behavior was concerned, most of them - I repeat - most of them, kept it fairly clean. However, while commenting on Katy Perry's song " I Kissed A Girl," host Russell Brand said, "I was so inspired by Katy Perry's song's message that teenage girls will do anything for the taste of cherry chap stick, that I'm currently going through nine chap sticks a day, and my bleep has never felt more moisturized."And when Christopher Mintz-Plasse (of "Superbad" fame) snuck on stage with Slipknot, the metal band's leader explained that Chris had been doing body shots backstage. Chris' reply? "Is that what I was doing? I don't even remember how the hell I got out here...I'm bleepin trashed!"Far more damaging than the verbalized personal moisturizing practices of the host, and the pre-show stunts of Chris "McLovin" Mintz-Plasse, were the comments about God. All of them!I'd Like To Thank God...That's how several of the artists started their acceptance speeches. When Britney Spears held her first of three Moonmen aloft for Best Female Video in "A Piece of Me," she gave credit to God for her "blessing." When the same video earned her a second award, this time for Best Pop Video, she repeated her gratitude to God. (View the video here to see if God had any part in its production. Be warned; it's typical Britney!)Next up was the Pussycat Dolls. That's right, the Pussycat Dolls. They won Best Dancing in a Video for "When I Grow Up," a song all about becoming rich and famous. How they beat the incredibly talented (and fairly clean) Chris Brown with their mediocre yet racy moves is beyond me, but after securing their Moonman, front woman Nicole echoed Britney's praise of God. So I guess God really does want us all to be rich and famous! (You can view that theologically-challenged video here.)And, in a moment that I can only call ridiculous, Lil Wayne held up his award and thanked God for allowing him to win the Best Hip Hop Video award for "Lollipop." Here are a few lines from his risqué hit:
Man, she ain't never had a love like mineAnd man I ain't never seen an ass like hersAnd that pu**y in my mouth had me loss for wordsTold her back it up like erp erpAnd I made that ass jump like jerk, jerkAnd that's when she lick me like a lollipop (oh yeah I like that)she lick me like a lollipop (I like that)she lick me like a lollipop (I like that)she lick me like a lollipop
I don't think I need to link the video. You can go ahead and thank God for that.Frankly, I wish some of these stars would stop thanking God. With celebs like Paris Hilton and Amy Winehouse, it's probably true that there's "no such thing as bad publicity." But I do think "bad publicity" exists when it comes to God...and I think this was it.But MTV wasn't done...
CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE

What the kids are watching

I wanted to send this article which describes what is going on in the popular culture of the world around us. Since we are in, but not of, the world, at times one needs to see the state of the world around us. I hope you find this interesting as something to be aware of.

Youth Culture Window
No LimitsA Glimpse of Pop Culture through the Lens of the MTV Movie AwardsJonathan McKeeI love movies… and I love good TV. But the MTV Movie Awards always leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.First, understand how powerful an influence MTV has on our kids. It’s amazing if you think about it. MTV pre-dates cell phones, iPods, Xbox and the internet. MTV filled homes across the world while MySpace creator Tom was still in diapers. Jordon Sparks and Chris Brown had yet to sing together… actually, they weren’t even born when MTV already “owned” a young generation. That generation has already grown up and is raising kids of their own. These kids now watch the same channel their parents watched, just with less videos, more reality shows, and much more sexual references per hour.As we rolled into the new millennium, when everyone had an email address, a cell phone number and a Starbucks addiction, MTV was still named the top choice for advertisers who wanted to reach teenagers.Now, in 2008, MTV still “owns,” although now they probably share the crown with Nick, American Idol, Facebook and iTunes. But on this past Sunday night, all eyes were on MTV for their annual MTV Movie Awards hosted by Michael Myers and featuring every celeb imaginable, from Will Smith to Juno’s Ellen Page.I’ve gotta be honest with you. I’m biased. I don’t like MTV. As a parent, I struggle with a channel that gladly peddles smut to our kids to make a buck. Think about it for a second. If a man walked up to our kids in a grocery store and starting talking about the content that MTV doesn’t hesitate sharing every day… most parents would be either calling security or smacking the individual. But what do we do? We reward this individual and give him free reign over our children. It’s mind blowing.So last night I sat down to try to stomach another year of what MTV had to offer. As a movie fan I normally would enjoy Michael Myers, Will Smith and Jack Black…but not this night. Not on this channel.After the “gold carpet” pre-show with “role models” like Diddy, Paris Hilton, and the Pussy Cat Dolls, the show started with a creative introduction from Michael Myers that had a few chuckling moments.The show went downhill from there. I’ll highlight the good and bad for you quickly, share some of the trends I noticed this year, and finally make two suggestions of how we can respond as parents and youth workers.The Good Part of the Show:
I always enjoy seeing Chris Brown dance—a very talented young man.
It was fun to hear Coldplay’s new song performed live.
And I was truly excited this year when all the nominees for their annual “Best Kiss” award were actually a kiss between a guy and a girl!Well, that wraps up the good. Here’s the bad.The Bad Part of the Show:
Every year the show seems to award a bunch of movies that parents wouldn’t really want their kids watching. Considering that MTV is the “top-rated network in the 12-24 demographic,” it’s discouraging that racy R-rated movies like Knocked Up, Superbad and Sex in the City were in the lineup.
The show featured a moment that is probably the most blatant televised promotion for smoking weed that I’ve ever seen. Seth Rogan and James Franco lit up a big fatty joint and smoked it live right in front of thousands of cheering fans.
This show is a gateway drug to other MTV shows. They consistently plugged other trashy MTV shows like The Real World and Tila Tequila where the commercial featured a lengthy shot of two girls passionately kissing. They also plugged new shows like House Bunny, where a playboy bunny moves into a sorority… oh… why even bother explaining. Sigh.
Almost every commercial break cut to a piece of Usher’s “Let’s Make Love in This Club” video.
Michael Myers, as funny as he is, never ceased to cross the line. Somehow, he seemed to twist every little introduction into something sexual. “Our next presenters did a movie together called The Foot Fist Way and surprisingly, it’s not a celebrity sex tape.” Other times he played creatively quirky characters including his sketch as an ex-porn star who now caters for movies. She (Myers) told us to be careful what we “put in our mouths.”
At first I was excited because they brought Dana Carvey in as a guest to do a live “Wayne’s World” sketch with Mike Myers. I was amazed with what they got away with on TV, joking about “pubes,” porn film titles, and a whole little bit about proclaimed bi-sexual Tila Tequila reaching down the front of people’s pants and being satisfied with whatever she finds down there (complete with hand gestures). It was embarrassingly graphic.
As a whole, the show was a giant infomercial. At times, it was hard to decipher between the show and advertisements. I wasn’t alone in this observation.
MTV’s commercials always bother me, but at the same time, I think MTV tips their hand with their advertisements. It’s very clear what kind of audience they expect with their advertisements for new “unrated” movies and racy reality shows.This Year’s TrendsEvery year I notice certain trends in pop culture programming. The 2008 MTV Movie Awards revealed plenty. But three trends seemed to float to the top.A Warped Sense of HeroesIn a world where many kids feel ignored by their parents, a void can grow in their lives. Kids seek heroes. If mom and dad aren’t there… who remains?Enter Seth Rogan and The PussyCat Dolls stage right. Don’t worry mom and dad, your little boy could grow up just like what Seth portrays: smoking pot, cursing, and joking incessantly about sex and porn. And your little girl can someday do soft-core porn routines like a Pussycat Doll.Or maybe it’s something a little more subtle. Take Tranformer’s Megan Fox for example, wearing a dress shorter than her dad’s t-shirt, and her only comment on stage being “Transformers II is going to be f***ing bad*ss!” How’s that for a hero? This year’s MTV Movie Awards provided plenty of these “anti-roll models.” People you’d never want your kids to hang out with… yet we give them standing ovations. Adam Sandler, Diddy, Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan… need I go on?Gross-out Humor Gross-out humor springboarded to mainstream exactly a decade ago with the success of the 1998 Farrelly Brothers’ movie There’s Something About Mary. Since then, movies have strived to push the limits, and MTV has followed suit. MTV’s Jackass is synonymous with “gross-out.” So it was no surprise to see even more of it in full gear on this year’s show. From the sketch where a monkey gets freaky with the MTV popcorn trophy (right before getting covered with snot, urine and more) to Mike Myer’s unremitting, over-the-top sexual jokes.No LimitsThis paragraph probably appears redundant, but gross-out humor is probably only one sub category of displaying “no limits.” MTV excels at letting loose with no limits. Mike Myers’ jokes didn’t stop at gross out humor (like his sketch where he was eating fecal matter), then ventured to the sexual, homo-sexual and even bestiality. Nothing was out of bounds. And we’re raising a generation of kids that don’t see much as “off limits.”So what can we do as parents and youth workers?
Connect with our kids. It happens all the time. A parent catches a true glimpse of their kid’s world and throws a tizzy! Don’t overreact and throw your TV out the window or ground your kids for a year. I say it in every parent workshop I teach—I can’t emphasize it enough: “Rules without a relationship lead to rebellion.” As a parent or a youth worker, we need to get to know our kids. Connecting means learning their interests, listening to their dreams, and noticing their needs. A relationship is the starting point for building values into them and talking with kids about issues of discernment. And the greatest gift we can give our kids is TIME.
Build lasting values.We need to teach the importance of guidelines to a “no limits” generation. As believers in Christ we can point to the Word. When this world cleverly lies to us and tells us that “everything is okay,” our kids should see the Bible as an unchanging source of truth. Paul talks about this truth we can hold on to in the book of Ephesians. “Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” (Ephesians 4:14-15)Parents, it is okay to say, “Sorry, that doesn’t belong in our house.” We need to teach Biblical discernment. Discernment might begin with blocking MTV.