Showing posts with label entertainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label entertainment. Show all posts

Thursday, October 15, 2015

If I Were the Devil

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the Devil. This follows this post about what a soul is. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.
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If I Were the Devil

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As we watch disease, war, threat of terrorists, the decay of morality, crushing of God’s Word and His Ten Commandments enter into our country, here are the famous words from Paul Harvey almost 50 years ago, April 3, 1965.
If I were the Devil”
If I were the Devil, I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree. So I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States.
I’d submit the churches first. I’d begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve, “Do as you please.” To the young, I would whisper, “The Bible is a myth.” I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is “square.” And the old I would teach to pray after me, “Our Father, which art in Washington…”
And then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.
If I were the Devil, I’d soon have families at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings, I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames.
If I were the Devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions, just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug-sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.
Within the decade, I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting pornography. Soon, I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, then from the houses of Congress.
And in His own churches, I would substitute psychology for religion and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls and church money.
If I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who want it until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.
And wouldn’t you bet I couldn’t get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich.
I would caution against extremes and hard work and patriotism and moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun, that what you see on TV is the way to be. And thus I could undress you in public and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure.
In other words, if I were the Devil, I’d just keep right on doing what he’s doing.
Paul Harvey, Good Day.
It is chilling to read Paul’s Harvey’s commentary and watch the events unfold 50 years later as he portrayed. But God gets the last word, as mentioned in Revelation 20:10 Revelation 20:10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
American King James Version×
: “Satan will be destroyed so he can no longer do harm.” Our hope is coming as mentioned in Revelation 21:4 Revelation 21:4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
American King James Version×
: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
I am so thankful that our hope is in God and He gets the last word! As Paul Harvey ended his prophetic program that day, with a “Good Day”, even those two words are prophetic for it will be a good day soon. So when you see these things happening, look up and know that the time is near for a great new world!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Rooting for the Bad Guy?

An interesting article from www.ucg.org analyzing some entertainment such as movies, music and TV. This follows this post about faithfulness. For a free magazine subscription or to get this book for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

Rooting for the Bad Guy


 by Rudy Rangel
I don’t have cable, but I have Netflix. Endless upon endless choices of mediocre programing. Sometimes, I get suggestions from friends what to watch. Most of the time I take the liberty to check something out on my own.



I was browsing recently came across a show that is pretty popular called Breaking Bad. I watched the pilot. Here’s the synopsis: Guy finds out he has a terminal disease, everything about his life is average. His job, his marriage, his ambition, his things, all very average. To leave some money for his kids, he starts cooking meth to sell to drug dealers. He is a chemistry teacher so he can make the “best” meth on the market.



The story is told in a way that you feel sorry for the guy. He’s down and out and you begin to justify his actions. He is the bad guy! He makes poor choices out of his desperation. Unfortunately, it’s not just this show. There are many television programs in which protagonist is a terrible person, making terrible choices. The big question is, “Have I let these characters choices become acceptable?” When you consider the history of prime-time, television has come a long way. Lucy was a “trouble-maker.” She was always up to something in the sitcom, I Love Lucy. Today our heroes are meth dealers and murderers and adulterers. I was shocked at how many Americans watch the debauchery that is Two and a Half Men. A show that not only celebrates promiscuity but belittles anyone who doesn’t live this way.



Don’t cheer on the bad guy. Don’t find yourself feeling for the person who seems down and out and chooses a life of sin. There is no justification. The means never justify the ends. Heed Paul’s warning to Ephesus:



With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity (Ephesians 4:17-19 [17] This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, [18] Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: [19] Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.



See All... NLT).



No shame, lustful pleasure, every kind of impurity. These are lifestyles that are piped in through our televisions sets. Paul wote to Timothy warning of the human condition at the end time (2 Timothy 3:1-5 [1] This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; [5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.



See All...). We are not only seeing these characteristics in our world, we are seeing the heralded by others. We live in a dangerous era. Stay close to God. Read the wisdom in His Word. Pray, “Your Kingdom come.”







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