Entertainment

What's called entertainment today would astound our pious predecessors! What? It surprises even me. I have to admit that in my high school days my friends and I slipped off to see an adult movie. Our hormones took over our brain. What we saw were women in skimpy bikinis. All the essentials were covered. However, we were excited by “almost seeing”. We were tantalized, but not engulfed, because our imagination was what was exciting. Was that wrong? Most certainly.
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In contrast, in this modern world, commercials show more than even our imaginations imagined. Our senses become dulled by what we see. It no longer excites. Provocative entertainment has become ordinary. We can see about any type of lascivious activity on television, not to mention movies and music videos. The “shock factor” is gone. Humanity is scraping the bottom of the barrel for entertainment's sake. The “typical” viewer of pornography in my childhood was the deviate slum-dweller or the lonesome trucker or salesman sneaking a peak. Although many salesmen, truckers and inner-city folks are fine people, some were not, like any profession. The typical viewer of what was earlier considered pornography is your thirteen year-old daughter, your four-year old unattended, housewives, professionals, the church elder, and even some preachers! We're all victims!

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I'm not a prude, but I do know what's right! Excessiveness in entertainment can lead to a variety of problems. How can you compare a mother with four kids with an anorexic model? How exciting is a tired housewife when compared to Britney Spears or the ladies of Wisteria Lane (no, I've never watched it nor intend to)? How does the young mother rocking a baby compare to Gaga's gestures? For me I prefer modesty to provocative! Wholesomeness, coupled with natural beauty and self-respect, for me, is what's exciting.

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How can a Christian focus on the promises of God while at the same time dwelling on the deceit of the devil? Who would even think of planting a seductress on a carpet-cleaner commercial? Answer: Those sponsors influenced by the ruler of this world... Satan. Lasciviousness isn't of God whether it be in movies, on television, music videos, magazines or in person. Satan has mutated god-given sexual desire to be a thorn in our side. Rather than having a natural relationship with the one we love, Satan's goal is for us to want someone other than our God-ordained mate. Lasciviousness is a cancer in the world and Satan is the carcinogen!

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Lasciviousness is any behavior which corrupts our moral sexual behavior. Lasciviousness is sin and we are at odds with God's will!

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Ephesians 4:18 “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 19Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20But ye have not so learned Christ;”

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Lasciviousness alienates us from God and I don't like that! How can I pray when my mind has been exposed to the impure? After hearing co-workers curse all week long, I've went to church and the first thing I've had to do is pray for a clear mind. Bad language is the same as second-hand smoke... it's offending to us who have to hear it.

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We choose to be ignorant of God's will in what we listen to and watch. We put God out of our mind when movies, videos and such come on. We rationalize our weakness by making excuses “They've got to have one F word to get a PG rating!” When we watch such movies we'll get more. Why? When we pay for the theater ticket we're voting for more of the same. When we watch a music video on TV we're telling the sponsors “That's what we like!” We get filth because we condone filth! Yes, our hearts are blinded by self-indulgence.

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When Ephesians says “Who being past feeling” is an indictment to our life. We become acclimated to sin. Just as your body adjusts to new room temperatures, your heart adjusts to increased lasciviousness. Ten years ago would you ever have dreamed that society would see what we see today... and on family TV? If you're not shocked, you're acclimated. In fact most of America is greedy for garbage just as Ephesians implies “to work all uncleanness with greediness”. Sexual desire is dynamic! The more you participate, the more you desire. In Ted Bundy's interview with Dr. Dobson he said that his sexual addiction started as a young boy with “Playboy” and was culminated in serial sexual murders! You haven't become reprobate yet, but you're still out of God's will.

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The solution is _____. Ephesians says “ye have not so learned Christ.” The thought here is that if you “learn” Christ, your lasciviousness and apathy to it, by the way, will turn your heart away from falling to temptation. James tells us if you don't want to sin, “flee from it” (temptation). Learning Christ means not only believing in him and reading scripture, but committing your life to him. When the Holy Spirit resides in your heart, he will comfort (aid) you in defying temptation. Seek the company of those who abhor what God abhors. Avoid places and times where the indulgent roam. Avoid drugs and alcohol because they lower the defenses. Control what you watch and hear. It's so easy to change channels or even turn it off. You might be surprised with how entertained you can be when doing Christian appropriate activities.