Computers, Games, Guns, Television,
Movies and Music - What do they have in Common?
Jerry Wilhite, author
What do these things have in common?
Computers
Games
Guns
Television
Movies
Music
They are all tools that can be used by mankind for good or evil. None of the above are bad by themselves; what man does with them is what makes them bad. No, scratch that, it is not them that are bad, it is the use of them that is evil.
Computer technology is possibly the biggest break-through man has come up with in the past 30 years. The current PC is more powerful than what NASA used to send man to the moon. But we use them to promote pornography, hate, prejudice, gambling and more.
Each of the above is an addiction that hurts the person involved, and their families to a degree that can even be worse than smoking or drinking.
When we say all things in moderation are ok, that is not totally correct. Only those that are not based in evil. You see there is no good in pornography, but some will say then what is pornographic? In the Muslim countries showing any part of a woman more than maybe their eyes is wicked. To a degree they may be right. What is called the free world does go beyond what would be called tasteful. We started going down this path in the early 20th century. If we had not started down that path, today pornography would not be the problem it is today. Some of you may even call me a prude because I think if we had stayed with a one piece-bathing suite we would have been much better off. The point of our problem is not in clothing as much as in thought. In the word of God we find that the way we have gone could have been prevented by just following the scripture.
Romans 10
9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
So it starts with a thought, and then goes into the heart and then out of the mouth.
2 Corinthians 10
5. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
So it all starts with a thought, and all thoughts are based on input, like a computer, trash in, trash out. If you start looking at women in a magazine or online, say playboy centerfold types, then next you will be looking for more detail and then more vulgar images, until you go so deep that even you are shocked.
If this sounds like something that could not happen to anyone you know, or that I am over stating a problem, then join one of the on line chat rooms helping people with addiction to pornography.
The same problem happens with most addictions. One starts with a drug that seems very innocent, and in it self it might be, but if not kept in check or avoided completely it can take a person down a path to destruction. I have seen people into drugs, alcohol, pornography, even role playing games who start off thinking they can control the problem or that it is not a problem. By the time most realize that it is a problem they have gone too far and it then is much harder to control. Would you believe it has been reported the EVERYONE who tries crack cocaine LIKES it? That is not the case with all drugs like marijuana or speed, but all you have to do is try crack one time and you could possibly desire it so much that you will keep using it over and over until it destroys your health, finances, marriage, your very life.
Computers - Someone asked me about computers as far as a Bible study on the subject. I can say that as far as the word of God goes there is not any thing about computers. Computers in and of themselves are fine, and for the most part are a very helpful tool.
They are used for navigation in the shuttle program for NASA, airplanes, boats, ships and even cars. They are also used for communication, television, radio, ham radios and more. This is just a small segment of how and where computers are used today. Now for the only time I heard of them referred to in scripture was possibly in Revelation. There is a computer in Belgium that is called the Belgium, Economics, Accounting, and Surveillance Terminal, or BEAST. Could it be the Beast mentioned in Revelation? Supposedly nothing in banking, credit, so forth happens without going through this terminal, and supposedly, even in handling all of the worlds banking, it has only used a fraction of its capacity.
Computers are being used to communicate, for promoting the kingdom on earth, and helping families stay in touch as well as keeping up to date with all kinds of information, like weather, news and more.
Television, Movies, Radio, Guns - The first three of these are the same and not the same as computers. They can be used to help keep people up to-date with information, weather, news, and so forth, but like computers they are also misused. Even a gun is something that can be of help. Hunting for food, clothing, and even for protection, but as with all things they are misused.
The shame of it all is, if from 2,000 years ago until now man had followed Jesus, by today we will be back in Eden. So as with all things man has a tendency to follow the easier path and the path of least resistance leads always to destruction.
3-3-4 H.O.M.E.