Time to Stop Swallowing Poison
Beating our Heads Against the Wall Again...
We Americans typically assume that we can swallow poison and not be harmed. We swallow poison because it tastes good, and then wonder why we're sick. I'm not talking about physical poison here. I'm referring to the harmful influences we allow in our lives, oftentimes without thinking. It’s as if we are oblivious to the fact that risky decisions can actually lead to unpleasant outcomes. Perhaps the time is ripe to understand the consequences.
Some Ways that Americans Swallow Poison
People watch movies and television containing horror, sexual immorality, and the depiction of every kind of deceit imaginable. Yet we ignore the fact that the things we see and experience cause rewiring of the brain. As memories are formed in our brains, our personhood changes ever so subtly. Do we know for sure that watching hours of sitcoms and soaps full of stinging putdowns and zingers doesn't taint our attitudes towards others? What about watching Rambo pile up his body count? Does this subtly affect our view of the value of human life? Why are we so unconcerned, that we glibly assume the risk? How can we be sure that the latest insane mass-murderer on the news didn't become insane from the music and movies he chose to pump into his brain? Or that they didn't tip him over the edge?
One of my former college roommates committed suicide less than a decade after we graduated. I don't know what was going on in his mind that sad day. I did take note, however, of the philosophies and theologies contained in the music he listened to when we were in college. Depeche Mode accusing God of having a sick sense of humor. Another band claiming that Deus does not exist. We can argue that music, videos, and movies are just entertainment, and that since we are aware it is entertainment, it doesn't actually influence us. How can we be so sure?
Parents let their kids dress up as the 'princess of darkness' during Halloween (a holiday overwhelmingly celebrating the themes of death, darkness, and anything demonic), and so embrace evil because it's sugar coated in trick-or-treat candy. As if somehow, poison doesn't do so much damage if it actually tastes good. Then two months later, the same people celebrate the holiday of God's light (Jesus) coming into the world. So people are embracing darkness, then light. Well, which will it be, people? Are darkness and light meaningless? Are they amoral? And that's part of the delusion. People think they can embrace both life and death, and somehow they will only experience abundant life as a result. They ignorantly assume there will be no consequences to themselves as individuals or society as a whole if they swallow another poison pill.
People regularly justify the use of profanity. In their language they degrade everything of value, from other humans to sex. Yet they think nothing will be affected by the negativity and corruption that their speech embodies.
People think they can puff on their cigarettes and lay out in the sun's cancer-causing rays for hours and not suffer any future ill effects.
Teens ignore the blatantly satanic horned creature on the screen in Guitar Hero, just because other aspects of the game are fun. Would we feel the same if our teens participated in Russian Roulette just because it was exciting and socially stimulating? When are we going to understand that evil is the corruption of goodness, and that if a thing of goodness that has been inextricably intertwined with evil, it is therefore corrupted and needs to be tossed in the garbage can?
People think they can talk on their cell phones and drive at the same time. (No, they haven't actually been drinking. They're just driving like they've been drinking.)
People think that if they throw trash out their car window, somebody else with their mindset will pick it up for them.
Teenagers think that if they walk down the middle of the street or just hang out in the street talking, cars will patiently wait (or perhaps drive on the sidewalk). There is obviously no risk if a car were to hit them, since they are immortal.
CEOs of American financial institutions think they can forget what their securities represent, and make glib decisions with them. Yet they will be shielded from their reckless failure by an LLC rewarding them with bailouts and exit clauses, essentially rewarding them despite their decisions.
The American government thinks they can keep propping up unstable companies, but not inherit a huge bill in the future when the fatally flawed company finally dies.
People ignore God all their lives and assume that somehow they'll be ok in the afterlife, despite the fact that they haven't invested a single "penny" into their "ultimate retirement."
Americans believe they can overspend or overextend their credit, and not reap the consequences. A ton of people mortgaged through ARMs, never considering the possibility of a market downturn when refinance time came around. Were they in la-la land when they signed the loan? Well, now everyone in America is in "la-la land" - a land where we daily go to our jobs so we can earn more money to pay more taxes to float a loan to these bankrupt companies so they can lose even more money before they crash. Tell me how this is rational.
As a society we are so consequence-averse, that we can't think straight. Time to watch Brad Stine's "Put a Helmet On!"
To summarize:
We treat poison....
as something innocent...
We Americans typically assume that we can swallow poison and not be harmed. We swallow poison because it tastes good, and then wonder why we're sick. I'm not talking about physical poison here. I'm referring to the harmful influences we allow in our lives, oftentimes without thinking. It’s as if we are oblivious to the fact that risky decisions can actually lead to unpleasant outcomes. Perhaps the time is ripe to understand the consequences.
Some Ways that Americans Swallow Poison
People watch movies and television containing horror, sexual immorality, and the depiction of every kind of deceit imaginable. Yet we ignore the fact that the things we see and experience cause rewiring of the brain. As memories are formed in our brains, our personhood changes ever so subtly. Do we know for sure that watching hours of sitcoms and soaps full of stinging putdowns and zingers doesn't taint our attitudes towards others? What about watching Rambo pile up his body count? Does this subtly affect our view of the value of human life? Why are we so unconcerned, that we glibly assume the risk? How can we be sure that the latest insane mass-murderer on the news didn't become insane from the music and movies he chose to pump into his brain? Or that they didn't tip him over the edge?
One of my former college roommates committed suicide less than a decade after we graduated. I don't know what was going on in his mind that sad day. I did take note, however, of the philosophies and theologies contained in the music he listened to when we were in college. Depeche Mode accusing God of having a sick sense of humor. Another band claiming that Deus does not exist. We can argue that music, videos, and movies are just entertainment, and that since we are aware it is entertainment, it doesn't actually influence us. How can we be so sure?
Parents let their kids dress up as the 'princess of darkness' during Halloween (a holiday overwhelmingly celebrating the themes of death, darkness, and anything demonic), and so embrace evil because it's sugar coated in trick-or-treat candy. As if somehow, poison doesn't do so much damage if it actually tastes good. Then two months later, the same people celebrate the holiday of God's light (Jesus) coming into the world. So people are embracing darkness, then light. Well, which will it be, people? Are darkness and light meaningless? Are they amoral? And that's part of the delusion. People think they can embrace both life and death, and somehow they will only experience abundant life as a result. They ignorantly assume there will be no consequences to themselves as individuals or society as a whole if they swallow another poison pill.
People regularly justify the use of profanity. In their language they degrade everything of value, from other humans to sex. Yet they think nothing will be affected by the negativity and corruption that their speech embodies.
People think they can puff on their cigarettes and lay out in the sun's cancer-causing rays for hours and not suffer any future ill effects.
Teens ignore the blatantly satanic horned creature on the screen in Guitar Hero, just because other aspects of the game are fun. Would we feel the same if our teens participated in Russian Roulette just because it was exciting and socially stimulating? When are we going to understand that evil is the corruption of goodness, and that if a thing of goodness that has been inextricably intertwined with evil, it is therefore corrupted and needs to be tossed in the garbage can?
People think they can talk on their cell phones and drive at the same time. (No, they haven't actually been drinking. They're just driving like they've been drinking.)
People think that if they throw trash out their car window, somebody else with their mindset will pick it up for them.
Teenagers think that if they walk down the middle of the street or just hang out in the street talking, cars will patiently wait (or perhaps drive on the sidewalk). There is obviously no risk if a car were to hit them, since they are immortal.
CEOs of American financial institutions think they can forget what their securities represent, and make glib decisions with them. Yet they will be shielded from their reckless failure by an LLC rewarding them with bailouts and exit clauses, essentially rewarding them despite their decisions.
The American government thinks they can keep propping up unstable companies, but not inherit a huge bill in the future when the fatally flawed company finally dies.
People ignore God all their lives and assume that somehow they'll be ok in the afterlife, despite the fact that they haven't invested a single "penny" into their "ultimate retirement."
Americans believe they can overspend or overextend their credit, and not reap the consequences. A ton of people mortgaged through ARMs, never considering the possibility of a market downturn when refinance time came around. Were they in la-la land when they signed the loan? Well, now everyone in America is in "la-la land" - a land where we daily go to our jobs so we can earn more money to pay more taxes to float a loan to these bankrupt companies so they can lose even more money before they crash. Tell me how this is rational.
As a society we are so consequence-averse, that we can't think straight. Time to watch Brad Stine's "Put a Helmet On!"
To summarize:
We treat poison....
