Recently in Culture Category

You live in a world that wants to take you and your children captive.  The goal of this captivity is to have Christians follow the ways of Satan rather than the ways of Christ (Colossians 2:8 and Ephesians 2:1-3). In the book, Instructing a Child's Heart, Tedd and Margy Tripp give a strong warning about being captured by the surrounding godless culture.  Parents, your children are being raised in a hostile world. For Americans, this hostility has been obfuscated by the past influence of Christian thought.  But this influence has been steadily eroding.

The Super Bowl is a major cultural event. Today's post contains thoughts about this year's game.  I'll also include links to previous posts about this game. It is important to think biblically about this highly visible part of our culture. Take a look at this post and the previous ones and let us know your thoughts!

                The Super Bowl and Proverbs 4:23 part 1 & part 2

                The Super Bowl and Your Heart's Orientation

Greg Doyle is a writer for CBS Sports. He is a good sports reporter and I enjoy his work. I also believe that he represents what many think about the role of sports in our culture. As you may know, Tim Tebow and his mother are going to be featured in an ad sponsored by Focus on the Family during this year's Super Bowl. Mr. Doyle provides this description of what he thinks the ad will be like:

Thanks again to Jacob for his comment and question about marriage. Jacob begins by asking this question:

What I haven't been able to wrap my mind around is how "A man shall leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife" has been accepted in Christian circles as meaning a legal union recognized by the state, stamped on paper, with all the benefits that the government can throw at you for being married.

To answer this question it is important to understand our social history in chronological order. It is possible to look at our country and culture today and conclude that the church is seeking validation from the state with regard to marriage. But time and the decreasing impact of the church on our culture has blurred the lines between church and state. In reality the state first drew its understanding of marriage from the church and Scripture. Historically, in the United States marriage has been understood as an institution ordained by God for the good of all people. A reading of the literature concerning the laws of this country will leave you with no other conclusion. From the April 11, 1890, edition of the New York Times, we read this quotation, attributed to the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Jay: "But however they may be established there is nothing we look for with more certainty than the general principle that Christianity is the law of the land."

Jacob raises an important question in his comments about "What is a Marriage?"  His asks what is the appropriate role of the state, if any, in determining what makes a marriage binding.  He is asking, in effect, do Christians need the state to validate marriage?  His unedited comments are posted below. 

This is the sort of question for which Christians, particularly Christian parents, must have clear, direct answers. Thanks to Jacob for asking this probing question.  What is the biblical answer? How would you answer this question for your children?  Give it some thought. I will post my response tomorrow.

This past Monday, March 9, 2009, President Obama reversed George W. Bush’s executive order regarding human embryonic stem cell research. In supporting his decision President Obama used extraordinary reasoning. He stated that scientific decisions should be based upon facts, not ideology. The President’s new executive order will have a major impact on your parenting. What does this have to do with parenting? That’s the critical question, but we need a little more information before giving the answer.

First, here is the President’s quote in context:

 "Our government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moral values," Obama declared, as he signed documents changing U.S. science policy and removing what some researchers have said were shackles on their work. "It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda — and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology," Obama said.  (March 10, 2009 AP)To clarify, here is how The American Heritage Dictionary defines ideology:

1. The body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group, class, or culture. 2. A set of doctrines or beliefs that form the basis of a political, economic, or other system.

So President Obama is saying that a decision to destroy human embryos is a decision that should not be based upon a set of ideas, doctrine or beliefs that define a culture. This is shocking. Here is another point to help frame the seriousness of this issue. The Boston Globe reported on the President's order in its March 10^th edition. Included in the article is a succinct comment about embryonic stem cell research:

Human embryonic stem cells have the capacity to develop into any tissue in the body, such as insulin-producing cells that might eventually be used to treat diabetes, or neurons that could replace ones that die off during Lou Gehrig's disease. The potent cells are seen as important research tools, as well as promising treatments. But they have caused much political and ethical debate because human embryos are destroyed when the cells are extracted.

The Boston Globe believes that the destruction of human embryos is subject to ethical debate. Apparently, the President does not.

This executive order then, has important implications for your family. The logical conclusion from the President’s remarks is that science and ethics can be divorced from each other. When your child learns scientific data in the context of this line of thinking, he must not consider the data as having ethical implications. Scientific facts stand alone. But is a "scientific fact" reliable? Many of us were taught the scientific fact that there are nine planets In our solar system. But now it is possible that there are only eight planets, because Pluto might be only a dead comet instead of a planet. The nature of science is discovery, not dogma. Science, by its nature, is a dynamic process. Scientific “facts” are properly understood as things to be tested and retested. In order for these facts to have constructive meaning they must be placed in an ideological framework. Your children need to know this. Apart from placement within some kind of worldview, a scientific fact has no direction for good or evil. For example, the process of splitting an atom is a scientific fact. But this fact has profound ideological implications. This process can be used to provide power for light bulbs, run a huge aircraft carrier, or be the instrument of destruction for hundreds of thousands of people. To say that the decision to split an atom must be made apart from ideological considerations is unthinkable. The same is true for the decision to destroy human embryos in order to accomplish a potential greater good. This decision has huge ideological import: for the sake of attempting to cure a lethal disease, it is now deemed appropriate to destroy living human embryos. And further, the President is saying that this is a scientific decision only and has nothing to do with ideology!

Parents, that is just a little information on a large topic, but it is enough to show why you must be concerned. Only biblical truth, properly used to form a biblical worldview, provides the wisdom to navigate the treacherous waters to which science has opened the door. You must not leave the idea of worldview to the academic ivory tower while the waters are flooding the homes and the marketplace. Forming a biblical worldview starts when you rise up, when you lie down and when you walk along the way. Talk with your pastor, your friends at church and others. Do not let your children believe that the noble cause of scientific research justifies the taking of life. Like it or not, postmodernism has come to your living room. You must talk about this with your children. Ideology matters. It matters for life and death.

 _______________________

This post also appears in the Shepherd Press Newsletter. You may subscribe to the newsletter here. The newsletter is a great way to introduce your friends to Shepherd Press. 

These days everyone is talking about bailouts. Whether on the economic or social front, things seem to be falling apart. Whether you are catching the headlines on Drudge, or the details on Fox News, or USA Today, the message is all the same. There is no way out without a bailout. As you watch, read or listen to the experts in these amazing times, the most important factor is always missing from the analysis and reporting. Talk show monologues, no-spin comments, and the latest from the financial markets—all have a message of catastrophe. But no one talks about the One who controls it all. While man panics, God works his plan. There is a message to be heeded in these troubled days. God is the Lord of all the earth. God is Sovereign over the marketplace. He is the King of governments. That is the message of the Bible, but it is not the message of the world and its news media. It is not the message of our governments. But even so, it is the message of Scripture, the only reliable source of truth. What does God say?

 "Be still, and know that I am God;
       I will be exalted among the nations,
       I will be exalted in the earth."

 The LORD Almighty is with us;
       the God of Jacob is our fortress.  —Psalm 46:10-11

This message was not intended only for Israelites of 3,000 years ago. It is a timeless message that is also for today. Here is the question – is this your message, or are you too looking for a bailout? God promises that his Word will provide a way out of every temptation. He says that his promises provide everything that is needed for life and godliness. God was not caught by surprise, as our government leaders appear to have been, by the rapid change in the global economy. He has planned all things for the good of his people. Psalm 46 gives the reason for your stability in troubled times:

 ¹ God is our refuge and strength,
       an ever-present help in trouble.

 ² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
       and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, …

There is trouble, to be sure. But God is our strength and refuge. Remember, he is not merely an observer in these tumultuous times. Rather, the instability that is all around you is meant to point you toward the One who is stable, the only one who can be trusted for wisdom that is always reliable. I am reminded of a quote from C.S. Lewis. In answer to the question if Aslan [the lion] is safe, the  answer is, "'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.' " The earth, the financial markets, may give way and fall into the sea. That certainly does not appear to be safe. But what is certain is that God is your refuge and strength. God is good.

Parents, your children hear of all the uncertainty. They hear the sound bites. They see worried teachers and folks at church. They may be troubled in ways that are less than obvious. The best thing you can do for your children is not to seek a bailout, but to turn to God as your refuge and strength. He is your help in trouble. Our culture has ignored Paul’s warning to Timothy, not to hope in wealth because it is uncertain. Perhaps because of advances in technology people have come to think of wealth as something that can be managed and made secure. Financial analysts use sophisticated computer models and forecasting programs to attempt to anticipate any eventual outcome. But for all of our sophistication, wealth is no more certain today than it was 2,000 years ago, when Paul wrote to Timothy. (I Timothy 6:17-19) Wealth is no more certain than life itself. Just as you cannot guarantee that you will be here tomorrow, you cannot guarantee that your money will be here tomorrow. Economic forecasters have ignored what James has to say about business transactions:

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. James 4:13-16

Think about the Holy Spirit’s declaration that financial forecasting, business planning, personal estate planning, stock portfolio and 401K management—without acknowledging that these things work only if God wills them to happen—is evil. That’s right, evil. Attempting to be prudent with finances, without acknowledging that nothing will happen without God’s approval, is foolish and evil. There are many reasons that may be given for the current financial mess. But the most important reason is missing. People may think they have been wise about finances, but they have been foolish about God. Christians must have the courage to analyze the current financial crisis in light of the truth of the Holy Spirit’s words in James. Modern culture attempts to live as if God does not exist. Unborn babies are slaughtered. Marriage between a man and a woman is said to be discriminatory and bigoted. Finances are thought to have nothing to do with God. Government must ignore God. Yes, modern culture has boasted and bragged. And now God has called its bluff. It is not time for a bailout – it is time for repentance and humility.

This article is one that I wrote for the Shepherd Press Newsletter.  I am posting it in the blog for two reasons.

First – I strongly believe that we must see these uncertain times as a call to turn to God in humility.  Our current financial woes are not a random event.

Second – I want to bring to your attention a new emphasis in the Shepherd Press Newsletter. Each week I will be writing an article in the newsletter about what the Bible has to say about some aspect of current events. The newsletter article will have a different focus from the blog as it will reflect primarily on what is happening in our world. There will always be an application about how these events impact your family. If you have not subscribed to our newsletter, you may do so here.

Thanks again for your continued support of the blog. I hope that the newsletter articles will be a blessing to you.

As we conclude this series on gaming, there is one more question that remains: Can Christians engage in gaming with a good conscience? The answer, I believe, is yes, given a significant qualifier:  This pursuit must be done with biblical wisdom. Wisdom is the skill that comes from a deep passionate love of God’s truth. You may have been born with intelligence, precocity, and a good memory, but with regard to wisdom, you were born a fool. Wisdom is a skill that may only be acquired through great energy and faith. Protection from the allure of gaming comes from a vigorous pursuit of wisdom. Take a moment to read Proverbs 1:30-2:6.

30 since they would not accept my advice
       and spurned my rebuke,

 31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
       and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

 32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
       and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

 33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety
       and be at ease, without fear of harm."

1 My son, if you accept my words
       and store up my commands within you,

 2 turning your ear to wisdom
       and applying your heart to understanding,

 3 and if you call out for insight
       and cry aloud for understanding,

 4 and if you look for it as for silver
       and search for it as for hidden treasure,

 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD
       and find the knowledge of God.

 6 For the LORD gives wisdom,
       and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

This passage is really an extension of Proverbs 1:7. It describes an earnest, energetic, almost frantic pursuit of wisdom and understanding. For Christians, the pursuit of wisdom must not be casual or sporadic. The casual pursuit of wisdom is no match for the powerful attraction of electronic gaming. You and your children must have your wisdom skills finely honed in order to even think wisely about what gaming activity, if any,  should be enjoyed.

Developing this skill of wisdom is the result of having a mind renewed by the redemptive power of Christ. As we mentioned earlier, you won’t find the term electronic gaming in any concordance. But if you give yourself to the pursuit of wisdom as if your life depended on it—and it really does (Deut. 32:44-47)—then you will be building the principial base you need in order to evaluate the impact of gaming. Let me stress this again:  you must begin with the passionate acquisition of wisdom before you or your kids even think about gaming. 

This challenge is the same one given by Paul to Timothy. Paul is calling Timothy to warfare that yields a good conscience:   "This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience… "  I Timothy 1:18-19.

You must be just as prepared for warfare as Timothy was. If your children see this commitment in you, you will indeed be holding out the word of life to them.

You see, once we have laid the groundwork, the particular answer to a question—like what to do about gaming—need not be long and complicated. Please read and reread the passage in Proverbs referenced above. To apply this passage faithfully takes great wisdom and courage. It takes great wisdom and courage to engage in gaming that glorifies our great God. This is the vision you want to give your children. The Christian life is much more about being strong and courageous in pursuit of glory than it is about trying to figure out what not to do.

 Let me know your thoughts and if you have any questions or additional things to consider.

Here is brief summary of the posts on gaming to date.

There are at least two defining biblical principles that can be applied to gaming:

1.  Gaming must not detract from a biblically productive life.

2.  Gaming, if it is to be done, must proceed from faith.

Proverbs 12:11 demonstrates that electronic gaming can definitely lead to a lack of productivity. ("¹¹ He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment." niv) The next issue, then, is to understand what drives the desire for gaming. This was examined in the post on gaming and pursuit. Finally, in the last post, we began to look at how to offer a biblical alternative. We’ll pick up that thought now.

Man was made to pursue greatness. If Adam had not sinned, our lives would have been completely productive and purposeful. Bringing honor to God would have been a 24/7 labor of delight and love. We all would have known each night the sweet sleep that follows productive days of hard work for God’s glory. Even to write these words is heartbreaking. I think of all the things that I could have done, and at times I am overwhelmed by the ravages of sin in this area of productivity. Sin has and is calling God’s people to a life that is counterproductive to God’s glory. Teenagers who are capable of great things are corrupted by games masquerading as meaningful pursuits. Adults who could be participating in adding to the reputation of God are instead captivated by chasing rabbit trails on Facebook and watching reality TV that is contrived to appeal to human vanities. What plagues the gamers often plagues their parents as well.

In the last post I suggested that we place gaming in the context of creation, the fall and redemption. It is only in this context that the real damage done by excessive gaming can be seen. Our culture is attempting with renewed vigor to rid itself of a Christian worldview. By stripping away the wonder of creation and the hope of redemption in Christ we are left with only the perspective of the fall. In our culture there is no appreciation for man as he was created, only as he is evolving. Thus, there is no need for redemption. Man’s fallen state has become the norm. In order to think biblically about life as Christians we must consider all three perspectives. What could life have been like? How has sin distorted what could have been? How does the redemptive work of Christ allow us to redeem that which was lost? Colossians 2:8 warns against being captivated by a worldview that considers only our fallen state. "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."

The human traditions of this world know only the perspective of the fall and, therefore, try to deceive us into thinking that man is not really fallen, but simply evolving. Yes, man is flawed, but he is getting better. Creation and redemption are ideals born of myth and oppressive religion. An evolving man has no need of a Savior and redemption; he will heal himself.

So what does this have to with gaming? Well, it explains many of the dark areas of electronic gaming. Themes of demons, hell and graphic violence are mixed together with themes of conquest and challenge. Sin is just dark fiction—not reality, and certainly not damning. So these themes are not wrong in themselves. There is no God to offend, only senses to stimulate. This is the result of living life without a true understanding of both creation and the fall. 

This understanding of the creation and the fall should help to answer a question asked by one reader. She asked for a concrete example of this statement: conformity to the world means to attempt to change the impact of the fall without the vision of creation. Here is an example as it relates to gaming. You see your teenager locked into gaming mode. You know he is consumed by the games that he plays. His schoolwork is suffering. He has no time for family or friends outside of his gaming milieu. If you look at the problem of too much gaming only from the perspective of the fall, you may offer a solution that is just as defective as the problem. If all you do is to limit the time spent on gaming or attempt to eliminate the games completely you haven’t addressed why he plays. You have only addressed how he plays. This is looking at the problem without the vision of creation.

 We are made to pursue great and meaningful things. But since the fall we naturally pursue things that please us rather than God. Some may pursue excellence in sports or the arts or business achievements. Others may pursue excellence in the escapist world of games. The gamer can’t tell the difference. And indeed, without living for the glory of God there isn’t much difference. As Ecclesiastes says, life without God is meaningless, empty and vain.

How do you help bring about change in your gamer? When the human drive for conquest and pursuit that has been fueled by intense gaming, trying to stop or redirect this drive is like trying to stop a runaway train. If you don't understand and address the reason this drive is so compelling, you will only frustrate both yourself and your teenager. But, if you can help him see biblically why gaming is so compelling, you may be able to help him see the dangers in gaming for what they truly are. The only truly satisfying alternative to the driving allure of gaming lies in the redemptive work of Christ.

Parents, before you can pass on this redemptive understanding to your teenagers, it must first be what drives you. You must have a clear vision that is shaped by the wonder of creation and the hope of redemption. This is where the second defining principle comes into play. To understand the redemptive work of Christ, you must first be driven by faith in Christ. We will take this up in the next post.

In the last post on gaming we looked at the difference between the pursuit of productivity and the pursuit of fantasy. The operative word here is pursuit. Proverbs 12:11 contrasts someone who productively works his land with someone who chases or pursues empty fantasies. Both individuals are in active pursuit of a goal. Sometimes the one chasing fantasies becomes obsessed with his pursuit, even though it is meaningless. This is true of hard-core gamers. Everything else in life becomes secondary—the game is the thing. While your children may not be at the level of the seriously hard-core, it is not difficult to see when the games pull them toward obsession. You may think to yourself, what is the big deal, can’t he see this is wasting his life? If only he could be this dedicated to do doing something that matters!

In order to understand the attraction of electronic gaming you must first understand that both the pursuit of things that are productive and the pursuit of things that are empty flow from the way that God made us. I can hear someone saying (even across cyberspace!) God didn’t make us to spend hours playing Grand Theft Auto! No, but he did create man in his own image and task him with the responsibility to subdue the earth and have dominion over its creatures.

 And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Genesis 1:28

Humans were created by God and instructed to subdue and dominate the creation. This command was pre-Fall. So this task, before sin, would have been carried out with wisdom, gentleness and with great energy! It would have been consuming in a good and wonderful way. Adam’s first tasks were to name the animals (a form of dominion in itself) and to guard and care for the garden. The idea of Adam and Eve wandering around the garden with nothing more to do than soak up the sunshine is not biblical. Rather, they were created in the image of God to develop and govern the earth itself, for the glory of God. What a breathtaking vocation!

Like so many other good things, sin corrupted this perfect, glorious pursuit and turned humans toward the pursuit of their own desires and pleasures. What started as a delight to the eye for Eve has become wanton lusting for eyes that have no concern for the honor of God. We see evidence of this selfish pursuit written in the blood stained pages of human history. We see humans driven to pursue personal glory no matter what the cost to them and to others. And yes, we see some driven to pursue the beckoning world of gaming, even if it costs them dearly in terms of relationships with others and productivity in the “real” world. The reality is that if man is not driven to pursue God’s glory, he will pursue his own, often not understanding fully why—not fully understanding that he was made with a drive to achieve and dominate.

The total sensory environment provided by today’s gaming world is seductively enticing. It entices the eyes and tempts the cravings of the flesh. With physical feedback—from joysticks and game controllers to surround sound, life-like graphics, and finally, to themes of escape and conquest—electronic gaming appeals to the way God made us. Gaming appeals to man’s ultimate function in life to subdue and to dominate. Of course, apart from the redemptive work of Christ, that purpose has become tragically distorted and perverted. Even Christians are tempted to pursue dominion for personal gain, quite apart from the glory of God. The reason the gamer is so enthralled by the games he plays is that he was made for the pursuit. Thus, the attraction is real. It is strong. It is captivating. At this level, the attraction is similar to the attraction of pornography. Man was also made to be a sexual being, but the Fall has corrupted that purpose as well. So tens of millions of people, young and old, are driven to pursue the world of online pornography instead of pursuing sex for the glory of God. Seduction works by offering to satisfy a valid, legitimate desire by illegitimate means. 

So, this is the first key to dealing with the power of gaming. Understand that we were made for pursuit, for dominion, for battle. However, because of our sin and depravity since the Fall, the natural inclination of our hearts is to battle against the purposes that God made us for. We battle for ourselves and the sinful cravings of the flesh (Ephesians 2:1-3). We were born as warriors for ourselves and for Satan, not for God.  Now, by God’s grace, Christians are called to fight against these things. Indeed, we must be better fighters than the world around us. In I Timothy 6, Paul urges Timothy to fight the good fight. The way to end the pursuit of gaming is to take up a different pursuit—the fight for the glory of God in all of life. Simply putting restrictions in place to limit gaming will only add fuel to a raging fire. The hard-core gamer is locked in a mortal battle, but it is not the one on his screen—it is the one in his heart.

Since people were designed by God to take up the fight for glory and dominion in a good way, that must be the alternative offered to your children and to those captivated by gaming. There is a better pursuit than the one offered by the gaming world. That is why we looked in a previous post at examining your children’s schedules. If there are large chunks of open time in a child's world, many voices will tempt him to empty, deceptive pursuits. Dame Folly calls loudly to those not driven by the pursuit of the glory of God. Simply saying no to gaming will not silence the seductive call of Folly.

Therefore, is all gaming bad? How do you instill purpose and drive for the glory of God that can compete with gaming? The answers are coming. Stay tuned.

He who works his land will have abundant food,
  but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. Proverbs 12:11

Let's look first at how gaming can detract from a productive life. As we do, consider this:  to the extent that gaming detracts from or lessens being productive, to that extent it must be avoided. Tremper Longman’s commentary on this Proverb captures the essence of the problem. Longman translates the phrase "...he who chases fantasies lacks judgment." with the phrase "...he who pursues emptiness lacks heart."

…The emphasis here is not so much on lack of exertion, but rather that energy is misdirected.He goes on to say that what is pursued in this situation lacks substance.  (Longman, 274)

In his commentary, Bruce Waltke says that the one who pursues fantasies has no sense. (Vol. 1, 528)

Longman is perceptive in focusing on misdirected energy rather than the game itself. Many gamers put a huge amount of time and energy into their gaming. Gamers are seriously committed to gaming, even if other, legitimate priorities suffer. The comparison here is with a farmer who thinks of other ways to get money, while neglecting his farm. Thus, instead of working his land, he schemes or chases fantasies and ends up without food for himself and his family. The farmer may think long and hard about acquiring money or about where he would rather be—but he will not be productive, and he will be hungry.

Electronic media has provided the occasion for many to be distracted from the work God has called them to and driven by fantasies instead. You don’t have to be a hard core gamer with the latest, most powerful computer to be drawn in. Hours can be wastd playing Solitaire or some other “low tech” game. The danger is that the energy spent in the pursuit of games—fantasies—will lead to a lack of productivity in areas where there is clear responsibility.

So the issue in gaming becomes pursuit of productive things rather than the pursuit of fantasies. Why not take time to evaluate the impact of gaming (broadly defined) on the lives of your children and those close to you? Think through these considerations:

In what areas is productivity being lost?

Is there a clear sense of meaning and purpose in the lives of your children? Or do they have large chunks of time that are seemingly discretionary?

Are there issues in their lives where they are unsettled and troubled?

What good things could be accomplished if less time were given to gaming?

Perhaps you can think of some additional considerations. In any event, think these things over and make some observations about them. We will get back to this in the next one or two posts.