From http://el-paso.ucg.org/ or call 1-888-886-8632.by Sherrie G
Bela Lugosi played Dracula on film in 1931.
Source: Wikimedia Commons/Universal Studios Have you ever been desensitized to something? I know I have. It isn't always a bad thing and can relieve a certain level of stress. However, it isn't always a good thing either. Over the years there have been many discussions in the media about the desensitizing of our children due to increasing levels of violence in certain video games.
What about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on our behalf? Could we become desensitized to the miracles involved and what they mean for us today? Some of the most popular books, movies, and other entrainment of today focus on zombies and vampires. Think about it for a minute. The resurrection of the dead is a miracle that can only be performed through the will of God. It is the same miracle that allowed our Savior to set up in His tomb and to fold his burial clothes. Yet this miracle plays out as an everyday occurrence in movies and books that focus on zombies. The "undead" as they are called are not shown in a positive way, having been given life again due to a great miracle, but they are shown as a representation of walking death.
Jesus Christ died and shed His blood for our sins. As a symbol of his death and our forgiveness of sin, during the Passover service we drink a small amount of red wine which represents his blood. However, the entertainment industry has made the drinking of blood an everyday occurrence, one that has more to do with death and violence than it does with the forgiveness of sins and life. Does the symbolism get lost in today's popularity of vampires?
Many would argue that these movies and books, produced for entertainment purposes have nothing to do with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I would agree. However on closer look can we say that this type of entertainment does not have some kind of desensitizing effect on the world around us? When the drinking of blood and bringing back to life of the dead is more about entertainment, the world can lose perspective on how truly amazing those symbols can be in our life today. When these symbols of life become more about symbols of death based on entertainment, can we expect our minds to remain unaffected?
We realize that Satan is the God of this world and he is more cunning than we could ever imagine. What better way for him to twist the symbols that lead to life into symbols of death than to do so in a way that is seen as harmless entertainment?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment