It's Only... It's Just...

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It's Only... It's Just...

article by Lorelei Nettles





They are used again and again in our own lives. Our children especially use them, and we only hurt ourselves when we allow them to control us. What are they?



There are words we may tend to use regularly, whether saying them aloud or only to ourselves. They are words like: “But it’s only,” “I know the difference,” “Others do it,” “It won’t hurt me” or “It’s not real, so what’s the big deal?” We use them when we are making excuses for what we are allowing into our life and minds; making excuses for things we might openly accept as wrong.



The mind cannot compartmentalize the real from the fantasy.



A mother related the following story after a conversation with her son: “One day I walked into the room while my son was watching a popular television program that I don’t approve of. It’s not a terribly horrible program, but I feel it gives a bad impression of the family. When I expressed my disappointment at him watching the show his reply was, ‘Mom, it’s only a cartoon.’



“I explained to my son that what we allow into our minds affects the way we think about things; that what seems innocent can really be making certain things seem acceptable to us when they really are not. We continued to talk about it for a minute or two when he suddenly told me that there should be a sermon on the subject. That’s when I knew he was beginning to understand the importance of what I was saying.”



We can all make similar excuses for what we will allow into our lives and minds. We can be so willing to brush aside objections to what we know not to be right or wholesome solely because of the way in which it is presented. We often make excuses without even thinking about it. We might say things like, “Well, other people at church watch this program,” “My friends watch this and I want to discuss it with them” or “I know the difference between right and wrong, so it won’t even affect me.”



There are several television programs and movies out right now that are about the occult, the dead being alive in one form or another, wolves, vampires or very sexual or mystical characters. Some are presented as very innocent or even humorous, which often leads us to disregard their underlying messages. Not all programs are bad, but we must be wary of what we are allowing into our minds.



An ancient issue

Similar things were happening in Moses’ day. Without really thinking about it, Israel returned to idolatry and turned from God. Did it happen quickly and did they do it with clear minds? Not likely. God had warned Israel to steer clear of those who worshiped other gods, but they did not listen and soon allowed pagan foreigners back into their lives. With them came their idols and idol worship (see 2 Kings 17:7-12 [7] For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,

[8] And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.

[9] And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

[10] And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:

[11] And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger:

[12] For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.





See All... and Psalms 106:35-36 [35] But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.

[36] And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.





See All...).



By allowing pagan worship and rituals to be practiced among them, the Israelites slowly came to accept them. It began to seem normal and everyday after a while; nothing to get upset about. Then gradually over time, they started to adopt more and more of the idol worshipers’ ways, adapting them into their own culture. I am sure that in the beginning they told themselves it was no big deal; it was only something those other people did. It didn’t affect how the Israelites ran their lives. To them it was just an innocent acceptance. They probably thought things like we do today: “How can we dislike them for what they believe? They have always been that way. It’s not their fault, it’s just not fair to separate ourselves from them.” How easy it is to delude ourselves into this way of thinking.



The problem areas

The Internet is another issue that needs to be addressed. There are sites that are set up solely for the purpose of posting videos that too often share more than one should see or hear. Sexual content has become common and vulgarity disguised as humor is the norm. Trying to get a reaction is often the goal and getting caught up in all of it can come so easy. Voyeurism has also been linked to dysfunctional relationships and even violence towards women.



People can find themselves glued to computer screens for hours on end without anything to show for their time at the end of the day. What a waste! While the Internet can be a good tool, we must be careful not to let it overtake us.



Video games can either be a fun activity or create a mind that is numb, especially to violence. Games that are about stealing or killing do little to build our minds. I have heard this argument for one such game, “It’s not killing if they aren’t people, they are only aliens!” Does that matter? Is taking a life any different within your brain? I wouldn’t think so. If the creature walks upright and looks similar to a human, can your brain differentiate between them?



The mind cannot compartmentalize the real from the fantasy. The mind learns to adapt to the sight of continual killing and can become silently compassionate and/or tolerant to a theft or a murder. How many movies have you seen where you find yourself rooting for the bad guy and how many games have been played where the character (you) is stealing or killing?



Questions to ask ourselves:



* Are the characters I see or use acting in a way that God would approve of?



* Do I find myself making “It’s only...” excuses?



* Is there a message here that is detrimental to my family, spouse, children or friends?



* Is there a chance that I am allowing my mind to be gradually changed in ways that might harm my character and my resolve to follow God’s ways?



* How will this affect my mind in the long run?



Not just visual

It is not only what we watch that can change our way of thinking, but also what we listen to. Have you ever been listening to the radio and become excited because an old song you love was coming on? You may be singing along with it, when suddenly and maybe for the first time, you actually listen to the words and realize that the message is horrible. It is not something you should be listening to at all!



…what we allow into our minds affects the way we think about things; that what seems innocent can really be making certain things seem acceptable to us when they really are not.



At this point, you have a choice. Will you listen or will you stop? It often comes as a surprise to me, that what I once thought to be great songs have often turned out to have very bad messages. While I have become more discriminating over the years and have chosen to stop listening to such music, I am also sure that I have allowed some of it to slide by. The song starts and I drive down the highway, singing along with an old favorite without a thought. In time, I am sure that I will weed these out as well, but it takes a conscious effort.



Satan is a master with music and we can see his influence throughout the industry, whether it is rock, country, rap or jazz. We need to be careful what we allow into our minds. “But it’s just music, it can’t influence me.” It can and does! Some of it is blatant and rebellious, while in other songs we may not even notice the subtle messages coming across.



I remember being at a church campout once. Everyone was singing around the campfire and the atmosphere was festive. It was quite fun until the songs seemed to turn and suddenly we were singing very unchristian lyrics. When I complained, I was told it was only a song and that I was being too serious. But in my mind, I pictured campsites nearby overhearing our song and never thinking us to be Christians. It’s something to think about.



More times than not, the music we listen to is very beautiful, has a good beat and or makes us want to dance. It’s this catchiness that attracts us and hooks us. Sometimes the verses are written in such a way that we may not at first understand their meaning. We often don’t even hear the words at first, even if we are singing them. Satan is cunning. He is very aware that music is a beloved part of almost every culture.



Satan is a master with music and we can see his influence throughout the industry, whether it is rock, country, rap or jazz.



There is music that leaves me feeling aggressive and tense. Many young people enjoy this style of music, but those who do often display these same characteristics. They are aggressive and angry. I saw this happen with my son when he was quite young. He was an active toddler, but I noticed that music affected the way he acted. Calmer music settled him down, while a screaming style song or music made him very hyper, even if exposed to it for a short time. There is much talk of the effect most classical music has on young children, and while I am not sure of its effect on the brain as far as intellect, I do know that when my family and I listen to it, there is a calming affect on us all.



Even grocery stores and restaurants know this to be true, playing soft rock or other calming music to get you to spend more time and money. They know that harsh music will make you want to leave and not spend extra time in their establishments.



The questions to ask ourselves:



* Do the lyrics speak positively, or do they speak of sin or sinful acts?



* Do I physically feel good when I listen to this?



* Would I listen to or sing along with this music with Jesus?



* Do I find myself saying things like, “But the music is so beautiful; what’s the harm in listening to the lyrics too?”



* Am I allowing Satan a foothold into my life?



We make daily decisions on what we watch, hear and engage in on the computer. The question is will we later find ourselves making excuses for those choices? Will we be saying, “It’s just… It’s only…”?

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Vantage Point: The Supernatural and Disasters

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Vantage Point: The Supernatural and Disasters

article by Randy Stiver





Unfortunately, most of humankind have ignored or outright rejected God's way of living and are now beginning to suffer a new and frightful round of consequences.



Vampires, werewolves, wizards, shape-shifters—why are people so fascinated with these characters? Are they just flights of fancy or something more sinister? It turns out that they are, in fact, front men for the biggest supernatural "wannabe" in history!



Not surprisingly, in a recent interview in the Children's Books section of About.com, Kim Patton, president of the Young Adult Library Services Association in America, described the continuing trend in 2011 of teen fascination with supernatural themes and vampires, ghosts and zombies. Maybe you've been overly transfixed with those subjects too. If so, then you might like to know that they're all supernatural counterfeits!



There's a tell-all book, high on the Vertical Thought recommended reading list, that reveals a great deal about actual supernatural beings. It contains amazing true stories about real angels and demons. The latter, by the way, were once holy angels, who rebelled and are now fallen angels called demons. They're not friendly. And their leader—the supernatural wannabe himself—bears the title of Devil, which means "accuser" or "slanderer." He's got other names too, none of them good.



This terrific book is principally concerned, however, with the ultimate good guys —the supernatural divine Beings. It reveals the God family, comprising God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Plus the book recounts all sorts of adventures of people like you and me who directly communicated and interacted (sometimes well, sometimes badly) with these great, divine Supernaturals.



That interaction is going on at this very moment. And this book—the Holy Bible—tells us how we should interact, revealing the divinely directed way of living based on love for God and love for neighbor. Unfortunately, most of humankind have ignored or outright rejected this way of living, tuned themselves into the evil way of the supernatural wannabe Devil and are now, as a global civilization, beginning to suffer a new and frightful round of consequences.



Those supernatural consequences include the recent natural disasters that have befallen the planet. With recent droughts in China, Australia, southern Africa, Texas and elsewhere, combined with too much rain in parts of Europe and North America plus the most devastating tornados in the U.S. in many decades, mankind is hurting. This comes on the heels of the devastation in Japan. Ocean waves are beautiful, but a massive tsunami is not. When the crust of the earth is calm we don't often think about it, yet how terrified we become when it shakes and quakes!



Take some time to muse on this issue of VT. With the topic of earthquakes in mind, consider the creative power of the God's supernatural forces at work around us today as you read "What's Shakin' Terra Firma? " by Mario Seiglie.



And please realize that as a Vertical Thought reader, you're already involved with the supreme good guys and their divine supernatural power that created and sustains the universe. In fact, as another of this issue's articles explains, God has a plan, and you're a part of it. Keep thinking vertically!

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Hollywood's Horrendous Consequences

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/ or call 1-888-886-8632.
 


Mass Culture's Horrendous Consequences


The 21st century sees the entertainment-centered culture of the Western world spread around the globe through movies, television, music and the Internet. Rather than genuinely "entertaining" in a wholesome sense, the effect appears to encourage self-indulgence of the crudest and rawest elements of human nature.

by Cecil E. Maranville

Entertainment is both pleasurable and necessary for establishing and maintaining good health. By "entertainment," I mean the type of activity that uplifts, inspires or relaxes the human spirit. The biblical "There Is a Season" poem acknowledges this truth with its declaration that there is "a time to laugh...and a time to dance" (Ecclesiastes 3:4).



One of the saddest realities of the present culture of the Western world is that it broadcasts a type of "entertainment" that pulls one down much more than it uplifts. The themes marketed as entertainment typically focus on self-destructive behaviors that would ruin the life of any individual who practiced them. Further, the pursuit of the way of life shown on the big screen, the television screen or "screamed" from musical presentations would also corrupt the broader community.



The fabulous wealth and influence of the West have enabled it to spread this poisonous product worldwide. Millions of people living in the West would immediately protest, saying their personal values are in no way reflected by the entertainment industry. Nonetheless, the all-pervasive Western entertainment is a prime illustration used by radical religious extremists to recruit terrorists to destroy "the corrupt West."



In the wake of the recent terrorist attacks, many Americans asked: "Why do so many people in other countries hate us?" "Part of any honest response involves the movies, TV shows and popular music we export around the globe" (Michael Medved, "Can Hollywood Change Its Ugly Version of USA?" Oct. 18, 2001). Many Americans may look at their beautiful homes, pleasant neighborhoods, fabulously-equipped schools or at the freedoms they enjoy and think, "This is America!" If they spent a day watching the latest Hollywood releases, the latest television programs and listening to the most popular music—without looking at any other aspect of America, they would realize in horror, "This is the America that the rest of the world sees."



Medved noted in the above piece that a Pakistani theater had been destroyed recently by anti-American rioters when showing the R-rated film Desperado. Americans know that Hollywood productions are more fantasy than fact, but people in other parts of the world may not know that. "If you live in Indonesia or Nigeria...you'll get little chance to balance the negative impressions you draw from The X-Files, Hannibal or Natural Born Killers... No wonder so many Islamic extremists (and so many others) now look upon the USA as a cruel, godless, brutal and vulgar society—a 'Great Satan,' indeed."



Americans say, "Don't portray us this way!"



In spite of the fact that survey after survey shows that the American public prefers the type of entertainment material that portrays and encourages the values of family, faith and flag, nearly 65 percent of all movie releases in the United States are R-rated, according to Medved.



He made the claim that R-rated movies are the least profitable nearly 10 years ago in his book, Hollywood vs. America (1992). Several years later, a professor of economics at the University of California, Irvine, conducted a major scientific study on this claim. Arthur DeVany's sophisticated study proved that Medved was correct. R-rated films fared more poorly than "G, PG, and PG13 in all three dimensions of revenues, costs, return on production cost, and profits" (Medved, "Politicos, Hollywood Heavies: They Can't Both Be Right About Public Preferences," Feb. 23, 2001).



TV writers, programmers, performers and executives were called the "vulgarians at the gate" by the late Steve Allen in his book by that title. Consider the following statistics: 77 percent of people polled by Family Circle magazine (reported in its May 15, 2001 issue) have a problem with the sexual content of television; 61 percent won't watch some shows because of the sexual content; 84 percent won't allow their children to watch some shows for the same reason; 93 percent changed the channel or turned off the television entirely, because of sexual content of a program (Cal Thomas, "Must-Sleaze TV?" 2001 LA Times Syndicate).



Thomas also cited a Newsweek survey from 2000, which showed that over 90 percent of parents of children ages 5 to 17 said that limiting the amount of violence children are exposed to in the media is an important factor in reducing crime.



Why "entertainment" is low quality



Why would the entertainment industry continue to generate a classless and crude product, if people do not want it? There are three fundamental answers to that question. First, they market their product to a small niche of the population—young people who have the money and the inclination to indulge themselves in what Hollywood has to offer. Medved calls them "a relative handful of drooling, subliterate, hormone addled adolescent males" (Medved, Feb. 23, 2001). (I don't believe he meant to imply that all teens are of this caliber!) Cal Thomas referred to a Federal Trade Commission report of 2000, which found that the entertainment industry is targeting violent films, music and video games to young people (Thomas, Aug. 9, 2001).



Parents may not be happy with television programming, but they're allowing their children to watch it in record amounts—probably due in part to not knowing how to say "no" to the demands that their children make. According to a Nielsen Media Research report of 1993, children spend nearly as much time learning about life through media as in formal schooling. The average child spends approximately 28 hours a week watching television, not including movies and/or Internet games.



The Parents Music Resource Center reports that American teenagers listen to an estimated 10,500 hours of rock music between the seventh and 12th grades alone—which is more than 95 percent of the time they spend in school over 12 years (Entertainment Monitor, December 1995)!



Second, some producers of Western entertainment are more interested in the respect and accolades that they receive from their peers than they are in turning a profit at the box office. They are independently wealthy enough that they can afford to be so incredibly self-absorbed.



Citing Martin Scorsese as an example of a director with a string of financial failures, Michael Medved wrote: "The horrific, chillingly rendered violence, the loveless sex and gutter language that characterize most of his films may help to alienate millions of moviegoers but they only add to the luster of his industry reputation as a cutting edge artist, worthy of support... Peer respect matters more than box office success to many industry insiders... Instead [of pursuing quality programming that emphasizes wholesome values] industry veterans passionately pursue good reviews, respectability, and serious esteem-providing reassurance to the nagging insecurity that often accompanies the artistic temperament" (Medved, Feb. 23, 2001).



The third reason that Hollywood can afford to continue to produce and market its corrupt form of entertainment brings us back to the sober reality of how Western culture has impacted the world. That is, Hollywood now receives a majority of its income from foreign audiences. As recently as 20 years ago, foreign revenue accounted for only approximately a third of Hollywood's income, "but in the year 2000, these foreign audiences generate[d] more than 60% of Tinseltown's cash flow" (ibid, emphasis added).



Consider the irony: Many Americans decry Western "entertainment," and many foreigners are aghast at the America they see portrayed in the electronic media. At the same time, millions, both in America and in other countries, have an increasing appetite for this type of trash. And they are willing to pay for it. The result: there will continue to be more of the same.



Evil vs. good



At the root of this battle is a spiritual struggle of evil vs. good. It's not, as many tend to portray it, "good vs. evil," because good doesn't struggle against evil—good is inherently better. Nor is this a new struggle, in spite of the fact that human pride causes some to point back a few decades to a time when some godly values were more widely accepted than they are today.



The truth is, whenever men give in to their basest impulses, evil prevails. It's been so since the beginning.



One of the oldest texts in the Bible is Job. He lamented in his day about an over-indulged generation of children, which did nothing more than pursue entertainment. "They spend their time singing and dancing. They are wealthy and need deny themselves nothing; they are prosperous to the end" (Job 21:12-13, The Living Bible). Because their lives were so prosperous, the youths saw no practical need for God and subsequently had no respect for what He had to say.



And so it will be until the end of the age of mankind. Warning of the end-time world conditions, Jesus said, "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day [of My return to the earth] come on you unexpectedly" (Luke 21:34).



Playing with the devil



Satan is a real being to most people of the world, apart from the West. But evil spirits are relegated to horrifying super-criminals or slow-minded buffoons in much Western entertainment.



Witchblade is a movie cum television series in which a female police officer is both master and servant to a mysterious supernatural weapon. This weapon was supposedly wielded by Joan of Arc and many other "warrior women" down through history in times of great crisis. Dark Angel is another supernatural show about a genetically-enhanced human prototype who battles evil in a run-down world. The main character is also a woman, which is part of a trend to portray women as dominant heroines in a modern world.



People the world around are familiar with the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, based upon the first of J.K. Rowling's series of novels about a young boy in a school for witchcraft and wizardry. With each new novel, the boy grows a year older and a year further educated in the "art of wizardry."



Charmed is a show about three sultry sisters, who are witches. Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Angel are similar programs, which mix the typical immorality of Hollywood with the Western proclivity to make demons into dancers. A more childish version of the same tripe is Sabrina, the Teenage Witch—a "comedy" about a bumbling girl with supernatural powers.



Of course, producing programs about demons and other evil, whether in a comedic or horror setting, isn't new to Hollywood. But now the Hollywood image of "spiritism" has a worldwide audience. How must these programs and movies like The Mummy, Pet Cemetery, Nightmare Before Christmas, etc., come across to the world?



Producers of movies, television or music do not shun evil spirits; they use them as bit players in an entertainment-addicted world. The devil's power isn't a laughing matter. He has godlike power over this present world and is committed to using his formidable resources to prevent its citizens from enjoying what is truly good (2 Corinthians 4:4).



Study after study shows that children exposed to violent themes in entertainment are seriously damaged. Sadly, these facts are quickly swept aside in the rush to the ticket counter, the TV remote or the music store. An eye-opening study—for those with eyes to see—has been conducted in various countries to measure the increase of murder after the introduction of television. The shocking truth: Homicide rates doubled within 10 to 15 years. TV was introduced at different times in the countries studied, but the results were the same (B.S. Centerwall, Comstock G. [ed.], "Exposure to Television as a Cause of Violence," Public Education as Behavior, 1989, 2:1-58).



Crimes of a sexual nature are part of the results, too. "Did we really think that there would be no consequences—no hell to pay—as we slowly repealed personal and corporate codes of conduct? Images and music say to young boys that women are nothing but sex objects. Why are we surprised when they learn and act out that lesson? Their cultural and political icons speak as if sex is a personal entitlement and that women are as disposable as rags" (Cal Thomas, "The Abusive Date. Why Are We Surprised?" 2001, LA Times Syndicate).



The Old Testament concludes with an encouraging promise from God, coupled with a truly sobering warning. The good news is that He has promised to do a work at the end of the age of mankind, which would turn the hearts of fathers back to the children and the hearts of children back to their fathers—restoring the family. The sobering news is, were it not for this work of God, the human family would become so corrupt that even God could not save the resultant world (Malachi 4:4-6).



The heritage of Western culture is that evil—the family is that important—the work of the Church of God is that vital. WNP

Twilight on the Land

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/

Twilight on the Land


I was 17 when I saw my first vampire film. I laughed till I cried. Today I am 57 and I do not laugh at images and stories of vampires. Today I shudder.

by Darris McNeely

It was 1968 when the original Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi in the title role, came to my hometown movie theater in a rerelease. I had read about this famous movie, and some friends and I decided to go and see what it was all about.



When the count made his first appearance in the movie, it was one of those dramatic shots where he was looking up a staircase at a woman who would become the object of his twisted affection. Lugosi was dressed in that famous black outfit with the cape and had a leering look in his eye. The scene was intended to frighten moviegoers, and maybe it did in 1931 when it was originally released. But by 1968 we were a jaded lot. The entire theater audience howled with laughter at the sight of the "sinister Count Dracula"!



A different story today

Vampire stories are no laughing matter today.



Lately, I have been reading about the latest twist on the vampire story. Twilight, the first of a series of novels by Stephenie Meyer, has recently been made into a movie and is seeing commercial success just as her books have.



Twilight begins a four-novel saga about a teenage girl named Bella who moves to Washington state to live with her father after the remarriage of her mother. She begins life in a new high school and meets a "young" man named Edward who, as the story progresses, she discovers is a vampire and lives with a "family" of vampires.



The relationship builds through four novels with the story of adolescent love building between Bella and Edward. Bella's attraction for Edward moves her to desire to become a vampire and join their relationship for "eternity." Edward resists, and it takes four books until a resolution is reached where Bella sacrifices her human life for the desire of her heart.



This series has the familiar elements of the vampire story with a few twists. Instead of living off human blood, Edward subsists on animal blood. But Twilight does continue the idea of the "undead" vampire, living between the two opposites of life and death forever. It focuses on the tension between good and evil, light and darkness.



In fact, on the cover of the novel, one finds a bright red apple, symbolizing the so-called "forbidden fruit" of the Garden of Eden, and inside is a quote from Genesis 2:17 with the reference to the knowledge of good and evil. Perhaps this is a reference to the forbidden love between the human Bella and the vampire Edward.



Let me say something at this point. I have not read the books. Nor do I intend to. I have not seen the movie and don't intend to. I'll get into why later.



I have read about the movie and the book and, as I have already stated, I have seen other vampire movies over my life, so I think I know the genre pretty well. Beyond that I know what the Bible teaches about good and evil, life and death, and good and evil spirits. I also know where the Bible warns us against the deceptions of the end of the age.



Subtle deception

It is the subtlety of deception that surrounds this latest tale that has me worried. Twilight has cast the story of vampires within the explosive emotional web of adolescent sexuality. Everyone who has lived through that period of life personally understands the powerful attractions of sex, desire and forbidden love at that stage of life. Adolescence is when so many futures are molded and shaped, fashioned and formed and, sadly for many, destroyed or forever altered.



Physical attraction, love, sex and commitment to another are powerful emotions that by themselves are not bad. They are part of human life designed by God to be developed, controlled and enjoyed within the boundaries set by His law.



Visualizing these powerful feelings within the sordid, twisted and blatantly evil world of demons and vampires is a monstrous and blasphemous heresy. The popularity and commercial success testifies to the truth that people today cannot discern between good and evil. "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20).



When I hear the story of a young girl who is willing to leave her family and give up being a human to join herself with a vampire, I see a demonic subtlety. Here is another way to teach that death is preferable to life. The culture of death has another arrow to shoot at young, moldable minds.



I see also the idea promoted that one can leave righteous faith and embrace evil, feeling good about it because it is done in the name of "love." These are powerful stories hitting the culture at a time when there is a growing void of values. The religious faith of the land is not strong enough to push back against this growing tide of interest and fascination with the occult.



Confusion of a people

What happens when a nation allows the occult to make inroads into its culture? An example from ancient Israel is instructive.



In 1 Kings 22 we are told of a council of war between the kings of Israel and Judah. Ahab and Jehoshaphat were planning war against Syria to regain land that Israel had lost. Ahab had allowed the worst of the cult of Baal to come into the nation through his wife, Jezebel. The remaining vestiges of the true worship of God had been driven underground. This was the time of Elijah's great witness against the land for its abandonment of the God of Abraham.



At the council Jeshoshaphat asked whether there was "a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of Him?" (verse 7). When finally the prophet Micaiah was brought before the two kings, he revealed an amazing vision from the throne of God that showed the depth of confusion within the nation.



Micaiah saw God sitting on His throne and the spiritual host of heaven around Him. The extent to which God had given King Ahab and his people over to deception is shown in this dialogue. "Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will persuade him.' The LORD said to him, 'In what way?' So he said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets'" (verses 21-22). God was allowing Ahab to be persuaded into a battle he could not win.



The depth of spiritual confusion was so great in Israel that it impacted the decisions made at the highest level. A lying spirit could work through false prophets to persuade the king to an action that resulted in his death and defeat in battle. There was a twilight upon the land. This "spiritual twilight"—where the people wavered between opposing ideas of right and wrong, righteousness and unrighteousness, and good and evil—mirrors our land today.



When the influence of evil spirits is pervasive in the ideas and imagination of a culture, you see a nation in serious decline. I currently see America in a time of transition and crisis. The continuing economic problems defy the traditional solutions typically used by government. A new president with a team of brilliant advisers will work very hard at correcting the economic slide.



Is there a connection between spiritual deception—a fascination with the occult and other ideas of the spirit world and what lies behind the world we see—and political confusion that leads to decline? I look at the land and read the Bible and hold deep concern for the future.



Spiritual warfare

The Bible tells us we are in a spiritual war with dark forces who seek to confuse, disorient and destroy. We can live a comfortable life and not fully appreciate the battle that rages around us in the spiritual dimension. The passage from 1 Kings quoted above is a glimpse into a part of that dimension we do not see with our mortal eyes.



But the Bible is very plain in teaching us the reality of this spiritual battle, and it gives us the knowledge and tools to do combat. In Ephesians 6 it says, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (verses 10-12).



This is why I don't want to view or read any stories about vampires and the occult. I don't need to put those thoughts and images into my mind. When I saw the pictures and movie trailer to Twilight, I saw the new age of subtlety that Satan the devil is employing to tune in a generation of people to his wavelength. The images of vampires in this telling are not something to laugh at. They are something to avoid.



The apostle Paul warned us to give no "place to the devil" (Ephesians 4:27). All of us struggle enough with temptation in our daily lives. Why add to that problem by dwelling for any period on twisted love stories of humans and vampires? It is not godly nor does it give us focus and direction toward the Kingdom of God. WNP









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