Blessed are who hunger and thirst after righteousness... Matthew 5:6
Commonly when my Mom and I are chatting, the subject will turn to TV programs. Her favorite shows include a daytime soap opera, Two and a Half Men, and The Big Bang Theory. The conversation usually starts with, "Do you watch the Big Bang Theory? I think it is soooo funny."
I reply that, "No, I don't watch that one." I struggle when responding. I don't want my tone to send a message. Personally, I don't like much of anything TV offers for sitcoms today. Most of these shows today spend the vast majority of their airtime working over tired, sexually sophomoric humor. And to make it worse, most of it is agenda driven, hoping to desensitize the listening audience to be more open to every kind of sexual behavior as normal.
I could very well go to preaching. And, come to think of it, from time-to-time I suppose I have.
One of my sons plays in a secular band. We went to hear him the other night in a local bar. I haven't been in a bar for a very, very long time. I couldn't help but be saddened by most of what I saw. If the people in that bar were having fun, I couldn't figure out why. Some of the music was really good. It was the atmosphere, the drinking just to get drunk, and the language and subject matter between the songs.
I'll probably go to other bars to hear them play. I don't want to feel like a Christian snob or give off that vibe.
I also don't want to allow unrighteous music, ideas, language, attitudes to have any opportunity to gain a foothold in my life. Been there, done that. And in seeking after righteousness, no less a Bible teacher than Charles Spurgeon says that we should find these types of things offensive, and desire that these influences dry up and not prosper. That will only happen if people like me don't pay for or pay attention to them. Better yet, it would seem that we might be called to encourage others to stop paying for or paying attention to them also.
But then I sense that my righteous thinking may come off as self-righteousness, which bring me back to the Christian snob issue.
Let's add one more piece to this confusion. I have my own set of entertainment choices that would not meet what appear to be my own standards. I like cop shows and adventure movies that include plenty of sinful behavior being condoned. So I'm not merely a snob, but a hypocrite, too.
What do you say? How do you handle these issues in your life?
