Living Unto God in a NSFW Culture
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and give me life in your ways.
— Psalm 119:37
The world of media is like a vast, open air market. As we peruse the various vendors, we hear (or literally see) the constant barking invitations to click on this and to switch over to that. Scrolling, flipping channels, binge-watching are all ways that we traverse this virtual supermarket of entertainment, information, and lifestyle. Moreover, all of these things are at our fingertips, a menagerie of everything imaginable in our pockets.
It all happens so quickly, so subtly, so innocently. Before we are aware of our surroundings and the danger ahead, we are assaulted with the indecent and licentious. A flashy ad, a clickbait video, a trending post, a questionable spam message—what shape will the Trojan attack take? It goes without saying that he who would not fall ought not walk in slippery places (!!!), but even well-intentioned journeys on the Internet superhighway or television station can end with busted engines and wreckage, all due to the hyper-sexualized nature of the world’s advertising and influence.
What past generations termed as “X-rated” has gained a new, less offensive moniker, but with no less perilous intent: “Not Safe for Work” (NSFW). That is the title denoting adult-orientated content which encapsulates the spirit of consumers today, defining images, music, and video by its appropriateness for viewing in a work environment. How self-deceived we as a people have become!
Why is the world of media as it is, charged with such illicit and scintillating propaganda ? The psychological or politically correct answer may run the lines of things like sexuality as a status symbol, the ingrained need to procreate, freedom of law in the “progress” of reproductive and gender-focused legislations and movements of the last sixty years and the fact that such things are highly attractive and addictive to who we are as a species. The latter response is one on which I can find common ground: addiction does lurks in every shadow of those things which confront the eye with sensuality, however innocently, humorously, or practically it might be delivered to us.
The step just following the moment we receive this input—if we do not employ a Joseph-like retreat and flee as Paul commanded Timothy (see 2 Timothy 2:22)—is the soul-endangering possibility of a lingering look that turns to lust and can very easily expand to further searches and investigation into a Pandora’s Box we know by the term “pornography” (coming from the Greek word porneo meaning “to engage in sexual immorality, to commit fornication, or to exercise idolatry”; each specific sin mentioned mutates with monstrous force once this breach has been made).
Let’s talk statistics:
- There are over 350 million pages of pornographic material available online with minimal safeguards across 42 million websites dedicated to its sale and distribution.
- The annual revenue generated from this material equals more than the annual revenue of the MLB, NFL, and NBA combined. It is also more than the revenue of NBC, ABC, and CBS.
- Age 11 is the average for the first exposure to pornography, with 94% of American children viewing it before the age of 14.
- Pornography has increased the infidelity rate in American marriages by over 300%.
- 68% of church-going men and over 50% of pastors view pornography on a regular basis. 33% of Christian women regularly view it.
- Of those polled, 57% of pastors said that addiction to this drug-like activity is their greatest ministerial problem. Yet, only 7% of churches have any active program to help alleviate the issue in their parishioners.
(https://mensgroup.ca/blog/f/15-mind-blowing-statistics-about-pornography-and-the-church)
Writing this conjures the uncomfortable and anxious notions of how taboo our subject is. I think of the agitation some might feel because we have taken the lid off a disgusting topic…but, dear heart, remember: This is a serious issue infecting and destroying millions either directly or indirectly, many of whom are seated right next to us every Sunday.
We are bound by codes of strict care and safety not to expose the most vulnerable among us to those things for which they are not prepared, but the numbers are a glaring reminder that we are not doing enough to prepare them. I do not advocate this be a conversation we flagrantly discuss in open spaces or from the pulpit without thought to the ears surrounding us, but we can’t hide and make the claim we are too sanctimonious to even acknowledge an open wound such as this. Moreover, we must not diminish the dynamic power of the Gospel in thinking that the blood of Christ and active intercession of our Great High Priest are not strong enough adversaries for these putrid sins and practices to stay anchored as they often are.
Hear the Apostle Paul:
”For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-7)
There are a number of observations we may draw from these verses in our war to avert our eyes and souls from vanity, the sewage drain of lustful temptations in our travels through the media age.
- The fight is relentless, so we too must be relentless. Having withstood today’s temptations, the battle is not over. It is very possible that an even greater assault is soon to be launched for which we must not be unguarded or ill-prepared. We must gird (think pulling on your work pants and tool belt) our minds with righteousness and shore up our love for Jesus as antidote for the enticing delusions these immoral thoughts bring to us. As one of the Puritans said, “Satan is always tempting, so we must always be praying.”
- God is our only true Source of hope. Many a man has found himself lying flat in life’s trenches because the arm of the flesh has failed again. This victory comes only by divine operation and initiative. No wonder the current addiction crisis is so intense with so little hope for cure; men ignorantly think themselves fit for the fight. Like David trying on the armor of Saul when facing Goliath, your puny human and finite resources will not and do not work in this spiritual war zone. The great missionary J. Hudson Taylor said, “Many Christians estimate difficulties in the light of their own resources…all of God’s giants have been weak men who did great things because they reckoned on His power and presence being with them.”
- We must take every thought captive. Thoughts are like ships entering the harbor of our lives, and they are all best viewed as probable enemies because if they came from within, our hearts are desperately wicked and deceitful and if they came from without, we know the world is a dark place governed by the father of lies. Only those thoughts originating from and filtered through the Scripture are truly helpful and trustworthy. One by one, with the greatest prejudice and deference to Christ, we examine the thought and instantly go on the offensive to destroy those thoughts that are primed to destroy us.
- Never forget who you are and Whose you are. Road signs are helpful for their use in directing us to where we are and where we are going, giving us information as to routes and bypasses available on our journey. There’s really only one great signal before us that should set the tone and direct our path: do we belong to Christ? Are we united to Him? Rebels act like rebels because their motives are rebellion. Sons act like sons because they have sonship. We seek a better country. We are not of this world, nor should we waste time and energy on that which is of this world. Sin’s aim is to mobilize you away from what pleases Christ. The act of training your mind and heart to follow Him diligently is the truest way to established victory in the daily struggle, effectively arming your vehicle as you traverse the landscape of media and input.
Keep your eyes on Jesus! Blessings! S.D.G