Entertainment industry, the portrayal of sin, and discernment

From Josh Harris (Not Even a Hint):

It doesn’t matter what something is rated, or how popular it is, or how seemingly innocent it appears. If it hardens your heart toward God, if it obscures your awareness of the ugliness of sin and the holiness of God, if it takes the edge off your spiritual hunger, then it’s sin.The issue is not that we avoid any portrayal of sin — the Bible is full of stories about the sinfulness of humanity But, as writer Joel Belz points out, there is a right and wrong way for sin to be portrayed.

First, he writes, “portrayal of sin should never prompt the reader or viewer only to want more of the same.  Today many images of sin that should produce repulsion instead produce attraction.”  There’s a big difference between reading in Scripture about David’s adulterous affair with Bathsheba, which is condemned and shown to be wicked, and watching an adulterous affair in a film that is celebrated and made to appear good.

The next test is the one I find the most challenging. “If God’s Spirit is not to be grieved,” Joel Belz writes, “you should be able to honestly give thanks to God for the portrayal in its totality This is not a simplistic test, but wholesomely biblical. If you can’t bow your head and sincerely thank God for a movie or a symphony or a newscast or a novel — then for you that activity is wrong. Stop arguing with yourself, and move on to something else.”

One thought on “Entertainment industry, the portrayal of sin, and discernment

  1. This was a very revealing quote. How many times over the years have I heard Christians say, “there are only a few part that are sort of dicy” Compromise destroys spiritual strength! We need to spend more time with the inspired Word of God that quickens our souls and a lot less time in front of the demon pump.

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