America on Line needs to repent. I have been trying to get entirely out of it for years. (Hint: don't send emails to me there, please). They have been specializing in celebrity gossip for years, but recently they have been relishing animals attacking humans. I have had to endure a photograph of a horrified woman being attacked by a polar bear several times today.
Why is this kind of thing wrong? Wanting to see things like this is sinful curiosity. There is no need to see it; it intrudes on a person's privacy (would you want to be seen being attacked by a wild animal?); and seeing it tends to bring out debased feelings and urges. Of course, our entire culture is seized by sinful curiosity. Of this, we should all repent and attend, rather, to the things that matter most.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things--Philippians 4:8.
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A forum for discussing matters of moment, from a curmudgeonly perspective. (The ideas posted here do not necessarily represent those of any organization with which I am a part). Rude and insulting remarks will not be published, but civil disagreement is welcome.
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About Me
- Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D.
- Nothing on this blog represents the position of Denver Seminary. I am a Christian, philosopher, teacher, writer, and preacher, who is Professor of Philosophy at Denver Seminary. My most recent of my twelve books is Philosophy in Seven Sentences. My magnum opus is Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith (InterVarsity Press, 2011). I have published ten others, including Truth Decay and On Jesus. I direct the Christian Apologetics and Ethics MA program at Denver Seminary.
6 comments:
amen, thanks for posting this. we need more God-anointed obedient heralds of the Word like you, professor.
Amen! Let us continually remind ourselves that nothing on this planet can compare with the beauty, grace, and love of God the Father, and His Son, and Their Spirit.
Seconding you on the AOL thing. I live on the Texas coast. What they did before the hurricane struck this past fall was unethical and appalling. If they had been *trying* to induce panic into a situation in which survival can depend on keeping a level head, they could hardly have done a more effective job. Immoral, I'd say.
Take care & God bless
Anne / WF
It is almost as if people like to see these kinds of horrendous spectacles (e.g.: wild animal attacks, natural disasters) in a twisted validation as if to say “See, they must have done something to deserve that- I’m so glad that wasn’t me.” To delude themselves into thinking they don’t need God; the” I’m doing OK, why worry about what comes next” syndrome. A continuation of thoughts that many seem to have: I am nice to my wife and kids, I do a good job at work, and I pay my bills/taxes on time, and I give a couple of bucks to the Salvation Army at Christmas time…Why worry, I haven’t been attacked by a wild animal- I’m safe. I’ll get into heaven.
The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 3:9-11 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; There is no one who understands; There is no one who seeks God.
But in Romans 10:9 Paul then writes “That if you declare with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
So repent, accept Jesus, be saved and let Him teach you how to lay these sinful things by the way-side and walk into His will for your life. It won’t be easy, but the long term benefits are wonderful.
Lisa
This is from David Hyams, who cannot figure out how to post here.
Augustine meditates on this sin ("Concupiscence of the eyes") in sections 54-57 of Book X of his "Confessions". I haven't time to reproduce his words, but his fourth century experiences are remarkably similar to our own and merit consideration. However, for a brief excerpt: "To satisfy this morbid craving monstrous sights are exhibited at shows. From the same motive efforts are made to scrutinize the secrets of the natural world that lie beyond our sight; knowledge of these is of no profit, yet people want to know them simply for the sake of knowing. The same motive prompts some to seek perverted knowledge through magical practices. In religion itself people tempt God from the same motive, demanding signs and wonders not for any salutary purpose but simply because they crave experience."
Actually if you think about the idea that in the 21st century we are having the same issues that Augustine wrote about; ( how many centuries ago?) that this shows that there really is “nothing new under the sun.”
Interestingly, doesn’t this clearly refute the post-modern thinking that there is some validity to reincarnation- because based on its tenets, shouldn’t there be a gradual improvement in our moral behavior?
Lisa
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