What you see

What you see is what you are.     ??

That is NOT what we want to hear.  If it's true, it's a problem.


It means we have to decide what we're going to watch... or not watch... and what we're going to let our kids watch... and what kind of video games ...  nuts.

Can't I watch violent stuff without becoming violent?  Of course I can.

But does it shape my thinking in any way?  Of course it does.

Observational learning is the addition to thought processes by what we see portrayed.  Kids do it.  Teens do it.  Adults do it.  Old folks do it too.  It's not a new idea, but perhaps newly acknowledged in some respects.   Patterns and contexts we see are added to our thinking, to our view of things.

So now comes the problem of free speech and free press.  With our newscasts, we sensationalize the worst in human behavior.  Destructive behavior becomes a world-wide story; perhaps the mentally fractured fellow that shot up a school.  Did you know that the Sandy Hook shooter was attempting to surpass the Norwegian mass killer's body count?

News is portrayed for revenue, not for objectivity or for benefit to the citizenry.  News agencies compete for viewers, and revenue decides which stories are told and how they are portrayed.  Is there a threshold beyond which harm is likely?  Of course.

On television this season, an example
of perhaps what might be considered
beyond a reasonable threshold.
Should we put this in our own
or our children's minds?  Is
there risk in doing so?

Ratings protect children to some degree, and they imply that adults are immune or can choose wisely.  Neither is true, as we all know from personal experience.

So we sensationalize the violence in our world.  We tell the detailed stories of deviant and violent behavior; then others latch on and consider what it might be like.  To kill innocent people.  Because we popularize it with our news.  And our video games.  And our television drama.  Like 'The Following', a new series this season about a serial killer who builds a network of serial killers.  It's a popular show, but the question of what such portrayals feed into our society remains unexamined.

We've recognized that some violent behaviors are at least in part a result of mental dysfunction.  We've also recognized that they wouldn't have thought of it unless the behavioral type were in some manner illustrated for them.

It's an ancient idea; some things should not be publicly detailed.  For every reasonable crowd who listens and is informed, there's a taint left behind in each individual.  You're aware of it sometimes when at the end of a show, you feel soiled somehow.  Some will watch and perhaps be inspired, even titillated by the story.  How do you balance that one?

On a list of things that perhaps shouldn't be publicly detailed /fictionalized /sensationalized:

Xxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxx and xxx
Xxxxxx xxxxxxx

Know what I mean?

Oh, and xxxxxx on the internet, perhaps as well.

“Where the mind goes, the man follows.
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he”

Noel Jones, in “The Battle for the Mind” states that, "Once a man accepts the world’s thoughts and puts them into practice, it becomes the character and core of who he is.  He is giving someone else control of his mind and destiny.  Adopting the mannerisms of the crowd, he is no longer an original, but a copy.  You are not in control of your own mind, you are being controlled -- according to the definition of conformed -- by something or someone else.  That means you are living a masquerade; you have picked up and copied the world’s mannerisms, speech, expressions, and style.  Those have become embedded in your mind; you are conformed to the world’s behaviors and standards."

We begin to understand why Paul would suggest we should focus 'on things above...'.  It's practical advice which he explains at length. With the religion removed, it makes sense. You are what you see, what you focus on, what you give your attention to.

Egypt, Syria, Libya, Yemen, ... Spring

Freedom and justice, fair government and a citizen's rights, all have a continuing cost. 

Such things don't just appear in a moment; they're the result of the will and labor of the people. One by one, thugs and criminals must be dealt with, corrupt politicos among them, until righteousness begins to emerge. It's hard work. It's everybody's work. It is the daily breath of democracy.

Deliberate Divergence

Mainstream: it is the common and current thinking of 

the majority. It happens.  Some choose otherwise.

Abandoning the mainstream ... and doing so without criticism or judgement; just looking for a better way. 

So, is there an adequate reason to go along with the crowd? Any reason?

It's a troublesome question. 
If I say no, then there's a whole lot of work I have to do instead of just letting the mainstream decide for me.  

Status quo?  or change.  

"We all know something's wrong.

At first I thought it was just me. Then I stood before twenty thousand Christian college students and asked, "How many of you have read the New Testament and wondered if we in the church are missing it?" When almost every hand went up, I felt comforted. At least I'm not crazy."   ~ Francis Chan


Seven Questions:

1. The disciples asked, "who then can be saved?" What was the answer? What does it really mean? 
2. Why is Christianity so unpopular in the western world, especially with younger folks? 
3. How much of western Christianity is the real thing? What parts?
4. What are the criticisms of Christian thinking now? Why?
5. What effect does wealth have on relationships? (this is huge!)
6. If you were to pick an activity to fulfill your purpose, what would it be?
7. Who do you admire? Why?

Gut check.

Your goals are chosen.  They're well established.  Those are the targets you'll hit.

Either by convention and social norm or perhaps by deliberate choice, we focus our lives on a particular set of results.  If we're careless, our goals are the same that everyone has.  The common path is easy to find and follow.

The gateway is open and the path is wide and many find and follow it; it's the one that leads to ... well, you know.

The common path:
My life, My friends and school,
My family and house,
My education, My job,

My career and advancement
possessions and wealth
retirement and end

In it all, we hope to find happiness for ourselves, perhaps.

... but we can choose.
There are nobler goals.

If you have ...

In the background, those are our friends.     

It takes awhile to understand how many stunning truths there are in such concepts as these.  Seeing and not turning away is difficult.

Turn away, like everyone does from TV shots of hungry kids, and you're normal.  Or perhaps typical.  But if you were to decide to change the world, where would you start?

Go see for yourself.  Or ask us.

Qayin and Havel

Qayin, so the historical account tells us, killed Havel.

There's no record of the weapon used or of any interest in what it might have been.  At issue is not the weapon but the killing.  It was perhaps because of jealousy, but we don't really know.  After Qayin (Cain) killed his brother Havel (Abel), no one lamented over the weapon.

Our deeper  question, why might he have done it? What was the real reason?

Heart issues remain the more important ones, but they're hard to face and even harder to address effectively.  It's perhaps understandable that we might move on to less relevant targets and focus our efforts there.

The Arab Spring, Tahrir Square, Egypt - Christians
guarded Muslims, and Muslims guarded Christians
during the violent times.

 

 

In any endeavor, the hard questions are often the more important.

Falling back on gun control as an easier solution ignores the obvious, that murderous behavior is not brought about by the available weapon.

Not wise, but certainly understandable.  Tackling the actual cause would require of us a measure of greatness, of courage, of nobility, would it not?