Participants: Seth Yelorda (Host), Alfonzo Greene, Lola Moore, Michael Kelley, Michael Polite
Series Code: PC
Program Code: PC000001
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00:48 Hello and welcome.
00:50 I'm so glad you decided to join us 00:51 for this new program called "Pure Choices." 00:53 My name is Seth Yelorda and I'll be your host this season. 00:56 And what we want to do in this program is to deal 00:58 very specifically with sex and sexuality 01:00 but not in the traditional way 01:02 that you've always heard it dealt with 01:03 but in a real, practical way, 01:05 something that can be applied to your personal lives. 01:07 Now I have with me some of my colleagues 01:09 and they're going to be journeying 01:10 with us this season, trying to help us 01:12 to better understand God's ideal for our sex and sexuality 01:16 and how the world has kind of distorted it. 01:18 So I'm gonna take a moment right now 01:20 and just introduce you to these colleagues of mine. 01:22 I have here my brother Alfonzo Greene. 01:24 He pastors in Huntsville, Alabama at the First SDA Church. 01:30 I have Michael Polite. 01:31 He also serves as a pastor in Nashville, Tennessee 01:34 at the Riverside Chapel SDA Church. 01:37 On my right I have Lola Moore who also serves as the pastor 01:41 here in Huntsville at the Oakwood University Church. 01:45 And then my brother from another mother, 01:47 you know, Michael B. Kelley 01:48 who comes all the way from California. 01:51 He's the pastor of the Mount Rubidoux SDA Church 01:54 there in California. 01:56 And we're all just so glad to be with you today 01:59 and just to be able to really tackle this tough issue. 02:01 Now specifically for this-- for today in this episode 02:04 what we want to really kind of unpack 02:06 is sex in the entertainment industry. 02:10 We know that when we look around at the entertainment industry 02:13 they are constantly kind of filling our minds 02:15 and the airwaves and the television, 02:18 the internet with sex and sexuality 02:21 and we know that sex sells. 02:23 In fact, I recently saw a commercial about Axe and how-- 02:28 you've seen Axe before. 02:30 They're talking about using sex to sell this deodorant. 02:33 What do you all think? 02:35 I mean you see this thing and clearly-- 02:38 I mean it was very clear that sex is-- 02:39 I mean they're using sex to sell deodorant, you know. 02:43 Yeah. Yeah. Let's talk about it. 02:45 Well, I think it's a little bit-- Obviously we know that 02:47 sex as we said earlier was gonna sell. 02:50 But it's not just selling sex 02:52 but I think the thing about the Axe commercial, 02:54 even the one that we just saw is what it is selling about sex. 02:58 You know, it's one thing to use sex 02:59 to just get me to buy the product 03:01 but there's more that they're trying to say 03:03 about not just the product but I think about sex itself. 03:06 Because in the video it will be one thing if-- 03:09 in the commercial if the guy, 03:11 you know, found his soul-mate as a result of Axe. 03:14 I might be even a little more, you know, comfortable with that. 03:17 But what it's saying is that sex is not just something 03:22 that is to be experienced or all this with one individual 03:25 but, you know, there's a flock of women and different women. 03:28 I don't think it's just whether the industry is selling sex 03:31 but exactly what are they saying about sex. 03:34 I mean when you look at this, 03:36 the industry is taking something that-- 03:38 you know, all of us were sexual beings. 03:40 You know, God created us sexual beings. 03:42 And so the industry knowing that, 03:43 they know that we are inclined to sexuality, 03:46 to sexual expression, you know, 03:48 that's all the fundamental need that we have. 03:49 And so they take that and they package it in such a way 03:52 where they can now sell their products by using that. 03:55 Does that make sense? Yeah. 03:56 Very much so. And I think Axe takes it to another level. 04:00 In the commercial that they released 04:03 soon after the Chocolate Man they have one 04:05 that's popularly known as Angels Fall 04:08 where the young man sprays himself 04:10 and all of a sudden you got 04:11 these angels falling like meteors. 04:14 And they all flock to him because he has on this spray. 04:17 And then at the end it says 04:19 "Axe links spray even can make angels' fall." 04:24 So now we're looking at okay, what is it telling me about sex? 04:26 Well, it's telling me that 04:28 not only will this spray help me get women 04:31 but it will also help me up my virgin count. 04:34 It will help me get those women 04:36 that are trying to remain clean, pure, all of that good stuff. 04:40 So that commercial takes it a step further. Right. 04:43 Yeah, I mean it all gets into the-- 04:44 I was reading about advertising and marketing 04:46 and it talked about how they try to find 04:48 points of weakness in men, women and kids 04:52 and then they use that weakness to advertise 04:55 and sell their product. 04:56 I mean if we'd just be real though 04:58 you could be bathed in Axe 05:00 but if you have like no game, no skill, no swag, 05:05 I mean you can take a shower in some Axe, 05:07 it is not going to help you out. 05:08 So they're focusing on that point of weakness 05:11 and selling their product. 05:13 It's right because when you look at these commercials 05:14 they are not-- they are not spraying Axe 05:17 on some dude who's like 6' 5", 05:19 you know, 250, ripped up. 05:21 Now these are like skinny, short, it's nothing wrong 05:24 with skinny, short people but they're saying that-- 05:26 Don't hit on the skinny, short people-- 05:30 Touche. Touche. 05:31 But it seems like Axe will help you compensate. 05:34 It will help you make up the difference 05:35 where you just naturally lack. 05:36 So you might not be able to get women on your own 05:38 but with this spray-- 05:39 Put that spray on. 05:41 It will help you. 05:42 You know, but it's not just Axe but-- 05:44 you know, I remember back in the day, 05:45 you know, the Herbal Essence commercials-- 05:46 I don't know if you all ever seen those. 05:48 Oh, my goodness. 05:49 You know, the Herbal Essence, 05:51 what you have, this woman who puts this shampoo 05:52 and she just goes wild. 05:53 I mean what's the--I mean what is that message telling us? 05:57 What's the--and not just what it is telling us 05:58 but what's the problem with this message? 06:00 I mean usually the object of the Herbal Essence 06:04 effect is a woman, 06:06 probably a woman who's in her middle thirties 06:08 or something like that. 06:10 Traditionally in our society coming up to this day 06:14 we've had a bit of prudishness amongst women 06:17 with regard to sexuality 06:19 and as I look at the Axe commercial, 06:21 I'm looking at Herbal Essences. 06:22 First off they're telling us, "loosen up. 06:24 It's not that deep." 06:26 You know what I mean? 06:27 And then secondly for a gender 06:30 who is traditionally depleted of sexual pleasure, 06:36 if you will-- the guys usually get theirs 06:38 but women don't get theirs-- 06:40 Herbal Essence is trying to say, 06:41 you know, go get yours, too. 06:42 You can get yours. 06:44 So when we think about women's lib 06:46 or think about women's liberation 06:48 both these commercials are saying to me, 06:50 "It's not that deep. 06:51 You need to get pleased as well." 06:54 And so I'm thinking that this is like 06:55 a individualistic type selfishness 06:59 that is-- it's teaching me-- 07:01 What's the problem with this message? 07:02 Well, you know, the thing is what's happening is 07:06 all of our young people because, you know, 07:07 the stat say we're watching 07:09 an average of between 6 and 8 hours of TV almost every day. 07:13 And so in between what we're watching, 07:15 usually even the TV shows themselves 07:17 are carrying with them these inappropriate messages 07:21 concerning sex or having some truth about sex mixed up in, 07:27 you know, some non-truths. 07:28 But not only that but in between the shows 07:31 you have the commercials. 07:32 So I think what the biggest issue is 07:34 we are being bombarded through the media, 07:37 which we all are very connected to, 07:39 whether it's our cell phone, iPad, with an ideology. 07:42 And what's happening is if the media is so successful 07:46 in the ideology what else are the kids, 07:50 the young people, even adults, 07:52 of course, what are they getting? 07:53 Because they're getting that one aspect 07:54 and that's where, you know, 07:56 I think this show, you know, this program in the church 07:59 has to be able to combat. 08:01 Okay, you're getting bombarded with this message 08:03 but here's another message, you know, about that. 08:05 So what is the message that we're getting 08:07 from media concerning sex? 08:10 Because it's funny because, you know, 08:12 no matter how strong we may feel that we are, 08:17 you know, the Bible's very clear 08:18 that by beholding you become changed. 08:20 And so if I'm sitting in front of television, 08:21 I'm watching this stuff. 08:23 I'm listening to it on the radio. 08:24 You know, I got it on my iPad, on my iPod. 08:26 I'm looking at it in the movie theater. 08:28 If I'm listening to this it's having an affect on me 08:30 whether I want it to or not. 08:31 So the question is what ultimately is the message 08:34 that the world is telling us about sex through the media. 08:38 I think the first thing that jumps off for me 08:39 is that everybody is doing it. Okay. 08:41 As you look at the commercials there's a wide array of people 08:45 who are engaged either in some form of foreplay 08:48 or actual full on. And so-- 08:50 Well, if you're not doing it, if everyone's not doing it, 08:52 something's wrong with you if you're not doing it. 08:54 Right, so yeah, if I'm not doing it 08:55 there's something wrong with me. 08:57 I need to get with the program, you know. 08:59 And this product can help me get with the program. 09:02 You know what I'm saying? 09:03 Another one is that there's a possibility 09:05 to achieve pleasure without refinement. 09:08 So you have a lot of people I think that look at God's law 09:12 as something that's keeping me from pleasure. 09:15 It's like prolonged reward. 09:18 I have to wait to get to heaven to live in that perfect utopia. 09:22 So what God requires is no, 09:24 there's a time of refinement and then you get pleasure. 09:27 When you say refinement what do you mean? 09:29 There's a time where you have to be reformed, rebuilt, 09:32 born again is the phrase that is out there 09:35 but really He has to take some time to shaping you 09:38 and to fashion you and that is uncomfortable. 09:41 So if we look at sexuality as something to be engaged in, 09:45 in marriage you're saying, no, 09:47 first you have to go through 09:48 the refinement of building that relationship, 09:50 finding a soul-mate, all of that, then pleasure comes. 09:53 The world's like, "Oh, bunk the refinement. 09:54 Let's go to pleasure." 09:56 Let' spray on some Axe. 09:57 And that's the important thing because within 30 seconds 10:00 you're getting the message-- 10:01 you're getting a complete story that really should take years-- 10:04 Years to build. 10:06 Lifetime to build but I see it quick 10:07 and when I'm bombarded with that, 10:09 what the media, their success really is I believe 10:11 is getting us to see something so much 10:13 that we feel we have to have it right now. 10:16 And there's a battle with that 10:18 because not only am I seeing that 10:19 but my body actually at certain times 10:21 as I'm growing up is responding to it and saying, 10:24 "Yeah, I do," because we were made 10:26 and we're not afraid to say as the Bible makes it very clear 10:28 that we were made to create. 10:30 There's a desire in us to do that. 10:32 And what they--what they're doing to me 10:34 is I think they play off of that and let's not-- 10:37 I don't think we should kid ourselves into thinking 10:38 they don't look at those things and say, 10:41 you know, yes, of course, 10:42 we believe in that, maybe even some of them do understand 10:44 we're created this way. 10:46 And so we can just keep pushing it, 10:48 pushing it, pushing it 10:49 and it no longer becomes something 10:50 that we should wait for but I've got to get it, 10:52 get it right now because media is all about fast. 10:54 It's all about getting fast, fast, fast. 10:56 And, you know--and I was just going to add on to that, 10:57 that, you know, it's just with, 10:59 you know, that everyone is searching for fulfillment 11:02 and it's just kind of a shortcut 11:04 so I can actually just get fulfillment instantly 11:07 by just engaging in this type of activity 11:11 as opposed to just the time, just putting in the effort, 11:15 making all the necessary deposits 11:18 so that I can actually have the truth 11:20 So it's just saying let's skip everything. 11:22 Let's skip all of the necessary time 11:25 it takes to really build a relationship 11:27 and actually have commitment and just-- 11:29 you can just have it right now. Yeah. 11:31 You know, it's interesting, I think that, 11:32 you know, behind that message 11:35 it's almost like the world is telling us that your sexuality, 11:40 your desire, your urges or whatever 11:43 that it's for one purpose 11:45 and that's just to satisfy your own sexual urges, 11:48 your own sexual pleasure. 11:49 So your sexuality is for your sexual pleasure. 11:51 And they're telling us that listen 11:53 there's nothing wrong with you being pleased. 11:54 There's nothing wrong with you going out and getting yours. 11:56 There's nothing wrong with, 11:57 you know, you having sexual escapades or hooking up, 12:00 one-night stands or however you want to slice it. 12:05 And it's interesting how the world, 12:06 they sell sex within the context of singles 12:10 but they don't try to sell sex within the context of marriage. 12:13 Right. I mean, you notice that? 12:15 I mean it's a powerful point 12:16 because what they really almost show is that 12:19 you have more sex before marriage 12:21 and when you get married it just all stops, you know. 12:24 That's what he tries to do 12:28 You want to be Mary Magdalene before you get married 12:31 and then become Mary, the mother of Jesus. 12:37 But I remember-- I know we were talking-- 12:40 I think, Lola, you were mentioning 12:42 the idea of what they say. 12:44 You know, the idea of sex outside marriage is better-- 12:48 we don't promote that in marriage. 12:50 But there was something I remember you were saying 12:51 about how the longer couples something-- 12:53 something along those lines. 12:55 Oh, okay, because statistically-- 12:56 They don't promote that. 12:58 Right. Statistically it's shown that sex is something 13:00 that grows better with age, kind of like, 13:02 you know, other products, getting better with age. 13:06 And so-- Thank you, Lord. 13:07 Yeah. I wasn't sure if I should say that. 13:10 So the longer a couple is together, 13:13 the longer a married couple is together, 13:16 the better it gets. 13:17 Better the sex gets. 13:19 But what the media tells us is that 13:20 it's the instant gratification of that first time, 13:23 a new person, a new escapade with someone else, 13:26 you know, that variety is what makes it great. 13:29 What we find when we do our research 13:31 that it's the longer we have one partner and we've learned 13:34 from one another that it actually gets better. 13:37 And based on the media standpoint 13:39 they need to make us think opposite than that 13:42 because that doesn't sell. 13:44 The whole sex industry has to make money. 13:47 So a lot of the things that they're showing us 13:49 in the entertainment industry is not 13:51 because they themselves believe in it. 13:53 We see this all the time with certain CEOs of companies 13:56 that are selling products that they don't use 13:58 because they understand the negative effect. 14:01 But they understand, no, if I sell it this way 14:04 I'll make a lot of money. 14:06 If I'm just with this partner for 20 years 14:08 I'm not going to make money, 14:10 just like if I can wear these pair of shoes for 20 years 14:12 the company is not making no money. 14:13 But, you know, the old adage goes, 14:15 "Forbidden fruit is all the more sweet." 14:17 And so having something that I can have is not very exciting 14:22 but getting something that I'm not supposed to have, 14:24 getting something that's supposed 14:26 to be out of my reach, that's what sells. 14:28 And that's why the media will go with that 14:30 because it's not really something 14:32 you're supposed to have 14:33 but it's sweeter because it's forbidden, if you will. 14:36 Mm-hmm, that's good. 14:37 So what then is-- 14:39 you know, we know that we're sexual beings. 14:40 We were born this way. 14:43 We're wired to relate to each other based on our sexuality. 14:47 So I'm a man and so I'm going to relate to the world as a man. 14:52 And as a man I have certain urges and desires 14:55 that the world plays on to get me to buy certain products. 14:57 And they're telling me-- 14:59 they're sending me a message that says, 15:00 basically, you're a man, you know. 15:02 You deserve to get yours, you know. 15:04 It's my right, especially if my wife doesn't want 15:06 to give me any it's my right to go get some 15:08 wherever I can get it from. 15:09 So that's what the world is saying. 15:11 What then is the opposite message? 15:13 What then should the--what should the church be saying? 15:15 I mean why did God-- 15:16 you know, what's the point of our sexuality? 15:18 Why did God create us as sexual beings? 15:21 Yeah, well, I finished this somewhere along, 15:24 you know, those lines. 15:26 The topic is what God has called us for even in our sexuality. 15:29 I love the name of the program, is to be pure. 15:32 I mean even in our sexuality we're to be pure. 15:34 You know, Paul tells us in Philippians, 15:36 you know, whatsoever is good, whatsoever is pure, 15:39 whatsoever is holy think on these things. 15:42 And so while we are getting the desire from the media 15:47 we got to understand that 15:49 when that kind of stuff gets in our minds, 15:51 even all the time if I'm reckless-- 15:52 I want to be clear. 15:53 Some folk, I think, may be sitting at home thinking, 15:55 "Okay, well, I'm not having sex. 15:56 So this does not apply to me." 15:58 But what you're watching in this media 16:01 is not contributing to your purity 16:03 which is what Christ is really after. 16:04 He's not after you just keeping out of bed. 16:06 As a matter of fact the Message Bible 16:08 where Christ says don't think you've preserved 16:10 your virtue by staying out of bed. 16:14 You know, those leering looks that nobody notices, 16:17 those also are corrupt, too. 16:18 That's, you know, in the Message Bible 16:20 when Jesus is speaking the beatitudes. 16:21 So I think the thing is 16:23 we've got to start to replace that 16:26 which the media is giving us in our minds 16:28 with other things that are pure. 16:30 And I think it's just a principle 16:32 that should apply across the board. 16:34 Whatsoever is pure, whatsoever is holy, 16:35 those are the things we've got to go ahead and think. 16:37 It's crazy, man. 16:39 The world literally just jacks us up. 16:40 I mean from birth they're just really getting us-- 16:43 they're really-- they socialize us to believe 16:46 that my sexuality is all about my sexuality, 16:50 me being pleased when ultimately I really believe 16:52 that our sexuality is for the sole point 16:54 of being able to connect with God. 16:56 So when you look at a husband and a wife 16:57 and the way they love each other 16:59 and are committed to each other 17:01 and are in a monogamous relationship God is saying, 17:03 "Listen, that depth of love I want with you. 17:06 You know, I want to experience that with you." 17:07 That's the same depth of love that the Father and the Son 17:10 and the Holy Spirit experience 17:11 where you have three separate persons 17:13 but yet they are all same, one. 17:16 You know, it's interesting because that the world, 17:17 they wire us in one way 17:19 and then in order to really understand what God's idea is, 17:21 of course, we have to be unwired 17:23 and then rewired according to what God's plan 17:24 is for our lives, so. 17:26 The world just throws us a curveball, man, 17:28 and, you know, it's unfortunate 17:29 but that this is what we have to deal with. 17:30 But, you know, I think that through God 17:32 we can have a correct understanding 17:33 of who we are as sexual beings 17:35 so that we can express ourselves appropriately in Christ. 17:38 I'm so glad that we have a studio audience with us today. 17:40 And we have a question coming from our studio audience 17:42 so we're gonna turn to my man in the mic 17:44 and let us know what's on your mind. 17:46 Hello. My name is Darrell Anderson. 17:49 I'm a senior broadcast journalism major 17:51 here at Oakwood University 17:52 and I have a question about-- 17:55 I hear what you all are saying 17:57 about the industry and how sex sells. 17:59 For myself who's about to go into the professional world, 18:02 how do I keep my Christian values 18:06 and morals without selling out when everything you see 18:10 that's on television have to do with sex? 18:13 That was a good question. 18:14 Yeah. Any takers? 18:16 Well, I mean first I'm thinking that you have to 18:20 be rooted and grounded in who you believe you are in Christ 18:25 because you're going into an industry where money is king. 18:29 And if you want to make quick money then sex 18:32 or selling sex is the easy way. 18:35 But if you want to be-- 18:37 you want to ensure that you are grounded in who you are, 18:42 who you believe you are in Christ 18:44 then you're not allowing money to be your king 18:47 but Christ is your king and you want to honor Him 18:49 in everything that you do. 18:51 Yeah. I think obviously that's definitely the first base. 18:54 It's got to be found in Christ. 18:56 The other thing I think 18:57 will be a little more also very practical, too, 19:00 is get to know other people who are already, 19:03 you know, doing just that. 19:05 And when I say other people, 19:06 you know, maybe not simply only other Christians 19:09 but other Christians who believe like you believe. 19:12 You know, just an example, 19:13 a gentleman in my church DeVon Franklin, 19:15 he's a VP at Sony Pictures. 19:17 And he's got a awesome book called "Produced by Faith." 19:20 And for instance his first chapter in the book 19:22 is pretty much dealing with how he kept the Sabbath 19:24 while he was working, 19:26 you know, on the film and those different kinds of things. 19:27 And how he keeps his integrity 19:30 and how you don't need to lose your faith to be successful, 19:33 you know, in the world. 19:35 And I mean I'd like to encourage with that 19:36 because what I don't like is the media 19:39 only gives us one aspect. 19:42 Not only because I think they know that's what sells 19:44 but we don't have enough people 19:46 who have that solid base in Christ 19:49 who are there to maybe even influence 19:51 what it is that's put out there. 19:53 So I mean imagine if, you know-- 19:55 I'm not sure what area you want to go into 19:56 but your commercials or whatever it is start blowing up 20:00 you're saying, "Well, wait a second, 20:01 we don't have to be ignorant. 20:02 We don't have to be that way. 20:04 There's a whole other audience 20:05 that we can market to and do that. 20:07 So I would definitely encourage you to do that 20:09 and just know that if God is calling you to that 20:12 you don't have to comprise to be successful. 20:15 He'll make a way for it for that to happen. 20:16 And I just want to harp on that as well. 20:18 I think that no matter what industry you go in, 20:21 whether it's Hollywood or media or business or law, 20:25 no matter what field, even if you go into ministry 20:27 you have to have the mindset as a Christian 20:28 that I'm not gonna compromise. 20:30 And the world they tell us that in order to get certain places 20:32 that you have to do certain things. 20:34 Well, the Bible gives us so many clear examples 20:36 with the three Hebrew boys, 20:38 with Daniel where these were men who were in politics 20:41 and they were like high-- 20:43 Worldly places. 20:44 Worldly places. High in politics. 20:46 Joseph. Joseph, you know. 20:47 But they made a decision 20:48 that I'm not going to compromise my faith. 20:50 And because of that decision God was able to use them 20:53 in certain places that I can imagine he could use 20:55 other people who are gonna compromise. 20:57 So I think that, man, when we live in this world 21:00 we just have to have a determination 21:01 that I'm not selling out. 21:03 I know who I believe, what I believe in. 21:05 I know who I serve and I'm gonna let Him guide me. 21:08 And if I get the promotion, praise God. 21:10 If I don't get the promotion, praise God, 21:12 you know, because He's the one that orders my steps. 21:14 At the same time I do want to call out our church 21:19 on providing material for individual 21:22 striving for such an industry. 21:25 You asked the question earlier, 21:26 maybe this is just bringing it around, 21:29 about what is the church's response to the industry 21:33 that is so pervasive in the lives of our youth, 21:36 while the church's response should be to advertise as well. 21:40 An issue we have though is we don't have 21:43 anything to advertise. 21:44 So the people in the world 21:46 who are walking up and down streets with Axe on, 21:48 yeah, they're getting the ladies on them, 21:50 pulling at them, tugging on them. 21:52 But is the married brother having his wife 21:57 pulling on him, tugging on him? 21:59 Is the married sister benefiting from a brother 22:02 who's just trying to be all over her? 22:04 We have a responsibility as God's people to show 22:08 how fulfilling His plan can be for our life. 22:12 Absolutely. Yes. 22:13 Absolutely. We have another question. 22:15 We're gonna take it. Go ahead, my sister. 22:17 Hello, my question is since I am-- 22:20 you know, a young person I was watching a lot of TV. 22:22 What do you suggest for me 22:24 who's on the other side of the television should I, 22:26 you know, limit what I watch, see what I watch? 22:29 Like what should I do as a person who's sitting there 22:31 watching these commercials 22:33 and these sexual innuendos in the commercials? 22:37 You know, I would just, 22:38 you know, encourage you to just develop a filter. 22:42 The thing is that, you know, 22:44 because this, it's just overwhelming. 22:47 You know, there's things which you can just eliminate, 22:50 you can just kind of know, 22:51 hey, this is something I should not delve in. 22:53 But just watching the-- just the course of the TV 22:54 on everyday basis, you're gonna be bombarded with things. 22:57 And I think that you just have to develop a filter 23:00 where you recognize and you know, 23:02 okay, that's something that's-- what are they trying to talk? 23:04 What are they trying to sell to me there? 23:06 What are they trying to expose me to there? 23:09 And just be conscious about it, 23:11 not just letting it just seep on the inside 23:14 but to watch it through a filter. 23:15 I would go a step further. 23:17 The Bible's very clear and I mentioned early 23:18 that by beholding we become changed. 23:20 And so I have to understand, okay, 23:22 my goal in life is to go to heaven. 23:24 I want to reflect the character of Christ. 23:26 And so I need to behold that 23:28 which will change me into the image. 23:30 So I can't just sit up there and just watch anything 23:34 and think that because I know what they're trying to do 23:36 that somehow it won't affect me. 23:38 I'll never forget one of my friends came to me. 23:39 She called me on the phone. 23:40 She said "Seth, I can't believe what's going on at my job." 23:42 I said "What?" 23:43 She said "There's basically a love triangle 23:45 where one person is sleeping with another person 23:47 who's sleeping with another person's boyfriend and husband. 23:49 And one person's boyfriend comes up during lunch 23:52 and hangs out with his wife 23:53 and then comes up at another lunch 23:55 and hangs out with his girlfriend. 23:57 I mean he was just-- 23:58 she was just going on about this love triangle. 24:00 And so I was just trying to give her some counsel. 24:02 And after we hung up the phone, 24:03 I sat back and I thought about it. 24:04 I said "Man, where have I seen this before?" 24:06 And true to form I saw it in one of the latest episodes 24:09 of one of the latest sitcoms that was out there 24:11 where one person was sleeping with another person 24:12 who's sleeping with another person. 24:14 I said to myself, 24:15 "Wow, the devil is really feeding us his images 24:18 and he's downloading his message into our mind. 24:20 And because we're taking it in, 24:22 unknowingly we then reproduce it. 24:24 But, Seth, I think that's kind of the easy-- 24:26 I mean we--there are certain things we absolutely know 24:29 that we probably shouldn't be watching. 24:31 It's the in-between. It's the in-between. 24:32 Right, so what I'm saying is that for, 24:33 you know, for a young person 24:35 that just is watching the Super Bowl 24:38 or just watching just something regular, 24:40 there's commercials that are constantly bombarding you. 24:42 And so what I'm saying is that 24:44 there's that first line of defense where, 24:46 yeah, there's just some things you know as a Christian, 24:49 as someone that's trying to be pure 24:51 that I shouldn't be engaged in. 24:53 But then there's just in the everyday 24:55 course of watching something, 24:57 I just think you just have to be aware 24:58 of what the industry's trying to do. 25:01 There's some statistics that I saw where they were talking 25:03 about just the billions of dollars 25:05 that are poured in to market to young people and teens 25:08 because they know there's a market there. 25:09 There's a lot of money to be made. 25:10 Just be aware of what they're trying to do. 25:13 Eliminate the obvious but then on just watching the news 25:17 or just regular television just be aware 25:19 that they're gonna be trying-- 25:20 I guess what I'm saying is I'm not sure 25:22 that for the majority of people-- 25:23 I know in my instance that the obvious is so obvious. 25:26 And so I take it that we have to even be even more intentional 25:30 about guarding the avenues. 25:31 Yet it may look obvious that okay, 25:33 this person's shacking up with this person. 25:35 And I shouldn't be watching it. 25:36 But I think the average person says 25:37 "Well, this won't affect me," you know. 25:39 And I talk to young people all the time who say, 25:40 "It's just a sitcom. 25:42 It's just for play." 25:43 And we only understand the impact 25:45 that the obvious has on our life. Right. 25:48 Whether, you know--I think those were both good points 25:51 I think whether it's obvious or not, 25:53 whatever goes in our minds in some way affects you. Right. 25:56 I don't care, you know, it could be positive, 25:58 it could be negative. 25:59 Whatever you let in someway is going to affect. It's there. 26:03 And so there has to be-- I love that word filter. 26:06 We have to teach the filtering, not the concept 26:09 that I know used to be when we were growing up, 26:11 "don't go watch it here 26:13 because there's something bad about the place." 26:14 Well, what's the content? 26:16 Whether it's at home, on your radio, whatever, it's content. 26:19 And I think the thing-- 26:20 I don't think there's anything wrong with entertainment. 26:22 But we have to measure what we consider entertainment 26:25 against that filter which is going to be, 26:27 you know, the Word of God. 26:28 And I know the principle that just got me, is it pure? 26:31 Is it holy? Is it just? It can still be fun. 26:34 It's just helping me get closer. In some way. 26:37 And being closer to God doesn't necessarily always mean 26:40 it's got to be a Bible study. Right. 26:41 You know what I mean? 26:43 I mean when I see a holistic television show maybe 26:46 and maybe you can thrown one out there 26:47 I mean there was some very good moral 26:49 and you even had God thrown in there sometimes like "The Cosby 26:53 Show." You know, there were some things, they did show some realism some problems but 26:56 Actually you know what, they're trying to promote-- 26:59 Yeah, this is a interesting topic. 27:00 And, you know, we're gonna have to keep wrestling with it. 27:02 We're gonna be here all season long, you know. 27:05 And so we want our audience to continue to tune in. 27:07 Unfortunately we're not going to be able to deal with 27:08 this thing in the level that we want to in one episode. 27:10 So I'm sorry, you've got to come back, you know. 27:12 You've got to come back and join us next week, 27:14 same time, same place. 27:16 And we're gonna still be delving into it. 27:17 So we're grateful that you joined us today 27:19 where our goal here at "Pure Choice" 27:21 is just to really help you make pure choices. 27:24 And so we're thankful that you're here 27:26 and we pray that we'll see you again. Praise God. |
Revised 2014-12-17