GIGO - garbage in = garbage out! More things to think about. Last week I spoke to you about how scientists believe that our thoughts make grooves into our brains over time and after we've practiced a skill, learned something new, or studied a topic, a new groove is actually carved into our brain tissue. I then spoke to you about how our bad thoughts also over time can also create grooves into our brains, with a lot of them coming from our choices with what we've allowed into our minds. Its garbage in = garbage out! That is what the term GIGO stands for. A computer can only do what it is programmed to do. What is inputted will determine what's outputted. That's why it is so important to be aware of what is inputted into our minds on a daily basis and we need to do that with our media choices that we make each and every day.
Philippians 4:8 finally dear brothers 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. The Message translation puts it this way: Summing it all up friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best and not the worst; the beautiful and not the ugly; things to praise and not to curse. I explained to you that if you watched TV, turned on the radio, rented a movie, read a magazine, logged onto the internet, played video games or read the newspaper today – that you have already been influenced by media. The media knows that they have your attention – that is why there are political advertisements on MySpace, why certain commercials will run during programs that you watch, and why companies pay big bucks to advertise in certain magazines that they know the youth are reading. ..:namespace prefix = o />
Media by definition refers to any kind of format that is used to convey information.
Another way we need to think about media is this way.
M – Message – what is the message?
E - Effect – what effect does it have on me?
D – Damage – what kind of damage does this do to me?
I – Instead – what could I be doing instead?
A – Ask God – How does this match up to what He would want for me?
We NEED to BE AWARE with media and ask ourselves some questions when it comes to it; the most dangerous thing to do of course would be to do nothing! Ultimately it starts with our choices; what we input and what we spend our time and hard earned money on. Media is around us everywhere, shaping our culture and guiding us in what we think, what we wear, and how we act. Not all media can be bad; there are good effects from media that take place… but they can be few and far between.
Last week I spoke to you about two big things that they throw at us all the time and they are SEX and VIOLENCE. This week I'd like to talk about a few more things.
Television – especially Reality television
What effect do these shows have on us? It is anything but reality. Most of it is scripted and edited and created to bring great response. If you watched Big Brother last season you saw a sad state of what has happened to television – a man who was the father of one of the girls on the show berated and verbally beat up just about anyone who got in his way to win the 100,000. These shows tell all of us that it is absolutely normal to meet a person one minute and hop into bed with them the next. They purposely ply alcohol on people to get them to open up and embarrass themselves by saying and doing things. Most of these shows are overly competitive and it's a do anything, say anything to just get to the final three and then win…. Remember Johnny Fair Play who lied about his grandma just to win sympathy from the others that were there.
There's the Real World, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Tila Tequila, EVEN Farmer wants a wife, and Kid Nation; reality shows are EVERYWHERE! These shows often display values, points of view, stereotypes and ideologies that are crazy.
Garbage in = garbage out.
Media tries to provide heroes or role models for us.
A recent study of Jr. High students found that 36% chose actors as their heroes, 19% musicians and 11% athletes or comedians. In that it is definitely more about their celebrity status than it is in truly what these people stand for.
Most of these celebrities don't have a clue to what the world is about but all of a sudden they become famous and they become delusional and think that everyone wants to hear their opinion on saving the earth, God, or politics. The world might think they are good enough to emulate but us as true followers of Christ are supposed to know better.
It is much more important to examine a person based on your true beliefs; and when you believe in God's word – do they match up?
Most media is anti- family.
For the most part we see most men in sitcoms looking pretty stupid. Either the dad is lazy, dumb or needs the constant supervision of his wife just to make it in life. The moms; we don't many like Beaver's mom on television anymore …most moms on television aren't making dinner but they are instead trying to make it big in the corporate world. There's not much applause for being a wife or a mother.
The kids are super smart and they are always pulling fast ones on their parents. Most shows don't show much respect or love directed at the parents. You watch reality shows like Supernanny or Nanny 911 and it amazes you how many dads will not step up and actually set rules into place for their kids and mom's who are just too lazy to put a rule into place and stick with it.
The view you do see on TV about marriage is that it's filled with fights, arguments and a lack of respect and love. Most shows, movies or sitcoms show a family that belittles each other constantly and makes fun of each other; this is all supposed to be normal.
Garbage in = garbage out.
No respect for God.
TV and movies present an unfair and messed up picture of what God is about.
Preachers, priests, nuns and believers are often portrayed as idiots and misinformed buffoons who haven't matured past the Neanderthal thinking that a God exists.
Most shows don't have a clue about real faith. They love to mock what true believers believe in. Religion is presented as a list of rules.
No respect for the less attractive.
The people we see on TV, the movies or in magazines are the trim, slim and the beautiful. Let's face it - less attractive people and overweight people don't make it on a television show unless it's a show about the less attractive and overweight people.
Media mocks and makes fun of the obese, they make fun of dwarfism; and they take no interest in the so called "unattractive people" that walk our great earth. This is not the way that God would want us to behave? He values each and every person?
Garbage in = garbage out.
Those are just a few things to think about….there's more of course that we'll talk about next time; but this week beware of the media. Think about it…watch what you watch and be careful about allowing some crazy grooves that are being carved into your brains.
M – Message – what is the message?
E - Effect – what effect does it have on me?
D – Damage – what kind of damage does this do to me?
I – Instead – what could I be doing instead?
A – Ask God – How does this match up to what He would want for me?
No comments:
Post a Comment