For a long time, I lived with a foot in two worlds. I called myself a follower of Christ, yet I spent hours every week immersed in the stories, values, and entertainment produced by a system that largely ignores Him. Recently, however, I have come to a crossroads. After much prayer and a deep dive into the Word of God, I have made a firm resolution: I am forsaking movies and television entirely to pursue a life that is truly set apart for my Savior.
Defining the Conflict
My journey began with a simple but piercing question: What does God actually command me to do regarding my relationship with the world? The scriptures are uncompromising. I am told not to love the world or the things in it, for if I am a friend of the world, I make myself an enemy of God (James 4:4). Romans 12:2 explicitly instructs me not to be conformed to this world, while 2 Corinthians 6 commands me to come out from among unbelievers and be separate.
I had to be honest with myself about what “the world” really is. It is not the physical earth, but an organized system run by Satan that is fundamentally opposed to God and filled with unbelief. It is defined by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. As Catherine Booth once noted, worldliness is found in anything that has no reference to God, righteousness, or eternity—anything that “savoureth not of the things of God.” When I looked at the screen, I realized I was looking at the very definition of worldliness.
The Reality of the Screen
If I had to point to one example that epitomizes this Godless system, it is Hollywood. The entire movie-making industry is Godless to its core, written, acted, and produced by those who do not know Christ. Hollywood consistently presents a reality where God does not exist, is not needed, and is not worth knowing. In the stories I was consuming, it was as if Jesus Christ had never come at all.
Instead of honoring the Lord, these mediums destigmatize and celebrate sin. They promote the lust of the flesh through nudity, glorify violence, and feature all manner of wickedness. Perhaps most painful of all is how frequently they use the name of my Lord, Jesus, as a common curse word. To sit and be “entertained” by the mockery of my Savior is a contradiction I can no longer ignore.
The Incompatibility of Two Kingdoms
The heart of my decision lies in the fundamental incompatibility between the Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness. The Bible asks a series of rhetorical questions in 2 Corinthians 6: “What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial?”
The answer to every one of these is: none. There is no sharing, no participation, no harmony, and no agreement between the temple of God and idols. If I am the temple of the living God, I must ask what part I have with an “infidel” or an unbeliever. I have realized that “no fellowship” and “no communion” must, for me, mean no movies and no television. I cannot be unequally yoked with the spirit of this world while claiming to be yoked to Christ.
A Matter of the Heart and Home
I had to ask myself a practical question: Would I ever invite a group of godless unbelievers into my physical home to perform and entertain me in person? Never. Why, then, was I inviting them into my home virtually to fill my mind with their sentiments and spirits? Even if I thought I could handle it, the risk is too great. Enjoying shows produced by those hostile to God risks making me a friend of the world, and consequently, an enemy of God. So, I have decided to err on the side of obedience and my eternal destiny. I am choosing to “touch not the unclean thing” so that I may fully experience the promise of God being a Father to me in a deep, intimate sense.
Power for the Mission
Finally, this decision is about my witness for Jesus Christ. I am reminded of the words of John R. Rice, who warned that worldliness equals powerlessness. If I am joined with the unsaved in their worldly amusements—attending the movies and sharing their spirit—I lose my influence to win them to the Gospel. A Christian who “sells out” to the world’s entertainment loses the spiritual gravity needed to help save lost souls. I do not want to be guilty of losing my influence over those who are headed toward eternity without Christ. I want my life to have the dignity, gravity, and usefulness of a true Christian character.
My Resolution
Because Hollywood and television represent a system that is hostile to God, and because I desire to love the Lord with all my heart, soul, and mind, I am walking away from Hollywood, Broadway, broadcast television, streaming, movies on DVD, TV shows on DVD, and all the rest in their entirety. I am forsaking the flickering lights of the world for the true Light of the World. From this day forward, I resolve to pursue godly alternatives and to keep my eyes fixed on things of eternity. My goal is Christ, and He is more than enough to fill the space where the screen once was.
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