You are being programmed Pt. 2

Sorry for the late posting this week. I am at Awana Genting with a bunch of close friends from the ministry. Like usual we had quite a bit of discussions over issues that pertain the church and the ministry. Here is an interesting thought from the discussions.

Today's generation, as in every other generations, have evolved. Things have changed. Trends have changed, etc. While change is necessary, one of the main concerns is the changes in our youth today. Looking over the years I guess I can safely say that the changes are not really anything new EXCEPT for the significant pace at which the changes are taking place. For example ... unsubmissiveness, rebellion against authorities, unteachable, arrogance ... just to name a few. And one thing I observe that's kinda prominent is the tolerance level towards violence! In my opinion, today's youth are more tolerant in this area than yesteryear. In fact crime rate amongst youths today are rising rapidly in the world (I remember reading about it somewhere). Just last night I read about this 16 year old girl from Johore fondly known as Yinx. She was kidnapped, murdered and the perpetrators were 4 youths between 16-22 years of age (one known to be her boyfriend).

Person who commits violent crimes would have to have these traits ... high tolerance towards violence and a consistent rebellion against authorities (which usually begins at the home) which brings me to my point ... you are being programmed!

We are all like a sponge. We absorb everything around us like water. The important question to ask now is ... what surrounds us? Who are our friends? How's the climate in our family environment? What kinda of music are we indulging in? What kind of videos are we watching today? What kind of material are we reading? What surrounds us? I shudders sometimes as I see the indulgences of our youth today. Small kids at dinner tables in public places are engrossed in their gameboys. Youngsters are huddled together with their PSPs, youths on their cell phones. In the car there's this LCD screen. At the home there's computers, internet, downloaded movies, MSN, AOL, Jabber and the likes. We are assimilating everything about us. It's alright if what surrounds us are positive, good, healthy but what if it is violent video games, pornography, war games, witchcraft? What are you absorbing into your lives today?

Do you know that much of our inputs in life comes from what we watch and what we hear? I'm talking here primarily about TV and the internet. The cultural influence of some sit coms (Friends, Desperate Housewifes, House, just to name a few) and the music videos that we indulge ourselves in ... all these shape our lives. For example, look at how we dress today? The hairstyles? Look at our lingos ... "yo bro, cool, lame, whatzup". Where do people here in KL get the idea of wearing beanies and "winter" clothings in our hot and humid weather? Why are people more rebellious today? More unteachable? It's what surrounds us.

One of the contributing factors I see in the worrisome changes in our youth today is the examples that adults set. It a nutshell ... "Listen to what I say but don't do what I do". They tell you not to smoke and they smoke. They tell you be faithful yet they practice marital unfaithfulness. They say it's ok to be gay. They give the thumb ups for gay marriages. They lie, they cheat, they compromise, they create wars, they practice unethical codes of conduct and they care not how their lifestyles influence the youth today.

Our world today may have progressed significantly in terms of technology but the human race is going downhill. The price we pay is much too high. We have become significantly materialistic and we put aside virtues and good moral for self centeredness and the fulfillment of personal lust and gratification. It's as the Bible says ... the cosmo, the world systems. No wonder God sees the human race as one living in darkness ... having eyes yet not being able to see, having ears yet not being able to hear, blind man leading another blind man.

The devil is the programmer. The cosmos is his playground. There's only one thing that shines in this world of darkness ... the church of Jesus Christ! The church is the living hope of humanity, the light of the earth and the salt of the earth; that is you and I. Change is good. Change is inevitable. But in all our changing let's be more and more Christlike. Then and only then can we truly say ... my soul is well. My generation after me will be a better generation. God bless.