Earlier this week, I heard a top-rated conservative talk show host speak despairingly about the political situation in our country. Among many other thoughts on the subject he generally seemed to be wondering how it was that so many conservative people in our great nation did not realize the seriousness of the hour - enough to even show up at the voting booths. I wanted to tell him that the answer is the same as why so many Christian parents do not realize the seriousness of the hour and show up in the voting booths, so to speak, when their children are making choices - especially about what they will wear or not wear.
It seems clear that just as it has happened to so many people as it relates to politics, it has also happened with parents as it relates to what is happening with their children. Both groups are being lulled to sleep by what they see and hear on TV.
With political issues, the mind-bender is primarily the media, including the news. They news media no longer just presents facts as they happen. For years now the news networks have worked to compete with the entertainment channels. The name of the game is who can get the highest ratings. Which of course means - money. All the while viewers are getting their thinking reshaped into whatever the Media Monguls behind the scenes choose for them to think. And so it is bit by bit, pic by pic, sound bite by sound bite - people’s thinking is changed to believe what they are told to think. They are persuaded to believe that there are no real problems, or if there are our Government will take care of it. And mingled with all that muddling of our thinking are all the other programming and advertisements that feed our weak consciences and convince us that all we are hearing is perfectly okay.
It’s not that different with the issue of today’s teen’s, particularly, with what they are choosing to wear or not wear. Parents are as captivated with our current media trends as their youth; And both are experiencing their minds being bent as millions of targeted scenes and messages flash before them.
According to the reportedly largest consumer mental health website, providing comprehensive information on psychological disorders and other matters, by the time a girl is 17 years old, she has been subjected to 250,000 advertisements, many of which depict fashions and models that leave negative effects on the developing minds of girls. This site reports that, “Fashion models and the media have a negative influence on the girls by placing strong emphasis on sexuality, physical attractiveness and ultra-thin body ideals.”
They report as well that this type advertising also effects the boys. All of which according to their findings can lead young boys to want to participate in excessive weight training and abuse of steroids and the like. Such false ideals also are proven to lead many of the girls and boys to develop unhealthy eating patterns and form smoking habits - all for the purpose of meeting the “standards” that their minds have been made to believe are what they need to meet if they are to be acceptable to their peers.
As reported awhile back as well, “Sexualized images can have lasting effects on the young girls who see them. An APA taskforce found that sexualization by the media affects how girls think about femininity and sexuality, promoting ‘appearance and physical attractiveness’ as key values….
An associate professor of psychology at a leading university states, “The research clearly shows that the fashion industry affects girls and women’s images of themselves and their self-esteem if they do not meet the industry ‘image’ that is currently in vogue’…. Even the very young are quite conscience of media images of what is ‘pretty’ and desirable.”
Where are the Christian parents who are allowing this to happen? Many are so caught up in having their own minds shaped by the pop culture that has crept into their homes and churches through the media’s influence, they have not even noticed the gradual decline of standards. Then other parents who may still be a little slow in bending all the way in their thinking - and may even fret about it some - still go along because they just cannot say “no” to their Darlings. After all, “don’t they just look adorable dressed like that?”
So here we are. Our country is sliding into the abyss morally, as well as many other ways, all while Conservative folk fail to be concerned enough to show up to vote. And our young people are sliding into the abyss morally, as well as many other ways while their parents who seem clueless to what is happening fail to show up to vote in their child’s decision making. It seems that while there still is time we need to realize what is happening and why - both in our country - and even more in our homes.
We need to awake to the urgency of the hour and pray that our minds will be renewed. “That [we might] put off concerning the former… which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of [our] mind, And that [we] put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4: 22-24
.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of [our] mind, that [we] may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2
It seems clear that just as it has happened to so many people as it relates to politics, it has also happened with parents as it relates to what is happening with their children. Both groups are being lulled to sleep by what they see and hear on TV.
With political issues, the mind-bender is primarily the media, including the news. They news media no longer just presents facts as they happen. For years now the news networks have worked to compete with the entertainment channels. The name of the game is who can get the highest ratings. Which of course means - money. All the while viewers are getting their thinking reshaped into whatever the Media Monguls behind the scenes choose for them to think. And so it is bit by bit, pic by pic, sound bite by sound bite - people’s thinking is changed to believe what they are told to think. They are persuaded to believe that there are no real problems, or if there are our Government will take care of it. And mingled with all that muddling of our thinking are all the other programming and advertisements that feed our weak consciences and convince us that all we are hearing is perfectly okay.
It’s not that different with the issue of today’s teen’s, particularly, with what they are choosing to wear or not wear. Parents are as captivated with our current media trends as their youth; And both are experiencing their minds being bent as millions of targeted scenes and messages flash before them.
According to the reportedly largest consumer mental health website, providing comprehensive information on psychological disorders and other matters, by the time a girl is 17 years old, she has been subjected to 250,000 advertisements, many of which depict fashions and models that leave negative effects on the developing minds of girls. This site reports that, “Fashion models and the media have a negative influence on the girls by placing strong emphasis on sexuality, physical attractiveness and ultra-thin body ideals.”
They report as well that this type advertising also effects the boys. All of which according to their findings can lead young boys to want to participate in excessive weight training and abuse of steroids and the like. Such false ideals also are proven to lead many of the girls and boys to develop unhealthy eating patterns and form smoking habits - all for the purpose of meeting the “standards” that their minds have been made to believe are what they need to meet if they are to be acceptable to their peers.
As reported awhile back as well, “Sexualized images can have lasting effects on the young girls who see them. An APA taskforce found that sexualization by the media affects how girls think about femininity and sexuality, promoting ‘appearance and physical attractiveness’ as key values….
An associate professor of psychology at a leading university states, “The research clearly shows that the fashion industry affects girls and women’s images of themselves and their self-esteem if they do not meet the industry ‘image’ that is currently in vogue’…. Even the very young are quite conscience of media images of what is ‘pretty’ and desirable.”
Where are the Christian parents who are allowing this to happen? Many are so caught up in having their own minds shaped by the pop culture that has crept into their homes and churches through the media’s influence, they have not even noticed the gradual decline of standards. Then other parents who may still be a little slow in bending all the way in their thinking - and may even fret about it some - still go along because they just cannot say “no” to their Darlings. After all, “don’t they just look adorable dressed like that?”
So here we are. Our country is sliding into the abyss morally, as well as many other ways, all while Conservative folk fail to be concerned enough to show up to vote. And our young people are sliding into the abyss morally, as well as many other ways while their parents who seem clueless to what is happening fail to show up to vote in their child’s decision making. It seems that while there still is time we need to realize what is happening and why - both in our country - and even more in our homes.
We need to awake to the urgency of the hour and pray that our minds will be renewed. “That [we might] put off concerning the former… which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of [our] mind, And that [we] put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4: 22-24
.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of [our] mind, that [we] may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2
Because it seems clear that all the while negative things are happening, in both issues much of it can be blamed on our having allowed the media to reshape our thinking - and to lull us to sleep. The Devil in the meantime being very much awake is having a victory dance, because.our politics and teen fashions do have something in common: No one cares enough to show up to vote.
No comments:
Post a Comment