One of the most relevant, and possibly most neglected, questions facing Christians today is: "How do we interact with all the entertainment options around us?" Modern information technology has led to very cheap and accessible entertainment at our fingertips. In what other time in history could 1 billion people watch the same sporting event? It is possible--but not likely--that close to 3 billion people will read this blog post. Now, I do not know if my blog post would be considered entertainment, nor will more than 100 people probably read it, but the point is it will be accessible to over 1/3 of the world's population. I am currently recording my thoughts in a church office in Warrensburg, MO, and according to my audience statistics from Blogger, my blog has received 48 all time pageviews from Russia. This is unprecedented. A man that wanted to communicate his thoughts with the world 100 years ago would have needed a publisher. And the publisher--if he wanted to reach the world--would have needed a wide readership that depended on distributors from around the world. Do I have any Russians selling my posts? No, I simply click a button in Warrensburg, MO and my thoughts are free for consumption anywhere with an internet connection. Amazing.
All of this is described to illustrate that sports, music, movies, television, literature, and video games are being distributed at an amazing rate. How in the world does a Christian intelligently interact with the flood of information and entertainment that is readily consumable? The Christian worldview informs us that information is incredibly important. After all, it is knowledge of and response to the truth (information) that will save us.
Like abortion, which I recently discussed, the Bible is not primarily concerned with entertainment consumption habits. However, the Bible is sufficient in informing our view of any topic, including entertainment.
When considering sports, music, movies, television, literature, and video games, I believe it is crucial to remember the truths illustrated in Colossians 1:15-17:
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
These verses teach us that Jesus created all, all creation is for Him, and through Him all things hold together. This means that Jesus created the capacity for art and games, art and games are for Him, and art and games are held together through Him. A proper understanding of creation will inform us that there are good components of all art and there are bad components of all art. A proper understanding of creation will inform us that there are good components of all games and there are bad components of all games. God created everything in the world good (Genesis 1-2), but everything became tainted by the fall (Genesis 3). Part of the Christian's duty is to emphasize and celebrate the good components of creation, while exposing and vilifying the bad components of the fall. In doing so, we must remember that, "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!" (Abraham Kuyper) Christ is sovereign over sports. Christ is sovereign over music. Christ is sovereign over movies. Christ is sovereign over television. Christ is sovereign over literature. Christ is sovereign over video games. We mustn't paint all of these entertainment mediums with a broad brush that says, "Bad!", but we must, rather, intelligently consider which components of each medium celebrate the goodness of God's creation and which components defy God's holy will for us.
The Power of Entertainment
Why does every culture celebrate, to some extent, art and games? I believe it is because art and games magnify some of the greatest components of creation: physical beauty, acoustic beauty, visual beauty, and truth. Art and games also have a unique power of magnifying the human condition and exploring the battle between good and evil, hardship and victory. Literature and movies uniquely explore the battle between good and evil, while games and sports uniquely magnify perseverance in the face of adversity. When we are considering these things I believe we must think of them as gifts from God. In viewing art and games as gifts from God, our primary aim is to glorify Him with our use of them. This is where we sometimes derail--with our intentions.
When considering civilization and human achievement, some people point with caution to the Tower of Babel. Rightfully so. From the Tower of Babel we learn about God's dispersal of early man because they were trying to build a tower that reached the "heavens" so that they could "make a name for" themselves. This is a cautionary tale which highlights the importance of our intentions. You see, I believe it was not the tower builders' objective that got them in trouble, but it was their intentions that warranted the punishment. Their objective was to build a large tower--innocuous enough--but their intention was to do so to "make a name for themselves". Their intention was not to build a society that served people, as I believe the cultural mandate of Genesis 1:28 demands, but to build a society that glorified people over God. This is incredibly informative for our discussion of art and games.
Art and games highlight the great capabilities of humankind. Art and games are powerful. However, anything that is powerful can be used powerfully for good or bad. The greatest tool can be the greatest weapon. Nuclear fission can be used to power homes or it can be used to blow up the innocent. Water is the most necessary substance for life, but it can also be the most destructive. Likewise, art and games can be the most powerful forces for good and evil. It is all very dependent on our intentions. Is our intention in the creation of art and the playing of games to bring glory to God and His purposes or glory to ourselves and our purposes? You see, we must be sure we are tracing the sunrays to the sun. What is the source of all the goodness (the sunrays) in art and games? God (the sun). We get things very mixed up if we only celebrate the creation and not the Creator. We may celebrate Lebron James' dunks and Steven Spielberg's directing, but these must be sunrays that lead us to the sun.
Sports
We will first deal specifically with sports.
Physical beauty/idolatry
Sports have a unique ability to magnify the human body's capacity for beauty. Gymnasts flipping, track athletes running, pitchers pitching, and basketball players dunking are all magnificent. Sports truly push our bodies to their physical limits and in doing so generate an incredible amount of physical beauty. The physical beauty of athletes should be sunrays that lead us to the sun. However, when we do not recognize the true source of these physical gifts and sports' purpose, we can make sports an idol.
We will use a rather broad definition of idolatry: "assigning unwarranted worth to something or someone". We have very clearly crossed the line if we elevate sports above God, but we must make sure we are not elevating sports above things like family or virtue either.
The majority of my life thus far has been spent living in the Southeastern United States. This region of the world can get a little crazy about their college football. Not everyone in the southeast is unsensible about college football but there is a sizeable portion of the population that is. A good example is an Alabama couple that skipped their daughter's wedding to attend a University of Alabama football game. Or there is the University of Alabama fan that poisoned Auburn University's prized trees out of hatred. Let's back up and re-prioritize.
Even if we are not skipping children's weddings or poisoning trees, we must make sure our 11 year-olds playing 100 baseball games in a season, and the large amounts of money and time we spend following sports are justified. Yes, sports celebrate the human body's capacity, generate great suspense, and can be very unifying, but they mustn't become our gods. To be transparent, I grew up playing hours upon hours of sports, like to follow sports now, and currently exercise 6 or 7 days per week. I realize that exercise and sports can be things I prioritize too much, and make a conscious effort to view them in light of God's majesty and the greater gifts He has given us such as relationships and the church. Once one takes a look into the face of God's greatness, sports and other good things become properly prioritized.
Unity/Disunity
Sports, as the World Cup has recently illustrated, have a unique capacity for unifying people. Whether it is little league baseball, high school football, or the World Cup, sports tend to draw people together in community to celebrate a common cause. This is beautiful. But, once again, the greatest agents of good can be the greatest agents of bad.
If properly used, sports can transcend race, class, and nationality to celebrate and discuss a common event, but if poorly used, sports can stir the coals of disunity and hatred. Whether it is an Alabama fan poisoning Auburn trees, people "hating" sports figures, or Brazilian fans celebrating Argentina's recent loss rather than the game itself, people can get so worked up about sports that they celebrate the loss and humiliation of others rather than the gift from God that sports can be. A friendly rivalry can be fun, but using a rivalry as a vehicle for hate, is to be condemned rather than celebrated.
Fitness/injuries
Sports can also lead people into bodily stewardship. Physical fitness is not addressed very explicitly in Scripture, but common sense leads us to believe solid nutrition and cardiovascular health are preferred over careless eating and a sedentary lifestyle. I have a theory for why exercise and nutrition are not more prominently featured in Scripture. Paul did reference that "physical training is of some value" and God gave the Israelites dietary rules that are no longer binding but are probably good guidance, but, for the most part, guidelines for physical conditioning and nutrition are absent from Scripture.
First, this is because the Bible is primarily about spiritual health rather than physical health. But, I believe, the absence of guidelines is also partially a result of the cultural milieu within which Scripture was written. Both the Old Testament and New Testament were written during periods in which physical labor was the primary means of work, walking was a primary mode of transportation, and eating whole, minimally processed foods was the diet. If you insisted on sitting in a chair all day, you probably were not going to find work in Biblical times. If you detested walking, you probably were not going to see much of the world in Biblical times. And if you insisted on only eating very sugary foods, you would quite possibly starve in Biblical times. We simply have unique health challenges today that were not a problem in Biblical times. Sports can encourage us to overcome the sedentary lifestyle.
However, sports do not always lead to great stewardship. Some extreme sports particularly value thrill over everything. I will not claim that flying through the sky is a sin, but it is hard for me to justify a sport that does not accomplish much other than providing a thrill, at the price of extreme danger. It is for this reason that I looked upon the Joel Osteen endorsed Grand Canyon crossing with discomfort.
Another relevant issue is the prevalence of head injuries in sports like football. Should we turn our back on football because of head injuries? I am not willing to make that jump as football teaches a lot of lessons like courage, teamwork, and strategy, while also uniting entire communities around a common cause, but carefully considering the safety of our sports is wise.
Life lessons/skewed reality
Plato is credited with saying, "You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year or conversation." I believe this may be an exaggeration, but I do believe sports reveal much about one's character. A game is a microcosm of life. In life we set out to accomplish objectives, use our physical and mental capacities to pursue the objective's completion, and are required to work together to overcome obstacles in pursuit of the objective's completion. Likewise, in sports we are given an objective, must use our physical and mental capacities to pursue the objective's completion, and are often required to work with a team to overcome obstacles in pursuit of the objective's completion. Beautiful. Sports can be a great training ground for our young people, as society has seemed to realize. In sports, one must strategize, exercise patience, practice perseverance, and cooperate with others. One would have a hard time finding any substitute for sport in uniquely instilling these virtues.
When I was in college--studying and playing golf--the athletes were required to attend a presentation in which an organization presented the value of college athletics in potential employment. The presenters claimed that employers particularly value college athletics because of the discipline and capacity for teamwork that sports instill in athletes. I remember skeptically thinking this was all a little overstated, but since leaving college and spending 4 years within career I now have a more thorough vision of sports' value. It turns out that I was not wasting my time "playing a bunch of games" from age 5-22, but I was learning invaluable lessons like discipline, perseverance, and cooperation. One can be trained to complete the technical aspects of most jobs in weeks or months, but virtues take a lifetime to refine and are ultimately of more value.
Sports are certainly a refinery for virtues, but I do believe there is a danger in youth developing a skewed sense of reality through sports. We live in such a prosperous society that youth can realistically spend most of their time playing games. I do believe there must be a balance in which children realize sports are not the purpose of life, and that life is dependent on hard work such as farming, manufacturing, and cleaning. Life cannot perpetually be a game, but this does not mean we should throw games aside either.
Video Games
Of all of the entertainment mediums I am going to discuss, video games may be the most vilified--by my mom, at least. In discussing video games I will begin with my most controversial point.
Productivity/lack of productivity
"Did you just list 'productivity' as a virtue of video games?" Yes I did. Hear me out. Video games are really not all that much unlike sports or any other games, it is simply that they can be more sedentary or solitary. In a video game, like other games, you are presented with an objective, you must use your mental capacities to pursue the objective's completion, and you must work with a team (sometimes) to overcome obstacles in pursuit of completing the objective. As long as we are defining productivity as: "completion of an objective", then video games are training in productivity, like all other games.
The trouble, which is more often highlighted, is that video games can lead one to be more sedentary and more likely to not complete meaningful objectives. It's not cool to spend 12 hours beating a game, but only have moldy bread and spoiled milk in the house. As long as video games are being played in moderation, they can be lessons in productivity, but we, of course, see that they often lead to warped priorities rather than greater productivity. Use God's gift of games productively rather than unproductively.
Community/lack of community
Video games, like other games, have a unique capacity to build community. If you want a group of teenage boys to warm up to each other quickly, then put a video game controller in each of their hands. I see it happen all the time. Not many activities are more fun than laughing, trading innocent insults, and competing with friends over video games for an hour. Do I think God smiles upon these acts of community used in moderation? Yes I do. But, like everything else I have described, there is a corresponding bad for the good of community.
I personally, at this stage in my life, have a hard time justifying playing video games by myself. Do I think it is a sin to play video games by yourself? Or do I think playing video games by yourself is as silly at age 11 as it is at age 27? No and no. I do not want to make up rules that are not in the Bible, but there are a lot better things I can be doing with my time than playing video games by myself. This is particularly true at my current stage of life. A man in his 20s and 30s is arguably in his most productive years of his life. This man should be investing in his job, his family, his mind, his body, his community, and his church. Investing hours in solitary video game playing just doesn't seem like a great idea for a 27 year-old that has so many better things to be doing.
Virtue/violence
I already alluded to the fact that video games can teach life lessons like other games and sports, so I include "virtue" here to restate that and create a cool alliteration with "violence".
Violence is an oft-cited critique of video games. I do believe it is a horrible idea to let 6 year-olds play Call of Duty. But I also believe we must use prudence in maligning all violent video games. I believe young adult and adult gamers must know their unique fleshly desires. If one is particularly tempted by violence, then games like Call of Duty are probably going to exacerbate his fleshly desires, and it is probably a good idea for him to stay away from shooting games in general. This is easy for me to say because I neither like shooting games, nor am I regularly tempted by violence or anger.
I do think we need to use caution in attributing violent acts in our culture to the violence of video games and other media. Does hours of violent video games probably lead to a greater likelihood of one carrying out a violent act? Sure, but we must recognize we are not purely a result of our environment. Saying that we are mostly a result of our environment is a poor understanding of free will and the nature of sin. Regardless of how many hours of war movies I watch and how many hours of shooting video games I play, a violent act committed by me is ultimately my fault. Is it wise to limit our exposure to violent video games? I believe so, but we must not completely shift the blame of violent offenders to the culture that fed them violent material. Is it kind to sell violence to someone that is tempted by violence? No. But we mustn't let people believe they are a passive result of their environment either.
Television/Movies/Literature
It may seem a little too broad to categorize all of these mediums together, but I think the similarities are strong. Every piece of art within each of these mediums can be classified as either non-fiction or fiction. The artwork can be either concerned with communicating narrative or ideas, or a combination of the two. The only thing that changes is whether the communication method is textual or audio/visual. And whether the audio/visual is live or prerecorded.
Informational/False
Television, movies, and literature are superior in communicating information. The trouble with information is that it comes in two forms: truth and lies. God is all about truth. Jesus informed us that He is "the truth" and the Apostle John tells us that Jesus came full of truth. In contrast, Jesus taught that Satan is the "father of lies". It is incredibly enlightening to recognize that God is truth and Satan is a liar. This is fitting as believing lies can be incredibly destructive. Even innocent lies can be very dangerous. Suppose you and your skydiving instructor believe your parachute is fit for your jump but it isn't. There is no malintent in this, but the outcome is equally as destructive. For this reason, television, movies, and literature can be destructive or constructive.
We desperately need a steady stream of truth. How are we supposed to grow food without accurate information about plants? How am I supposed to drive to the grocery store without accurate information about the route? How are we supposed to build a home without understanding basic physical principles? If I believe mangoes grow well in Missouri, I may end up wasting a lot of time and resources. If I believe the grocery store is east, rather than west, then I am not going to make it. If I believe foundations are best built of sand, I am going to build very poor homes. Accurate information is important. Television, movies, and literature exist to communicate information to our eyes and ears, we better make sure that information is accurate or we may begin living according to lies.
Glorify good/glorify bad
Just as informational mediums can communicate truth or lies, they can glorify good or bad. Narratives are particularly good at glorifying virtues such as honor, courage, perseverance, and patience, but can be equally good at glorifying vices such as sexual promiscuity, hedonism, materialism, and pride. Christians must be particularly aware of their unique temptations when feeding their eyes and ears, because our eyes and ears feed our minds and hearts. If you are tempted by lust, do not come close to any movies or television that promote sexual promiscuity. If you are tempted by drugs, stop indulging in media that glorifies drugs. If you are tempted by material prosperity, then you probably need to stay away from media that glorifies possessions. Know thyself.
This is probably a good place to discuss narrative's power for illustrating the struggle between good and evil. I believe humankind's fascination with this struggle is evidence for the Christian worldview. Our hearts resonate with stories in which a problem arises (conflict), the problem is struggled against (rising action), and the protagonist then, sometimes sacrificially, overcomes the problem (climax and resolution). There is a reason why we cheer as Batman sacrificially flies the bomb out of Gotham in the last moments. We, in our hearts, know there is a problem with the world (sin) and want a hero to overcome the problem (Jesus). Watching and celebrating a virtuous character overcoming the forces of evil is a reminder of the reality of Jesus'--the only truly virtuous and all-powerful man--defeat of sin and death. Literature, television, and film can shine light on the narrative we are created to love.
Community/lack of community
I will not belabor this community point because the points here are nearly identical to the ones from the video game section. Folks can either gather to watch a movie for two hours with friends or family, or they can spend 8 hours watching a movie marathon by themselves. Folks can either enjoy gathering around the television with friends or family once a week for their favorite show, or they can watch an entire series of 24 by themselves in a weekend. Folks can either enthusiastically discuss a book they have been reading with friends, or they can become so obsessed with Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, or The Hunger Games that they forget real, living, material people exist.
Empathy/prejudice
Television, movies, and literature have a unique ability to cultivate empathy. Novels and movies present the world to us from another's perspective. While articles, books, documentaries, and news stories do a fantastic job uncovering injustice and showing us how others live. I seem to live less self-centered days when I begin my day with a helping of news and Facebook. Reading accurate descriptions of people living in Saudi Arabia helps me view them as humans rather than numbers, and leads me into realizing the world is not all about me. Viewing the posts of friends and acquaintances on Facebook helps me understand their joys and sorrows and realize we are collectively striving to live life well. Watching documentaries about villagers in China helps me see life from their perspective while appreciating the comforts that fill my life. If we are consuming media with a gentle heart, freedom of press should lead us into greater empathy for people down the street and around the world. I believe it is harder to fight a war against someone with a face.
The dissemination of information through television, movies, and television is not all roses though. As previously discussed, these mediums can glorify good or evil, and can communicate truth or lies. A benefit and curse of the internet is that it spawns many subcultures. There may only be two or three extreme racists in a small town, but if these people are intent on being hateful, they can find a large community online that shares their views. If the hateful sequester themselves into like-minded online community, the hatred can be more readily fueled. Terrorist groups use the internet to post videos and literature, just as charitable organizations do. We must strive to use visual and textual media in support of virtues rather than vices. The light will ultimately overcome the darkness, but only if those with the light use the platforms that amplify their views.
Music
Inspiration/inspiration for simplistic thinking
Music can be incredibly powerful. The Huffington Post has an entire page dedicated to the "Power of Music". Like other art forms described in this post, music is embraced by humans because we deem it beautiful--in music's case, acoustically. It is truly remarkable that cultures have historically embraced music regardless of time period, geography, or social structure. Just beating our hands against a hard surface seems to resonate with our souls. It is because of this deep desire we have for rhythm and acoustic beauty that music can be so powerful. Music can evoke tears, set the mood of an environment, and be inspiring. This is great as long as it is inspiration for good rather than bad.
The information rich mediums of television, movies, and literature speak largely to the mind, while music speaks largely to the heart. Now, visual and textual media can be emotional and music can be informative, but music specializes in moving the heart. This can be good, but if unbalanced, it may lead to emotional, simplistic thinking. Because lyrics can often be repetitive and the music so inspirational, music is a great medium for communicating messages without really explaining them. If one is to listen to a lot of music without much reading and conversation, it can tend to lead--in my experience--to overly simple, yet passionate thinking. This can be a problem because the world is complex and dangerous. A complex and dangerous world requires complex cautious thinking, rather than simple passionate thinking. There is a time for inspiration, but in a dangerous world, we may just be inspired to do something we shouldn't.
Glorify good/glorify evil
Much like movies and television, music excels at glorifying things. This can be great as long as the glorification is of something noble and good. If the glorification is of riches, fornication, and pride, rather than responsibility, purity, and humility then we have a problem.
I will not spend a ton of time here because the dichotomy of glorifying good rather than evil has already been explored. But I want to specifically speak about the power of hip-hop in glorifying values. Hip-hop, by nature, lends itself to boasting. There is confidence and "swagger" that ooze out of the beats. If you rap about anything it just seems cooler. If you don't believe me, then try to watch the following these three videos without gaining a higher view of driving a minivan, being a dad, or running errands.
I wouldn't blame you if you decided to go run errands with your parents right now--hip-hop is the king of glorifying mediums. For the Christian, this should illustrate that hip-hop is a great vehicle for glorifying God, as Christianity Today recognized in this article. There are several labels that are doing an exceptional job glorifying God and godly values through hip-hop. Labels such as Reach Records and Lamp Mode Recordings are some of my favorites.
Influences worldview/influences worldview
Yes, I did just repeat myself in listing a pro and con. Music is very subtle yet powerful in influencing one's worldview. The catchy tunes and repetitive hooks/choruses can take root in one's mind with amazing effectiveness. I was recently out of my "Christian bubble" for a weekend and was disturbed how much darker and tempting the world became. I take issue with some of the practices of Contemporary Christian Radio Stations, but they are a faithful companion when I get into my car. A companion whose value I do not truly appreciate until it is gone. A worldview answers questions such as: "Why are we here?", "What is wrong with the world?", "What is the solution to the problem?", and "Where is the world heading?". Everyone has a worldview. Some people think their worldview through, while others passively accept the view of those around them, but everyone has one. If everyone has a worldview, then so do the artists of the music you enjoy. Be careful about how much the songs you sing along to influence your heart and mind.
Poetry speaks from the heart and rappers, singers, and songwriters are largely our modern-day poets. Their potent lyrics reflect and shape the state of culture. This can be either a good thing or bad thing. It all depends on what worldview the music is promoting. If music is promoting man as supreme and morals as negotiable, then music will ultimately be a force for bad rather than good. If music is promoting God as supreme and morals as important, then music will ultimately be a force for good. Music will continue to make the world more acoustically pleasing, but the lyrics are capable of construction or destruction, it all depends on what the lyrics celebrate.
Conclusion
Music, movies, television, literature, video games, and sports reflect some of the best creation has to offer. The proper response to God's most beautiful gifts is not strict, legalistic abstinence, but it is not absolute blind acceptance either. Remember that the greatest forces for good can also be the greatest forces for bad. Do people watch movies for the sex, violence, and crude humor? Yes. Do people listen to music for the glorification of man, sex, and drugs? Yes. Do people play video games excessively as an escape from real life? Yes. But the abuse of these gifts does not warrant a wholesale rejection.
It is my fear that our (Christian's) response to culture can often be Pharisaical. The Pharisees were a religious party that Jesus dealt with harshly. Harsh because the Pharisees excelled at making up rules that were not necessarily God's rules and emphasized these rules over what God actually treasured. God treasures things like community, perseverance, and truth, along with other virtues that art and games promote. We must be discerning and use God's gifts positively. The proper response is not digging our heads in the sand, but rather taking our heads out and worshiping God for the good of creation. Once we recognize the good, we must celebrate it. Once we recognize the bad, we must shine light upon and expose it. And, we mustn't forget, the sunrays must always be followed back to the Sun.
All of this is described to illustrate that sports, music, movies, television, literature, and video games are being distributed at an amazing rate. How in the world does a Christian intelligently interact with the flood of information and entertainment that is readily consumable? The Christian worldview informs us that information is incredibly important. After all, it is knowledge of and response to the truth (information) that will save us.
Like abortion, which I recently discussed, the Bible is not primarily concerned with entertainment consumption habits. However, the Bible is sufficient in informing our view of any topic, including entertainment.
When considering sports, music, movies, television, literature, and video games, I believe it is crucial to remember the truths illustrated in Colossians 1:15-17:
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
These verses teach us that Jesus created all, all creation is for Him, and through Him all things hold together. This means that Jesus created the capacity for art and games, art and games are for Him, and art and games are held together through Him. A proper understanding of creation will inform us that there are good components of all art and there are bad components of all art. A proper understanding of creation will inform us that there are good components of all games and there are bad components of all games. God created everything in the world good (Genesis 1-2), but everything became tainted by the fall (Genesis 3). Part of the Christian's duty is to emphasize and celebrate the good components of creation, while exposing and vilifying the bad components of the fall. In doing so, we must remember that, "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!" (Abraham Kuyper) Christ is sovereign over sports. Christ is sovereign over music. Christ is sovereign over movies. Christ is sovereign over television. Christ is sovereign over literature. Christ is sovereign over video games. We mustn't paint all of these entertainment mediums with a broad brush that says, "Bad!", but we must, rather, intelligently consider which components of each medium celebrate the goodness of God's creation and which components defy God's holy will for us.
The Power of Entertainment
Why does every culture celebrate, to some extent, art and games? I believe it is because art and games magnify some of the greatest components of creation: physical beauty, acoustic beauty, visual beauty, and truth. Art and games also have a unique power of magnifying the human condition and exploring the battle between good and evil, hardship and victory. Literature and movies uniquely explore the battle between good and evil, while games and sports uniquely magnify perseverance in the face of adversity. When we are considering these things I believe we must think of them as gifts from God. In viewing art and games as gifts from God, our primary aim is to glorify Him with our use of them. This is where we sometimes derail--with our intentions.
When considering civilization and human achievement, some people point with caution to the Tower of Babel. Rightfully so. From the Tower of Babel we learn about God's dispersal of early man because they were trying to build a tower that reached the "heavens" so that they could "make a name for" themselves. This is a cautionary tale which highlights the importance of our intentions. You see, I believe it was not the tower builders' objective that got them in trouble, but it was their intentions that warranted the punishment. Their objective was to build a large tower--innocuous enough--but their intention was to do so to "make a name for themselves". Their intention was not to build a society that served people, as I believe the cultural mandate of Genesis 1:28 demands, but to build a society that glorified people over God. This is incredibly informative for our discussion of art and games.
Art and games highlight the great capabilities of humankind. Art and games are powerful. However, anything that is powerful can be used powerfully for good or bad. The greatest tool can be the greatest weapon. Nuclear fission can be used to power homes or it can be used to blow up the innocent. Water is the most necessary substance for life, but it can also be the most destructive. Likewise, art and games can be the most powerful forces for good and evil. It is all very dependent on our intentions. Is our intention in the creation of art and the playing of games to bring glory to God and His purposes or glory to ourselves and our purposes? You see, we must be sure we are tracing the sunrays to the sun. What is the source of all the goodness (the sunrays) in art and games? God (the sun). We get things very mixed up if we only celebrate the creation and not the Creator. We may celebrate Lebron James' dunks and Steven Spielberg's directing, but these must be sunrays that lead us to the sun.
Sports
We will first deal specifically with sports.
Physical beauty/idolatry
Sports have a unique ability to magnify the human body's capacity for beauty. Gymnasts flipping, track athletes running, pitchers pitching, and basketball players dunking are all magnificent. Sports truly push our bodies to their physical limits and in doing so generate an incredible amount of physical beauty. The physical beauty of athletes should be sunrays that lead us to the sun. However, when we do not recognize the true source of these physical gifts and sports' purpose, we can make sports an idol.
We will use a rather broad definition of idolatry: "assigning unwarranted worth to something or someone". We have very clearly crossed the line if we elevate sports above God, but we must make sure we are not elevating sports above things like family or virtue either.
The majority of my life thus far has been spent living in the Southeastern United States. This region of the world can get a little crazy about their college football. Not everyone in the southeast is unsensible about college football but there is a sizeable portion of the population that is. A good example is an Alabama couple that skipped their daughter's wedding to attend a University of Alabama football game. Or there is the University of Alabama fan that poisoned Auburn University's prized trees out of hatred. Let's back up and re-prioritize.
Even if we are not skipping children's weddings or poisoning trees, we must make sure our 11 year-olds playing 100 baseball games in a season, and the large amounts of money and time we spend following sports are justified. Yes, sports celebrate the human body's capacity, generate great suspense, and can be very unifying, but they mustn't become our gods. To be transparent, I grew up playing hours upon hours of sports, like to follow sports now, and currently exercise 6 or 7 days per week. I realize that exercise and sports can be things I prioritize too much, and make a conscious effort to view them in light of God's majesty and the greater gifts He has given us such as relationships and the church. Once one takes a look into the face of God's greatness, sports and other good things become properly prioritized.
Unity/Disunity
Sports, as the World Cup has recently illustrated, have a unique capacity for unifying people. Whether it is little league baseball, high school football, or the World Cup, sports tend to draw people together in community to celebrate a common cause. This is beautiful. But, once again, the greatest agents of good can be the greatest agents of bad.
If properly used, sports can transcend race, class, and nationality to celebrate and discuss a common event, but if poorly used, sports can stir the coals of disunity and hatred. Whether it is an Alabama fan poisoning Auburn trees, people "hating" sports figures, or Brazilian fans celebrating Argentina's recent loss rather than the game itself, people can get so worked up about sports that they celebrate the loss and humiliation of others rather than the gift from God that sports can be. A friendly rivalry can be fun, but using a rivalry as a vehicle for hate, is to be condemned rather than celebrated.
Fitness/injuries
Sports can also lead people into bodily stewardship. Physical fitness is not addressed very explicitly in Scripture, but common sense leads us to believe solid nutrition and cardiovascular health are preferred over careless eating and a sedentary lifestyle. I have a theory for why exercise and nutrition are not more prominently featured in Scripture. Paul did reference that "physical training is of some value" and God gave the Israelites dietary rules that are no longer binding but are probably good guidance, but, for the most part, guidelines for physical conditioning and nutrition are absent from Scripture.
First, this is because the Bible is primarily about spiritual health rather than physical health. But, I believe, the absence of guidelines is also partially a result of the cultural milieu within which Scripture was written. Both the Old Testament and New Testament were written during periods in which physical labor was the primary means of work, walking was a primary mode of transportation, and eating whole, minimally processed foods was the diet. If you insisted on sitting in a chair all day, you probably were not going to find work in Biblical times. If you detested walking, you probably were not going to see much of the world in Biblical times. And if you insisted on only eating very sugary foods, you would quite possibly starve in Biblical times. We simply have unique health challenges today that were not a problem in Biblical times. Sports can encourage us to overcome the sedentary lifestyle.
However, sports do not always lead to great stewardship. Some extreme sports particularly value thrill over everything. I will not claim that flying through the sky is a sin, but it is hard for me to justify a sport that does not accomplish much other than providing a thrill, at the price of extreme danger. It is for this reason that I looked upon the Joel Osteen endorsed Grand Canyon crossing with discomfort.
Another relevant issue is the prevalence of head injuries in sports like football. Should we turn our back on football because of head injuries? I am not willing to make that jump as football teaches a lot of lessons like courage, teamwork, and strategy, while also uniting entire communities around a common cause, but carefully considering the safety of our sports is wise.
Life lessons/skewed reality
Plato is credited with saying, "You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year or conversation." I believe this may be an exaggeration, but I do believe sports reveal much about one's character. A game is a microcosm of life. In life we set out to accomplish objectives, use our physical and mental capacities to pursue the objective's completion, and are required to work together to overcome obstacles in pursuit of the objective's completion. Likewise, in sports we are given an objective, must use our physical and mental capacities to pursue the objective's completion, and are often required to work with a team to overcome obstacles in pursuit of the objective's completion. Beautiful. Sports can be a great training ground for our young people, as society has seemed to realize. In sports, one must strategize, exercise patience, practice perseverance, and cooperate with others. One would have a hard time finding any substitute for sport in uniquely instilling these virtues.
When I was in college--studying and playing golf--the athletes were required to attend a presentation in which an organization presented the value of college athletics in potential employment. The presenters claimed that employers particularly value college athletics because of the discipline and capacity for teamwork that sports instill in athletes. I remember skeptically thinking this was all a little overstated, but since leaving college and spending 4 years within career I now have a more thorough vision of sports' value. It turns out that I was not wasting my time "playing a bunch of games" from age 5-22, but I was learning invaluable lessons like discipline, perseverance, and cooperation. One can be trained to complete the technical aspects of most jobs in weeks or months, but virtues take a lifetime to refine and are ultimately of more value.
Sports are certainly a refinery for virtues, but I do believe there is a danger in youth developing a skewed sense of reality through sports. We live in such a prosperous society that youth can realistically spend most of their time playing games. I do believe there must be a balance in which children realize sports are not the purpose of life, and that life is dependent on hard work such as farming, manufacturing, and cleaning. Life cannot perpetually be a game, but this does not mean we should throw games aside either.
Video Games
Of all of the entertainment mediums I am going to discuss, video games may be the most vilified--by my mom, at least. In discussing video games I will begin with my most controversial point.
Productivity/lack of productivity
"Did you just list 'productivity' as a virtue of video games?" Yes I did. Hear me out. Video games are really not all that much unlike sports or any other games, it is simply that they can be more sedentary or solitary. In a video game, like other games, you are presented with an objective, you must use your mental capacities to pursue the objective's completion, and you must work with a team (sometimes) to overcome obstacles in pursuit of completing the objective. As long as we are defining productivity as: "completion of an objective", then video games are training in productivity, like all other games.
The trouble, which is more often highlighted, is that video games can lead one to be more sedentary and more likely to not complete meaningful objectives. It's not cool to spend 12 hours beating a game, but only have moldy bread and spoiled milk in the house. As long as video games are being played in moderation, they can be lessons in productivity, but we, of course, see that they often lead to warped priorities rather than greater productivity. Use God's gift of games productively rather than unproductively.
Community/lack of community
Video games, like other games, have a unique capacity to build community. If you want a group of teenage boys to warm up to each other quickly, then put a video game controller in each of their hands. I see it happen all the time. Not many activities are more fun than laughing, trading innocent insults, and competing with friends over video games for an hour. Do I think God smiles upon these acts of community used in moderation? Yes I do. But, like everything else I have described, there is a corresponding bad for the good of community.
I personally, at this stage in my life, have a hard time justifying playing video games by myself. Do I think it is a sin to play video games by yourself? Or do I think playing video games by yourself is as silly at age 11 as it is at age 27? No and no. I do not want to make up rules that are not in the Bible, but there are a lot better things I can be doing with my time than playing video games by myself. This is particularly true at my current stage of life. A man in his 20s and 30s is arguably in his most productive years of his life. This man should be investing in his job, his family, his mind, his body, his community, and his church. Investing hours in solitary video game playing just doesn't seem like a great idea for a 27 year-old that has so many better things to be doing.
Virtue/violence
I already alluded to the fact that video games can teach life lessons like other games and sports, so I include "virtue" here to restate that and create a cool alliteration with "violence".
Violence is an oft-cited critique of video games. I do believe it is a horrible idea to let 6 year-olds play Call of Duty. But I also believe we must use prudence in maligning all violent video games. I believe young adult and adult gamers must know their unique fleshly desires. If one is particularly tempted by violence, then games like Call of Duty are probably going to exacerbate his fleshly desires, and it is probably a good idea for him to stay away from shooting games in general. This is easy for me to say because I neither like shooting games, nor am I regularly tempted by violence or anger.
I do think we need to use caution in attributing violent acts in our culture to the violence of video games and other media. Does hours of violent video games probably lead to a greater likelihood of one carrying out a violent act? Sure, but we must recognize we are not purely a result of our environment. Saying that we are mostly a result of our environment is a poor understanding of free will and the nature of sin. Regardless of how many hours of war movies I watch and how many hours of shooting video games I play, a violent act committed by me is ultimately my fault. Is it wise to limit our exposure to violent video games? I believe so, but we must not completely shift the blame of violent offenders to the culture that fed them violent material. Is it kind to sell violence to someone that is tempted by violence? No. But we mustn't let people believe they are a passive result of their environment either.
Television/Movies/Literature
It may seem a little too broad to categorize all of these mediums together, but I think the similarities are strong. Every piece of art within each of these mediums can be classified as either non-fiction or fiction. The artwork can be either concerned with communicating narrative or ideas, or a combination of the two. The only thing that changes is whether the communication method is textual or audio/visual. And whether the audio/visual is live or prerecorded.
Informational/False
Television, movies, and literature are superior in communicating information. The trouble with information is that it comes in two forms: truth and lies. God is all about truth. Jesus informed us that He is "the truth" and the Apostle John tells us that Jesus came full of truth. In contrast, Jesus taught that Satan is the "father of lies". It is incredibly enlightening to recognize that God is truth and Satan is a liar. This is fitting as believing lies can be incredibly destructive. Even innocent lies can be very dangerous. Suppose you and your skydiving instructor believe your parachute is fit for your jump but it isn't. There is no malintent in this, but the outcome is equally as destructive. For this reason, television, movies, and literature can be destructive or constructive.
We desperately need a steady stream of truth. How are we supposed to grow food without accurate information about plants? How am I supposed to drive to the grocery store without accurate information about the route? How are we supposed to build a home without understanding basic physical principles? If I believe mangoes grow well in Missouri, I may end up wasting a lot of time and resources. If I believe the grocery store is east, rather than west, then I am not going to make it. If I believe foundations are best built of sand, I am going to build very poor homes. Accurate information is important. Television, movies, and literature exist to communicate information to our eyes and ears, we better make sure that information is accurate or we may begin living according to lies.
Glorify good/glorify bad
Just as informational mediums can communicate truth or lies, they can glorify good or bad. Narratives are particularly good at glorifying virtues such as honor, courage, perseverance, and patience, but can be equally good at glorifying vices such as sexual promiscuity, hedonism, materialism, and pride. Christians must be particularly aware of their unique temptations when feeding their eyes and ears, because our eyes and ears feed our minds and hearts. If you are tempted by lust, do not come close to any movies or television that promote sexual promiscuity. If you are tempted by drugs, stop indulging in media that glorifies drugs. If you are tempted by material prosperity, then you probably need to stay away from media that glorifies possessions. Know thyself.
This is probably a good place to discuss narrative's power for illustrating the struggle between good and evil. I believe humankind's fascination with this struggle is evidence for the Christian worldview. Our hearts resonate with stories in which a problem arises (conflict), the problem is struggled against (rising action), and the protagonist then, sometimes sacrificially, overcomes the problem (climax and resolution). There is a reason why we cheer as Batman sacrificially flies the bomb out of Gotham in the last moments. We, in our hearts, know there is a problem with the world (sin) and want a hero to overcome the problem (Jesus). Watching and celebrating a virtuous character overcoming the forces of evil is a reminder of the reality of Jesus'--the only truly virtuous and all-powerful man--defeat of sin and death. Literature, television, and film can shine light on the narrative we are created to love.
Community/lack of community
I will not belabor this community point because the points here are nearly identical to the ones from the video game section. Folks can either gather to watch a movie for two hours with friends or family, or they can spend 8 hours watching a movie marathon by themselves. Folks can either enjoy gathering around the television with friends or family once a week for their favorite show, or they can watch an entire series of 24 by themselves in a weekend. Folks can either enthusiastically discuss a book they have been reading with friends, or they can become so obsessed with Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, or The Hunger Games that they forget real, living, material people exist.
Empathy/prejudice
Television, movies, and literature have a unique ability to cultivate empathy. Novels and movies present the world to us from another's perspective. While articles, books, documentaries, and news stories do a fantastic job uncovering injustice and showing us how others live. I seem to live less self-centered days when I begin my day with a helping of news and Facebook. Reading accurate descriptions of people living in Saudi Arabia helps me view them as humans rather than numbers, and leads me into realizing the world is not all about me. Viewing the posts of friends and acquaintances on Facebook helps me understand their joys and sorrows and realize we are collectively striving to live life well. Watching documentaries about villagers in China helps me see life from their perspective while appreciating the comforts that fill my life. If we are consuming media with a gentle heart, freedom of press should lead us into greater empathy for people down the street and around the world. I believe it is harder to fight a war against someone with a face.
The dissemination of information through television, movies, and television is not all roses though. As previously discussed, these mediums can glorify good or evil, and can communicate truth or lies. A benefit and curse of the internet is that it spawns many subcultures. There may only be two or three extreme racists in a small town, but if these people are intent on being hateful, they can find a large community online that shares their views. If the hateful sequester themselves into like-minded online community, the hatred can be more readily fueled. Terrorist groups use the internet to post videos and literature, just as charitable organizations do. We must strive to use visual and textual media in support of virtues rather than vices. The light will ultimately overcome the darkness, but only if those with the light use the platforms that amplify their views.
Music
Inspiration/inspiration for simplistic thinking
Music can be incredibly powerful. The Huffington Post has an entire page dedicated to the "Power of Music". Like other art forms described in this post, music is embraced by humans because we deem it beautiful--in music's case, acoustically. It is truly remarkable that cultures have historically embraced music regardless of time period, geography, or social structure. Just beating our hands against a hard surface seems to resonate with our souls. It is because of this deep desire we have for rhythm and acoustic beauty that music can be so powerful. Music can evoke tears, set the mood of an environment, and be inspiring. This is great as long as it is inspiration for good rather than bad.
The information rich mediums of television, movies, and literature speak largely to the mind, while music speaks largely to the heart. Now, visual and textual media can be emotional and music can be informative, but music specializes in moving the heart. This can be good, but if unbalanced, it may lead to emotional, simplistic thinking. Because lyrics can often be repetitive and the music so inspirational, music is a great medium for communicating messages without really explaining them. If one is to listen to a lot of music without much reading and conversation, it can tend to lead--in my experience--to overly simple, yet passionate thinking. This can be a problem because the world is complex and dangerous. A complex and dangerous world requires complex cautious thinking, rather than simple passionate thinking. There is a time for inspiration, but in a dangerous world, we may just be inspired to do something we shouldn't.
Glorify good/glorify evil
Much like movies and television, music excels at glorifying things. This can be great as long as the glorification is of something noble and good. If the glorification is of riches, fornication, and pride, rather than responsibility, purity, and humility then we have a problem.
I will not spend a ton of time here because the dichotomy of glorifying good rather than evil has already been explored. But I want to specifically speak about the power of hip-hop in glorifying values. Hip-hop, by nature, lends itself to boasting. There is confidence and "swagger" that ooze out of the beats. If you rap about anything it just seems cooler. If you don't believe me, then try to watch the following these three videos without gaining a higher view of driving a minivan, being a dad, or running errands.
I wouldn't blame you if you decided to go run errands with your parents right now--hip-hop is the king of glorifying mediums. For the Christian, this should illustrate that hip-hop is a great vehicle for glorifying God, as Christianity Today recognized in this article. There are several labels that are doing an exceptional job glorifying God and godly values through hip-hop. Labels such as Reach Records and Lamp Mode Recordings are some of my favorites.
Influences worldview/influences worldview
Yes, I did just repeat myself in listing a pro and con. Music is very subtle yet powerful in influencing one's worldview. The catchy tunes and repetitive hooks/choruses can take root in one's mind with amazing effectiveness. I was recently out of my "Christian bubble" for a weekend and was disturbed how much darker and tempting the world became. I take issue with some of the practices of Contemporary Christian Radio Stations, but they are a faithful companion when I get into my car. A companion whose value I do not truly appreciate until it is gone. A worldview answers questions such as: "Why are we here?", "What is wrong with the world?", "What is the solution to the problem?", and "Where is the world heading?". Everyone has a worldview. Some people think their worldview through, while others passively accept the view of those around them, but everyone has one. If everyone has a worldview, then so do the artists of the music you enjoy. Be careful about how much the songs you sing along to influence your heart and mind.
Poetry speaks from the heart and rappers, singers, and songwriters are largely our modern-day poets. Their potent lyrics reflect and shape the state of culture. This can be either a good thing or bad thing. It all depends on what worldview the music is promoting. If music is promoting man as supreme and morals as negotiable, then music will ultimately be a force for bad rather than good. If music is promoting God as supreme and morals as important, then music will ultimately be a force for good. Music will continue to make the world more acoustically pleasing, but the lyrics are capable of construction or destruction, it all depends on what the lyrics celebrate.
Conclusion
Music, movies, television, literature, video games, and sports reflect some of the best creation has to offer. The proper response to God's most beautiful gifts is not strict, legalistic abstinence, but it is not absolute blind acceptance either. Remember that the greatest forces for good can also be the greatest forces for bad. Do people watch movies for the sex, violence, and crude humor? Yes. Do people listen to music for the glorification of man, sex, and drugs? Yes. Do people play video games excessively as an escape from real life? Yes. But the abuse of these gifts does not warrant a wholesale rejection.
It is my fear that our (Christian's) response to culture can often be Pharisaical. The Pharisees were a religious party that Jesus dealt with harshly. Harsh because the Pharisees excelled at making up rules that were not necessarily God's rules and emphasized these rules over what God actually treasured. God treasures things like community, perseverance, and truth, along with other virtues that art and games promote. We must be discerning and use God's gifts positively. The proper response is not digging our heads in the sand, but rather taking our heads out and worshiping God for the good of creation. Once we recognize the good, we must celebrate it. Once we recognize the bad, we must shine light upon and expose it. And, we mustn't forget, the sunrays must always be followed back to the Sun.
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