Since the beginning of time people have had a love/hate desire to be frightened. Homer created mythical creatures that Odysseus battled in the Iliad and the Odyssey. Through the ages authors created monsters that Hollywood brought to life. Mary Shelley wrote the novel âFrankensteinâ in 1818, but it was Boris Karloff who made the character unforgettable in the 1931 movie. Also in 1931 actor Bela Lugosi brought Bram Stokerâs 1897 character âDraculaâ to the big screen. Lon Chaney rounded out the trio of Hollywoodâs classic monsters with âThe Wolfmanâ in 1941. Television brought Hollywood movies into the living room starting in the late 1930âs. The hit TV sitcom âThe Munstersâ gave the classic movie monsters a new family-friendly image, and the âAddamâs Familyâ was the mysterious and spooky haunted house that everyone wanted to visit. âItâs the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brownâ first aired in 1966 bringing Halloween to the youngest viewers. Like the candy in a trick or treat bag, none of these programs offered truly nutritional content but in reasonable amounts they may have been fun and were rather harmless.
The only thing constant is change and the following decades brought drastic change to the horror movie industry. Movies like âPsychoâ, âThe Exorcistâ and âThe Omenâ introduced new genres of horror. While mad scientists and people who turn into wolves and bats may be fictional, serial killers, the demonic and the occult are very real.
Godâs Word is Truth. Satan and his demons are real, as is spiritual warfare. Adam and Eve encountered Satan in Genesis 3 with catastrophic results. The Lord Jesus was victorious over Satan in Matthew 4, showing all believers how the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6) may be used quite effectively. Sceva was a priest in Ephesus whose sons thought it a good idea to cast demons out of a possessed man and learned the hard way that demons are real, powerful, and not to be taken lightly (Acts 19:14-17.) The Apostle Peter warned all believers to âbe sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion goes about seeking those whom he may devourâ (1 Peter 5:8).
In regard to the occult Moses gave the Israelites the following warning:
âWhen you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. Do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.â (Deuteronomy 18:9 and following, NLT)
The demonic and the occult are very real realms that Scripture repeatedly warns us to avoid. Far from being harmless fun, the movies and television programs that go there open doors that can be very, very hard to close.
Another change in the entertainment industry is the monsters themselves. Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolfman have given way to Norman Bates, Freddy Kreuger, and Hannibal Lechter. The horror movies of recent generations are all too realistic and often perpetuate evil. The violence of the silver screen was largely left to the imagination while much of the violence of today is graphic, horrific, and vivid gore. In a 1998 study the American Psychiatric Association estimated that by the age of 18 children will have seen 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence through media. What would the number be today? Does not constant exposure to such images desensitize the mind and spirit, making what should be repulsive and reprehensible to be normal and acceptable?
Technology plays a huge part in this equation. To see the original movie âFrankensteinâ one had to go to a theater and purchase a ticket (typically 5 cents.) Television brought movies and programming into the home but only on a preset schedule. The VCR made media accessible at any time, with DVDâs adding impeccable graphics and sound. Now streaming provides unlimited programming 24/7/365. Perhaps the most impactful advance in technology is online video gaming which allows individuals to become active virtual participants in whatever drama they choose. Stunning graphics, amazing realism, surround sound, and seamless real-time action create an immersive virtual reality of their own making. They build relationships with other like minded people from across town or across the world as they battle aliens, monsters, or enemy soldiers. For most people this is a harmless, enjoyable hobby or pastime. For some others it can become an addiction similar to gambling, either online or in a casino. Both are games and like gambling the thrill of winning can be intoxicating whether a hand in poker or a level in a video game, and also like gambling the next one is surely a winner. Gaming addicts can completely lose track of time, not sleeping or eating for fear of leaving the game. They prefer to live in their virtual world than in the real world of family, work, and responsibility. Gaming addicts have lost jobs, families, or both. Another concern with online gaming is the possibility of leaving the safeguards of content found in rated âmainstreamâ games. Again, once this door is opened it is extremely difficult to close.
In Psalms 1:1 David tells us that the prerequisite for Godâs blessings in our lives is the input and influences that we avoid.
In Philippians 4:8 the Apostle Paul writes:
âAnd now dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.â (NLT)
Interestingly this verse follows verse 7:
âThen you will experience Godâs peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.â (NLT)
When people seek help for issues such as anxiety, fear, worry, or depression one of the first things many counselors suggest is a journal of the movies, programs, books, or music the person watches, reads, or listens to. Or the counselor may say âIâm thinking some of your favorite TV shows might beâŠ..â with surprising accuracy.
Surely there is a link between our culture and media but which is the cause and which is the effect? Is todayâs media a reflection of our culture or the other way around? Like the candy in the trick or treat bag, why is it that our fallen sin nature craves what is not only not good for us but that which is ultimately most harmful? Of all of the fruit in the Garden of Eden why did Eve choose the only one that God warned the day she ate of it she would surely die? We are what we are because of the choices we make.
The heart is to the soul and spirit what a hard drive is to a computer. Once corrupted the damage can be costly and remedy is difficult if not impossible. It is infinitely better to prevent such corruption through the most stringent, multi-layered screens, filters and firewalls. For a computer hard drive this is really good anti-virus software with active monitoring. For the heart it is Godâs Word and the constant presence of the Holy Spirit. In both cases it is our personal responsibility to secure and maintain the protection.
âGuard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.â (Proverbs 4:23, NLT)