THE HUNGER GAMES: "In this tale of 24 teenagers forced to kill each other, readers follow a number of gruesome, bloody and otherwise disturbing scenes." ~ "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Php 4:8)
The first quotes I heard about the author, Suzanne Collins, of this trilogy were that she first conceived the idea for the book while channel surfing the TV. She took elements of youth violence and elements of "American Idolatry" type of games and came up with the idea for her book. My problem with these books are the inordinate focus on brutality and violence. I do trust God to feed me His Holy Word that delves into the reality of some horrific violence at times, but it is one thing to receive these stories from a Righteous God and quite another thing to entrust one's mind to be feed brutality from fallen man. I still believe Phil. 4:8 needs to govern our approach to any man made production.
Literary History repeats itself here to a degree: Remember William Golding's classic, "Lord of the Flies" (I had to read this book in Mrs. Freeman's English class at Alliance Christian High School). Basic storyline: The kids are stranded on an island. In time, their sinful natures emerge with a passion, and they start hunting and killing each other. Entertaining? Yes. Interesting? Yes. Edifying, profitable? I don't believe so...
Logically, this command in Phil. 4:8 has to be prohibitive or the exhortation makes no sense at all. The exhortation is to choose to think on profitable things RATHER THAN dwelling on the details of evil. Listen to Romans 16:19 - "but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil." Prov. 4:23 "Watch over your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life."
It is true that non-fiction life such as in Anne Frank and Corrie Ten Boone, we see reality, as the Bible also recounts reality. We must be realists and definitely face the reality of evil and definitely not hibernate from the world nor "scrub clean" harsh realities that need to be remembered such as the Holocaust, for example (there are those who deny the Holocaust). However, my concern is the morbid interest that we all tend to have in regards to the nitty-gritty details of sinful human nature. I am not trying to be a kill-joy to those who love good literature, but I am simply concerned by the prolific stream of harmful literature that is being penned by godless men and women, and the church is gobbling it up like cotton-candy with very little discernment! Unbelievable! Personal note: I recounted to my wife the details of several news stories from CNN the other day. Her wise reply to me was, "Is it really profitable for you to be so educated on all the details of such sinful behavior?" I had no good answer for her...only a heart that repented before a Holy God and then recommitted to "guard my heart" more carefully in a world that feasts on the details of sin.
King David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says it all in Psalm 101:2-4:
"I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil."
Fellow Evangelists, this blog is for you. You are called to a life set apart for God to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. I challenge you to step up to the sumptuous table of God's Word and likewise to step away from all that is vile and worthless. The day is coming when God will provoke 144,000 Jewish Evangelists to live this way.
Listen to Rev 14:1-5:
"Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. (2) And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, (3) and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. (4) It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, (5) and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless."
