Hi, I would like to discuss the mind a little. It seems like the best way to control it, is to control what goes into the mind. So the question is, what happens when we watch a movie? It gets stuck in our mind. What if we find an exciting video game? Then we think about it a lot. It's the same with books, the words we hear from our friends, and everything we give our attention. The mind starts thinking about it. So what happens when you read the bible? You start thinking of what the bible talks about. Now God has given us a limited amount of time here on earth. So do we want to spend that time thinking about video games, or do we want to think about what God thinks about(the bible)? I find it hard to believe we will do the right things, if we do not think the right things. So I think 99% of entertainment is shooting yourself in the foot. You are being filled with stuff God never asked you to think about. So you are missing the mark, which is the meaning of the word sin. We might not find commandments of "you shall not play video games". But we find no commandments or biblical principles that would resonate with this behaviour. Possibly, to rest on the sabbath, but Christ should be the provider of that rest, not entertainment. I think it's good to raise the bar much higher than just quitting porn. I think the mind is like walls in a city, where when the inmost wall fall you relapse. But if you have outer walls in place, not tolerating dumb stuff coming into the mind. The inmost wall can not even be reached, Satan will have to breach the outer walls first. If I where to put myself in Satan's shoes. And my task would be to get a solid Christian named Brad to relapse. I would first tell him it's ok to use some occasional entertainment. Now Brad thinks a little less about the bible, and a little more about things the world regards. Then I would tell him to play a wholesome video game, completely free from immorality. And since the game is a game, it is fun, and now Brad thinks a even less about God, and more about this game, because that's what a stimulating game will do. Brad still reads his bible, but it has become less interesting compared to the game. The outer wall has been breached, now lets get him to relapse. Brad is not getting much from his bible, he doesn't feel focused reading it. He longs for some fun, so he goes down a rabbit hole of entertainment. A trigger of p comes up, and his mind is so far gone it doesn't even want to ask God for help, it wants depravity, so he relapses. I have been this Brad guy, and entertainment has always had this way of ending up in a relapse for me, and usually when I come across a temptation, it is connected to dabbling in entertainment. What do you think, is this an accurate way of viewing the mind? How extreme are you with entertainment consumption? I know I need to be more extreme.
Entertainmemt has triggered me before. I think there are some healthy forms of entertainment though, or forms of entertainment that is less likely to have sexual triggers. I feel that manmade entertainment tends to have some sexual triggers and carnality, especially since some paid entertainers believe that sex or carnality sells. But I do believe there are other forms of entertainment, even forms outside of society, which won't sexually trigger me. Taking a walk through nature or a park in the winter (where women are less likely to be outside or less likely to be half-naked) is somewhat entertaining to me.
Psalm 1 is a perfect example of what you are saying: 1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. See also Psalm 119 (verses 15-16, 48, 97... but really the whole chapter!) Also the Lord commands Joshua (Joshua 1:8): "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." Of course I'm not trying to plug prosperity gospel here! But what this means is that constant meditation on scripture leads to what God ultimately knows is best for us, and will lead us to serve Him successfully. This includes resisting sinful practices (walking "in step with the wicked" - Psalm 1:1) Also another important reason to meditate on scripture is so that we train ourselves to hear God's voice: John 10:27-28: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." Our lives are full of temptations, and the enemy uses what sin remains in our hearts try to deceive our own minds. People may intentionally deceive us into thinking that something evil is right, or people may lead us to do this unintentionally. In the context of PMO, we sometimes try to bargain or reason ("just once more and I'm done", "surely it's okay to masturbate if I'm not thinking of someone?", etc) to find a reason to make our temptations "okay". We counter this by knowing scripture so well that we know what thoughts are truly in line with God's will and what are from the enemy. In other words: knowing scripture means we recognise the voice of the Good Shepherd, who will lead us to safety. I also agree that this battle is not just about quitting porn - it's a holistic battle. I recently read "Unwanted" by Jay Stringer (can't recommend this enough) and he argues that accountability partnerships need to be about more than just reporting the last time you PMO'd. We need to encourage each other in our reading of Scripture. We need to encourage each other in understanding and achieving God's plans for our lives, what we want to achieve for Him, etc. These are of course brilliant goals in themselves but by focussing on them we are not focussing on sinful things (Philippians 4:8). If we focus our accountability (or recovery more generally) solely on porn, we're still thinking about it, just in a different way... one might say we're still making an idol of it. Yes it needs to be discussed and our sins need to be confessed, but we must also look forward and direct our energy into worshipping and serving God daily (Philippians 3:13-14).
To riff on your "Satan" story above: I first told him it's ok to use some occasional entertainment. Brad does enjoy some entertainment, but he invites Christ into the experience and so he is able to see Christ in what was an otherwise secular story. Then I told him to play a wholesome video game, completely free from immorality. And since the game is a game, it is fun, and Brad really enjoys it. But he invites God into this with him, too, and so Brad ends up thinking about the truths and promises of Scripture even while he is playing the game. Brad still reads his bible, but merely reading it has become less interesting compared to seeing it expressed and lived out in every part of his life, even while playing the game! Instead of entertainment breaching the outer wall of his defenses, it has only made them stronger! Now it seems it will be impossible to get him to relapse. Brad is getting less from his bible, because he is now more directly connected with Christ in every moment of every day, whether the bible is in view or not. He feels less focused when reading it, because he longs for some genuine connection with others who need God's love just as much as he does, so he goes down a rabbit hole of love and service. A trigger of p comes up, but it barely even phases him because his mind is so far gone it doesn't even want to relapse anymore, it wants godliness, so he is essentially relapse-proof. -------- We can also be this version of Brad. While not everything is profitable for us, to the pure all things are pure. We can find Christ in every corner of his creation. His fingerprints are all over literally everything. If our hearts desire to run from him, we can do this even while sitting in front of an open Bible or in the middle of a worship service. But if our hearts desire to be satisfied *by* him, having acknowledged the truth that nothing else ever can or will, then we can invite him into and find him in new ways in every part of our lives. Whatever we choose to focus on is what will grow bigger and stronger within us until it overwhelms us. We choose what that is, in each and every moment. Fear is not our primary motivator, at least not for long. We live out of a deep and abiding love that cannot be shaken. Such a perfect love drives out fear of all kinds from our minds.
1 Corinthians 10:7 KJV Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." I struggle to just stop playing. But I am doing a lot better on being highly moderate in this area.
I think it may be possible to be this version of Brad, but I think these habits raises the difficulty level of staying on the narrow path. And therefore, that we are better off without them. That has been my experience. You can see God in a game, but it's so fun and distracting that it is very hard. But go for a walk, and it will be much easier to focus on God.
I agree, walks, training and hobbies are entertaining, but different from digital entertainment in the sense that they don't take over your mind as much. When I was a kid, I was only allowed to play video games for 2 hours a week. But still, at school I would think obsessively about video games, so they take up way too much space in my mind. So there is a difference, and I'm sure I am not the only one who function that way.
We commit to doing whatever it takes to be free. No one achieves freedom within and control over their own mind without sacrificing some things along the way. Discipline is the key to freedom and hardship is the pathway to peace.
You make an excellent point. God created humans with the capacity to do beautiful, creative things and He gave us the free will to squander that capacity or to invest it. Equally, time is a precious commodity, we only get so much of it on earth. I have estimated how much time I wasted looking at P and how I might have otherwise invested that time in learning something new. Somewhere along the way, I also read of a method to read more books - commit to spending 10 minutes a day reading. Ten minutes doesn't sound like much, particularly when faced with a difficult or big book, however, that 10 minutes accumulates and in this way I have read several books and I have learned a few new skills. I like to make simple machines and useful items using wood, metal and to a lesser extent electronics (still much to learn there) but I too am for clean entertainment. My mind needs a diversion from problems or designs that I am working on. Breakthroughs often come when I am not thinking about an issue.
If we think about it, we actually have long lives, it's just that we waste too much time so it feels shorter. There is probably a lot to learn. I agree with you on clean entertainment if it gets you closer to God. Things like A.D Kingdom and Empire for example. But a show like that is so rare that it is impossible to form a habit around consuming clean entertainment, unless you lower the bar for clean entertainment. And then there are some questionable things like Lord of the rings. Very wholesome stuff, except it has a good wizard which is problematic. And I don't think it is good to be entertained by anything that is immoral. And even if it is not immoral, entertainment can consume the mind, so unless it consumes it in a Godly way I think it should be avoided. But that's easier said than done.
I agree with you. A truly clean show can be difficult to find. I also think seemingly innocent shows can be a source of temptation. It reminds me that evil is all around us. We are wise to avoid it with all of our might but when the inevitable encounter occurs, we must be prepared to turn away, quickly.
