Articles
The Heart Wants What It Wants
This little tidbit of rationalization was spouted recently on an episode of NCIS New Orleans. The full line was: “The heart wants what it wants, and nothing can change that.” It was said in justification of a homosexual relationship. Mark it down: Most of the time when Hollywood ventures into the realm of human relationships, it will favor fornication, adultery, homosexuality, impulsiveness and personal gratification. And it will almost always put these words into the mouth of a character: “I’m not judging …”.
Television and movies have perhaps been the single greatest change agent of our social mores – and not for the better. Visual media make a powerful impact. Viewers are drawn in by story lines; they become attached to characters. Hollywood expertly manipulates that emotional connection to create sympathy for those committing sin. And so, as many have been entertained, they have also been evangelized. Hollywood now proudly trumpets the virtue of same-sex “marriage” and homosexual adoption (the story line of the 4/13/15 episode of NCIS/NO was the kidnapping of a homosexual couple’s baby). Such advocacy includes plenty of dialog about the evils of “judging” and portrays any who disagree as evil extremists.
In this article I am less interested in why this industry attracts such morally untethered people – though it is an intriguing question – and more concerned about the vulnerability of Christians to media messaging. Of course, some huff, “Well, I can watch and listen to moral filth and not be influenced by it. I just let that stuff roll off my back.” While I will skeptically bypass that for the moment, I would like to ask, “For what purpose? What is the source of satisfaction that makes worthwhile the exposure to things that God says for us to avoid?” (cf. Ph 4:8-9).
Let me play Toto for a moment and pull back the curtain: Most of the people in this industry are insecure, self-absorbed, hedonistic and theologically confused (or outright apathetic). They produce most of their children out of wedlock or in serial marital hookups. Many take great pride in exposing their nakedness. They champion causes that are hostile to godly morality. They memorize lines written by others and pretend to be someone they are not. They are made to look good by makeup, costumes, editing, special effects and a musical score. Props to Liam Neeson for honesty: In a recent interview he was asked by a fawning fan how he prepares for a particularly demanding scene. Neeson replied with aplomb: “I’ve been doing this for a long time. It’s just acting. I just do my job.”
These people by and large do not deserve the degree of adulation lavished upon them. We should not speak of them in reverential tones. It is not a profound accomplishment to keep your emotions so accessible that you can cry on cue. Rather, we should be “wise as serpents,” wary of “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Think. Discern. Look past the amusement and see the moral damage wrought by a sugar-coated, godless philosophy slickly marketed by emotional chameleons engorged with wealth gained by prostituting themselves to the devil.
