We all know and claim disgust at how the Romans lived. They watched people or animals murder each other for entertainment. Women were just for fun. The people ate like pigs. But is America really any different? We get our entertainment from Hollywood and probably eat more than the Romans, just with etiquette. Women may be liberated, but are still seen by American men just like Roman men saw them.
Rome and America started out with two very different religions. One had a belief in many unforgiving gods and the other had Christianity. Rome’s gods are gone. America’s God remains, but our view of Him has been altered. Rome’s gods were fake. America’s God is real, but has slowly been replaced with the god of pleasure by many. That is why our entertainment isn’t too far off from Rome’s.
Psalm 119:37 says, “ Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
and revive me in Your way”. Also, Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” These two verses imply that Christians are supposed to keep their minds on holy and righteous things, not filth. This is very hard today because of the “entertainment” that we are surrounded by. It is almost impossible to watch a tv show that does not have cussing, sex, sexual references or jokes, immodesty, hatred, and other such vices. We should consider Two and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother, Family Guy, and other such shows as no better than Roman entertainment.
and revive me in Your way”. Also, Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” These two verses imply that Christians are supposed to keep their minds on holy and righteous things, not filth. This is very hard today because of the “entertainment” that we are surrounded by. It is almost impossible to watch a tv show that does not have cussing, sex, sexual references or jokes, immodesty, hatred, and other such vices. We should consider Two and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother, Family Guy, and other such shows as no better than Roman entertainment.
One clear example of America’s bad taste is the recent craze over a trilogy known as The Hunger Games. Simply put, Christians who reads the books or watches the movie is a hypocrite. The main character, Katniss, hates the “Capitol” for their enjoyment in watching the Hunger Games. These games make 24 teenagers battle to the death until there is only one left. We can all agree that the Capitol is similar to Rome because of this sick enjoyment of death, but doesn’t the reader enjoy when the “bad guy” dies? I made the mistake of watching the first movie and realized afterward that I was no better than the Capitol for watching 22 children get murdered! How was I keeping my mind on profitable things by watching those innocent kids die? I was no better than a Roman watching a Christian being mauled by a lion.
Another example of the sad state of our country is its fascination with vampires, death, horror, wizards, and the like. The Bible clearly states in Galations, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Watching sorcery for enjoyment is no better than actually doing it yourself. Any Christian who watches Harry Potter or Twilight is no better than the Romans in their idea of what is entertaining.
Eating has most definitely become a sad sense of entertainment. We eat huge amounts of food and the Bible clearly states, “For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.” Romans ate with gluttony, but Americans are no better. We dare each other to eat large amounts of food and even have contests to see who’s stomach is bigger! Must we resort to such a sad state? Do we really need to eat more than God designed us to to be happy? Boredom is no excuse for gluttony.
In the end, we must examine what we choose to entertain ourselves with. To claim the name “Christian”, we must attempt to follow the Bible’s outline for what is Christ-like. It is simply heretical to partake in much of the entertainment that Hollywood gives us today. In a moral sense, the words Hollywood and Rome are practically interchangeable! Don’t be a Roman.
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