I was reading in my quiet time today a post from a man that I respect greatly today about the concept of amusement. Mark Hamby wrote about a book titled "Amusing Ourselves to Death" where the author - Neil Postman - made this interesting observation. He stated the word "amuse" comes from the root word "muse" which means "to think". However, when you add the prefix "a", it gives the word a negative context and changes the meaning to "not to think".
Hmmm....not to think.
Is this really what we have been doing? I mean, sure, we haven't been doing this consciously or with intention, but we have been deluded by the culture of this world into believing that we must be amused at every turn and position in life.
Consider this fact. Televisons have been commercially available since the 1920s. With the advent of the TV, media and companies were able to come into the homes of the average American and inundate us with entertainment for the first time. Families would gather around the TV set and be amused by the shows and performances that aired over these TVs. I may be off a bit, but in the 1950s, the average home had one TV. As of Jan 2011, the average home had 2.5 TV sets and watched an average of 35.6 hours of programming per week.
Let that number sink in a bit for a moment. 35.6 hours. That's like working a full time job, except all you are doing is sitting on your couch and flipping channels occassionally. Consider also that since the 1950s, TV has been the main medium for molding public opinion. How much time are you spending "checking out" at home? How does this compare to your quiet time?
But that's just the average adult. What about our children? Surely our children are better right? Well, in the same Nielsen study, kids aged 2-11 watch an average of 25+ hours of TV per week. Not much better. (Seriously??? 2 year olds watching TV the equivalent of a part time job???)
This is not to condemn or criticize anyone if this is you, but to point out the false reality we have generally bought into as a people. And that's just TV. don't even get started on the Internet, iPhones, iPods, iPads, XBOX, PS3, Nintendo Wii, etc., etc., etc. We are a society driven by technology but we have long since gone beyond the ability of using our technology. We now let technology use us and we are being "amused" into oblivion. Are we really thinking this through?
Are we thinking at all?
The Bible says this in Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Do not conform to the pattern of this world....
Truth be told, this is a tough one for me. you see, while I don't watch TV that often, I am an infomation junkie and am rarely without access to internet and my iPhone. I have all that I could ever want or desire to know in the palm of my hand. i can play any game I care to, jump on Facebook at any time, and do any various amount of other stuff if I wanted to. Quite often I do.
I check out. I turn in my brain at the door. I fail at not conforming. We all do.
But here is the point: God wants to renew my mind (your mind) with His goodness.
With His perfect will and plan for our lives.
Often times I recognize this and allow Him to work in and through me and get to enjoy His joys and plans for me. Just as often though I try to go my own way, as if I could somehow block the creator of the universe out from my experiences and get away with it. So often I feel like the disciples, not because they were mighty men of God, but because, truth be told, they so often messed up and got things wrong. Sometimes, they totally missed the point.
And I guess that's why I am able to have peace most times. I realize that I am just like these men. Human. Frail. Broken. Ultimately though, I pray I am most like them because ultimately I know that God is in control and he is doing a great work in my life and he is going to continue that work that he does in me (and in you) until the day of completion. How can a man know the will of the Father if he is not in a relationship with the Father. and if we are being transformed by Him, how can we answer in any other way??
I am learning to allow him to transform me into the man he has called and designed me to be. And I hope I am doing well.
Can I challenge you for a moment?
Unplug.
Unplug from everything for a moment and consider that God has a bigger plan for you. It's time we stop shutting off our brains and letting the TV - or Facebook or Movies - do the thinking for us. We need to be renewed by the strength of the only One who has the power - TRUE power - To bring us real life, not the virtual reality we have built around ourselves.
It may be hard at first, but we were never made to waste half our lives "not thinking". Once you have that down, things become a lot more fun and exciting, instead of just being amusing. Let God be the source of your passions. Not the remote control or a mouse on your computer.
Because that's how life was always meant to be lived......
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