HOW MUCH DOES THE MEDIA IMPACT YOUR BELIEFS?

 

Has the media persuaded you to accept unscriptural and wrong teachings, theories, and ideas? You might be surprised. Try applying these questions to specific beliefs and issues, including beliefs and issues you consider settled:

·        Have you personally studied or researched this belief or issue? (Acts 17:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 2 Timothy 2:15; note that occasionally science will appear to contradict Scripture UNTIL you ask or look for hard evidence.)

·        What would be your response if an unbeliever asked you why you believe this? (2 Timothy 2:14-15; 3:16-17)

·        How important is this in relation to other matters and what Bible truths and principles or standards apply? (Matthew 23:24; Romans 14; 2 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 Timothy 1:5-7)

·        Is this what the Bible says, or is this what someone thinks the Bible ought to say? (Proverbs 30:5-6; Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:9)

·        Was this true in the distant past and will this still be true in the distant future? (Psalm 33:11; 119:89; Proverbs 19:21; Ecclesiastes 1:9-10)

·        What is the origin of this teaching or belief? Can you verify this with Scripture or is it necessary to use the arguments of the world? (Psalm 33:10; Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 1:20; 2:5; Colossians 1:9; 2:8)

Now consider your response to:

• What standards or factors should determine whether two unmarried Christians of the opposite sex should date or marry? (Not saying there aren’t any or that your opinions don’t matter.) Food for thought: Pursue Complementarity, Not Compatibility 

• Is it immoral or dangerous for first cousins to marry? (Incidentally, the USA is the only country with restrictions against first cousin marriage, and those States that restricted it did so based on claims and data that were later disproved.) 

• How long should youths be required to attend school, and how old should they be before allowed to marry? Food for thought: Does the Bible say what is the proper age for marriage?  Abolish Adolescence!  Childish labor laws

• Is incompatibility grounds for divorce? (Ironically, several extensive secular studies concluded that the differences usually blamed for incompatibility are not problems for married couples that share the same religious and moral values.) Food for thought: What are biblical grounds for divorce?

• Should a Christian date or marry someone hoping to lead them to the Lord or change them? (If dating evangelism or marriage evangelism were effective methods of evangelism the Bible would not warn against becoming unequally yoked.) Food for thought: Is missionary dating a good idea? Can God use it? Is it right for a Christian to date or marry a non-Christian? Why is finding true love so difficult?

• Is adultery ever justified or acceptable? Food for thought: What does the Bible say about adultery?

• Is it immoral for a couple to live together before marriage? (What about the argument that the sexual union turns illicit cohabitation into marriage? The Bible does not say or imply that a mere sexual relationship constitutes a marriage, and it does not justify cohabitation without marriage. 1 Corinthians 6:16 is merely pointing out that sexual intercourse is always significant and there is no such thing as casual sex. Though the Samaritan woman Christ met at the well had been married five times, Christ made it clear that she was not married to the man she currently lived with. {John 4:16-18} While the Bible does not give an explicit description of a marriage ceremony, marriages and divorces have always required a formal and legal commitment. In Bible times marriages, divorces, and births were publicly made known and recorded in the official records of the community, which is why we have an accurate genealogy of Jesus Christ. Romans 13:1 does not say to be subject unto the higher powers except when it comes to registering marriages and divorces, and both Testaments teach that a couple is to already be married before cohabitation.) Food for thought: Why is living together before marriage considered living in sin?

• Is a person ‘born gay,’ or is homosexuality learned behaviour? (What is the hard evidence that homosexuality is an inherited trait and not distorted love needs? What is the hard evidence that there is such a thing as homosexual orientation? What is the hard evidence that homosexuality is an immutable characteristic?) Food for thought: Can a person be born gay?

• Is gender a social construct or biological? (What is the hard evidence that some biological males are females, and some biological females are males?) Food for thought: Can a person be born with the wrong gender? Is there a difference between sex and gender, biblically speaking?

• How should Christians handle disputes and settle differences? Food for thought: What does the Bible say about conflict resolution? How should Christians handle disputes (Matthew 18:15-17)?

The questions could continue, but you should see the point. 

Remember, the Bible encourages you to use your mind. (Proverbs 2:3-11; consider Romans 12:2; Colossians 2:8; I Thessalonians 5:21; Hebrews 5:14) Propaganda is merely information in favour or support of a cause or viewpoint and can be good or evil, honest or dishonest, and informative or misleading; the danger is that propaganda serves the function of self-delusion in the absence of critical thinking.