70. MASTER THE MEDIA

Dear Grandma Donna: According to the first quarter of the 2018 Nielsen Total Audience Report, American adults spend over 11 hours per day listening, watching, reading or generally interacting with media. This is a widespread addiction that is causing many problems in our people. Is there anything we can do? Love, Savana

Dear Savana: After a recent visit in a friend’s home, I had my eyes opened to this crisis taking place in our good land. One evening they sat down to watch a movie. Since I don’t have television and don’t attend movies, I was horrified to hear the very pretty heroine, who had been jilted by her boyfriend, use the 4-letter “f” word—not just once, but several times.

Another time, I came into the living room to discover a documentary on the screen about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. In a few moments, the two were in bed covered to their shoulders, but making passionate love. The film was performed by movie stars, so there again adultery was glorified as these two played the parts of the Royal couple making love before marriage, plus the fact that the stars were an unrelated pair performing this scene.

The acceptance of this kind of entertainment reveals that we have descended from purity to pornography without ever realizing that repeated exposure has blurred the lines of distinction between good and evil.

Scott Ritsema, in his DVD series, Media on the Brain, says the major damage seems to come because our frontal lobe where conscience, spirituality, reason, decision making and compassion abide is bypassed by the fast moving pictures that allow no time for reasoning. The frontal lobe is shut down, but the scenes on the screen whet the limbic system of our brain so that our appetite for food and sex is increased. This can cause obesity by enhancing a craving for unhealthy food, lower our desire to be creative and successful, compromise love for our mates, lower self-esteem and bring on depression.

This news makes me want to sound an alarm to everyone I know. Media is turning us into zombies who are unaffected by immorality, violence, and bloodshed. People are casually walking away from a spouse and family because the televised norm is live-in lovers. Church attendance is dropping because God is a swearword and not a Creator who gave Ten Rules for a successful life. Cheating and lying are common because honesty is only for naïve fools.

Alexander Pope describes our dilemma in his well-known poem:

“Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,
As to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace.”

This is exactly what has been slowly happening in America. Truly, we are in a dangerous place even as Israel in Hosea 9:10 when they came to Mount Peor. In simple words, they began to worship Baal and became like the gods they loved. This is the sad consequences of the media. We, the citizens of the greatest nation on earth, had a great beginning, but like Israel, we are worshipping pagan gods and becoming like the gods we love.

Our case is not hopeless. Our Heavenly Father never gave up on His people. He sent His Son who could give them “. . . power to become sons of God” (John 1:12). That is true no matter how low any human being has fallen. The power to lift us comes from His Word.

Yes, Savana, something can be done and we must be doing it as we tell every willing listener. Victory lies at our fingertips as we shut off the electronic device and open the Bible. THE WORD MASTERS THE MEDIA!

LORI’S GLUTEN STEAK
2 c soaked garbanzos (soak 1 c garbanzos in 2 c water)
1/4 c Braggs
3 T chicken seasoning
2 T yeast flakes
1 T onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
3 c do-pep
Place 2 c soaked beans in blender with water to cover. Add seasonings
and blend smooth. Pour into bowl and add gluten flour. Knead 3-5
minutes, but no longer. Form into two loaves and place on sprayed
cookie sheet. Bake at 350 about 50 minutes. Place in boiling sauce
and boil for 1 1/2 hours.
SAUCE:
12 c water
3 T oil
1 large onion chopped
1 stalk celery chopped
3 T chicken seasoning
4 T yeast flakes
3 bay leaves
1/2 t garlic powder
Dip the steaks in a mixture of
1/2 c white flour
1/2 c cornmeal
1 t onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t paprika
Fry in oil until crispy.