As I look at the 7 cultural mountains, arts and entertainment is listed first.

I don’t think there is any relevance to the order, at least from what I’ve read and understand so far.

A brief understanding of the mountains will tell us from Revelation 17, that the mountains are where the whore sits, and is drunk on the blood of the saints. (verse 6 and 9.)

If I compare arts and entertainment from when I was a child, to today, and how perverse it has become, this was actually the first mountain I started guarding myself from.

Some would say it was extreme, but I threw away all secular music. Music is a powerful force in our society.  I’ve learned more about it’s power from my music therapist bride. How it taps into areas of the brain and causes people to remember, helps them walk again after strokes, helps people express themselves, when they can not by what we would consider “normal” means of communication.

Music is powerful and impacts our attitude and demeanor. So this was first on my list.

It took some time, but television was next. We don’t have a TV. First, financially, the cost to benefit of it just doesn’t balance itself out to our favor. It costs way to much, and to allow the sex, violence, and vulgarity into our house can be detrimental.

Please don’t think I believe this is the standard for all households, but just for ours. You are in charge of your house, and I judge not.

I would place social media into this category as well, though some may call it family, or even religion.

The power of social media in our lives is really a bit overwhelming.  The science behind how Facebook “likes” releases dopamine and provides a good positive feeling in a persons life can be very misleading.  Having so many “friends” on social media, however maybe not being engaged in live relationships, can be very unfulfilling when reality strikes.

I’m trying not to come at this next point from a spirit of judgement, but hopefully edification.

Pro sports:  from my view point it looks like we have elevated pro athletes as people held to a standard no one can maintain. We place unrealistic expectations on them because of “who they are” and their “influence,” both of which set them up for utter failure and our disappointment. They are fallen people in a fallen world who need Jesus just as much as you and I. Just because they make lots of money and are in the public eye doesn’t make them better than anyone else and we have done them an injustice.

As we run from the world, people, and true relationship, we find ourselves empty, unsure, confused, and afraid.

It is in relationships, as demonstrated by Jesus, where we love, build up, lift up, and help others, and ultimately ourselves, that the arts and entertainment can never fulfill and meet our needs as God intended.

No there is some great stuff out there yes! But we need to keep everything in check to ensure we aren’t giving it power over which causes us to stumble.

How does this category impact your life?