Perhaps you’ve heard of Harvey Weinstein lately, or perhaps you haven’t. Mr. Weinstein is (or a least was) a big name producer in Hollywood, who has produced a number of popular movies over the years. His work and marriage and life fell apart a couple of weeks ago when a woman accused him of sexual assault. Since then dozens of women have come forward with accusations of sexual assault and rape against him. And apparently: Everyone in Hollywood had known about this for years. And they did nothing. But other names are being added alongside Mr. Weinstein’s—so it appears that this is the case: That no one did anything because this is simply the way Hollywood acts. This is their culture.
This past summer Justin Bieber opened up about how the music industry has much the same culture—including a well-known acceptance for pedophilia.
This exact same attitude towards sexual immorality is displayed so prominently in the movies they make and in the lyrics and videos for the songs that they write. So let me ask you the question that I asked myself: Do you really think you can watch or listen to what they make without being affected? It’s not just imaginary, on screen. It’s real life. Don’t be deceived.
Do you really think you can watch or listen to what they make without being affected?
I am not going to blanketly call you to ban TV, or ban the internet, or ban music. But I want you to realize what many of our parents and grandparents were worried about when they tried to stop the wave of technology from flooding into our lives: Stay away from sin. Because so much of it is sin. And it will lead to more sin. Your sin.
Genesis 39:12 tells us that in the face of a “Hollywood-like” temptation with Potiphar’s wife, Joseph “left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.” What do you watch (from Hollywood, or on YouTube)? What do you listen to? To stay away from sin, do you also need to turn and flee?
Hollywood: Your culture is showing. And we are called to turn our backs and run away.