How Romantic Comedies are (Still) Destroying the World

By Rut Etheridge III - Posted at Gentle Reformation:

Have you ever, even as a Christian, found yourself rooting for people to break God’s commandments and even cheering when they achieve their Satanic aspirations? This is far easier to do, and therefore far more common, than we may realize.

Years ago, my wife and I were watching a very cleverly written, well-acted sitcom. We were cracking up every bit as much as the production team behind it would want us to. Then after a moment’s reflection, she turned to me and said with sadness and a bit of shock, “Do you realize we were just laughing at what God hates?” At the time, I didn’t, of course. But to this day, her words remain like a scar in my heart, a faithful wound from my very best friend. It’s so easy, in the midst of being entertained, for us to enjoy and approve the life-destroying ideas, words and actions which wrecked the world and which cost Christ his life as he gave himself to free us from them.

This past weekend I had the privilege of leading a conference breakout seminar on the topic of holiness and entertainment. The prep work on this difficult and complex topic reminded me of a piece I’d written years ago on the topic, revised and interwoven with new stuff below, focusing on one vehicle of popular entertainment by which our Enemy sends his insidious, life-stealing ideas into our hearts. In keeping with Satan’s historic bloodlust regarding children (Exodus 1:22, Matthew 2:16), he sends this particular vehicle right at them, and so often, we Christian adults are too busy enjoying the ride to notice where it’s headed, and who's about to get hit.

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