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During a U.N. commemoration of the Jewish holocaust, Germany’s then-Chancellor Schroeder acknowledged the environment that existed prior to and throughout W.W. II that encouraged the atrocities inflicted on the Jewish people and anyone else disagreeing with the Nazi agenda.

The simple statement that, “The brutalization of thought and the loss of moral inhibitions had a history,…” in Germany that preconditioned its citizens to embrace Nazi ideals, enabling them to cruelly march across the European continent and much of the rest of the world, still speaks to a number of issues today. The Germans were determined to regain their honor and place as a superior people among the rest of Europe by reversing their geographic, economic and military losses of W.W. I; being convinced this could and should be done regardless of the cost to themselves and others. This abandonment of morality on the political front was mirrored in the personal ethics of many ordinary citizens as well. Thus their final solution for the subjection of Europe to German rule even as Jews all across the continent were being systematically “relieved” of their property and shipped off to concentration camps, did not come together on a whim or all at once. It took time to gradually convince people of the necessity of what was about to occur, desensitizing them to the horrors inflicted on millions of people as a result. This by a nation claiming to be a champion of the Christian faith, who for the most part either enthusiastically supported the barbarity of the Nazi program or merely turned their heads and ignored it. (Often claiming they were just doing what they were told.)

But even as we shake our heads in un-comprehension at the ignorance of such people, we don’t have to go far in reading or listening to the news to find examples of barbarity being committed right now in our own homeland. Much of which serves to verify research that shows how rapists are often aroused and goaded into action by pornography while murderers (and terrorists) sometimes find inspiration in examples of violence portrayed on screen or in written reports of others’ actions. (Recruitment for a number of sexual and violent activities occurring routinely through the internet.) Alcoholics and drug addicts at times have their addictions reinforced by an environment of acceptance or indifference, smokers are teased by ads that (of course) avoid mentioning the dangers, the sexually promiscuous – of the heterosexual and homosexual – enabled by ideals of diversity and tolerance. All of which raises the issue of guarding our minds – if that’s possible – from exposure to evil.

The Bible says, “Above all else, guard your heart, (what you know and are motivated by, for our purposes here – your mind) for it is the well-spring of life.” Prob. 4:23 Many of you are on your own for the first time in your lives while some of us have had a little more practice being exposed to new ideas, new surroundings and having new experiences; which involves deciding which are good, which are not so good and what should be avoided altogether. At any rate, you are all in a position where Mom and Dad are not going to be there constantly reminding you of those differences and helping you make good decisions. While that’s cool, it’s also a lot of responsibility. The counsel, help and advice of friends and family can and should aid you in making your decisions; but now they are yours to make in a way they have never been before. The answers to life’s questions and their results are now yours. That’s why it is so important to guard what is incorporated into your thinking processes.

Are you familiar with the expression, ‘Garbage in – garbage out’? That’s why we are admonished to be careful whom we associate with, about the music we listen to, the movies and TV we watch, the stories and jokes we hear. All of which can be processed as part of our inner being and recalled for use and/or abuse, tempting us to become involved. We must realize that good and bad can be stored up in our minds. Sometimes the very thing we don’t want is what will stick and come back to haunt us, being revived in a weak moment to help push us over the edge to participation in something we wouldn’t ordinarily do and know deep within is wrong. Matthew recorded Jesus as saying, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness.” Matthew 6:22,23 For, “… as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7 (KJ)

Your parents want more than anything else to protect you from harm; that includes emotional and spiritual harm as well as physical. They don’t want you to hear or see things on TV, the radio, at the movies or among your peers that would be demeaning, hurtful, coarse or “dark”. What have your parents done to protect you from such? They tried to divert your attention to things of value. So how do you control what you see, hear and participate in? How do you monitor what you expose yourselves to, sometimes willingly, at times unwittingly? What should your response be to things you can’t control? Get away from it!

This raises another issue. At what age does it become o.k. to watch r and x-rated movies, to listen to music encouraging questionable behavior, to tell indecent stories and racist jokes? Can you safely experience stuff at twenty you shouldn’t at fifteen? I want to say, very guardedly; maybe – to a few things. It’s never right to watch x-rated material, displaying an abusive or users attitude, whether in an action sequence in a movie or merely with words directed at someone in a song. There is nothing wholesome or uplifting in listening to coarse, filthy, or even suggestive music and jokes, although some love songs are appropriate and o.k. There may be an exception for a few R-rated movies that deal with violence or adult subjects honestly albeit graphically; but which don’t wallow in gore and explicitness. The problem centers around the idea of tolerance and desensitization. The more you see and hear, the less sensitive to such material you become. (And what about your kids? As you grow older and have them, will you have developed the sense and sensibility to realize that ANY viewing of such at their impressionable, innocent age is harmful?)

Jesus cautions that, “… out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean;’” Matthew 15:18-20 Where do these unclean acts have their starting point? As a thought, an idea, an emotion born often from what we’ve seen and heard; which often translates itself into action. He is further recorded as saying, “… out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.” Matthew 12:34,35 What’s overflowing your heart onto others? Are you responsible? You bet! Jesus warning, “…that men will have to give account for every careless word they have spoken. (Or act they’ve committed) For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:36,37

There is a solution, Paul describing how best to achieve protection and productivity in the Lord. “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2 Such as “…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me (Paul here, but in reality from all your loved ones and those who have counseled, taught and even lectured you out of love and concern.) – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9

"Inspiration For You" from Randy Mitchell

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