The devil rules this world. That’s not the superstitious ranting of a Bible-thumping weirdo; that’s the harsh realization of woman who doesn’t even recognize the world she’s living in. I grew up poor, for the most part. My family went through periods of extreme poverty even though my parents always worked very hard to provide for us. We weren’t the type of family to take vacations together and visit exotic places. I grew up simply and when it came to entertainment, I looked to television and movies to provide me with an escape from conditions that weren’t always favorable. Hollywood provided something different for me to look at when real life wasn’t exactly meeting my needs. This year, much of what I’ve witnessed has exposed Hollywood as a world I would never want to be a part of; not even in my imagination.

The thing is, there used to be examples of a good life on television. There used to be shows that focused on the importance of doing the right thing or suffering the consequences. Today’s programming focuses more on the importance of doing what you want and then calling foul if anyone tries to impose consequences for your behavior. There is no personal responsibility. There is no integrity. There is no real meaning. It’s all just a big showcase for blatant depravity and if you question it or disagree with it in any way, you’re a problem. Ironically, this exclusionary behavior is being cleverly labeled as freedom of speech and expression at a time when only select groups are permitted to have true freedom of speech and expression. It’s basically playground bullying on a larger scale; with the elites telling everyone else what behavior is acceptable, even though there are just as many or more who disagree with the behaviors that are being showcased. And so, the very group that used to provide an escape from lives that were less than satisfying are now part of the reason life is so unsatisfying.

An example of this is in the programming that is being shoved down the throats of any American who is willing to turn on the television. Programs that used to be meant for entertainment have now become a platform for advancing political narratives that are damaging to the mental, emotional, and physical health of their viewers. We all are already very much aware of the COVID pandemic, so the last thing we need from our entertainment is a reflection of the very same thing we are being forced to look at each and every day. Especially when the narrative is coming from an angle which is meant to perpetuate fear instead of presenting ALL of the facts and allowing viewers to draw their own conclusions. I’m not a fan of being spoon-fed an idea with the expectation that I won’t question getting only part of the story or a distortion of the facts. And I certainly don’t need Shonda Rhimes to lecture me on appropriate behavior, especially with the relationships she parades in front of viewers on virtually any show she produces. I don’t take advice or instruction from virtue signalers.

Another example is with celebrities who believe that they have reached such popular status that they no longer have a responsibility to demonstrate civil behavior. The whole, “I’m popular so anything I do is okay,” mentality is disgusting. On the contrary, once you have achieved popularity, you have a duty to enrich the lives of those who support you. Not to degrade them for having a different opinion that the one you have or the one that you were told to have by the people who pay your salary. After all, your audience definitely has the option of spending their money elsewhere. They don’t have to watch your movies or buy your merchandise. They chose to support you because they were impressed with or entertained by your talent. When your presence becomes more about your opinions than your talent, your audience’s “obligation” shifts. You’ve pulled a bait and switch and we’re no longer required to participate in your reality.

The idea of idolatry has never been so blatantly obvious as it is today. And the degree to which we’ve fallen victim to it is most likely a surprise to many who had no idea they relied so heavily on celebrities for any portion of their happiness. Having to cut people out of your line of vision because their behavior has crossed into the toxic is never easy; and it is no less difficult when those you must remove were simply icons of what your dreams were once made of. Who do you look up to when everyone seems to have lost their damned minds? How do you disconnect when entertainment has morphed into mind control? And how do you even know this is happening when you are being gaslighted by those who are supposed to be reporting news as an unbiased party? How are you supposed to draw informed conclusions about how to live this life when everything around you is finally revealing itself to be the counterfeit version of what you thought was real? Here’s how…you pray. You read the Bible. You reach out to God and you ask Him for guidance. Instead of looking to this world for truth (where it isn’t readily available anyway), look to the One who holds the truth and whose truth will never change. No matter who is popular. No matter what is going on. No matter how aggressively you are told to ignore Him. His truth will always stand and it will always come out victorious. So, if you look at everything through the lens of that truth, everything in this world that is striving to block Him out will be harder to see and accept. And that’s okay. In fact, it’s ideal.

There are many who are growing weary in this fight and if that’s you, I would encourage you to stay the course. God actually wins this. It isn’t without struggle and there will be times when we have to go through periods of misery and frustration. There may even be physical battle, but the fight is worth it all. As in Matthew 11:28, He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Trust that He will do as He says. Even if we can’t see Him working behind the scenes, God is always working on our behalf. And He’s not paid to do so. He’s not subject to change His mind or course depending on what’s popular. And there is no one who can truly censor Him or keep you from Him except you. If nothing else, that should give you hope and a sense of power that you don’t have with anyone or anything else. So, while we’re here, fight the good fight and go to the Source for your truth. Anything else is simply fake.

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