ENTERTAINMENT

[marksman]

I was [SIZE=23.9999866485596px]sitting[/SIZE] in my [SIZE=23.9999866485596px]armchair[/SIZE] (entertainment?) writing on my computer and it came to me to ask a question. Where does the christian stand regarding [SIZE=23.9999866485596px]entertainment[/SIZE]. By that I mean golf, fishing, TV, cinema, theatre, holidays, car meets, sport, reading, ice cream, restaurants, halloween, skiing, playing cards, playing games, ipods, music, the church, etc. etc. etc.

if you comment you are required to state [SIZE=23.9999866485596px]what[/SIZE] and if you [SIZE=23.9999866485596px]indulge[/SIZE] in [SIZE=23.9999866485596px]any[/SIZE] form of entertainment so that we can see if you are speaking from personal [SIZE=23.9999866485596px]experience[/SIZE].

​[SIZE=23.9999866485596px]Against[/SIZE] that I speak of scriptures which shows we need to die daily, give up all for Christ and the kingdom, deny oneself, be a disciple of Christ, study the word, a grain of [SIZE=23.9999866485596px]wheat[/SIZE] dying and bearing much fruit, putting to death the natural things, to live is Christ and to die [SIZE=23.9999866485596px]is[/SIZE] gain. Do such scriptures allow for entertainment [SIZE=23.9999866485596px]or[/SIZE] should we be committed 100% to the kingdom of God and [SIZE=23.9999866485596px]whatever[/SIZE] it takes?

I have never heard a sermon on this topic in church but I believe we need to discuss it as it affects how the world perceives us. There may not be a right or wrong answer but raising awareness may enable us to live more like Christ.

 

[Born_Again]

Well, for entertainment I don't watch TV. I catch the weather, that's about it. Mostly because just about everything on TV has gratuitous sex scenes. If my kids cant watch it, I shouldn't watch it either. I like to go to hockey games. But mostly I write. That is my entertainment or listen to music. Non-secular music. I do my best to stay away from things that would pull me away from God, or distract me from Him.

 

[FHII]

Entertainment? Well, I love going to Church to learn, sing, dance, praise God and such. I'm into fitness and enjoy working out, running and cycling. Every once in a while I watch a movie or TV show, but often the TV watches me more than I do it (I get engrossed in my thoughts). Love playing with my pets. About once a year I have the opportunity to catch a ball game. I enjoy hanging out with my wife and we love to occasionally go out to eat. I also enjoy reading. I read the Bible more than anything else, but do enjoy reading non-fiction and biographies.

That being said, I'd like to bring up 1 Th 5:17 which says pray without ceasing. The question should be obvious. How can we do that? Eventually we are going to have to eat, sleep, go to work, etc.... Do we take that verse to the point that we are supposed to pray 24/7/365? Of course not.

Here's another thing to consider. Jesus gave the parable of the prodigal son. When he came home, there was a feast and music and dancing. It seems to me that they were enjoying entertainment.

Another thing: The wedding at Cana. Jesus was there. Now I believe it was so he could perform his first miracle, of course. But he was at a wedding party -- for no other appearent reason other than to celebrate a marriage. And guess what? They were drinking alot!

One last example. Paul said in Tit 1:12 that all Cretians are liars. Where do you suppose he got that? It wasn't a biblical prophet. If you do a google search (if you don't know) you'll come to understand that Paul had read it from a Poet who was from Crete. He also borrowed phrases from other philosophers. My point is that he wasn't just reading the Old Testament, but he was reading other things... For entertainment? For further education (which he called "dung")? Who knows. But appearently he enjoyed reading even after his conversion.

Overall, yes we must put Christ first. He never said don't do anything else. He said in another parable, "occupy till I come". Entertainment isn't wrong unless its interfering with your walk in God.

 

[KingJ]

A Christian by nature should crave preaching > then sitting at home playing tiddlywinks, whenever and wherever he is.

I think any type of entertainment that involves us mixing with others is good. We can't reach the unsaved at church. They don't always listen much to us preaching to them on the streets. Most of us are waiting for God to give us amazing power on par with Moses before we engage the unsaved properly.

The only verse that comes to my mind is 1 Cor 5:9-10. I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.

Now when we read that in reverse it hits home. ''We need to leave the world if we don't associate with the unsaved'' ^_^.

 

[FHII]

Yea KingJ.... I can go with that. Granted, I believe in predestination and that it was God's will all along... But I was in the world. The wilderness of sin.... Someone had to come and get me out of it. If there wasn't a Christian who didn't venture out into the "worldly", they wouldn't have reached me.