Dr. Phil, The Moment of Truth and the American People

Over the past few days, I have had the opportunity to watch abit of TV. Normailly, I watch movies because there isn’t really anything on TV these days. But I flipped on the television this afternoon and Dr Phil was on this afternoon. In this episode was a 9 year old who poisoned his step mother and 3 siblings, and was proud of himself. Tonight I turn on the TV to just veg out abit while I wait for a few things to go down and I flip to The Moment of Truth. This is a show where people take lie detector test to win money. This one featured a woman who was asked if she had ever thought about leaving her husband because he doesn’t make alot of money. I turned if off before I found out… The same goes for reality shows. I mean, honestly, why do people get such a kick out watching people crumble and break in high stress situations?

What is it with America (and the world for that matter) and wanting to dig up dirt, get all the secrets, watch people who are horribly broken. I don’t even want to know what ratings that Dr. Phil gets these days. But I can imagine that it is pretty high. Why do we love seeing these things. Sure, sometimes there are great things that happen through that, but seriously? What compells a person to want to get on Dr. Phil to deal with their problems. Isn’t the situation hard enough without having the entire nation seeing it all? Does it make the public feel better that their lives can’t possibly be as screwed up as these people?

It boggles my mind. It really does. The world is going to hell in a handbasket these days (just look at everything going on in the world) and instead of dealing with the things that need to be dealt with (world hunger, social justice, unreached people groups and nations, persecuted church) we sit down in front of the TV and entertain ourselves to death.

America is spiritually and emotionaly obese. All we want is input; we never want to give. If a church doesn’t meet our needs, we leave. “Their worship wasn’t exciting enough.” “I didn’t really feel God.” “The pastor’s message didn’t make me feel good. In fact, he told me I needed to read more Scripture.” If a relationship doesn’t fill our needs, we end it. “He can’t afford to buy me what I want.” “He is always asking for my advice and never gives me anything in return.”

America has lost sight of God’s calling, to fulfill the Abrahamic Covenant.

~ by Alex W. on June 10, 2008.