Hal Lindsey Report (02-17-12): Hollywood's "Logic," Christophobia Rising, Back in America..., Guard Your Heart

via Hal Lindsey Media Ministries e-Letter, www.hallindsey.com

This week on 'The Hal Lindsey Report'

Last week, "Movieguide," a family guide to movies and entertainment, released the 2012 edition of its "Annual Report to the Entertainment Industry." In the report, Dr. Ted Baehr, "Movieguide's" founder and publisher, details some remarkable information.

Dr. Baehr shows that the most family-friendly movies are, on average, much more profitable than the least family-friendly ones. In 2011, moral, uplifting films earned twice as much money as those with offensive, obscene, and immoral content. Over the last 5 to 10 years, though, movies with strong Christian, redemptive worldviews averaged almost 250% more earnings than their immoral, anti-Christian rivals.

Why? Well, the most obvious reason is that films with a "G" rating are simply available to the largest potential audience. Anyone and everyone can get in to see a G-rated film. What's more, in most cases, parents can take their families to see "G" rated films without fear their children will be exposed to unhealthy images and influences.

And it's icing on the cake for most parents if those films actively espouse wholesome ideas and principles.

Yet Hollywood always seems taken by surprise when a wholesome film succeeds. And the studios continue to pour hundreds of millions of dollars each year into movies that are dark, immoral, anti-Christian, anti-American, and anti-God. Again, I ask, "Why?"

I think the Apostle Paul may have given us a clue. In Romans 1, he writes about the accelerating downward spiral of a culture that has rejected God and is on its way to destruction: "...professing to be wise, they became fools." Then he goes on to describe their end: "And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting...."

"Reprobate mind" can also be translated "depraved mind." It's taken from the Greek word "adokimos," which, in this context, means "a mind that can no longer discern what is in its best interest."

Doesn't that describe Hollywood's logic? It turns its back on its largest audience by refusing to make movies that are proven to make more money. Instead, it pours its resources into films that its audience has demonstrated it does not want to see and that often do not even earn back their production costs.

"A mind that can no longer discern what is in its best interest," even when that best interest is a selfish one, making money and winning fame.

Also, this week I'll discuss a recent discovery by Newsweek magazine. In last week's issue, the venerable periodical informed its readership that it has learned that Christians are being persecuted in some parts of the world. Well, I suppose better late than never.

An article written by a young Somali woman, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, details what many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are experiencing across the world. In fact, the persecution of Christians has become so widespread and virulent that she claims it must be recognized for what it is: "Christophobia."

One organization that follows the plight of persecuted Christians worldwide claims that more Christians died for their faith in the twentieth century that at any other time in history. Reports indicate that more than 150,000 were martyred last year alone.

But back in America, considered by most people to be the world's "most Christian" nation, we're not thinking about defending and protecting Christians from persecution. Instead, our government is plotting ways to force Christian organizations to go against their doctrinal principles to fulfill the Marxist aspirations of our leaders.

Forgive me if that sounds harsh. I believe, however, that the time has come to be harsh in our response to our government's Orwellian machinations. If not, we will lose the freedom to practice our faith and convictions free of the bureaucrats' approval. And trust me, the bureaucrats and "czars" are just itching to disapprove of anything and everything that's important to Christianity.

The recent decision by the Administration to force religious organizations to provide contraceptive, sterilization, and pharmacological abortion coverage in their employees' insurance packages -- no matter the moral, theological, or doctrinal beliefs of the organization -- is just the "thin end of the wedge."

Forget the condescending, clumsy attempt at sleight-of-hand by the President to "compromise" by requiring the insurance companies to provide those services "free of charge, without co-pays, and without hassle." The implication is that if they don't have to "pay" for the services, the protesting organizations won't have to violate their consciences.

The President must know that this is wrong on so many levels. First, he is arbitrarily commanding private businesses to do his bidding and pay for something their customers don't want. Then he must know (and it's even more alarming if he doesn't) that the insurers will just pass those costs on to their other customers -- no matter their moral or religious convictions. Finally, he is forcing those religious organizations to choose between breaking their moral codes to provide insurance with the offensive coverage to their employees or breaking the civil law by not providing the insurance.

But, like I said, this is about more than just insurance coverage. This is about fulfilling Marxist ideologies and aspirations. This is about redefining religious liberty -- not coincidentally the freedom enshrined in the very first amendment to our Constitution -- as a method of controlling public opinion and, ultimately, the lives of all Americans.

What can we do to survive the threats posed by these two almost overwhelming forces in American life: Hollywood and the federal government? Jesus said that we must guard our hearts. Proverbs says that "as a man thinks in his heart, so is he." Paul gave us a prescription for maintaining God's peace in times of great temptation, stress, or discouragement. He said, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things... and the God of peace shall be with you."

Think on these things, brothers and sisters, and God's peace will keep you steady in the face of all that is soon coming upon us. Allow the Holy Spirit to control your life and walk moment by moment in dependence on Him.

Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, Inspiration, CPM Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com. Please check your local listings.

God Bless,

Hal Lindsey
mail: HLMM, P.O. Box 470470, Tulsa, OK 74147
email: comments@hallindsey.com
web: http://www.hallindsey.com

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(Thanks to YouTube user OmniChristianVids3 for uploading the videos.)