A Review - Worldliness - Chapter 2 by Craig Cabaniss

Craig Cabaniss begins the chapter by demonstrating that media has a ubiquitous presence in our culture. This fact is rather hard to deny unless you live in a cave or a backwoods cult compound. Craig says that media is, "the omnipresent backdrop of life". He believes the main expression of this reality is the TV. Minus working and sleeping, most people spend more time watching TV than almost any other activity.

My hunch is that this reality may be changing. I know it already has for me. I spend WAY more time on my laptop these days than I do in front of the TV. Usually, I only watch two shows consistently: Lost and The Office (and usually these are on my laptop and not when they actually air). This time spent watching TV (on my laptop) does not compare to the time spent in front of my laptop these days. My guess is that if you are reading this right now you might be in a similar position. This really doesn't have anything to do with Craig's chapter, other than to say that all the same principles apply to laptop usage as they do to TV. He stresses the influence of TV, but that does not match my current experience (but it certainly did in years past). My hunch is that the move from TV to laptops will continue to grow in the next decade and beyond.

One of the big themes of the chapter is Craig's emphasis on the need to be intentional with our viewing of media. He writes:

Please don't misunderstand. I'm not saying it's wrong to watch television, rent a DVD, surf the Internet, or spend an evening at the cinema. The hazard is thoughtless watching. Glorifying God is an intentional pursuit. We don't accidentally drift into holiness,; rather, we mature gradually and purposefully, one choice at a time. In the Christian walk, we can't just step onto the right path and figure all is well. Christian discipleship is a lifelong journey consisting of a series of countless steps. Each step matters, and thus our viewing habits matter.

He addresses the twin concerns that often surround this issue: One, legalism and two, being culturally savy for the sake of evangelism. In terms of legalism he responds wisely by saying:

Do we risk legalism by establishing personal viewing standards? Absolutely! But the risk doesn't lie in having standards; it lies in our motivation. The question is not, "Should we watch selectively?" but, "Why do we view selectively?

In terms of the second category of seeking to be culturally savy so that we have common ground with those we share our faith with, he writes:

In reality, it isn't necessary to be a media glutton to share the gospel effectively. We can meaningfully relate with people in our culture without immersing ourselves in the latest entertainments. We can be aware of popular culture without being captive to it. Our personal and corporate relevance and witness won't be hindered at all by applying biblical standard to our media intake.

Ultimately what will communicate most effectively with a unbelieving world will not be how many quotes from Anchorman you can rattle off or how many obscure 80's bands you can name, it will be sacrificial acts of love joined with the simple truths of the gospel communicated with grace and humility.

The big idea that I took away from the chapter was our need to not be passive in our consumption of media. We need to think theologically and be quick to discern between truth and error as different messages are communicated to us through the various mediums of media. Craig uses the example of sexual exposure in the media as a great example. He writes:

Whenever we watch sin portrayed without consequences, we're subject to deception. Sin - sexual sin in particular - is often glamorized and sensationalized in media. But like the infomercial, the claims are deceptive. They're 'empty words.' Pleasure without guilt. Ecstasy without relational destruction. And worst of all, sin without judgment. Filling our minds with these media deceptions dulls our sensitivity to God's holy hatred of sin.

Speaking of sex, Craig writes well here:

God is not by any means a prude; he created sex to be enjoyed to the fullest in marriage. We cultivate a high view of both God and sex when we thank him for it; we demean both God and sex when we obscenely joke about it. Any sexual impurity fails the standard of what is "proper among the saints" (Eph 5:3).

Towards the end of the chapter he exhorts us to move beyond just thinking about what is permissible and think about what is actually beneficial. I have been thinking about this concept quite a bit in the last few years as it especially pertains to my TV and movie watching. If I am going to go on a date with my wife and spend at least $2o on two movie tickets I want to be moved beyond the frivolous titillation that comes with most movies these days. They usually just leave me feeling empty. Rarely do movies point towards anything transcendent. I am finding that talking with my wife, practicing music, exercising, playing with the kids, or reading a good book usally does way more for my sense of personal fulfillment and contentment than any movie or TV show ever could. This is not to say that we don't watch movies or TV anymore, but the amount has decreased greatly in the last few years. Craig's question rings loudly for me: Should we not be pursuing things that are not just permissible but rather beneficial?

In the end, this chapter was very helpful for me to think through. He challenges us to think theologically about our media consumption and this is a challenge that I think we all need to take to heart.