A number of years ago I read books
1 to 3 of “A Song of Ice and Fire.” These
are the novels that have spawned the popular television show “A Game of Thrones”
(also the name of the first book in the series). I had to stop in the middle of book 4,
because the Holy Spirit convicted me that what I was taking into my mind was
wholly unrighteous and depraved. The wanton
cursing, brutality, dishonesty, rape, murder, homosexuality, incest, betrayal,
pedophilia, gore, death, theft, fornication, and idolatry on display were too
much for me and were not even remotely congruous with the model of righteous
living and thinking that a Christian is to strive for that I was finding in the Scriptures. I thought of specific instances from the
stories for every one of those words I just typed; that in itself is a
statement about the damage done to my own mind through the harmful influence of
these books. Over and above that, there
is a hopelessness and a fatalism inherent in the story that flatly contradicts
the message of the Bible. I found this to be distasteful as well. So, when the
TV show came along, I knew right away I wanted nothing to do with it. Yet, as time went by I found myself
struggling with the temptation to watch clips of the show on Youtube because I found
the narrative interesting and some of the characters appealing.
I write this introduction to make one
thing clear. What I am about to say is
not said from a soapbox. I am not
investigating specks in the eyes of others while a log is hanging out of mine. I engage daily in “log removal” and my sin is
ever before me, to my great shame. But
at the same time, I feel compelled to speak out about this horribly evil
series. Some will read this and accuse
me of judging them. I accept that
label. Because you know what? The Bible never teaches Christians not to
judge each other. The Scriptures condemn
two things in the area of judgment; unrighteous judging and the sinful actions
of those who have been judged, either righteously or unrighteously.
In Matthew chapter 7 Jesus teaches
about judging others. Verses 1 and 2 are
where most folks like to stop: “Judge
not, that you be not judged. For with
the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it
will be measured to you.” If that
was all the Lord had to say about judging, then I would have to admit that He
taught we are not to judge others.
However, that was not all He said.
Verses 3 and 4 continue the refrain: “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not
notice the log that is in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your
eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?” And again I have to confess, if Christ had
stopped there, we might have a leg to stand on in decrying judgment. But, just as before, He had more to say, in
verse 5: “You hyprocrite, first take the
log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of
your brother’s eye.”
Do you see the point? Jesus did not teach us not to judge
others. He taught us not to judge others
unrighteously. He desired us to
repent and confess our own sin first, and then continue to work toward
helping others to turn from their sin.
Jesus did not condemn judging. He
condemned unrighteous judging.
Furthermore, He did not tolerate
sinful actions, whether they had been unrighteously judged or not. Later in His ministry the Pharisees brought
to Him a woman caught in adultery. They
wanted to put Him on the spot to see how He would handle a difficult
situation. The Law of Moses was
clear. For the crime of adultery this
woman deserved death by stoning. It is
in this context that Jesus uttered the famous line: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at
her.” Obviously, no one in the crowd
could claim with a straight face that they were without sin. So all of the woman’s accusers melted away in
shame. After they were gone, the Lord
asked the adulteress: “Woman, where are
they? Has no one condemned you? She said, “No one, Lord.” Now, notice the next sentence Jesus speaks to
her: “Neither do I condemn you; go, and
from now on sin no more.”
In the eyes of Christ neither
party in this situation was above reproach.
The accusers were guilty of precisely what He had taught about back in
the sermon on the mount. They unrighteously
accused this woman while at the same time wallowing in the mire of their own
ungodliness. But the woman was not free
from condemnation either. She was in
fact guilty of the sin with which she was being accused. So Jesus charged her to stop.
The point is that judging is not
wrong. In fact, quite the opposite. Christians are called to humbly exhort one
another to godliness and righteous living.
We are called to gently point out sin that we see for the purpose of
restoring fractured or strained relationships between God and His children. In Galatians 6:1-4 Paul conveys this
beautifully: Brothers, if anyone is
caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a
spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on
yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear
one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he
is nothing, he deceives himself. But let
each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself
alone and not in his neighbor.
Where I often fail personally is
in having that spirit of gentleness and humility that Paul is describing. Yet, in spite of our failures, we are not
excused from pursuing the course of action Paul is mandating; being aware of
sin, calling it for what it is, and seeking restoration.
What I am about to say is also not
said from a position of ignorance. I
have not “heard through the grapevine” about this series and then decided to
condemn it. Unfortunately, I know
exactly what is in these books, what is in the television show, and what is in
the heart of George R. R. Martin (the author of the novels). Here is a quote from him that demonstrates
quite clearly what his worldview is regarding “gods” and “religion.”
Well,
the readers are certainly free to wonder about the validity of these religions,
the truth of these religions, and the teachings of these religions. I'm a
little leery of the word "true" — whether any of these religions are
more true than others. I mean, look at the analogue of our real world. We have
many religions too. Are some of them more true than others?
Or how about this one…
I
think the books are realistic. I’ve always liked gray characters. And as for
the gods, I’ve never been satisfied by any of the answers that are given. If
there really is a benevolent loving god, why is the world full of rape and
torture? Why do we even have pain? I was taught pain is to let us know when our
body is breaking down. Well, why couldn’t we have a light? Like a dashboard
light? If Chevrolet could come up with that, why couldn’t God? Why is agony a
good way to handle things?
What he is saying is the same old
question that sinful mankind has been throwing up for millennia. The world is broken, I do not like it, I want
it to be fixed, but I want no part of taking responsibility for the state
things are in. Furthermore, I think I
know the best way to handle things. If
there is a God, he should come talk to me and I will tell him how to do his
job. And besides, if God is really a
good god, he should just make it all better.
And if he will not do that? Then
he can kiss off! I do not need him!
Now then, my point is not to
discuss the merits of Martin’s novels. I
do not believe they have any merits worth exploring. My aim rather is to call my Christian brothers
and sisters to either avoid “A Game of Thrones” like the plague if they have
not experienced it yet, or to call them to walk away if they have already
indulged.
In Romans 12:1-2 Paul writes an
impassioned plea, as follows: I appeal
to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a
living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual
worship. Do not be conformed to this
world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may
discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Christians are not to fall in line with
the pattern of the world. They are to be
changed by refreshing their minds through the teaching of Scripture. A Christian cannot renew his or her mind and
be transformed away from the world by indulging in those things the world
delights in. Echoing his apostolic
brother, John writes in 1st John 2:15: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the
Father is not in him. Christians
cannot chase after the unrighteousness and ungodliness in the world and expect
to be in conformity to the character of Christ.
Nor can they expect to love and be loved by God for their unrepentant carnality.
In contrast to such a pattern of wickedness,
Christians are instead commanded, in the words of Paul again, this time in
Colossians 3:2, to: Set your minds on
things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Not only are we to focus on heavenly things
from God, but we are to be on guard against earthly things from Satan. John again, this time in 1st John
4:1: Beloved, do not believe every
spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false
prophets have gone out into the world.
Now wait a minute, some might
say. Does this mean we are supposed to
walk on eggshells and tiptoe around in an effort to be so spiritual that we
cannot have any fun? Well, first of all,
if your definition of fun necessitates the consumption of the pleasures of the
world, then you need to go back and re-read 1st John 2:15. You may have a serious heart condition that
goes far deeper than just what television shows you prefer to watch or what
books you like to read.
Beyond that, in answer to the
hypothetical question I just posed, yes, that is exactly what God is saying. James, in chapter 1 verse 27 of his letter: Religion that is pure and undefiled before
God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to
keep oneself unstained from the world.
How exactly are we keeping ourselves unstained from the world when we
engage in the same practices the world does?
Paul once again, from the fourth chapter and eighth verse of Philippians:
Finally, brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything
worthy of praise, think about these things.
How can anyone possibly argue that “A Game of Thrones” or a multitude of
other entertainment choices at our disposal meets the criteria that Paul just
outlined? I am jumping on a single
series with this essay, but there are a host that immediately come to mind,
that I know many Christians enjoy watching, that also fit the same bill.
It gets worse for the carnal
minded seeker of worldly pleasure. Paul
again, from Romans 16:17-19: I appeal to
you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles
contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord
Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive
the hearts of the naïve. For your
obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be
wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
What the apostle is getting at is
those who promote and encourage things contrary to what they have been taught
are guilty of leading others astray after them.
What is it that they have been taught?
For one thing, as Paul makes clear here, they have been taught to be
wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. In other words, Christians are to be experts
in the realm of what is good and clueless babes in the realm of what is evil. I guarantee you one thing. If you pour 6 or 7 books, or 7 or 8 seasons,
of “A Game of Thrones” into your head you are going to be just the
opposite. You will be wise as to what is
evil and innocent as to what is good.
Furthermore, I think of all the
young Christians who, on the advice, encouragement, or example of their
supposedly more mature peers, might be encouraged to ignore the qualms they may
be feeling in their spirit and dive right into the ugly realm of Westeros (the
fictional setting of the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series). I am mindful of the dire warning of Jesus
Himself, in Luke 17:1-2: “Temptations to
sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone
were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should
cause one of these little ones to sin.”
I genuinely fear that Christians
are using secular logic and human reasoning to justify their continued
enjoyment of “A Game of Thrones” and many other forms of secular entertainment
that are prevalent in our modern self-gratification driven culture. I fear that these Christians are ignoring the
clear teaching of Scripture and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and in the
process searing their consciences as they walk down the road of carnality.
There was another group of people
in the biblical record who did this. It
was the nation of Israel. Do you know
what the vilest sin is that the Hebrews committed? It was syncretism; that is, the blending of
the worship of God with the worship of false pagan deities. This was utterly abhorrent to the Lord. In 1st Kings 18:21 Elijah, in
speaking to the Israelites, illustrates the issue for us: “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal,
then follow him.” And the people did not
answer him a word. The people were
so numbed to their condition that it was as if they were dead, unable or at the
very least unwilling to respond and make a commitment one way or the other. You see, the Israelites never completely
eliminated the worship of God in their country.
They never broke down the temple and removed the Torah from their
consciousness. They just thought it was
perfectly fine to mix the Torah with the pagain Canaanite religions around
them.
Repeatedly, as one reads the
account of the various kings who came to the throne of the northern kingdom
that Elijah prophesied against, the following description is found: He did what was evil in the sight of the
Lord and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel
to sin; he did not depart from them (e.g. 2nd Kings 13:2). What was this sin that Jeroboam was guilty of
leading the northern kingdom into? It
was syncretism. Right after leading the
10 northern tribes in a rebellion against Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, Jeroboam
decided he needed to solidify his power base by centralizing religious life in
the north, in his jurisdiction, rather than letting it remain in the south, in
Jerusalem.
We can read what he did in 1st
Kings 12:25-33. In a nutshell, he set up
golden calves for the people to worship at Bethel and at Dan. The purpose was ostensibly to ease the travel
burden for weary Israelites. But the
underlying motive was to try to hold onto what God had given him through his
own power. Who did the Israelites think
they were worshiping at Bethel and Dan when they bowed down to these golden
calves? It was not pagan deities. It was God Himself. Jeroboam is very clear about this in verse
28: “You have gone up to Jerusalem long
enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who
brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
The appalling truth is that these
people were so blinded they actually thought they were worshiping Yahweh by
engaging in a practice expressly and specifically forbidden by Yahweh. Exodus 20 verses 4-6 is the 2nd
commandment, given to Moses at Horeb as part of the Sinai Covenant between God
and the Hebrews: “You shall not make for
yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above,
or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them,
for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers
on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my
commandments.”
Yet, in spite of this clear
prohibition, almost immediately the Israelites did exactly what they were not
supposed to do. In Exodus 32 Aaron crafted
a golden calf for them to worship as a stand-in image for Yahweh, who has no
physical image. This is probably where
Jeroboam got the idea. The point, as it
relates to this essay, is this. The
worship of calves, bulls, and other forms of animal life, was a specifically
and clearly identifiable practice of the pagan nations of the Ancient Near
East. Archaeological evidence is quite
clear about this, as evidenced by reliefs of man headed and eagle winged bulls
in the palace of Sargon II of Assyria as well as many others. The great crime of Israel was in blending the
worship of Yahweh with the worship of false gods. Eventually, they would be destroyed by divine
judgment because of this.
Although Christians today are not
bound by the same terms of the Sinai Covenant, as the Israelites were, the
heart of the matter is the same. We are
not to mix with the world in terms of lifestyle, preference, or behavior. We are to be in the world as strangers
or aliens, yet not of the world we live in. We are to shine as light to the people around
us. If our light is the same color as
theirs, how are they supposed to tell the difference.
And above all, we are to do this
not out of a false sense of religious ritualism, as the Pharisees of Jesus’s
day were guilty of. But rather, we are
to abstain from worldly pleasures because we love Christ, we love His Father,
and we love the Holy Spirit who resides within us. The question I want to lovingly exhort my
brothers and sisters in Christ, who indulge in carnal entertainment, to ask
themselves, is this. How can I maintain
a close, intimate, loving, and pure relationship with my Savior while filling
my mind with images and concepts that are diametrically opposed to who He
is? Please, if you claim the name of
Christ, I plead with you to pray about and meditate upon these things.
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