Pinch Me If I Am Paranoid
By Pastor David Beatty
IS 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Have you ever read a newspaper article and thought something like, "that was absurd, I evidently misread it?" What you thought you read just did not line up with reality, and so you were sure that you misinterpreted the article, and being the careful reader that you are, you peruse it again. Then to your perplexity, you find that you DID read it correctly the first time!
Again, have you ever heard something on the radio or television and caught yourself thinking, "That was crazy, I evidently missed something." Intently you listen more carefully the next time around and there it is, just as you thought you heard it!
Am I losing it or is this world getting more irrational by the day? I read and hear things, almost on a daily basis it seems, that defy rational thought. The stories that I read sometimes leave me musing that I have fallen asleep after eating pepperoni pizza and am in the middle of a Dr Seuss nightmare hearing disjointed rhymes like, "The world is getting crazy, with my great aunt Mazy" or "Is it the Sleuth who buried the tooth or Piffy the Poffa who dug up Jimmy Hoffa". Pinch me if I"m just paranoid and wake me up out of this wacky dream!
Am I really hearing things like The Homosexual agenda is being seriously considered for play in a public school near you, especially if you live in California or New York? A bill is close to passing in California that would make all government (public) schools mandate a "positive" portrayal of homosexuality in their textbooks and literature. However, many of these same schools will not allow the mention of the word Christmas or Easter for fear that it will in some way "indoctrinate" the kids into Christianity.
Are there really Judges releasing child molesters because they are too short for prison? Whoops, there is another one. Let me read this article again. Yep, it is true! A fifty-year-old man had sexual contact with a twelve-year-old girl over a period of several months. A Lincoln Nebraska judge said that this man deserved a long sentence, which could have been up to 10 years in prison, but because of his short stature (5"1), he was too small to survive in prison. Agreeing with the judge, an advocate with the National Association of Short Statured Adults remarked, "I'm assuming a short inmate would have a much more difficult time than a large inmate," said Mangano, who is 5 feet 4 inches tall." But wait! That is not all. Here it comes! Another Dr. Seuss, pepperoni pizza moment. This short people"s advocate continued, "It's good to see somebody looking out for someone who is a short person." For crying out loud! What about the rights of a "short" twelve-year-old girl!
A private business can have another private piece of property, a persons home, confiscated, sold to them against the will of the home owner, simply because the business will generate more tax revenues for the government than that private citizen would, and this in America!
You will hear of illegal immigrants protesting in the streets of America for the right to, catch this, continue to be illegal immigrants, or they will demand to be made legal. The key word here is "illegal." What will be next, mass demonstrations by burglars against homeowners owning guns? Or maybe a media blitz by an association of practicing rapists against DNA testing. How about a grass roots effort by child molesters against sodomy laws? Why not? Is this sanity?
Our soldiers are called murderers when combating radical, ravenous, crazy, Islamists who are called "freedom fighters" by some of our media, as they kill and maim men, women and children, on purpose, in a quest precisely geared to keep Iraqi"s frombeing free!Am I cracking up?
These are but a small taste of some of the irrational thoughts, ideas and morals that are cluttering our national discourse. These are not the Metaphysical musings of a neighborhood philosopher gone off his nut, or they would not be so dangerous. Neighborhood nuts are easy to spot, and so we protect our kids and our pets from them. Could it be that these ideas, philosophies, and incredible pronouncements, are just the natural outcome of a media intent on the social engineering of our culture? Are we simply reaping the effects of a social engineering project hatched decades ago by the media, and the government education system? Could these wild, hair-brained ideas be useful by carefully placing them in the minds of normal people, filtering their way down through the population of America, slowly infecting, influencing and changing the complexion of our national soul?
Go ahead. Pinch Me If I"m Paranoid.
However, consider for a moment what influence the media has over us as Americans. The media tells us what to wear, what to eat and where to live. The media directs us in what appliances to purchase for our homes, what soap to use, and what perfume or cologne to wear. The media tells us what cars to drive, what gasoline to use and what coffee to drink.
Last year, one thirty second commercial during the Super Bowl reportedly cost 2.6 million dollars, or well over eighty thousand dollars per second. Now why in the world would smart business people in fancy, shiny suits pay that kind of money for thirty seconds of exposure? It is very simple, because the media can influence, in an almost incalculable way what people think. These advertisers pay big bucks for commercial time to have a thirty second shot at your mind, at your thinking, at your thought processes.
Let me ask a paranoid question. Do you think that the incredible selling power of the media, used to peddle everything from soda to soap, and coffee to cars, and towels to toothpaste, could possibly be used to sell worldviews, philosophies, lifestyles and even morality to the viewer, the listener, or the consumer of their product?
Think of that, Philosophies, lifestyles, and morals, beside many other things we could mention. Philosophy (what you believe), lifestyle, and morals. These things are very important to a culture. Now of course we understand that there can be godly philosophies and godless philosophies. There are also decent morals and decadent morals. There are worthy lifestyles and wicked lifestyles. Now I acknowledge freely that you perspective on this all depends on what your worldview is, and of course, I am coming at this from a conservative Christian worldview. This brings me to a question. If the media could be used to sell philosophies, lifestyles and morals, whose philosophies, lifestyles and morals would they peddle? Do you think it would be godly philosophies and decent morals, and worthy lifestyles? I think not. They of course would go to the highest bidder. But then again I am paranoid. Pinch Me.
By the way, let me mention that I do not believe that commercials are the most dangerous part of the media. I do believe that philosophy, lifestyle and moral attitudes can be slowly changed by a thirty-second commercial, heard repeatedly, but I cringe to think of how much a young impressionable mind could be influenced by a thirty-minute sitcom, or a two hour movie indulged in over and over again. How about a three-minute song, listened to repeatedly over several months or years? Is there a reason that we are seeing more and more shows featuring homosexuality, adultery, pornographic language etc.? Adultery is stylish, filthy language is passé, Bible believers are bigots, and TV fathers are just plain stupid.
Let me ask again, do you get the feeling sometimes that what you see and hear over the airwaves is becoming more and more irrational, absurd, unwholesome, and downright ungodly at times? Did you ever wonder why the values portrayed in many Hollywood movies and sitcoms and other shows just do not seem to jive with the values you hold and teach your family? Do you ever find yourself feeling that you are the "nut" because you have strong family values, want to stay married to your spouse till death do you part, and believe that the lifestyles that some are engaged in are sinful, and in fact disgusting? Surely, you are not paranoid too, are you?
Is it possible that there is a concerted effort to destroy the morality and efface the Christian heritage of our America? Is it possible that there are powerful "movers and shakers" out there that want you to believe that if you still retain some form of decency, some belief in objective truth, some modicum of morality, or a streak of independent thought, (meaning questioning theirs) that you are "different," and different is not good?
Ok, the cat is out of the bag" I" am" paranoid. Let me tell you what I believe that I am seeing with these impressionable eyes.
I believe that there is a concerted effort to destroy our nation and its founding principals. I believe that there are those in positions of influence that want you and me to accept the fact that if we are patriotic, we are fools. That if we believe that America was founded on Christian principals and biblical morality and decency that we are hopelessly deluded. There are those, I believe, who are revising history and dumbing down our children in government schools to the point that they know more about Beavis and Butthead than they do about Washington and Jefferson.
They want us to believe that if we think ladies ought to be respected and not cuss like sailors, (and have the same tattoo"s), that mothers ought to love their children more than their careers, and that Dad"s ought to be concerned with providing for their families, both physically and spiritually and being faithful to theirs wives, that we are somehow living in a "Leave It To Beaver World." They say, "That"s just not the way it is in the real world." I wholeheartedly agree. However, who ever said that the real world was right? We as Christians are cautioned to bein the world but not of the world.
In addition, what about Christianity? Is there an attack on Christianity? Paul wrote to Timothy saying:
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
I believe there is a determined effort today to destroy the church of the living God, not just from the outside, but more from within. The Bible warns us that in the last days there will be a great falling away.
Many churches are falling away from the "faith which was once delivered to the saints." They have replaced adherence to the Scriptures with adherence to the program." They have changed the churches music to the point that it cannot be distinguished from the local Honky Tonk or the nightclub down the street. Then, when they draw a crowd, they chalk it up to the "work of the Lord". Hey, I have news for you, Honky Tonks and Nightclubs have always attracted crowds, and the Lord had nothing to do with it. Consider the last large crowd that was attracted to Jesus. They cheered! "Crucify Him!"
They have made God "the Man upstairs" instead of the Great and Mighty King!
The name of Jesus is stylized and worn on t-shirts to look like a Coca Cola commercial.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever has been morphed into the flavor of the day. Jesus is NOT your buddy. He is God in the flesh.
The Bible today is being used as a pretext instead of a precept. It is in the background, instead of the forefront. It is "alluded to" instead of preached. The Bible is lost in the "stuff" and rarely displayed in its glorious truth. The word of God has been reduced to a "nice saying" on a Mothers day card.
Sunday morning church looks more like an episode of American Idol, than it does the Church of the Living God. Why is it that suddenly, in this generation, God and the scriptures are not enough, they must help Him out with Madison Avenue showmanship? A theatrical performance that tells us laugh here, cry there, insert sigh and Amen now!
All puff and fluff and no power. Just follow the script. Is it any wonder that discerning, unchurched, unevangelized people are turned off by the phoniness that is running rampant in the church today? The modern day worship service has been reduced to the level of a cheap, third rate Italian Western, minus Clint Eastwood. It stinks like dead fly"s in the ointment of the apothecary.
I believe that in the last days, people will be looking for teachers to tickle their ears. In other words, they want to hear what they want to hear, and so they search out those who say smooth things, instead of scriptural things. They assemble around those who do not tell them outrageous things like, "for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." They are not impressed with people who preach (yes, actually PREACH) that "Jesus is the way the truth and the life and no man cometh unto the Father but by Me"
Smooth things, are what many in churches are looking for today. Things that appeal to the ear, the emotions. Teachings that make you "tingle". Little Sermonettes that provide a good laugh, maybe a tear, and a large appeal for cash. Smooth things. The serpent in the garden, I believe, in a sonorous, silky smooth voice whispered to Eve, "yea, hath God said," and the rest is left to the sad history of mankind.
It seems that most everything supposedly done for God these days is made perfect by the flesh. The Word of God alone is not trusted to reach this generation, so they must add some pizzazz! They must bring God down to the level of the masses, of the world, and then let Him do His thing. Jesus in blue jeans. Many today will not stand for sound doctrine and have manufactured a God to their own liking. They do not use wood and an artificer"s knife, but they fashion Him just the same. All the time, our God is saying "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,"
God is immutable, unchangeable, and try as man may he will never change God. For man to see God, man must be changed to be palatable to God. God cannot be changed to be palatable to man. Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection made it possible for man to be reconciled to God, if man would accept God"s plan, but it will only happen God"s way.
We are living in desperate times. Times, I believe, right before the end of things as we know them. The next great event on Gods calendar for Christians is the Rapture. The world, the flesh and the devil are making an intensive last-ditch effort to destroy as many as possible, through corrupt philosophy, decadent lifestyles, destructive morals, and empty religion. If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your personal savior, now is the time. Time is drawing short.
Paranoia is defined as an irrational distrust of others. The key to the definition is the word irrational. This has been in no way of course exhaustive, but I hope in this short article that I have, in some way, made at least a small case, in a rational way for what I believe is happening in America. I do distrust the media, empty philosophy, and an educational system bereft of God, with good reason. Oh, and by the way, no need for the pinch anymore. About The Author
Pastor David Beatty Sr has been a pastor of 2 churches for a total of 15 years. Mt. Carmel Church in Pennsylvania and Calvary Baptist Church in New Braunfels TX (13 years now) He has also served as an Associate Pastor in Oklahoma City and Mcalester Ok for a total of 6 years.
Pastor David Beatty Studied at Oklahoma Baptist College, Liberty University and Freedom University.
He is married to his lovely wife Linda for 32 years. The Lord has blessed them with four wonderful children, all of whom are serving the Lord. They have four Grandchildren with 2 more on the way!
Over the years Pastor David Beatty has worked in various capacities as a Teacher, Principal and Administrator in Christian education for over 17 years.
Please visit Pastor Beatty"s Blog at http://pastorbeatty.blogspot.com/
or visit
Calvary Baptist Church"s Blog at http://www.cbctexas.blogspot.com/
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"Blessed is He who Comes in The Name of The Lord"
A very good article. Thanks for posting it. You do hear people talking about how "violence" on TVmay be effecting children. However that is only the tip of the iceburg. Tv and other media has become the major influence on the thoughts and behavior of children from 6 to 60 in our society. I wonder which came first like the chicken or the egg. Did the moral decay lead to "sin" on the TV or is the later the cause of the former?
A very good article. Thanks for posting it. You do hear people talking about how "violence" on TVmay be effecting children. However that is only the tip of the iceburg. Tv and other media has become the major influence on the thoughts and behavior of children from 6 to 60 in our society. I wonder which came first like the chicken or the egg. Did the moral decay lead to "sin" on the TV or is the later the cause of the former?
Robin
That is a great post... but Parents ultimately are responsible. I hate to say it, but everyday I see the decline of good family values for our children. What a shame. What a pity, may God have mercy on us.
It's gottin really bad Rev. at least around here. I was going to write some examples of the crimes but was convicted to delete them. We have young ones who read these post also. My friend..we need to be overflowing with God's Spirit daily. Stay in that Word, play those praises, pray and walk in love and be instant in seson and out of season ready to give an answer for the Hope that lieth within. I feel like we are living in the days of Sodom and Gamorrah. The Lord can't put up with much more I'm sure.
C7
It's gottin really bad Rev. at least around here. I was going to write some examples of the crimes but was convicted to delete them. We have young ones who read these post also. My friend..we need to be overflowing with God's Spirit daily. Stay in that Word, play those praises, pray and walk in love and be instant in seson and out of season ready to give an answer for the Hope that lieth within. I feel like we are living in the days of Sodom and Gamorrah. The Lord can't put up with much more I'm sure.
C7
I get a feeling He is not going to put up with a whole lot more.. The time is drawing neigh... O GLORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
get a feeling He is not going to put up with a whole lot more.. The time is drawing neigh... O GLORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Rev
That's for sure....we need to walk in that first love of childlike faith and purity. Put away the shameful idols and deeds done in darkness. It's time to be filled and stay filled. "I can get more out of God by believing Him for one minute than by shouting at Him all night. " Smith Wigglesworth
great post alex, as always,and so true, here is a book i read a while back that goes thru alot of the same ideals, a good read, people have been lulled into the feelings/belief of "well its ok" or "as long as it dosen't affect me" but the truth of the matter is it does affect all of us, i'm not sure if my TV still works either BTW, the last time it was on all that came out of it was garbage, even the news has gotten so biased that its not worth watching, BTW, here is the book i mentioned if anyone is interested
From the Back Cover "The Marketing of Evil is a serious wake-up call for all who cherish traditional values, the innocence of children, and the very existence of our great country." "Dr. Laura Schlessinger, talk-show host and author
"It's often said that marketing is warfare, and in The Marketing of Evil, David Kupelian clearly reveals the stunning strategies and tactics of persuasion employed by those engaged in an all-out war against America's Judeo-Christian culture." "David Limbaugh, syndicated columnist and author
"David Kupelian's research brings into sharp focus what many have sensed and suspected for a long time. ... [An] important and groundbreaking book." "D. James Kennedy, Coral Ridge Ministries
"From pitching promiscuity as 'freedom' to promoting abortion as 'choice,' the marketers of evil are always selling you something destructive"with catastrophic results. Kupelian shines a light on them all." "Michelle Malkin, Fox News Channel
"Like the dazzling disclosures found in the final page of a gripping whodunit or the fascinating revelation of a magician's secrets, The Marketing of Evil irresistibly exposes how it was done." "Rabbi Daniel Lapin, Toward Tradition
"The game's over, folks"the con men have been exposed. I urge every parent to read this eye-opening book." "Rebecca Hagelin, the Heritage Foundation
"The Marketing of Evil offers Americans real hope"because when our problems come this sharply into focus, so do the solutions." "Joseph Farah, WorldNetDaily.com
"Excellent! Simply excellent." "Donald E. Wildmon, American Family Association
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John 3:16
things are more like right now than they've ever been
It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.
William James
Who is Paranoid ?
