Sunday, May 11, 2008

Generation Last

(Back by popular demand...I originally just wanted to do a quick post about video games and the brain, and I ended up spending an hour writing what turned out to be a Bible study. I realized that it was too long so unfortunately I tried to cut things down, and a lot of the good stuff was lost. But here is my post...hopefully I'll get some time to really lay out what Generation Last is, why I think we are approaching it, and what that means).

There has been a debate going on between a small group about how or if at all changes in our society (technologically, morally, and spiritually) are effecting humanity. The basic theory is that our brain is a giant chemical vat. If we expose ourselves to stimuli (real or simulated) the brain produces chemicals. Over time, our brain reorganizes to "better handle" all the chemicals that we are producing. This "better handling" may not be better at all. Here is a taste of what I am talking about.

Worry about The Brain Article

Some additional books worth reading are-

Porn Nation (about the internet and sexual addiction),
On Killing (A military book about how the violence on TV and in video games makes killing easier, but doesn't make the psychological effects from killing go away).

Both are well worth the read.

Now my rant-

I fear that mankind, by doing nothing more then following consumer demand, is creating a society of pathologically short attention spanned violent perverts who demand instant gratification in all things, lack empathy for others, lack critical thinking skills, lack a work ethic, and are so shallow that their relationships are short lived and hallow. And that same society will bend over backwards to adapt by lowering expectations, dumbing down the schools, providing more outlets for violence and sex, more access to both legal and "illegal" drugs, etc... Moods will become something you can "mod", so individuals will no longer have to deal with the guilt and shame of their behaviors...or at least prolong dealing with them until a break down comes. Then even more powerful drugs and psychological techniques will be used to "fix" these people, resulting in older individuals becoming zombies, with their capacity to feel anything inside burnt out by their previous youthful pursuits and then later medical "science".

It is coming. And I'm convinced that this is the last generation that Paul wrote Timothy about in 2 Timothy.

2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
...
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Garbage in Garbage Out

We, can keep the garbage of generation last out of lives to some degree by monitoring how we spend our time, and choosing the high road instead of the low one of fast food, porn, violent games, laziness, disorganization, recreational drug use, etc. Rather then letting generation last's society shape us, we need to reshape ourselves in light of God's word so that we can be a salt and a light to people living in the last generation.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. [Talking about Babylon...which could be symbolic of the end times "system", or generation last's society.]

So we are commanded by God to have our brains reorganized by Him rather then the world around us. How can we do that?

I think firstly, we have to acknowledge a big truth.

Prov 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

The society of generation last will seem to many to be the ultimate paradise. For our every short term perceived "needs" (really lusts) generation last society will be have an answer to meet those need in near or real time. Many of the solutions that end time society will offer us are solutions that go outside the boundaries of what God intended for us. We need to acknowledge that the solutions offered by end time society to meet our needs-porn, sex, violence, narcotics, fast food, feel good medications, etc... are wrong and should be avoided (note, not all drugs and sex is wrong, not misquote me here, just when they are abused they can be extremely negative). Generation Last's guide on how to live live (which is preached constantly in popular culture) is in direct contrast with what the Bible teaches. All this brain reprogramming stuff to me is just further evidence that God really does know what He is talking about when He tells us to avoid things He labels as sin. If we don't, our very capacity to be able to seek forgiveness and restoration with God might literally be reprogrammed out of our brains. Do we want that? Is the loss of our capacity even want to seek salvation and restoration with God worth the short term highs and buzzes offered by generation last society? I fear we by creating a consumer based society that has thrown biblical morality to the way side we are ultimately creating Satan's slaughtering house.

Pro 27:20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Heaven help us if all we are about globally is satisfying our lusts.

Jesus, God incarnate, came down to earth, showed us an alternative way of living, and then offered His sinless life as a sacrifice for our sins. He offers us the tools we need to reprogram our brains. First, He offers forgiveness. We can deny our conscious, but when we sin, somewhere deep down we know we have done wrong. Being forgiven is a powerful force, a reboot of our spiritual operating system that opens up our minds and our brains to reprogramming by God. Once we have accepted Jesus's pardon for our sins, His Word and His Spirit will be waiting to reprogam our brains, if we set aside the things of the World and focus on the things of God. Plus, Jesus knows that we aren't prefect, and that all of us to one degree or another have indulged in the sins that the world offers us (and in our weakness as human beings will at times continue to do so). So he makes the forgiveness permanent. He forgives us for past, current, and future sins at the moment we ask for His salvation. Even though all our bodies will physically die (unless Jesus returns first) due to the ravages of living in our fallen world, our souls will forever live with God and be beyond the reach of Generation Last's Society.

If you don't know Jesus as savior, click the link at the top right of the page.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I understand the "Generation Last" reference now.