3. Escaping the Entertainment Trap
All entertainment, or amusement, is idleness, which is sin. This includes watching entertainment television or movies, sports, or games. These things are all worldly, and if we love the things of the world, then God does not have our affections and time and we do not truly know Him, which is life eternal (Jn. 17:3).
Here is an important biblical principle:
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
— 1 John 2:15-17
And here is an important principle from the Spirit of Prophecy:
Many of the amusements popular in the world today, even with those who claim to be Christians, tend to the same end as did those of the heathen. There are indeed few among them that Satan does not turn to account in destroying souls. Through the drama he has worked for ages to excite passion and glorify vice. The opera, with its fascinating display and bewildering music, the masquerade, the dance, the card-table, Satan employs to break down the barriers of principle, and open the doors to sensual indulgence. In every gathering for pleasure where pride is fostered or appetite indulged, where one is led to forget God and lose sight of eternal interests, there Satan is binding his chains about the soul.
— E.G. White, Bible Echo, 10/15/1894
This would include county or state fairs (unless we are only going to evangelize are are well prayed up), circuses, music concerts, bowling alleys, and arcades. But today we face an even greater danger. Games, comical videos, and worldly music are available online, oftentimes free of charge and very accessible. Worst yet is nudity and pornography. We don’t even have to go anywhere to participate in these things as they are right at our fingertips.
The only safety is to get to know God, which is why revival is so important and most go with reformation. When we spend plenty of time with God each day and learn to pray without ceasing, we are revived and filled with joy, and we have no desire to do corrupting activities anymore. We even lose a taste for drama and worldly styles in so-called “Christian” documentaries or videos, which are ever so common. All drama, whether Christianized or not, will rob God of our affections and destroy genuine spirituality, as it fosters excitement. We must pray for discernment and become circumspect in everything we do online, always keeping JEHOVAH before us in every page we go to.
Entertainment is for those who do not know God. They have no joy, thus they must stimulate their emotions in frivolity. But if we know God, we will spend our spare time in getting to know Him in spending time in prayer, the Word, and the Book of Nature (outdoors), as well as in sharing the gospel with those who only know this world and will only ever know this world if they are not given an opportunity to learn about the Kingdom of God.
Anything that creates a laugh is idleness, and therefore sin. Anything fictional is a lie, which is sin. All entertaining competition (which includes nearly every board game) is selfishness and pride, which is sin. And all sin pains God and severs our relationship with Him. Every moment of our time belongs to God, and we were created to serve Him in building up His everlasting Kingdom of Righteousness. This is to make up our life, and if it does, we will be the happiest people in the world, for we are living according to our created purpose, and there is nothing more fulfilling. There is no greater joy than serving God.
The Spirit of Prophecy has a lot to say about games, and their injurious influence. So, let us look at that next.
Compilation on Games
Satan is delighted when he sees human beings using their physical and mental powers in that which does not educate, which is not useful, which does not help them to be a blessing to those who need their help. While they are becoming experts in games that are not of the least value to themselves or others, Satan is playing the game of life for their souls, taking from them the precious talents God has given them, and placing in their stead his own evil attributes, which not only destroy them, but through their influence destroy those who have any connection with them.
Satan’s work is to lead men to ignore God, to so engross and absorb the mind that God will not be in their thoughts. The education they have received has been of a character to confuse the mind, and eclipse the true light. Satan does not wish the people to have a knowledge of God; and if he can set in operation games and theatrical performances that will so confuse the senses of the young that human beings will perish in darkness while light shines all about them, he is well pleased…
The apostle in his day regarded idleness as a sin, and those who indulge this evil today disgrace their profession, and bring reproach upon the gospel of Christ. Through their influence many are turned away from righteousness and truth. We are warned not to associate with those who by their course of action lay a stumbling-block in the way of others. “If any man obey not our word by this epistle,” the apostle Paul says, “note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” If he refuses the admonitions of the Lord’s servants, he will bring ruin upon himself, and must bear his own sin.
— E.G. White, Review and Herald, 3/13/1900
Such mental exercise as playing cards, chess, and checkers excites and wearies the brain and hinders recovery, while light and pleasant physical labor will occupy the time, improve the circulation, relieve and restore the brain, and prove a decided benefit to the health. But take from the invalid all such employment, and he becomes restless, and, with a diseased imagination, views his case as much worse than it really is, which tends to imbecility.
— E. G. White, 1 Testimonies, p. 554
“I was shown that it is not essential to our salvation, nor for the glory of God, for us to keep the mind laboring, even upon religious themes, constantly and excessively. There are amusements which we cannot approve, because Heaven condemns them,–such as dancing, card-playing, chess, checkers, &c. These amusements open the door for great evil. Their tendencies are not beneficial, but their influence upon the mind is to excite and produce in some minds a passion for those plays which lead to gambling, and dissolute lives. All such plays should be condemned by Christians. Something should be substituted in the place of these amusements. Something can be invented, perfectly harmless.”
— E. G. White, Review and Herald, 10/8/1867
There are amusements, such as dancing, card playing, chess, checkers, etc., which we cannot approve, because Heaven condemns them. These amusements open the door for great evil. They are not beneficial in their tendency, but have an exciting influence, producing in some minds a passion for those plays which lead to gambling and dissipation. All such plays should be condemned by Christians, and something perfectly harmless should be substituted in their place…
Exercise in the open air for those whose employment has been withindoors and sedentary will be beneficial to health. All who can, should feel it a duty to pursue this course. Nothing will be lost, but much gained. They can return to their occupations with new life and new courage to engage in their labor with zeal, and they are better prepared to resist disease.
— E.G. White, 1 Testimonies, pp. 514-515
Next, we shall look at what the Spirit of Prophecy has to say about fictional reading, which, today, would extend to all fictional media. Even some forms of non-fiction are condemned as God is left out of them. It is taken from Ministry of Healing.
The False and the True Education (Ellen White)
Here is a video covering all forms of entertainment, especially music:
Media on the Brain Mini-Seminar (Scott Ritsema)