Same Love

I couldn’t believe it. It was right there on one of the most listened-to stations in the DFW metroplex. The words I was hearing were in a new popular song and those words were dangerous. The song is “Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Mary Lambert. The lyrics indicate that anyone who teaches that God disapproves of homosexuality doesn’t understand God’s love. These obviously don’t understand because they merely “paraphrase a book written thirty-five-hundred years ago.” What are we listening to? I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.

The purpose of this article is not to talk about the sin of homosexuality, but let me refrain from paraphrasing God’s holy word and simply quote:

“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (Romans 1:24-28).

The same love that moves parents to protect their children from physical harm should motivate them to keep them from being entertained by spiritual garbage like “Same Love” and any similarly destructive songs, movies, television shows, and books. Unfortunately many parents don’t even know or care what type of entertainment their children are accessing. This could be because they are skeptical about the dangers of the popular entertainments of the day. If this describes you, I invite you to look up the lyrics to the Billboard’s Top 100 songs and check out Kids in Mind to get detailed descriptions of the popular movies. You will be shocked. Some parents don’t know what their kids are watching and listening to because they’re too lazy or overwhelmed by their own schedules. To these I say, “Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

How would you react if your child told you they intended to start using illegal drugs recreationally? I believe you would have the love to tell that child “no” and do everything you could to derail such a harmful plan. Why would you? Because you recognize the dangers. He could do irreparable physical and financial damage to himself, wind up in prison, or even lose his life, and he will probably forgive you when he grows to realize the dangerous path he was on. The entertainment pushed today is just as dangerous because it focuses on winning the minds of our youth to a humanistic, worldly, sinful, philosophy. Remember, “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:4-5).

“As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:4-5). Having a lot of children who are directed (straight as an arrow) will make you happy. But children who grow up to follow the ways of the world will bring you grief. Don’t be surprised when your children make you grieve if you allow them to consume ungodly entertainment.