"Pilgrims seek the word of Mary" The above headlined an article in the December 9 issue of the Athens News-Courier. Mrs. Marija Lunetti, of Jedjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, claims to have daily visions of the "Virgin Mary." About three weeks ago, some 3,000 people, mostly Roman Catholics, gathered in a field in Sterrett, Alabama to hear her latest "revelations"(?). "Mrs. Lunetti, who now lives in Italy, was one of six young people who claimed the mother of Jesus appeared to them in 1981 in the town of Medjugorje in Yogoslavia, now called Bosnia-Herzegovina. The messages continued, and the group developed a worldwide following," the article states. "Mrs. Lunetti says she still has daily visions from Mary, just as happened when first visited Alabama in 1988. Her return trip was arranged by Caritas of Birmingham, a large Roman Catholic mission that grew on the site where her visions occurred then." What were her revelations? "The words relayed by Marija Lunett were simple: ‘Do not forget that I am your mother and that I love you.’" Later in the article, "Speaking through a translator over a public address system, Mrs. Lunetti said Mary appeared to her in the field dressed in gold and wearing a crown topped with 12 stars." "Our Lady extended her hands over all of us and prayed over us for a long time." How touching, and how wrong! Bro. Eugene Britnell wrote a very fine answer to this which I copy below. It appeared in the December 12 issue of The News-Courier. "May I comment on a news article and picture which appeared in The News-Courier on Dec. 3. It concerns the claim that a "Yugoslav visionary" has reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Sterrett, Alabama. "I know nothing about the lady, but I do not believe her reports. In the first place, there is no such being in heaven or on earth as the "virgin Mary." It is true that she was chosen of God to give a body to the Lord Jesus so that "the word was made flesh."(Isaiah 7:14; Matt. 1:21; John 1:14) Christ was conceived in her womb by the Holy Spirit "before they (Mary and Joseph) came together."(Matt. 1:18) Matthew 1:25 says, "and he (Joseph) knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus." The word "till" in that verse means: "up to the time when; until." It implies that he "knew" (a common Bible term for sexual relations) her after the birth of her firstborn. Mary gave birth to other children, fathered by Joseph. Matthew 13:55-56 says Jesus had sisters and names his brothers—James, Joses, Simon and Judas. How could she have borne at least six children after her "firstborn" and remained a virgin? "Catholicism is, to a great degree, Mariolatry. This is based upon three dogmas—Immaculate Conception, perpetual virginity and bodily assumption. The truth is, all babies are immaculately conceived, Mary did not remain a virgin, and there is no proof that she ascended into heaven in body (which was not even Catholic doctrine until 1950). The entire system is false! "And that statue of Mary in the field near Birmingham is a clear violation of the second commandment (Exodus 20:4-5)." p.a.o. * * * * * * * * * * Profanity on TV On page 5D of the Monday, December 13 issue of USA Today an article entitled Yes, that is a blue streak on your television screen, reported that "Profanity is used once every six minutes on prime-time network TV shows, every two minutes on premium cable and every three minutes in major motion pictures, according to a study by the Center for Media and Public Affairs." Other telling quotes from the article state: "Fox featured the most foul-mouthed shows among the broadcast networks, while HBO led cable networks... "Fox led all the networks with an average of 20 profanities per hour, almost twice the overall average of 11. Fox accounted for five of what the center termed ‘the dirty dozen’—the most foul-mouthed shows, including That 70’s Show and Family Guy. HBO had 39 uses of profanity per hour, with the critically acclaimed Oz and The Sopranos leading the ‘dirty dozen’ list for cable. Of the 50 top-grossing movies of 1998, Primary Colors and Lethal Weapon 4 were most profane. Overall, those 50 films had one scene containing profanity every four minutes." Robert Lichter, director of the Center for Media and Public Affairs which made the study, stated, "The way that TV drops to the lowest common denominator is that premium cable uses profanity, then free TV gets angry that they can’t do it, so they start pushing the envelope downward." As examples, Lichter "cites salty language on ABC’s NYPD Blue and the use of the s-word on CBS’ Chicago Hope this season," according to the article. The article concludes with these statements from Lichter: "If civility and courtesy are good things, then I’m troubled by language that expresses incivility, boorishness and mutual disrespect...There’s a reason why we talk different in the locker room than the living room. If people start talking like they’re in the locker room, maybe they start behaving like they’re in the locker room."
Of course profanity is wrong whether in a locker or living room. But the point Mr. Lichter makes is well taken. Language reveals one’s heart. "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."(Matt. 12:34) Further, the things we dwell on in our hearts determine our actions. "Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life." And, "For as he thinketh within himself, so is he."(Prov. 4:23; 23:7) Therefore, language, our hearts, and our actions are all related to each other. If we are fed "language that expresses incivility, boorishness and mutual disrespect," our heart will feed on these things, and our actions follow suit. The Bible teaches that our language should be characterized by the following principles: "Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear..." "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you." (Eph. 4:29,31,32)"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one."(Col. 4:6) Further, the Bible teaches, "If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth."( Col. 3:1-2)The programs and movies mentioned are not innocent entertainment, but magnify and justify language and lifestyles that are completely opposed to everything the Bible teaches Christians ought to say, be, and do! There is nothing wrong with some wholesome entertainment. However, anytime it arrays itself against clear Bible teaching it should be avoided. You might say, Well, Owens, what do you suggest, throw our TVs away? Some Christians I know have. You surely would not go wrong if you did. Remember that the television has only been possessed by the masses since the 1950’s. It really isn’t a necessity, is it? Can you not live without it? However, I believe there are other options to discarding it. First, as parents and grandparents, don’t allow any program to come into your home which you know has profanity in it. Remember the set has an "off" switch. There is nothing that you or your family just "have to watch."Second, don’t allow the television to become an unknown baby sitter. Parents tire, especially mothers with small children. The temptation is to let the television become a baby sitter while you "catch up" or take some needed rest. Only let them watch what you are confident is wholesome. Third, tapes with true wholesome entertainment are available. They can be found with relative ease.Fourth, don’t become addicted to television. Some families leave their set on practically from the time they awaken until they retire in the evening. By its very nature, television attracts our attention. Even entertainment that is wholesome can rob Christians of time that could be more profitably used. The Bible teaches we are to redeem "the time, because the days are evil."(Eph. 5:16)Fifth, recognize that television can dull one’s spiritual senses. Tests have been conducted which even show its adverse effect on one’s attention span. The Bible teaches our senses are to be "exercised to discern good and evil."(Heb. 5:14) This is not possible through a steady diet of network television. One becomes desensitized to the irreverent, mutual disrespect, incivility, and boorishness Mr. Lichter referred to earlier. Instead of "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them"(Eph. 5:11), we are entertained by them! We become lethargic spiritually and don’t even know it. The television was not named the "boob tube" for nothing!However you decide to deal with this issue, recognize that television is a far cry from what it was when it first became popular,. By and large the major networks televise programs that are anti-God and anti-family (as God would have it). This has not always been the case. Christians should not continue to have the attitude toward television they developed in the 50’s and 60’s. Television has changed drastically for the bad. Our attitude toward it should correspond! -- p.a.o. |