Contending for the faith | Making Disciples | Equipping the Saints for Ministry

   by Rayola Kelley

     In a recent interview, an executive of the popular Veggie Tales videos, declared that the goal behind these productions was to change the “biblical worldview.”  This may sound impressive unless you understand what constitutes a worldview.
     Worldview points to value system.  This value system serves as a foundation in which people unconsciously judge, or test actions, and events around them.  For example, your value system would automatically define such acts as murder, robbery and adultery.
     The Word of God is actually designed to change a person’s worldview.  Therefore, to change the biblical worldview means changing the standard of holiness and righteousness established by the Bible.  To change such a standard not only redefines God, but also enlarges the narrow boundaries of what is godly and acceptable.
      It may appear popular to change the biblical worldview to our tolerant, politically correct society, but to our immutable God it has to be an abomination that will not be overlooked.  To the church, it should cause such an outcry that any attempt of this nature would mean denouncing it and withdrawal of all support.
     As I listened to the executive make this same statement twice about changing the biblical worldview, I wondered if he was mistaken about his use of words.  If he was sincere, then he blatantly told Christians that the intent behind the Veggie Tales was to subtly indoctrinate their children to embrace a different value system.   This means the whole concept behind these videos is anything but innocent.  Such actions are not only frightening, but they are a clever, sinister way to defile the minds of our young children.
     It is important to understand how indoctrination works.  It begins by redefining God and life.  Once a person’s understanding about these crucial areas are changed, then he or she can be adjusted to embrace a different worldview.  Those who know the dynamics of indoctrination will admit that if you can capture the minds of children from ages 3-5, you will own them the rest of their lives.
     As I thought about my childhood, I realized that most of my lasting impressions came from those first formative years.  I still remember the picture Bible stories I was exposed to during that time.  I still can see the picture of David bringing down Goliath.  I could personally relate to this courageous young man.
     When I considered the David and Goliath of the Veggie Tales, I wonder how our young children can realistically relate to an asparagus (David) and a pickle (Goliath).  As adults we can see the foolishness of these videos, but they are directed at young, impressionable minds that can’t discern such nonsense.  How can such images leave our children with realistically godly impressions and examples?
     Sadly, I have watched different means of entertainment used to indoctrinate or desensitized God’s people towards holiness.  For example, television has conditioned those of my age group to embrace blatant sexual deviation.  The next effective tool of indoctrination was music that is anti-God, anti-life and anti-establishment.  This music instilled fear and anger into confused, searching minds.
     Video games became the next entertainment craze.  This new generation could turn off the world around them and become lost in one game after the other.  This form of entertainment opened a door to an attitude of complacency towards life and responsibility.
     Today, the newest fad for this generation coming up is virtual reality.  Sexual fantasy and deviation is encouraged, murder is glamorized and life made cheap.
     The subtle indoctrination that has been taken place over the years has been successful in America.  The visible atmosphere in our society bears this reality out.  Liars can be Presidents without any consequences, homosexuality is considered the norm, condoms are passed out in schools like candy, and terrorists can be awarded a Nobel Prize without opposition.
     Sadly, this atmosphere can be found in the church.  Instead of Christians coming out and being separate, they have allowed themselves to be exposed to this indoctrination.  The world has made inroads into the hearts and minds of believers.   As a result, standards of holiness have been watered down and the church is more tolerant towards sin.
     This harsh reality can be seen in Christians’ attitudes toward the Word of God.  George Barna, a major Christian pollster in the United States bears this out in shocking statistics he accumulated.  Barna’s research shows that 85% of Americans believe themselves to be Christians.  This is an impressive figure until you realize 64% of these people believe truth is always relative to the person and their situation while only 13% of them make decisions on the basis of biblical principles.
     Our teenagers fared worst than the adults.  Eighty-three percent thought truth was relative while only 7% made their moral choices according to biblical teachings.
     These figures prove that the worldview of the church has changed.  It is no longer based on biblical principles, but on the philosophy of the world.  The idea of holiness is relative and based on personal preference while truth has ceased to be absolute and is subject to adjustment.
      Obviously, the family becomes a casualty when there is a breakdown of morals.  Many are pointing their accusing fingers in various directions for the breakdown of this institution.   But, the truth is that the church has not been sober and vigilant.  She has been lackadaisical in maintaining the standard of holiness and a powerful testimony in this doomed world.  Holiness has been swapped for popularity, truth has been mocked for the sake of unity, sobriety replaced by foolishness, and integrity compromised in the name of tolerance.
     The church has its reason for letting down its guard and standards.  It has convinced itself that all such compromise is for the sake of Christ.  By showing itself friendly and agreeable with the world and those with different beliefs, it can sneak Jesus into the scenario and win souls.  It believes that by tacking the name of Jesus on something that is defiled, it can make it acceptable to God.  This is contrary to Haggai 2:11-14, which states that if something defiled touches something holy, the holy will become defiled.
     As a result of this compromise, the church is unable to discern the holy from the unholyPerversion has invaded the home and church virtually unhindered.  The fruits can be clearly seen.  Adults lack the proper tools to effectively train their children in the ways of God.   Teenagers have become too passive to care about the compromise and destruction, and now the last front of innocence in the home, our young children, are being indoctrinated into endless silliness that will make the things of God seem foolish and unrealistic.
     When will sleeping Christians wake up to the destruction of this compromise?  The facts, figures and fruits should send enough warning signals to reveal the dangerous path the church is now on.  The answer and solution are the same: God’s people must come back into line with the spirit and truth of the Word of God.  The church needs to become sober and vigilant towards truth and holiness by testing the spirit behind spiritual matters.  It must reprove darkness and reject that which does not line up to truth.  Christians must repent of their worldly attitudes and demand holiness on a personal level and from other believers.  They must show love to the lost, compassion to the hurting, but intolerance towards anything that advocates perversion.   Through this challenge, they must avoid striving to find common ground with the world, but be faithful to lift up Jesus in an uncompromised fashion.  (See Matthew 7:13-14; John 4:24; Ephesians 4:17-32; 5:1-17; James 4:4; 1 Peter 5:8-9.)
     The real challenge for Christians is to come back to the true center of righteousness.  The only way they can find their way back to righteousness is to allow the Word of God to readjust their worldview according to God’s righteousness, the Person of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30).
     What about you?  Consider your worldview and honestly evaluate it in light of God’s holiness.  Ask the Lord to show you whether your worldview is more in line with the world or lining up to the glorious character of God.  First Peter 1:15-16 states:  “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy.”