This morning I had the opportunity of delivering a speech at the Maritime Speech Festival. My topic was "The God of Today's Youth: How Our Culture Has Shaped Our Youth's False View of God." I hope you will be edified by my speech.
The God of Today's Youth: How Our Culture Has Shaped Our Youth's False View of God
By Jaquelle Crowe
God's my BFF! God is my homeboy! Have you ever seen a T-shirt or a baseball cap with these words or something like them on it? My guess is if you've seen them on somebody, it was probably a teenager. But why would teenagers wear these clothes? Because their view of God has been shaped by culture into something entirely false.
What is our culture's view? In a sentence: professing God is “in” right now, but obeying Him, not so much. Our culture is teaching our youth that as long as they give a shout out to God, they're good. They're teaching our teens that they don't need to repent. They don't even need to obey God. As long as they say with their words that they believe in Him, they've got a one-way ticket to heaven.
In the words of global superstar and role model to thousands of young adults, P. Diddy said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, “My faith is in God. Like, look who I'm rolling with. Look who my gang really is. My gang is God." God is a gang? P. Diddy's gang? Hm. Or how about another world phenomenon, Lady Gaga, who's influencing young ladies all over the world who listen to her extremely ungodly music? She said in an interview with Larry King, “I'm very religious ... I believe in God. I believe in Jesus. I'm very spiritual. I pray very much."
The problem here is not that they're saying those things, it's that they're professing God with their lips, but denying Him with their actions. Did you know that P. Diddy has been arrested several times for alleged assault, violating Honduras labour laws so poor, undernourished people could make his clothing line, weapon violation and much more? And in 2009, according to film.com, P. Diddy was the #1 ranked person on Twitter. Meanwhile Lady Gaga continues to encourage young people, through the lyrics of her songs, to have sex before marriage, give their full support to homosexuality (and even explore homosexual feelings themselves) and make sure they get drunk on a regular basis. Do you know how many followers on Twitter she has? 2,239,337. Over two million followers.
Culture is drastically affecting our youth's false view of God. They're teaching them the belief that to be a Christian all they need to do is profess God with their lips, but they can deny Him with their actions.
What does God say about this? Is saying, “God's my gang,” to the Wall Street Journal or wearing a t-shirt that says “He's my BFF,” enough to make you a Christian?
In James chapter 1 God says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” That's the problem with our culture. They've heard the words, but that's where they stop. They won't be doers of the word. So what does that mean? It means that Lady Gaga and P. Diddy and countless other celebrities are deceiving themselves, and in the process, deceiving millions of young people.
Culture works hard to influence me that words are enough, that I can behave any way I want. But I'm not going to be deceived. My profession of faith Christ needs to match my actions. So I will stand up for the truth in word and deed and be different. I won't let culture deceive me. I will not be like the people who Paul spoke of in Titus 1:16: “They profess to know God but they deny Him by their works.” Thank you.
The God of Today's Youth: How Our Culture Has Shaped Our Youth's False View of God
By Jaquelle Crowe
God's my BFF! God is my homeboy! Have you ever seen a T-shirt or a baseball cap with these words or something like them on it? My guess is if you've seen them on somebody, it was probably a teenager. But why would teenagers wear these clothes? Because their view of God has been shaped by culture into something entirely false.
What is our culture's view? In a sentence: professing God is “in” right now, but obeying Him, not so much. Our culture is teaching our youth that as long as they give a shout out to God, they're good. They're teaching our teens that they don't need to repent. They don't even need to obey God. As long as they say with their words that they believe in Him, they've got a one-way ticket to heaven.
In the words of global superstar and role model to thousands of young adults, P. Diddy said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, “My faith is in God. Like, look who I'm rolling with. Look who my gang really is. My gang is God." God is a gang? P. Diddy's gang? Hm. Or how about another world phenomenon, Lady Gaga, who's influencing young ladies all over the world who listen to her extremely ungodly music? She said in an interview with Larry King, “I'm very religious ... I believe in God. I believe in Jesus. I'm very spiritual. I pray very much."
The problem here is not that they're saying those things, it's that they're professing God with their lips, but denying Him with their actions. Did you know that P. Diddy has been arrested several times for alleged assault, violating Honduras labour laws so poor, undernourished people could make his clothing line, weapon violation and much more? And in 2009, according to film.com, P. Diddy was the #1 ranked person on Twitter. Meanwhile Lady Gaga continues to encourage young people, through the lyrics of her songs, to have sex before marriage, give their full support to homosexuality (and even explore homosexual feelings themselves) and make sure they get drunk on a regular basis. Do you know how many followers on Twitter she has? 2,239,337. Over two million followers.
Culture is drastically affecting our youth's false view of God. They're teaching them the belief that to be a Christian all they need to do is profess God with their lips, but they can deny Him with their actions.
What does God say about this? Is saying, “God's my gang,” to the Wall Street Journal or wearing a t-shirt that says “He's my BFF,” enough to make you a Christian?
In James chapter 1 God says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” That's the problem with our culture. They've heard the words, but that's where they stop. They won't be doers of the word. So what does that mean? It means that Lady Gaga and P. Diddy and countless other celebrities are deceiving themselves, and in the process, deceiving millions of young people.
Culture works hard to influence me that words are enough, that I can behave any way I want. But I'm not going to be deceived. My profession of faith Christ needs to match my actions. So I will stand up for the truth in word and deed and be different. I won't let culture deceive me. I will not be like the people who Paul spoke of in Titus 1:16: “They profess to know God but they deny Him by their works.” Thank you.