A few years ago, I spoke with a man named Jim who gave me this interesting acronym of the descent into compromise and complacency. It’s been posted on my white board for a long time, but I have never posted about it on here. OTAPE is a quick way to remember how easy it is to find yourself in a place you never thought you would be. You start off by opposing something. Let’s take the media – a TV show – for example. You begin by saying “It’s wrong and I want no part of it.” But since most people feel that such a stance would be harsh, we soften our stance to tolerate it. “Well, i guess it’s fine if you watch it, but I am not going to be around.” Acceptance comes next – “Yeah, they all watch that show every week, no big deal, that’s just their choice.” The next step is easy. You are standing there in the doorway and you find something funny. Next thing you know you are watching it right along with everyone. Participation. The final step is when you say to your other friend, “Hey wanna come and watch this show with me tonight? It’s really good!” When you enter the encouragement phase, you know that you entered the world of compromise. I say this from experience because I have done this many times in my life. I start off standing so strongly against something and then a year later I am telling someone how good it is! It drives me crazy. The pull of the world is so strong, and the devil is really good at what he does. (I won’t even go into how I fell into the abyss of watching the Office and trying to justify it to Liz Carey…)
“It’s not the ship in the water but the water in the ship that sinks it. So it’s not the Christian in the world but the world in the Christian that constitutes the danger.” – J. Wilbur Chapman
Indeed! I never heard the quote from J. Wilbur Chapman but I think he has it right.
Just wondering, what do you think is “worldy” about “The Office?”…I don’t watch it, but am familiar enough with it to wonder why it is “bad?”
i had so many things to say on this that i had to press delete and just nod my head instead.
Great quote.
Mainly I was thinking of all the sex – from innuendo to flat out fornication. Do I agree with that enough to voluntarily put it into my mind as entertainment when the Bible so clearly says to flee from it?
Yeah, I guess I am not familiar with the show enough then. The few times I have seen it sex was not a part of it at all. The closest thing was the awkward interaction with the boss and the “gay” character. And I thought that was pretty funny because it was more about awkward social interaction….which seems to me, from the few times I watched it,is the whole basis of the show. Awkward social/work environment interactions.?
Originally that was what drew me to the show – the whole awkward social interaction, but as is the case with most of those shows, over time the focus changes and the original intent and what made it unique and funny is lost and it just devolves into another show about sex and stupid humor.
Well, there is always Andrew Dice Clay! HAHAHAHA
I’m with Mert. I have a lot to say, but not sure how to put it down on.. computer? I desire to be more Christ-like in every area of my life including how I spend time and what I choose to behold.
This thought leads me to the origin of the word “amuse”, where we get the word amusement and entertainment. I know we’ve talked about this before, but I just remembered the irony in all of it.
The word originates from the French word “amuser” (entertain, deceive), from a-(expressing casual effect) + muser (stare stupidly).
Using this definition, here’s my question: Is there any Christ-like amusement or entertainment?
Liz, there is Christian entertainment. It is called the Bible. If we truly tap into the spiritual realm of things like dreams and visions, we will have a lot of entertainment there. Spend hours on seeing the throne room, and beholding Jesus… now there is amusement.
Good answer, Robert! I agree, although I still think that if we were going with the origin of the word, then I would want to find something different to call beholding Jesus than “staring stupidly”.
At the same time… His beauty does make us stare in wonder and that’s close to staring stupidly…
Liz – that is what I was thinking too. Sometimes I am so overcome by thinking on the things of God that I feel stupid… But that’s mainly because His thoughts are so much higher than mine.
I think the things of God are not amusing though, but cause us to muse, to ponder, to think. For me, being an analytical sort, that’s a good thing. At the same time, they also cause us to feel. The question is whether or not it is right to shut off the analysis and be amused by the things of the world. And is it even possible to do it? Because even as I sit there being amused by a movie or listening to a song, my filter is still running. No longer do I have the ability to just let it flow through me without running through my grid. I think there was a time when I naively believed that it was all “harmless fun” and ultimately meaningless, but thankfully, I have been enlightened to truth and the Holy Spirit is always moving and changing me on the inside so that filter of truth is constantly evaluating and assessing. My desire is what David said in Psalm 139 – to let the words of my mouth and thoughts of my heart be pleasing to God. For out of my heart will flow how I live.
Well said Josh.