This conviction of mine..

[newktguy]

I've asked similar questions before and have skimmed over similar threads but still feel confused.. Can someone show me specific verses for what I'm talking about please?

Now this is what I am feeling and I'll give an example.

Is it right to support/utilize a service like Pandora for example that has lots of Godly and Christian songs, but also has a lot of bad songs? By using this service(in a good way) I just feel, is it right, knowing they also support a lot of sinful music?

I feel the same about Netflix, is it okay to support/utilize that service.. They may have some things that are okay for follower of Christ but there are also some things which are not(in my opinion).

Same thing for something like Xbox, is it right to use something like this when it houses games and services that aren't sinful, but also houses things that are sinful?

This sounds so extreme and such a burden lol, are there any scriptures that have similar situations?

I know if you feel convicted you should stop.. And I have or at least trying to. It is just so boring and I see so many believers with so much freedom and I can't help but think I have an issue.

And then I am still confused as to what movies and TV shows are okay but that is a whole different thread. I overthink things a lot lol.. By this logic is it right to use your electric company knowing they probably also power the club around the corner? :-(


But are there examples in the Bible of what I am talking about?

 

[LITSAFALDA]

Sorry, but a Pastor or Minister is someone you should probably be going to for these answers as they are well versed and can point out more specifics easier. We do have many threads about "gaming and is it right" which may help you a bit to understand the big picture. Sin is in this world to stay. We will never achieve a sinless state no matter how hard we try. Jesus died to cover all of out sinfulness as long as we believe in Him.

The best way in my opinion is to be His light in everything you do......or at least try very hard to do this even though no one besides Jesus is or ever will be perfect. So in your first example, just use Pandora for the Christian content. If more people only chose those songs and supported those artists, then "they".......those up top.........will see that this is the preferred music and more of it would be available. Same with movies and shows and games.

You need to practice your beliefs in everything you do and let God's light shine through you. Trust me that is easier said than done, but we just keep getting the "do overs" because of Jesus. Unless you become self-sufficient, off the grid, and do it all for yourself with God's grace there are always going to be things you need that may not be 100% Christian. Again support those companies, ideas, products that are and also show God's love through your actions in the places that aren't.

Blessings and Hugs, "Angel"

(PS people do not get huffy or go off in tangents on this topic please. Respectfully submit your feelings and beliefs and show him examples if you know of any without hurting others in the process. This is how I feel about this subject and I do not need others judging because we all know God is the ultimate judge.)

 

[The Mighty Gerbil]

I think the same way you do that we are called to be proper stewards of what God gives us. Technically any money we exchange we are giving to a sinner and by extension will in some small part be used for sin. I think of...

Everything is permitted, but everything isn’t beneficial. Everything is permitted, but everything doesn’t build others up. No one should look out for their own advantage, but they should look out for each other. 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 really up to 33

And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6: 8-10 (Technically it's not the money itself but what you can do with the money. Money can be anything by it's nature thus we can lust after media when we should be content.)

You are also correct on being convicted by the Holy Spirit in our choices.

I'm in no sense a pastor, nor know the Bible as well as I'd like, so I don't know of a clear verse as to where the line lies but here is my opinion. We are called to be in the world but not of it. We are supposed to separate ourselves by our actions. We are supposed to be different making the world better, a more Christ like place, with our choices. We are not God nor have the power to make it perfect but we do have the power to do something. So I ask myself if my actions have more positive than negative. Are my actions beneficial? Are they what Christ would do?

Point in case I've been vocal about Christians avoiding supporting some games on these forums. Though all games are imperfect my goal is not for people to avoid all games but to shape the industry/world by choices. To support that which pushes towards the positive and avoid those that push towards the negative. We should all do something but we cannot do everything, we should all do better but cannot be perfect (without Christ of course). Though to often I see Christians doing nothing. Seemingly content to go with the flow because "you got to do what you got to do" (I hate that phrase btw) when the truth is you never do, you are simply unwilling to endure the consequences. To follow Christ is to deny yourself and take up your cross daily Luke 9:23 .

I feel you on the Netflix thing. Our family watches a lot of old movies there but they've been removing a lot of them only to add "new" trash we'd never watch. My Mother has already talked about changing but I don't know if it will happen. Perhaps if enough people watch only moral movies we could shape Netflix. If junk is not being watched Netflix is less likely to spend money licensing thus supporting it. I already wonder how they can spend so much effort on homosexual stuff when the population statistics do not warrant it. At some point it may resolve itself as if Netflix keeps doing this we'd simply have nothing to watch. As we can shape the world by supporting some companies we can also shape companies by supporting practices within them. When the exact point to give up trying and leave is I don't know but I do know it involves prayer. Reminds me of Matthew 10:14 though, when they stop listening it's time to go.

Although it's hard for me to avoid some things it's not quite as hard as I've thought in the past. When media has immoral values I simply don't enjoy it so why would I partake of it? I just can't look past some things because I want to relate and empathize with the characters. I want to be immersed but when characters or plot lines support immoral choices I can't be. This is why I don't understand why some Christians play games like GTA V which is nothing but immoral choices. It doesn't just have sinful parts it's a virtual sin-ulator (sorry just had to ). I'm not getting on Christians for playing it here only asking how can one enjoy pretending to hurt innocent people if our character is intended to become Christ like? It's not like you have a positive like fighting bad guys or helping your team in multiplayer to counter the negative (well technically it has multiplayer but I don't think people really get it for that). You could say "I just like GTA's game play or graphics" but all the game play involves sinning. You steal cars from innocent shmoes just to get around. Plus the game is largely hailed for it's plot and characters none of which are "good". It's immoral parts are glaringly forefront and unavoidable. Beyond GTA V when you cannot care for anyone in a game or movie I don't understand how you enjoy it. Yes I'd like them them to repent, change and be redeemed but when you know it's not going to happen wishing for everyone to die is as close to a happy ending as I can imagine. That does not make an enjoyable experience but it does make such media easy to resist.

Finally we cannot avoid everything and live an isolationist life. We are called to be in the world Matthew 28:19-20 so there is no option to eternally cloister ourselves away from it. If no one ever buys and supports the good things they won't be made. Oh yeah not many are :/ .