To state the obvious, the Bible doesn’t say to avoid certain
types of TV shows or movies. The
technology simply didn’t exist 2000+ years ago.
However, Scripture is still authoritative and sufficient, and the
principles we find therein most certainly address the question of what is
acceptable to watch and what isn’t.
“Game of Thrones” (abbreviated “GoT” below) is being
addressed specifically in the comments below, but it also applies to other
similar types of filthy entertainment.
Let us submit ourselves to the Word of the living God. Quotes below are mostly from the NASB, and
the comments are mine:
Bible
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comments
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Ps. 101:3a (ESV) I will not
set before my eyes anything that is worthless.
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NKJV uses the word "wicked" . GoT is both spiritually
worthless and wicked.
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Ps. 101:4 A perverse heart
shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.
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GoT is perverse and evil, and is not something we should be
intimately familiar with.
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Gal. 5:19-21 Now the works of
the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry,
sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions,
divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I
warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom
of God.
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GoT (from what I have read) seems to revel in those fleshly and
worldly things; it flourishes in the depiction of most or all of these types
of evil.
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Eph. 5:11-12 Do not
participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose
them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done
by them in secret.
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GoT is darkness, evil, and disgraceful.
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Eph. 4:17-20 Now this I say
and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in
the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding,
alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due
to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given
themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
But that is not the way you learned Christ!
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GoT is exactly what heathen Gentiles give themselves to. It is
darkness, anti-God, sensual, and impure. GoT is not for the Christian.
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Matt. 5:28 I say to you that
everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed
adultery with her in his heart.
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How many men have lusted over the partially or fully nude women in
GoT? I suspect the answer would be “nearly every single one of
them”. Some women struggle with that as well. In the following
verses, Jesus said to pluck out your eye and cut off your hand (go to
extremes) to avoid such things. If
this were the only verse in the Bible on the subject, it would be sufficient
to tell us that pornographic shows like GoT are completely unacceptable. And if you’re a Christian that thinks he
can watch it without violating Christ’s words, you’re lying to yourself and
are self-deceived. Period.
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1 Thess. 4:3 For this is the
will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;
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GoT is so popular, no doubt, in part because of its depictions of
exactly that. What normal red-blooded
man isn’t tempted by watching attractive young women get naked, and sometimes
act out fornication? That is sexual
immorality, and it often leads to full-fledged fornication and adultery in
real life.
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Phil. 4:8 Finally, brothers,
whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if
there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
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GoT is exactly the opposite of the things in that list. It is
impure, dishonorable, violent, filthy, and to be condemned.
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Rom. 12:1-2 Therefore I urge
you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and
holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of
worship. And do not be conformed to
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may
prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
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With an all-encompassing passage like this, how can a true and honest
Christian justify filthy entertainment?
Repent, and turn from this wickedness!
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Eph. 4:17-19
So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no
longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being
darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the
ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given
themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with
greediness.
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Christians are not supposed to be like the people of the world! How can we be entertained by sensuality and
impurity?
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Eph. 5:3-5 But
immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is
proper among saints; and there must be
no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but
rather giving of thanks. For this you
know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is
an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
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To be entertained by these things places a person in a very bad
situation.
Are we to be entertained by immorality? By filthiness? By impurity? May it never be. God forbid!
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1 Thess. 5:21-22
But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is
good; abstain from every form of evil.
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GoT is filled with all sorts of wickedness. Is it good?
No. It is evil.
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1 Peter 2:11-12 Beloved, I
urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war
against the soul. Keep your behavior
excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you
as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them,
glorify God in the day of visitation.
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Christians are exiles, aliens, pilgrims, strangers on the earth. Fleshly lusts are at WAR with the
soul. Watching filthy entertainment is
like asking for forces of evil to attack your own soul. If you’re justifying this filth in your own
mind, then you’re losing the battle to sin and the powers of darkness.
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1 Peter 2:16 Act as free men,
and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves
of God.
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People cry “Christian liberty” or “freedom” to justify filth. This ought not to be. Freedom in Christ is freedom to do what is
right, not freedom to sin.
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Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren;
only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through
love serve one another.
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There’s more of that “freedom” terminology. Paul was aware of how it could be
misunderstood and misused, so he clarified.
No, you do NOT have freedom to watch sensual, fleshly, perverted
shows, which includes GoT.
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2 Tim. 2:19 Nevertheless,
the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those
who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain
from wickedness.”
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Abstain from wicked entertainment, abstain from all forms of
evil. That includes not watching wickedness
on TV and in the movie theatre.
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2 Cor. 7:1 Therefore, having
these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of
flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
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Pornographic entertainment, like GoT and others, is defiling and
fleshly, and above all, unholy.
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Job 31:1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze
at a virgin?
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Job didn’t know anything about TV screens or movie screens, but it’s
pretty obvious what his response to them would have been if they displayed
naked females.
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Hab. 1:13a Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not
look on wickedness with favor.
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God doesn’t approve, but somehow it’s OK for a Christian to look
favorably on shows like GoT?
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Job 28:28 “And to man He said,
‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is
understanding.’”
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You think you have wisdom?
Then fear the Lord enough to turn away from that which is plainly
evil.
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Jude 4 For certain persons
have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this
condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into
licentiousness (NASB, or “sensuality” in the ESV) and deny our only Master
and Lord, Jesus Christ.
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Watch out for people that turn grace into sensuality and
licentiousness!
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1 Peter 1:14-16 "As obedient children, do not be conformed to
the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you
also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy,
for I am holy.”"
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Let’s be blunt: GoT does not
help a person become holy. Quite the
opposite, in fact. It promotes lust
and ungodliness. Above all else, it is
wholly unholy.
Repent, and ask God to cleanse you, and to set you on the path of
holiness.
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