Mr. Michael Brown: Be On Guard
Author: David Markopoulos | Living Education
In a recent forum, Mr. Michael Brown, a pastor serving in Manitoba, Western Ontario, and North Dakota, spoke to the students about important trends to be on guard for in the modern digital age.
No one can deny that the world in which we now live has been following a trajectory of radicalism. Sociopolitical tension seems to be higher than ever, and all around us there is a deep-seated disdain for traditional values, the social order, and government as a whole. Many of these ideas are rooted in Marxist ideology, which involves the promotion of radical change through a violent overturning of the social order—a sentiment we see brewing in our own society today. We see distrust of the government, aversion to religion, and erosion of morals to the point of desensitization.
These trends, while dangerous, go further than Marxism—they are the result of targeted degradation of western Israelite-descended nations. When we see things that attack our morals outlined in the Bible, our guard should go up. Mr. Brown warned against two areas that operate as vehicles for these trends to take hold in society:
- Universities & Mainstream Media
Universities and the mainstream news media are some of the most powerful vehicles for Marxist ideology to be spread. The education scene is dominated by idealists, political radicals, and progressives whose ideologies are often deeply at odds with the Christian values we have historically held in western Israelite-descended nations. The news media is also often a tricky realm to navigate, saturated with opinions and supercharged with sensationalized, carefully-curated talking points. One key example is the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which is the latest iteration of a long-term conflict between two states—on the one hand, Israel lays claim to its ancestral territory being occupied by outsiders, while the Palestinian state accuses the other side of genocide.
Mr. Brown pointed out Proverbs 18:17, which states: “The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him.” One side or the other can seem to make a convincing argument, but, as Mr. Brown stated, it is critical for us to avoid having emotional reactions in favor of one side or another. Most left-wing news sources omit the atrocities committed by the radical group Hamas against Israel. Their actions add a different dimension to the conflict as it is understood by most people casually following the news.
- Entertainment
Another place we see the lines blurred and our values challenged is the entertainment industry. Mr. Brown pointed out that we have been desensitized to the graphic entertainment being promoted today. Between intense gore and lewdness, our sense of what is appropriate, profitable, or harmful has come under attack. The truth is simple: prolonged exposure to sin dulls your sensitivity to its effect.
The sinful messages and imagery that have become the norm for our society are deeply harmful to our relationship with God. We have a responsibility to take charge of our media usage and be intentional about what we allow to flood our minds. The messages to which we habituate ourselves are often deeply harmful, compromising our Christian values.
Stay on Guard
Mr. Brown stated that no one gets ahead in life with eroded morals. No matter how much it seems that wicked people prosper or seem to enjoy success by this world’s standards, the things they stake their claim on will come to nothing. We cannot allow ourselves to slip in our Christian walk and compromise on our values. And as much as entertainment and media can damage our morals, the effect can even be exacerbated by others. It is difficult, and can even be harmful, to spend too much time with those in the world devoid of God’s Spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:33 states: “Do not be deceived: evil company corrupts good habits.” The people, perspectives, entertainment, and news sources with which we keep company can be corrosive to our morals.
Mr. Brown encouraged the students to seek out entertainment that is also productive—good books, music, documentaries on interesting topics, and more. He also encouraged them to seek wisdom in God’s word, to think critically about the perspectives and messages we hear, and to spend quality time with real people—taking the time to invest in stronger social bonds can take time and effort, but it will pay off. As iron sharpens iron, we should make the effort to strengthen each other in the faith as we apply wisdom to everything we hear and see.
David Markopoulos is a Living Education alumnus from the 2023-2025 school years. Originally hailing from Chicago, he currently works for the Living Education program.
