"But let your Yes, be Yes, and your No, No, so that you do not fall under condemnation." (Jac5:12b)

"And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, behave yourselves throughout the time of your sojourning in fear;" (1Pt1:17)

"Reality TV" That seems to be the major prime-time attraction these days. They come in all shapes and varieties. There is "Survivor", where people behave like aboriginal natives, in various states of attire or nakedness, with included primitive pagan spiritism and idols, and strategy consists of alliances, intrigue, lies, treason, backstabbing.

There is "Big Brother" where the contestants are boxed-in a compound like lab rats, being watched 24/7. Again, various states of attire, given different scenarios to see how they will respond. Strategy consists of alliances, intrigue, lies, treason, backstabbing.

"Bachelor", "Bachelorette", "For Love or Money" where the contestants are after love, marriage or money... or in some cases... just a "good time". Activities include displays (visible to the whole world) of promiscuity. Strategies consist of alliances, intrigue, lies, treason, backstabbing.

"Who Wants to Marry my Dad/Mother" or "Who Wants to Date my Son/Daughter" Again, displays of promiscuity. Strategies include lying, as evinced by the polygraph tests and testimonials by acquaintances.

The "Apprentice" show. I must confess, I've not seen much of this one. I really cannot 'stomach' people like Donald Trump. But the bits I've seen, strategy includes: alliances, intrigue, lies, treason, backstabbing. And for the females, overt decisions to use their feminine allure to affect their success in what is perceived as a "male" world.

There's the various (more) tawdry ones like "Elimidate", "Blind Date", "Fifth Wheel", "Shipmates" all geared to promiscuity in its most base and blatant forms. "Success" is judged by whether the couple closes the program going through that 'door' together and locking it against the camera.

"Fear Factor" based on -some- levels of skill and daring; but also including all forms of disgusting things, things which to Israel in the O.T. were considered "unclean". While God lifted the ban on the choice of unclean animals (for cooking and eating), it doesn't seem to me that what God had in mind was what they do on Fear Factor, including the drinking of blood, and such things. God never lifted the ban on blood. "But you shall not eat flesh with its soul, that is, its blood." (Gen9:4) And this was reiterated in the N.T. to the Church: "but that we write to them to abstain from... blood." (Ac15:20)

There's some of the other so-called "reality" shows we won't talk about: the personal physical "makeover" ones, where selected people receive cosmetic surgery to fix deformities and other things; or the ones where they demolish somebody's home, and rebuild a new one within the space of a week, where the family was in real desperate needs, etc. While those things might be nice, it is not really "Reality"...because most people don't have such things handed to them..just...because they need/want it.

Not to mention the out-and-out specifically perverse ones I've not even bothered to watch; even portions of them; the "makeover" ones designed around the so-called "gay agenda". And there's others, like the newest "Wife Swap"... we don't need to list them all...

I don't watch all these...but I've been a 'people-watcher' all my life, and study human nature by observation. I've seen enough of these various ones over the years to have developed a pretty serious 'case-study' on human behavior. And I have come to fully agree with God's Word...

"The fool has said in his heart, There is no God! They are corrupt; they have done abominable works, there is no one who does good. Jehovah looked down from Heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there were any who understood and sought God. They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; THERE IS NO ONE WHO DOES GOOD, NO, NOT ONE." (Ps14:1-3)

These shows just mentioned are all US-based ones. I've heard/read that Europe has some that are even -more- blatant...although, it escapes my understanding as to how things could be any worse than they are here!

Is it typically not human nature to put on a 'good face' to one's behavior in public? Even if a person has -secret- 'bad' thoughts, to not reveal them to others, but present a persona that is perceived by others as being "good"? And particularly, if one knows the TV cameras are trained on them, to not knowingly broadcast to the whole world their depravity.

But these people, both the producers and participants, seem to care nothing for that. In fact, if illicit relationships form, that makes the programs even 'juicier'. And these are not actors 'pretending'... these are supposed -real- people, behaving according to that which is in their hearts. Thus the expression, "REALITY" TV.

"Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed, nor did they know how to blush;" (Jer6:15)

And, an aspect that has been particularly disgusting to me is in seeing excerpts, to find that some participants claim to be "Christian". If I remember correctly, I think one of the earlier Survivor or Big Brothers had a male who had brought along his Bible, and was reading from it regularly. And yet, he was participating in the intrigues that were taking place in terms of making/breaking alliances. In the most recent Big Brother (#5), during one episode, the fellow who eventually won the thing, just prior to one of their competitions, gathered a couple of his alliance buddies around and had a quick "prayer" meeting, to ask "god's" blessing (whoever his 'god' may be). This same one was bedding one of the house females! As such, proclaiming to the world: I'm a "christian" and am sleeping with this female that I haven't made my wife. I'm claiming to be a christian, whilst also tempting God's holy standards of morality.

The 10/29/04 ABC's 20/20 program featured Jessica and Ashley Simpson's careers. Ashley last week walked off the SNL set in embarrassment regarding her lip-sync track, and Jessica was living life with her new husband, on reality TV, before the whole world (I never saw those, but heard about them). Both are known for being -hot- "sex symbols", while Jessica also has that "girl-next-door" persona...the dumb, "sexy blond". And -who- is responsible for their careers? I did not know this until the 20/20 program. THEIR FATHER!! Not only their 'father'; but their father was a former "BAPTIST" MINISTER; who, as his daughters' careers took off so big-time, he left the ministry and moved the family to California to make things more 'convenient' for them to MAKE their MONEY!! This ex-baptist is the one promoting his own daughters' sensuality, making them into objects of lustful desire for other men. One wonders what -brand- of "baptist" that was!!! One wonders what 'gospel' he preached!!! Even when being questioned, point-blank, by the interviewer about the relationship of his 'pastoral' past, and his present activities promoting his daughters as 'sex objects', did he "know how to blush"?? (Jer6:15) He was grinning ear-to-ear!!

On some of the "Who Wants to Marry my Dad" episodes, some of the women would wail and whine when their lies were found out, insisting that what they were saying was true, whilst on the other hand the polygraph said they were lying....and for the purposes of the show, they would show the person VEHEMENTLY insisting one thing, while the instant-replay would verify the 'truth' of the matter, from their own mouths on prior occasions, to be something else.

I'm a nice person! I'm a good person! I'm not a liar! I don't appreciate being called a "liar" (sniff, sniff)...whilst the instant-replay reveals their true essence....that they -are- a 'liar'! ..and cannot be trusted!

It is human nature (the 'SIN' nature) to lie, cheat, steal, hate, betray others.

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be led astray. Neither prostitutes, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." (1Co6:9-10) And God keeps track of every person, -just- like these 'reality' TV cameras do...only, He also notes that which cameras cannot record...the "thoughts and intents of the heart". (Heb4:12) He keeps track in what are called, the "books"; and all humanity will be judged according to what God has kept track of. (Rev20:12)

They will not be able to whine at the Judgment, like one of the earlier Big Brother females did, "That's how they -edited- me". She had been an exceptionally conniving obnoxious person, but once voted out, tried to justify herself as not being the bad person the cameras showed. Just like one of our local Senate races: the extreme-leftist liberal incumbant was shown expressing at some meeting where she was speaking, that Osama Bin Laden had done all sorts of 'wonderful' things for his people, setting up hospitals, schools, etc, and that the people were 'grateful' to him for it...and that we, in this country, haven't done that. Uh...let's see, how many hospitals do we have have...some of the best in the world? During my short drive to work, I go past two different school crossings...and there's schools all over that cater to -all- our children. So then, she has the nerve to complain that her opponent found that video clip, and has been exploiting it, to expose her. She retorts by claiming she believes Bin Laden to be an "evil" person, but makes no bones to explain, then, 'why' she said those other things; in essence, saying Bin Laden is "good", and the US is "bad". Which is the -real- Patty Murray? Political "Reality TV"!

God -KNOWS- the Truth. At Judgment Day there will be no excuses. God's Laws, which sinful man complains against, whining that God is not fair, are given "that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." (Rom3:19)

And even if man -pretends- to not believe in God, and -pretends- to NOT "understand" the Bible, "God is not mocked" (Ga6:7) because He has placed His Law into every heart in what is known as the "CONSCIENCE". (Rom2:15) Every human being ever born, when they grow to the age to know between good and evil, -have- a God-given conscience. Even if they've never read the Bible; which, everybody before Moses didn't have any written Scriptures; they have GOD'S LAW WRITTEN IN THEIR HEART. It was that which, when Dinah was seduced by Shechem, Jacob's family knew in their hearts it was something which "ought not to be done". (Gen34:7)

So, when these various shows display people engaging in intrigue, lying, cheating, betraying, being promiscuous; that is that of which Jeremiah proclaims, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jer17:9)

Indeed...Who can know it?

GOD DOES!

And what "...you have sinned against Jehovah... recognize that YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT." (Nu32:23) And at the judgment there is no hiding from God; He will fetch you, even out of the depths of the oceans, to make you stand before Him in judgment. (Rev20:13)

However, for those who face the 'reality' of their souls, there is an 'out'. There is escape from judgment. Salvation is available. God knows the truth of your heart: "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent," (Ac17:30)

To the one who repents, there is "remission of sins". (Lk24:47)

And that which so many speak of: The sinner's prayer?

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me completely from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is continually before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done evil in Your sight; that You might be found just when You speak, and pure when You judge. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part You shall make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Ps51:1-10)

Amen!