Here are the facts. Lil’ Nas X, a homosexual rapper, decided to make a shoe filled with a drop of human blood and red dye to look like it was filled with human blood. The shoe also had the #666 and Luke 10:18 written on the side. A pentagram charm dangles from the side. Only 666 of these shoes were made, and they sold out in under one minute.
Apparently the intention of these shoes was to pay homage to the fact that he has been told by Christ followers in the past that he would be going to Hell because of his homosexuality. This was a way to fight back by saying, “Oh well, then to Hell I will go.”
I normally would completely ignore all of this because the amount of information I know about rap culture, pop culture, and rock culture combined is the exact equivalent of how much Greek I can speak (that would be none). I don’t normally pay any attention whatsoever to what these people are doing or saying because I do understand that all of the entertainment industry is garbage designed to degrade our culture.
However, I have seen so many posts on this with so many differing points of view, and so many Christians commenting on this in so many ways that I thought I would like to weigh in on the drama, and see if my thinking resonates with any of you.
First, many are shocked, and the fact that this shocks anyone actually is more shocking to me that the actual shoe itself. What? Human nature is vile, and people are wicked? Who knew? Ummm…first, take a look in the mirror. If not for God’s grace we would be just as degenerate. Satan seeks to kill and destroy, and he is taking the life of as many people as he possibly can.
Second, many Christians are saying that if only Christians had been more loving towards Lil Nas X he would not have taken such a terrible path. Christians, maybe, just maybe there were some people who were unkind in their approach at sharing the gospel. Maybe they used the wrong words, or the wrong tone, and maybe that caused him to turn away. Or maybe he didn’t like hearing the truth that homosexuality actually is a sin, and that if he doesn’t repent of his sin he will die and go to Hell. Homosexuality is not what will send this poor soul to Hell. Unrepentant sin and unwillingness to give his life over to God is what will send him to Hell. We don’t get to set the terms of right and wrong. That is something God himself has already done. We need to be very clear and kind when dealing with those who are homosexual or living any sinful lifestyle because they are not being told the truth. The fact is, living life in sin is not ok. I don’t get to live life puffed up with pride, selfishness, anger, or bad attitudes because God has set a standard for life in his word, and we are not God. We don’t get to choose which commands we want to obey. One thing I really do pray is that Lil’ Nas X will hear the truth of the full gospel. That Jesus died, was buried, and rose again for him because of his love for him. He can accept or reject that love and live life however he wants to live it; but sin has consequences that we will pay.
My last thought is this; Christian, be wise, be discerning. I had not heard of Lil’ Nas X previous to this shoe debacle, but I have heard the children going around singing “Old Town Road.” As I began to look into this man a little more I discovered that most of his marketing has been geared toward children. He’s been featured on Sesame Street and performed in elementary schools. Do you really think this was some sort of accident? This is by design. He/Satan wants your family. He wants your little ones. He wants our homes and our churches. He wants our cities and our countries, and we are just handing it over. We have got to start digging our heals in and deciding that we will be “weird.” We will be different. We will create our own culture for our own homes featuring beautiful art, music, books, ideas, and entertainment. We will not partake of the garbage the world is offering, but instead we will lovingly create within our homes an atmosphere elevating that which is good and showing our children that what God offers us is so much lovelier, so much better than anything they will ever find in this world. Let’s walk away from the poop filled brownie (entertainment culture), and enjoy the chocolate drizzled crème brulee that God has set before us. Let’s quit rummaging through the garbage.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Proverbs 4:26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
We have been told that sheltering our children is a bad thing. They will grow up not understanding or being able to engage in cultural issues. How will they be able to make friends or hold down jobs or be good employees if they haven’t watched all 2 million episodes of the latest garbage? How will they not be social outcasts if they can’t talk to their friends about Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé, Lil Nas X or whoever else is popular today. We have swallowed that worm hook, line, and sinker. The word shelter as a noun means “a position or the state of being covered or protected.” When shelter is used as a verb it means, “to constitute or provide shelter for: Protect.” Somehow none of that sounds like a bad thing. I’ve never once heard anyone say it’s a bad thing to protect our children. I understand that we can’t protect them forever, but we can protect them while we are teaching them to protect themselves. When they grow up, they will be able to decide whether or not they want to eat the garbage the world is offering, but if we have spent years cultivating a world where they have feasted on things that are pure and lovely and beautiful we can pray that they will want to continue in that path. That, my friend, is the best thing that we can do for them. Keeping them away from the garbage is not enough. Spread that feast of good things that they can enjoy so that they don’t have to feel like they are missing out. Spend hours and hours reading good literature, hours listening to good music, hours in the outdoors enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. Spend every possible minute smiling over the good things God has written for us in His word. Answer questions, and share stories, and love life together. Build up our families, encourage one another, and love each other!
In the meantime… don’t worry too much about Satan shoes. (They are less dangerous than Satan.)
GA
and continuing…
I was going to stay away from this subject. I was going to leave it to Grace since she is closer to it than I am. It makes me mad, but more than mad, it makes me sad. I am on the way out of here before long, but I have grandchildren that are going to be left in a world that has been over-run by Satan. According to the world now, all things that were evil are good, and all things that were good are evil. But – what did I just say? The world has been over-run by Satan, but the world has not been overcome by Satan!!!
Looking at scriptures, we are here at the last days, and in the last days Satan is going to take as many people as he can to Hell with him. And what better way to do that than with all the “entertainment” that the world is feeding itself!
My part of this posting is not long, just fair warning to look out for the things of Satan coming in as glittery, wonderful, marvelous things! Things that are reminiscent of the church because anti-christs take the things of Christ and twists them into things that he would like to see, that would confuse the church and the world. After all, Satan is the author of confusion!
And anyway, this has been going on ever since the Church was very young. As I sign off, look at what 1 John 2:19-22,26-29 said about this:
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”
“But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.”
“I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.”
“Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is anti-christ, that denieth the Father and the Son.”
“These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.”
“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you; but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”
“And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”
“If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.”
AE
Voice of the Introverts 