Friday, February 3, 2012

The Luck of the Devils

Many years ago I wrote the following poem about television. TV has not improved. Every year I tell myself that the programs can’t sink any lower; surely we have reached the very bottom of the sewer, and every year the experts and sexpervs prove me wrong! I’m constantly reminded of that verse in the Bible, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness” (Isaiah 5:20). Yet another aspect of this problem is the waste of time watching this drivel. It reminds me of yet another favorite verse, “The noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands” (Isaiah 32:8 NIV). The noble person takes Philippians 4:8 as his/her mantra: “Whatever is noble...right...pure...lovely...admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." What absorbs our mind sooner or later determines our speech and our actions. Watching TrashVision too much of the time produces thought patterns that can hardly be considered worthy, much less Christian.

“And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed...” (Joshua 6:18); “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13); “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl” (Job 31:1).

On a hazy night in '46
Satan met with his unholy tribe;
Now listen, you devils, he said with glee,
The entire world is about to transcribe.
 

They've invented a box they call TV;
Its shape is square, it has pictures and sound.
They practically kneel to its image;
Those fools think it's really profound!


Can you imagine what this means to us?
Why, we'll hardly need to lift our forks!
They don't know how slick we are -
Those dolts believe we're a bunch of dorks!
 

I can hardly believe this stroke of luck.
We'll load the Board of Directables;
We'll convince the world that evil is good
And have them think we're respectables.


Dear me, Satan purred, I can hardly wait
To twist and turn and rationalize;
National Enquirer will have to fold -
We'll steal the rights to sensationalize!
 

There's one big fly in my appointment, though -
Some folks are saying I started this!
How can they accuse me of such a deed?
I've always treasoned with a wily kiss.


Only the foolish would be so blatant;
Why, I even cringe at some of the trash;
Surely we don't need to throw it so hard...
We want them to fall, but not with a crash.
 

At first we'll stress the family virtues:
Honesty, faith, and all that stuff;
We'll give them new minds and hearts and goals
All pumped and primed with a lot of fluff.


And then we'll start undressing the angels;
Stress that nudity is artistic fare.
We'll make those goodies feel out of place.
Good heavens (or hell!), why be so square!
 

So do your worst, you little devils -
Make sure there's a box in every home.
We can't let slip this glorious chance
To write their names in our swelling tome!

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