CULT OF CELEBRITY = ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD
“Hollywood’s a place where they’ll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss, and 50 cents for your soul!”….Marilyn Monroe
The corrupt Celebrity Culture has unfortunately just claimed its latest victim and the question remains – “How many more, before it’s all over?”
English musician Amy Winehouse’s passing on into an eternity of judgment is just the latest in a long line of senseless youthful celebrity deaths from cult/actor James Dean in 1955 (age 24)…. to Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison and Cobain (all age 27)…. to the unfortunate Brittany Murphy in 2009 to “JACKASS” star Ryan Dunn last month….and now Amy Winehouse (also age 27). They all had one thing in common – they died worshipping their own idols (themselves) and not the God of Heaven Who gave them life on earth.
Yet, with the increasing amount of tragic deaths like Winehouse and Murphy, there is no attempt being made by some of those left behind, to correct the downward slide into perdition on which they have embarked! Whenever one of these live-fast/die-young “beautiful” young actors or musicians die, the inquiries into their troubled lives always focus on the wrong thing – maybe their childhood, or too much money too soon etc. The focus is never on the real cause of all this past, present and future mayhem.
The horrible thing is not just these celebrities self-destruction, but the effect it has on wider society and the impressionable young minds in our homes, schools and communities! In the 1920’s, a lot of men wanted to be like silent screen Romeo/gigolo Rudolf Valentino aka The Sheik.
He seemed to “have it going on”, but according to some reports, doctors at the hospital were “afraid to touch this idol’s body to cut it” – presumably for life saving surgery, because he was such a movie icon! The result was he died of a perforated ulcer at age 31! His obscene funeral in New York attracted over 100,000 people, shutting down city blocks as Americans worshipped their idols.
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| THE GODS OF HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA! |
Just a few years later, in May 1929, the movie industry instituted the First Annual Academy Awards. Since then, every single mainstream movie is geared towards winning that little golden idol – their god, which validates their empty lives and systems of (non) belief. Oh, a few of them even thank God, on stage. The issue is “which God”? It almost never is the God of the Bible, because the Lord Jesus’ Name is forbidden in those circles if one wishes to work.
QUOTES ON RELIGION FROM HOLLYWOOD TYPES:
Here are what some of the most famous, whom the Culture idolizes have to say about God, in general:
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"Not only is there no God, but try getting a plumber on weekends." ( Woody Allen, "My Philosophy" in the The New Yorker)
- "I intend to make Scientology as accessible to as many people as I can."
(Jenna Elfman, ABCNews.com Star of Dharma and Greg)
(Jenna Elfman, ABCNews.com Star of Dharma and Greg)
- "I'm an atheist, and that's it. I believe there's nothing we can know except that we should be kind to each other and do what we can for people" (Katharine Hepburn, Ladies' Home Journal, October 1991)
- "There doesn't need to be a God for me. There's something in people that's spiritual, that's godlike. I don't feel like doing things just because people say things, but I also don't really know if it's better to just not believe in anything, either." (Angelina Jolie, AV Club, September 6, 2000)
- "But I would never steal anyone's boyfriend. It's bad karma, and I'm a big believer in karma—hence the fact that I've studied kabbalah. I'm very true to the "Treat people the way you want to be treated" sort of thing." ( Lindsay Lohan, Elle, September 2006)
- "Were it not for Scientology, I would either be completely insane or dead by now." (Lisa Marie Presley, ABCNews.com)
- "I think we all have a little voice inside us that will guide us. It may be God, I don't know. But I think that if we shut out all the noise and clutter from our lives and listen to that voice, it will tell us the right thing to do. The Unitarian believes that God is good, and believes that God believes that man is good. Inherently. The Unitarian God is not a God of vengeance. And that is something I can appreciate."
(Christopher Reeve, Reader's Digest, October 2004)
(Christopher Reeve, Reader's Digest, October 2004)
Here are some more quotes, some from musicians and others who are well loved by a US media elite, which is just as completely lost as they are:
*Jazz is really a wonderful example of the great characteristics of Buddhism and great characteristics of the human spirit. Because in jazz we share, we listen to each other, we respect each other; we are creating in the moment…Herbie Hancock, jazz musician.
*God is in my head, but the devil is in my pants….Jonathan Winters, comedian.
*I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is…Donald Trump!
*People go through challenging moments of losing people and of having their life threatened from illness and real grief. But they get through it. And that's the testament to the human spirit and it's -- we are fragile, but we also are divine….Sheryl Crow, singer/former Missouri school teacher.
MILEY CYRUS:
There is no need to keep quoting more of these people, but one of them especially needs to be put out front as someone to keep your young children AWAY FROM! It is the daughter of one of the biggest examples of poor fatherhood in America – Billy Ray Cyrus.
Not only did he allow his tween daughter Miley to go to Hollywood as another Disney star, he went WITH her. Having learned nothing from what happened to other Disney girls from Brittney Spears to Lindsay Lohan to Vanessa Hudgens, Achy Breaky Cyrus justified his involvement all the way.
Something happened on the way to fame and fortune. Billy Ray somehow bought into the lure of Hollywood and allowed his young daughter to move to California from their idyllic home in Tennessee to become the loud, almost obnoxious (some say, cute) Hannah Montana! Miley (whose real name is Destiny Hope Cyrus) became an instant megastar at the tender age of 14. Then old Achy Breaky himself joined the cast to get into the Disney money machine.
Somewhere along the line, culture trumped Christ. Miley’s parents allowed her, a then 15 year old minor, to be photographed topless by a controversial US photographer, Annie Liebowitz, for Vanity Fair. After parents of America’s threw a fit, due to the fact that their pre-teen daughters were seeing this trash, Billy Ray issued this weak statement about not being there when the photos were taken! Never mind that he was also in some of the Vanity Fair pictures!
The worst was yet to come! Old “Achy Breaky” stood silently by his then 16 year old “Christian” daughter, Miley, carried on and cavorted with members of both sexes on stage and was pole dancing during the 2008 Teen Choice Awards! Now that Miley has left “Hannah Montana” and gone solo into her own music career, she has picked up where the corrupted Baptist-turned- Kabbalah disciple Brittany Spears left off!
Last fall, Miley’s latest video would make even Hugh Hefner shake his corrupt head! This followed hot on the heels of the now 17 year old Miley giving Producer Adam Shankman (Last Song) a Lap dance! When they asked Billy Ray for a comment, all he could say was “Miley was just "having fun" and that "it's what people her age do".
“Who owns my Heart” is one of her latest releases and the 17 year old Miley is seen writhing all over her wrinkled sheets in her underwear while singing seductively, in the official song video. It was so inappropriate that the O’Reilly Factor had to issue a Warning to Viewers before showing it, in a piece on the latest anti-Miley outrage expressed by the Parents Council.
What is more important than Cyrus and his out of control teenage daughter is the corruption of young girls under the age of 14 by this family! We saw it when Madonna led her generation of young females astray in the mid 1980’s; when the scantily clad Brittany Spears did it in the 1990’s and now a decade later – Miley Cyrus!
No concern is shown by either DISNEY or so-called family friendly Cyrus, for this generation of young women who are not being brought up in purity either at church, school and unfortunately at home. They are bombarded by filth on iTunes, TV, movies, the internet and more and more by social media (Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace etc.).
In times like these, we look to the grown-ups to lead the way. However, whether we have people like Joe Simpson, the former Baptist minister from Texas, who shamelessly “markets” (to keep it clean here!!!) his daughter Jessica Simpson or Billy Ray helping a corrupt and evil culture further lead young people away from any shred of decency and accountability, it is no wonder parents are getting no help to reign in their teens!
God help us, as fathers and husbands as we try to raise our kids in a corrupt and wicked generation!
All of this is true. However this is social commentary. What is more important is how this affects the Body of Christ. We expect those atheists I quoted above to say and make movies reflecting their lack of Biblical values. What is ten times worse are those masquerading as Christians who are leading millions into hell by their weak theology and bad behavior.
- Miley Cyrus is typical of ALL of these people – from entertainment people like herself to the preacher who thinks he has to “relate to the culture” in order to so-called “reach them for Christ”.
- Cyrus is typical of ALL Carnal “Christians”. These are the cafeteria types who pick and choose which law or command of Christ they will follow, or believe.
- She is also typical of a lost generation where 57% of so- called Evangelicals now believe there are other ways to heaven, than JESUS CHRIST.
- She is typical of a generation lost to hell, unless someone mature in their own circles grab a hold of them and teach them how to be really saved and be a disciple of Christ.
- Cyrus is also typical of the rock culture of the modern mega church, where programs, flashing lights and jamming rock music have trumped the Pure Meat of the Literal Powerful Full Counsel of God, found in the Bible. Read some of her quotes below, as they reflect the carnality of people who are only Christian in title, not in heart. They are from the Parade Magazine interview which caused uproar with the parents across America.
From Parade Magazine (March 31, 2010):
From Parade Magazine (March 31, 2010):
"My job first is to entertain and do what I love, and if you don’t like it, then change the channel. I’m not forcing you to watch me. I’m not forcing you to talk about me."
"I’ve learned I can’t live for what people are going to say. People are so judgmental—especially parents."
“I don’t care what stories are written about me or what other parents think, because I know how close I am with my parents.”
"Hopefully, I can influence people and help them follow the same path I am on"
“I would do that pole dance a thousand times again, because it was right for the song and that performance. But, dude, if you think dancing on top of an ice-cream cart with a pole is bad, then go check what 90% of the high schoolers are really up to. It’s funny. I don’t know if a lot of parents remember what they were like as kids. But I’m like, ‘Dude, as if you were an angel!’”
There it is folks, our modern day example of a Christian celebrity! Is it any surprise now that teenage girls in our youth groups are getting pregnant? Divorce INSIDE the church is higher than in the greater secular society and on and on….!
These kids don’t even carry or open a Bible anymore. If they do, it is a weak paraphrase version and they have no clue what they are reading. Pastors and church elders are to blame for that, because if the Pastor/Preacher/Teacher is not opening a literal Bible on the pulpit and leading his congregation to search and study the Scriptures, as the inerrant literal Word of God….and if the Pastor is depending on a short Bible passage on a PowerPoint as the only Bible these kids/young people will see all week; these pastors will be judged harshly before the Throne of Christ one day.
The Bible already warns that those who say they are teachers will be held more accountable! Look at what Jesus did to those glittering jewels of heresy known as the Pharisees!
ARE THERE REAL CHRISTIAN “CELEBRITIES”
That’s a good question. They are several well-known actors/actresses who profess belief in “God” or some god, but you never hear the Name of Jesus come from their mouths. Still while they are claiming allegiance to this or that church, at least they are not blaspheming God or leading others astray…..if their personal lives reflect their talk!
Beliefnet.com is a website which is not a Christian site, but accurately (for the most part) examines what all religions believe. They had a list of what they call their top 12 Most Powerful Christians in Hollywood. The problem is that I am having a hard time matching up some of these names to Scripture.
Instead of being negative and saying who is a fake or not, I will supply my own list because, as a consumer and observer, I have seen their work consistently, during the past 6-8 years.
THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR CELEBRITY CHRISTIANS, ACCORDING TO BIBLICAL STANDARDS:
GAVIN MACLEOD – He is better known to TV audiences as Captain Stuebbin on THE LOVE BOAT, a 1970’s romantic comedy. His work has been growing in power and message since he starred in THE TIME CHANGER. Gavin’s work is unashamedly about Jesus Christ and his latest offering – THE SECRETS OF JONATHAN SPERRY – is the best movie on mentoring and discipleship, in order to fulfill the Great Commission that I have ever seen!
STEPHEN BALDWIN – This Baldwin brother is well known to both wear his conversion to Christ on his sleeve and to evangelize youth! He is a mainstay on the Luis Palau mega crusades and his roles in the movies have been cleaned up – big time!
PATRICIA HEATON - She has stood for life and truth, in the face of Hollywood for a long time now. She is best known as Ray Romano’s wife on “Everybody Loves Raymond”
ROBERT DUVALL – His roles changed dramatically when he made “The Apostle” in the late 1990’s. Since then, Robert has appeared in some blatantly Christian and Christ honoring films like “GET LOW” and the upcoming film (to be released on September 2) called SEVEN DAYS IN UTOPIA.
CHUCK NORRIS – He is a fired up born again believer as he mentioned in his books and every chance he gets on Television! He is also on the board of the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, an organization promoting the use of the Bible in public schools. Chuck also supports Prayer in Schools.
Other real Christians are Kathy Ireland; Andy Griffith; Lisa Welschel; Connie Seleca and Kirk Cameron, of course! Kirk was the star of the LEFT BEHIND movie series and is the co-host of the hard hitting street witnessing program run by Evangelist Ray Comfort.
Be careful of websites which say this actor or that gangsta rapper is a Christian or some sleazy R & B singer who struts her stuff half naked across the stage, with raunchy lyrics or some libertarian talk show is following the Bible and Jesus Christ.
But more importantly, be full of discernment of being caught up, just like a lot of people in almost every church, in the culture. We are meant to be salt in light to the world and culture. We are not supposed to bring that ungodly stuff not just into our homes and churches, but into our very bosoms. We are definitely not meant to embrace it.
In the meantime, pray that one of these young musicians, actresses or cultural celebrity will find peace by being saved.
Pray they come to know Christ and Him crucified and not just as a swear word in one of their worthless movies.
Pray one or many of them will come to Faith in Christ and share that good news with their friends. That way, maybe we can avoid what has been happening for most of the last century within the Cult of Celebrity – many going to Eternal Separation from God, in a place filled with weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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