Counterfeit Gods
“What is your God? What do you bow down before?”
"Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God's love for them.” -Jonah 2:8
Welcome
Essay
Expository Essay: Drowning in the Materialistic Society
In a Christian’s eye, it is evident that today’s society is attempting to shape the mindset of the world by distracting the eyes of believers, drawing them towards materialistic idols. Not a single item nor a single desire holds a purpose compared to the acceptance and trust one has the chance to invest in The Lord Jesus Christ which guarantees everlasting life in Heaven.
It is typical for humans to be selfish and worship temporary, worldly idols, but nothing in this world has the ability to fully satisfy oneself other than the One who created it, God. Now a days, people are only concerned about how much they have in their wallet “because we’re slaves to our possessions, we are always craving something new (Bethke, Counterfeit Gods).” The recurring thought today is that Heaven is a free invitation but “we can lose our reward in heaven if we worship someone other than God (We Must Only Worship God).” Today’s society does a great job in brainwashing people into thinking they need to have a certain item or be a certain size to be accepted but “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (Holy Bible, 1 Samuel 16:7).”
In order to flee from the consuming world, it is essential for one to open their heart up to Jesus and allow Him to take full responsibility of ones life. People are drowning in a sea of everyone's wants and desires and the only way to get back to shore is to unclench oneself from it’s materialistic idol and float in the promising and unfailing love God provides.
Poem
Video
Research Connections
Expository Essay
The whole essay mainly revolves around the fact that we should “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (Zondervan NIV Study Bible, 2 Corinthians 4:18).” This explains that by worshiping worldly items, one will not be guaranteed a spot in heaven in which a “recurring thought today is that Heaven is a free invitation” which it clearly is not. People need to come to the realization that “we can lose our reward in heaven if we worship someone other than God (Lesson 8: We Must Only Worship God).” There is no other way to fight for a spot in heaven than giving ourselves up to God, letting him carry out every single detailed plans He has in store for you. Instead of being transformed by this failing world, people can invest more time into the One who created it and holds your future in His very hands.
Poem
There is a fire and ocean theme evident throughout the whole poem that not only resembles worldly possessions, but the media and it’s role in this worldly idolization. The poem describes how “the media absorbs our fragile emotions” leaving people “sinking breathlessly in it’s materialistic oceans.” Why do humans sink in these horrifying oceans, what influenced us? “Our society has been relentlessly exposed through the media to propaganda served by a capitalistic machine convincing us that the answer to our fulfillment and ultimate happiness can be purchased (Leuthold).” People do not realize that their idols, and celebrities are brainwashing them into thinking they need to be a certain way, or have a certain thing, or do a certain thing to be accepted in this world, which is clearly incorrect. The poem starts off with a fire theme, but gradually falls short into the ocean theme leaving the reader consumed in both flames and water, both representing humans worldly possessions and the media itself. It is time for people to start worshiping their true Savior, for "when was the last time the world promised satisfaction and actually came through (Counterfeit Gods || Spoken Word || Jefferson Bethke)?"
Open Choice/Video
Throughout the video many clips are incorporated one after the other to present and reflect examples of real counterfeit Gods. Many people stated sports they played or things they spend most of their free time doing. Specifically, Ray Gaither and Marco Navarro both said they “play baseball.” Following everyone's counterfeit Gods, the video focuses on four girls, Jaime Arthur, Grace Clary, Emma Ginnell, and myself, who explain what we worship as well as how we can overcome these counterfeit Gods. Directly after each interview a bible verse appears on the screen that correlates to what was just said. For example, I explained how I “stress out all Sunday for that mile” in my athletics class but then immediately am I confronted and comforted with a verse, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Zondervan NIV Study Bible, Matthew 6:34).” This showcases that not only are humans getting caught up with such worldly things, but the God, The Bible, is aware of all of this!