What "Game of Thrones" says about America

What 'Game of Thrones' Says about America

HBO's Game of Thrones won the Emmy Award last Sunday for Best Drama. What does its popularity say about us?

Writing for The Atlantic, Christopher Orr recently asked, "Why does the show feature so much sexual violence?" Fans claim that Game of Thrones merely reflects the novels on which it is based. But Orr notes that the show's writers "have gone out of their way, time and time again, to ramp up the sexual violence well beyond their source material."

Why? What do the show's producers know about our society? Pornography sites receive more regular traffic than Twitter, Amazon and Netflix—combined. Child pornography is a $3 billion industry. Premarital sex is more accepted than ever before. Adultery is more common than ever before. The Supreme Court has redefined "marriage" to include homosexuals. Polygamy is next.

What does God think of our Game of Thrones culture? Ezekiel 16 is an extended parable in which Israel is an abandoned young woman whom God rescues and clothes. As a result, the Lord says to his people, "Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD." (vs. 13-14).

How did Israel respond? "But thou didst trust in thine own beauty" rather than the One who bestowed it (v. 15). The people engaged in all manner of sexual immorality, proud of their licentiousness when they should have been ashamed of their decadence.

And their lust was never satisfied (v. 29). Rather, it enslaved them and forced God to bring judgment against their nation: "You bear the penalty of your lewdness and your abominations, declares the Lord" (v. 58). Israel's destruction at the hands of the Babylonian Empire was the result.

But that was twenty-six centuries ago. Does Ezekiel 16 [have application for] America today? "If any nation will not listen, then I will utterly pluck it up and destroy it, declares the Lord" (Jeremiah:12:17But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the LORD.
See All...). "Any nation," at any time. 

As God saw Israel's sins, so he sees ours: "The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man" (Psalm:33:13The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
See All...). God demands that we "flee from sexual immorality" (1 Corinthians:6:18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
See All...). The Lord warns that "he who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself" (Proverbs:6:32But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
See All...). He instructs Christians: "Sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints" (Ephesians:5:3But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
See All...).

Game of Thrones is so popular because the sexual immorality it exhibits is so popular. What is our only remedy?

"Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him" (Psalm:33:8Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
See All...). Why? Because "Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy" (v. 18). In short, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD" (v. 12).

http://www.christianheadlines.com/columnists/denison-forum/what-game-of-thrones-says-about-america.html