It continually amazes me as to what we, as Christians, will listen too. The radio (satellite, Internet, or old fashion FM/AM) plays on in the background all day long. Start the car, click on the music. Read a book, ear buds in...ahhh...now I can concentrate. And what are we listening to? rock, pop, country, jazz...it doesn't matter. Most of the time, it's just background noise...noise with a rhythm or beat or melody I like. I hear it but I don't really listen to most of it until one of my favorites come on or something new that catches my attention. BUT IT DOES MATTER.
What we put in our minds impacts our very soul.
Why do you think God had the Israelites put his word everywhere...on the fence post, door frames, etc...God didn't tell them to stop each time they passed those words and read every one. No, God designed our minds to absorb what's put in front of it everyday. Advertising firms invest millions every year because they believe it works. Sales are driven more by the subliminal...the feeling...the impression...than the actual claims made during commercial. Satan is no dummy and he can be so subtle.
Take a moment sometime and look at the lyrics of the top playing song in just about any genre. What is being sold by the music? Your mind is already open to accept the message of the music because you like the style music you're playing. Classic conditioning technique...take something you like and tie it to a behavior or command. I wonder how much we have already been "conditioned"
Try an experiment. Make the commitment to NOT listen to any song that includes a reference to sex outside of marriage, drugs, alcohol consumption, smoking or tobacco use, rude/crude/obscene language, or swear/curse words on any kind. If you hear any of those things, change the channel, turn it down, or turn it off. This includes the commercials or DJ chit chat. Sometimes what happens between songs is ten times worse than the songs lyrics. How many songs in a row do you think you could make it all the way through? 10? 5? 3? maybe not even 1? Try it...I double dog dare you! Then ask yourself...do I really think it has no impact on me?
Try something really outrageous...and just leave it off for a while. Miss it much? Feel the urge to turn it on? I wonder...naw...I'm okay...?