Easter is upon us and it is going to be tough for me to take some pulpit time to address the recently popular books and movie called, “Hunger Games” but I feel that I should at least share some thoughts about it from my perspective. Let me say at the outset that I have not seen this movie and don’t intend to do so. I have been doing some reading about it and have heard some mixed reviews and have seen a few previews for the film at different times.

The movie is set in futuristic America where the country has been divided up into twelve districts. As punishment for the districts’ rebellion attempt years earlier, the Capitol holds an annual televised event called The Hunger Games. Each district must draw the names of a boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18. These 24 youths become contestants (called “tributes”), who must fight to the death in a vast arena created by the Capitol Gamemakers. The lone survivor returns home to wealth and fame. I would recommend you read the review of the book upon which the movie is based here.

I will be honest and tell you that it is bothersome to me that very few believers have problems with this movie. This is a movie and a book directed at kids ages 13 and up and is about kids killing kids and it seems like great entertainment. This movie is expected to gross over 150 million dollars. Christians everywhere will be going out and seeing the movie and reading the books and will think nothing of it. Yet, for the past month we have national headlines about a teenager being shot in Florida and we are hearing about it non-stop. Where is the disconnect here??

Notice what Paul writes in Romans 1:28-32, And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

The Greek word translated “depraved” or “reprobate” mind in verse 28 really has a range of meanings, one of which is “useless.” It is when have a brain and can no longer us it do determine the right kind of choice to make. The United States is becoming more and more of a Romans 1 society and these sorts of things prove it! We can have a child get killed in Florida and across our nation with violent behavior and be up in arms about it while at the same time paying tons and tons of money to watch kids killing each other in a movie theater and call it entertainment. It is like the coliseums in Paul’s day where people would go to be entertained first by the gladiators killing one another and then to later watch Christians be killed and eaten by lions. They called this entertainment and the Roman empire didn’t last much longer after that! I fear that the United States is walking in very same footsteps as the Roman Empire did and our fate will soon be upon us!

Folks, I had to share my heart about this sort of thing. It is not the sort of thing that ought to be present in our homes and our lifestyles. This is not proper entertainment. It is debauchery of the highest degree and ought not have a part in any of our lives. I would plead with you not to support this movie or these books in any way. Feel free to contact me if you have further questions about this. I am praying for you and close with the familiar exhortation from Paul:

Ephesians 5:6-12—Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret