The (YFC-Illinois) Word Shout Essays


		"do you ever wonder why this music gets you high it takes you on a ride? this must be pop!" - "dirty pop" by n'sync it is very true that this new culture that has emerged from today's generation is very different, yet it is very catchy as well. today's culture, to the youth who faithfully support it, is like a train wreck -- one cannot help but draw their attention to it. but one must remember that just as God works in many ways, so does the devil. media and entertainment have become two of the devil's most successful playing fields. in today's generation of digital cable, satellite tvs and mp3s, media and entertainment reaches out to virtually every person in this country. i think the devil has taken advantage of this technology. today's youth are up to date with who was the Weakest Link in last night's episode, which Backstreet Boy became an alcoholic, and what new single Puff Daddy has come out with. entertainment and media has drilled their ways into the lives of the youth and plays a big role in the youth's everyday lives. one can surely see the big opportunity the devil has in his hands. today's society is numb to such graphic violence, explicit sex, and countless hate crimes. it has come to a point where society perceives rape, divorce, murder and abortion to be essential in today's world. in this way, some may see that the devil has become successful in his plot to use media and entertainment to reach people. he may have been successful, but the battle is not over. just as the devil uses media and entertainment, God has this same chance as well. in the philippines, cfc youth for Christ have their own tv shows. they use the devil's own weapons against him. these tv shows present today's society problems, but present resolutions that are reasonable and just. these shows have helped viewers deal with their problems and have touched many lives. so as one can see, it is possible to use the media to change lives for the better. who's to say that this is not possible in this country? the youth of today are not aware that they have voices, and they can be heard. we need to take advantage of this by standing up to government agencies such as the federal communications commission (FCC) and open their eyes to such morally wrong acts on the air, radio waves, and the movies. at work one day, i had to read emails sent by everyday people to the FCC, presenting their concerns about certain censorship issues. voices are being heard. it is a right that we were granted in this country that we need to utilize. the theme of this conference is "shout." if every cfc youth for Christ member makes small steps toward resolving this problem, we can open people's eyes. if unified and with God's help, we can move mountains. lloyd guerra, 18 maryland/virginia first place winner