Join us today on
Issues and Answers
00:00:01.36\00:00:02.83
as we discuss
00:00:02.86\00:00:04.20
how media has become
the drug of choice for many.
00:00:04.23\00:00:07.97
Hi, I'm Shelley Quinn
00:00:40.17\00:00:41.50
and we're so glad that
you've joined us again today
00:00:41.54\00:00:43.71
for Issues and Answers.
00:00:43.74\00:00:45.14
We're going to be
discussing the topic of media
00:00:45.17\00:00:49.78
and how it
impacts mental health.
00:00:49.81\00:00:52.65
And returning
with us today is pastor
00:00:52.68\00:00:56.05
and I should also
add Dr. Octavian Poenaru.
00:00:56.08\00:01:01.29
Octavian, I'm just going
to, since that's easier to say.
00:01:01.32\00:01:04.99
I'm always
amazed at your humility.
00:01:05.03\00:01:09.53
So many people
who have a doctorate
00:01:09.56\00:01:11.87
want to insist
that they be introduced,
00:01:11.90\00:01:14.57
and I forget that you do
00:01:14.60\00:01:16.37
because you've so
rarely discussed that
00:01:16.40\00:01:18.14
but you have a doctorate
at ministry in family health.
00:01:18.17\00:01:21.31
In family life. In
family life, excuse me.
00:01:21.34\00:01:23.78
And you're also a pastor
00:01:23.81\00:01:26.01
for the Colville Washington
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:01:26.05\00:01:30.45
and your second one is...
00:01:30.49\00:01:32.95
Ione. Ione, okay.
00:01:32.99\00:01:34.82
It's a beautiful place
where the river flows north.
00:01:34.86\00:01:38.59
Yes. We'll have to come visit.
00:01:38.63\00:01:40.63
Well, we're very thankful
that you're joining us again.
00:01:40.66\00:01:43.83
We're talking about
the battle for the mind,
00:01:43.87\00:01:47.90
and what Dr. Poenaru
has been sharing with us
00:01:47.94\00:01:51.71
is how media
affects us spiritually,
00:01:51.74\00:01:56.71
how it affects family life.
00:01:56.75\00:01:58.88
And today we're
really going to talk about
00:01:58.91\00:02:01.35
the addictive nature of media
00:02:01.38\00:02:03.79
and what the negative impacts
it is having on our lives.
00:02:03.82\00:02:07.36
Yes.
00:02:07.39\00:02:08.72
Well, and the by the way
you can call me Octavian,
00:02:08.76\00:02:10.13
I feel much more comfortable.
00:02:10.16\00:02:11.49
Okay, I'll call you
Octavian. Okay, that's better.
00:02:11.53\00:02:13.50
Good.
00:02:13.53\00:02:14.90
Yeah, well, let
me read the passage
00:02:14.93\00:02:16.26
from the Bible first.
00:02:16.30\00:02:17.63
All right.
00:02:17.67\00:02:19.00
It's in 1
Corinthians 6:19 and 20
00:02:19.03\00:02:24.27
and it says, "Or do you not know
00:02:24.31\00:02:26.94
that your body is the
temple of the Holy Spirit
00:02:26.98\00:02:31.45
who is in you,
whom you have from God,
00:02:31.48\00:02:35.42
and you are not your own?"
00:02:35.45\00:02:37.95
With the emphasis
you're not your own.
00:02:37.99\00:02:40.42
Why?
00:02:40.46\00:02:41.79
"For you were bought at a price,
00:02:41.82\00:02:44.16
therefore
glorify God in your body
00:02:44.19\00:02:46.66
and in your
spirit, which are God's."
00:02:46.70\00:02:49.26
I think it's a very,
very profound Bible passage
00:02:49.30\00:02:54.97
and concept that actually
00:02:55.00\00:02:58.11
all we are mind, soul,
and body, they belong to God.
00:02:58.14\00:03:02.74
And I think we
forget this often and...
00:03:02.78\00:03:05.45
I agree.
00:03:05.48\00:03:06.82
We get busy with life,
and we do this and we do that,
00:03:06.85\00:03:08.42
and we forget that
actually everything we are in
00:03:08.45\00:03:10.59
and have belongs to God
and it's for Him and from Him.
00:03:10.62\00:03:13.96
Yes, amen. Amen.
00:03:13.99\00:03:16.22
So what are your
main concerns about media
00:03:16.26\00:03:23.16
and how it is
circumventing this passage?
00:03:23.20\00:03:29.00
Well, let me
begin with the story.
00:03:29.04\00:03:30.47
It was in the media
about two years ago.
00:03:30.51\00:03:33.61
This young boy, probably
he was 16 or 17 comes home,
00:03:33.64\00:03:37.05
happens in China.
00:03:37.08\00:03:38.61
The boy comes home
00:03:38.65\00:03:39.98
and his mother
saw him with an iPad 2
00:03:40.02\00:03:45.45
and with a cell
phone and she says,
00:03:45.49\00:03:46.92
where do you have this from?
00:03:46.96\00:03:48.29
Says, well, he goes around
00:03:48.32\00:03:49.66
and tell something about to her.
00:03:49.69\00:03:51.09
The mother pushes him and says,
00:03:51.13\00:03:52.66
well, you need to tell me
where did you get them from?
00:03:52.69\00:03:54.33
Where did you get the money
00:03:54.36\00:03:55.70
because we do not
have this kind of money.
00:03:55.73\00:03:58.80
The boy confessed that actually
he got in touch with someone,
00:03:58.83\00:04:01.80
I think on internet and
he sold one of his kidneys
00:04:01.84\00:04:05.47
to buy to get the money
and buy an iPad and the phone.
00:04:05.51\00:04:11.01
And the mother, the operation
had already taken place.
00:04:11.05\00:04:13.58
Yes, everything. And
mother was just finding...
00:04:13.62\00:04:15.98
Yeah, things
happened, he sold his kidney
00:04:16.02\00:04:20.46
one of this online
transactions he found someone,
00:04:20.49\00:04:22.72
did the surgery, got the money
00:04:22.76\00:04:24.69
and probably the guy
disappear with the kidney,
00:04:24.73\00:04:26.90
which was
probably sold for who knows
00:04:26.93\00:04:29.70
how many times of
thousands of dollars.
00:04:29.73\00:04:32.87
And this is just
probably one of the stories.
00:04:32.90\00:04:36.10
In a sense it
relates to media and health.
00:04:36.14\00:04:40.58
And you may think
this is an extreme case.
00:04:40.61\00:04:42.51
Yes, it is an extreme case.
00:04:42.54\00:04:44.78
But I think this extreme case
00:04:44.81\00:04:46.75
it's relevant and
tells us something.
00:04:46.78\00:04:49.18
It tells me how much
people are willing to sell
00:04:49.22\00:04:54.82
to get access to media.
00:04:54.86\00:04:56.62
Yes.
00:04:56.66\00:04:58.83
More common is when you
think of how many people
00:04:58.86\00:05:04.17
spend very
precious hours of sleep
00:05:04.20\00:05:08.20
and they spend hours in
watching movies or games
00:05:08.24\00:05:12.07
or entertainment media,
00:05:12.11\00:05:15.44
the whole night
or half of the night,
00:05:15.48\00:05:16.81
and the next day
00:05:16.85\00:05:18.18
they're very
tired and exhausted.
00:05:18.21\00:05:19.55
I remember talking to
a lady once, to a mother,
00:05:19.58\00:05:23.95
and I ask where
are the children?
00:05:23.99\00:05:29.52
And she says, oh, by the way
00:05:29.56\00:05:30.99
their friends
stayed them at our home
00:05:31.03\00:05:34.53
and they play computer games
until very late in the morning,
00:05:34.56\00:05:39.37
meaning the whole night
almost and they've gone to bed.
00:05:39.40\00:05:44.64
Then they spend the whole
night playing computer games.
00:05:44.67\00:05:48.64
It is common among
the younger population
00:05:48.68\00:05:52.05
and not only to have
people spending hours,
00:05:52.08\00:05:55.25
very precious hours with media.
00:05:55.28\00:06:00.56
And it happened to me.
00:06:00.59\00:06:01.92
I remember the first
time when I got my computer,
00:06:01.96\00:06:04.63
it was in 1997
00:06:04.66\00:06:07.23
and it was a gift
someone from United States.
00:06:07.26\00:06:10.43
At that time some
friends from United States
00:06:10.47\00:06:13.44
they found the computer,
00:06:13.47\00:06:15.10
they bought it for
us and they send it,
00:06:15.14\00:06:16.67
it was a used computer.
00:06:16.71\00:06:18.04
Had a worthy programs on
it and one of them guess was,
00:06:18.07\00:06:20.98
it was a computer game.
00:06:21.01\00:06:23.14
And even I'm mature and adult
00:06:23.18\00:06:26.21
but I'm curious and
it was something new,
00:06:26.25\00:06:29.68
and I said oh,
let me see let me say
00:06:29.72\00:06:31.19
what's the
story about this tool.
00:06:31.22\00:06:34.09
And I try to explore, well,
I found this computer game.
00:06:34.12\00:06:37.09
I said, let's see how is it.
00:06:37.13\00:06:39.49
And I remember, it was one
of the evenings again evenings.
00:06:39.53\00:06:43.77
And I just said, let me
see, let me see how is it.
00:06:43.80\00:06:47.00
I said in my
mind probably it was,
00:06:47.04\00:06:48.77
this is going to
be a five minutes,
00:06:48.80\00:06:50.14
ten minutes thing.
00:06:50.17\00:06:52.71
I probably, I remember it
was 1 o'clock in the morning
00:06:52.74\00:06:57.01
or more than 1
o'clock in the morning,
00:06:57.05\00:06:58.41
when I finally stopped,
00:06:58.45\00:07:00.92
and I said, what I'm doing here?
00:07:00.95\00:07:02.72
I have had the
exact same experience
00:07:02.75\00:07:04.85
while I was
writing a book for the Lord
00:07:04.89\00:07:07.29
and I write 12 hours a day,
00:07:07.32\00:07:09.12
then just to
kind of clear my mind,
00:07:09.16\00:07:11.39
I would play this
little game called FreeCell.
00:07:11.43\00:07:14.56
And I think, okay,
00:07:14.60\00:07:15.93
I'm only going
to play two games,
00:07:15.96\00:07:17.80
and then
sometimes it would be hours
00:07:17.83\00:07:20.07
that pass and I
took it off my computer
00:07:20.10\00:07:22.00
because it was so addictive.
00:07:22.04\00:07:23.91
You're right.
00:07:23.94\00:07:25.27
I did the same thing I
deleted, next day I deleted it.
00:07:25.31\00:07:29.81
Then I want to
remind our viewers again
00:07:29.84\00:07:34.28
about these
strategies that I believe
00:07:34.32\00:07:36.28
that devil uses to
conquer the mind, music, movies,
00:07:36.32\00:07:42.89
social media, shows, sports,
00:07:42.92\00:07:44.83
computer games,
pornography and gambling.
00:07:44.86\00:07:47.16
They all these are strategies
00:07:47.20\00:07:48.80
and they definitely use
the electronics the media,
00:07:48.83\00:07:51.17
the electronic media
to conquer our minds.
00:07:51.20\00:07:55.44
Probably the first,
00:07:55.47\00:07:57.07
there are three major concerns
00:07:57.11\00:07:58.44
I would like to
address this morning.
00:07:58.47\00:08:00.08
Sure.
00:08:00.11\00:08:01.81
Number one is the
addictive nature of media.
00:08:01.84\00:08:03.71
Number two is
body image and media.
00:08:03.75\00:08:06.72
And number three,
depression and media.
00:08:06.75\00:08:10.69
Again, if you look
at all these strategies
00:08:10.72\00:08:13.79
the devil wants to use music,
movies, social media, shows,
00:08:13.82\00:08:18.93
sports, computer
games, pornography, gambling,
00:08:18.96\00:08:21.23
all of them have an
addictive nature in themselves.
00:08:21.26\00:08:25.00
We've heard stories of people
00:08:25.03\00:08:29.30
gambling for hours and
hours or playing computer games
00:08:29.34\00:08:33.14
for hours and hours and
hours and actually using diapers
00:08:33.17\00:08:36.91
because they didn't
want to go to the restroom
00:08:36.95\00:08:39.55
just to be there and
not to be interrupted.
00:08:39.58\00:08:43.25
I don't know if you have
ever been an addict to media,
00:08:43.28\00:08:48.49
I would probably consider
myself at one point in my life
00:08:48.52\00:08:50.86
being addictive to media
00:08:50.89\00:08:52.23
because I remember
watching the movie,
00:08:52.26\00:08:55.50
you couldn't take
me from the screen.
00:08:55.53\00:08:57.73
You couldn't talk to me
about anything else not only,
00:08:57.77\00:09:00.90
but I remember
knowing the whole program
00:09:00.94\00:09:02.44
for the whole week.
00:09:02.47\00:09:03.81
I knew which
movie is going to be
00:09:03.84\00:09:05.17
when and what
time and everything,
00:09:05.21\00:09:06.91
then you schedule your life
around those movies and shows.
00:09:06.94\00:09:10.45
And I know of other people,
00:09:10.48\00:09:13.48
I remember one day visiting
00:09:13.52\00:09:14.88
and this is back
home in Romania years ago.
00:09:14.92\00:09:18.12
And I visited this
00:09:18.15\00:09:19.89
and I'm very transparent
with saying some of the things.
00:09:19.92\00:09:23.49
Visiting the home of
one of my church elders
00:09:23.53\00:09:25.29
and his wife, a wonderful lady,
00:09:25.33\00:09:27.50
and it was in the
middle of the day.
00:09:27.53\00:09:30.27
And I was looking
actually for her husband
00:09:30.30\00:09:31.80
and I knock at the door
and I said, well, hello,
00:09:31.83\00:09:36.30
I'm sorry to interrupt,
I'm looking for so and so
00:09:36.34\00:09:39.77
and your husband says yes,
00:09:39.81\00:09:41.61
I'll find him
quickly but this is my time
00:09:41.64\00:09:44.05
and I don't want
to be interrupted.
00:09:44.08\00:09:45.95
This is my only time in the week
00:09:45.98\00:09:48.08
when I don't want
to be interrupted.
00:09:48.12\00:09:49.45
It was a show everyday
3:30 pm or something like this.
00:09:49.48\00:09:53.79
And that was her time
00:09:53.82\00:09:55.16
and nobody was supposed to
interrupt her at that time.
00:09:55.19\00:10:00.40
I have my sister was
addicted to soap operas.
00:10:00.43\00:10:04.27
Yeah.
00:10:04.30\00:10:05.63
And she would not
let anything interrupt
00:10:05.67\00:10:08.20
the time with soap operas.
00:10:08.24\00:10:09.70
How addiction works actually,
00:10:09.74\00:10:12.67
and I came up
with this statement
00:10:12.71\00:10:15.34
which I hope
reflects how addiction works.
00:10:15.38\00:10:17.88
It comes as a pleasant guest
and ends up as a cruel master.
00:10:17.91\00:10:23.08
Yes.
00:10:23.12\00:10:24.45
Then it comes as a
pleasant guest in the beginning.
00:10:24.49\00:10:28.12
We know that all the
addictions works this way.
00:10:28.16\00:10:30.83
In the beginning it's curiosity,
00:10:30.86\00:10:32.69
just a little bit of
excitement or pleasure.
00:10:32.73\00:10:34.86
It comes as a pleasant guest,
00:10:34.90\00:10:36.40
it ends up as being
a very cruel master.
00:10:36.43\00:10:41.64
In the National...
00:10:41.67\00:10:44.51
In the journal
for National Institute
00:10:44.54\00:10:45.97
of Drug Abuse, they give a few,
00:10:46.01\00:10:50.01
a short description
about how drugs actually work.
00:10:50.05\00:10:53.68
And they said
speaking about chemical drugs,
00:10:53.72\00:10:56.89
they say that
the drugs interfere
00:10:56.92\00:10:58.69
where the nerves
communicate between themselves.
00:10:58.72\00:11:02.66
All the drugs of abuse
target the brains toward system
00:11:02.69\00:11:07.80
by flooding the circuit
with chemical dopamine means,
00:11:07.83\00:11:11.93
all these drugs at the beginning
00:11:11.97\00:11:13.60
makes you feel good
and experience pleasure,
00:11:13.64\00:11:15.90
that's why we want to do it.
00:11:15.94\00:11:17.74
And then, but in
case of the chemical drugs
00:11:17.77\00:11:21.94
they release between two
to ten times more dopamine
00:11:21.98\00:11:26.58
than actually the
natural experiences of pleasure.
00:11:26.61\00:11:30.45
For example, when you do ski
we experience ski when you go
00:11:30.49\00:11:34.82
and breathe the fresh
air and see the blue sky,
00:11:34.86\00:11:37.49
and the speed and everything.
00:11:37.53\00:11:39.76
You enjoy certain
degree of pleasure.
00:11:39.79\00:11:41.96
When we eat an apple
00:11:42.00\00:11:43.93
or something which
is healthy and good,
00:11:43.97\00:11:46.03
you enjoy there are
supposed to be joy and pleasure
00:11:46.07\00:11:49.04
in a lot of things,
God has given them to us.
00:11:49.07\00:11:52.17
But the drugs go beyond that
00:11:52.21\00:11:55.34
because they as I'm
saying they weren't based on
00:11:55.38\00:12:00.02
increase levels of
dopamine in the brain.
00:12:00.05\00:12:02.55
And then isn't it true that
00:12:02.58\00:12:04.55
at least what I've
heard from addicts is that
00:12:04.59\00:12:06.86
once you've had a certain high
00:12:06.89\00:12:08.96
that increase level of dopamine,
00:12:08.99\00:12:10.73
you're never going
to experience it again,
00:12:10.76\00:12:13.36
you keep chasing it...
00:12:13.40\00:12:15.20
But there is a
diminishing return.
00:12:15.23\00:12:17.03
Right, it works like,
00:12:17.07\00:12:18.93
indeed it works
like a set of steps,
00:12:18.97\00:12:22.44
you reach a certain
point of excitement about that,
00:12:22.47\00:12:25.51
but then in order to
experience pleasure again,
00:12:25.54\00:12:27.78
you have to go
to the next level,
00:12:27.81\00:12:29.44
and experience a
certain degree of pleasure
00:12:29.48\00:12:31.11
in order to have the
same level of excitement
00:12:31.15\00:12:34.08
you have to go to another level,
00:12:34.12\00:12:35.85
or you have to
increase the dose of whatever
00:12:35.88\00:12:39.62
the nature of the drug is.
00:12:39.65\00:12:41.29
Can I read a scripture
here? Sure, absolutely.
00:12:41.32\00:12:43.96
it's talking about,
00:12:43.99\00:12:47.46
"Moses how he chose
rather to suffer affliction
00:12:47.50\00:12:50.47
with the people of
God rather than to enjoy
00:12:50.50\00:12:53.54
the passing pleasures of sin."
00:12:53.57\00:12:57.17
So the Bible doesn't deny
the fact that what you had said
00:12:57.21\00:13:00.88
that it shows up
as a pleasant guest,
00:13:00.91\00:13:03.61
but it ends up then being...
00:13:03.65\00:13:06.35
It's a passing pleasure,
00:13:06.38\00:13:08.02
it ends up being
a cruel taskmaster.
00:13:08.05\00:13:10.55
Yes, it's.
00:13:10.59\00:13:11.92
And basically what happens,
I've never heard of anybody
00:13:11.95\00:13:15.72
being addicted to
apples and to carrots.
00:13:15.76\00:13:19.09
When it's
something which is healthy
00:13:19.13\00:13:21.90
taken in moderation,
following, I would say
00:13:21.93\00:13:25.47
the natural laws
given to us by God,
00:13:25.50\00:13:27.17
we can enjoy them.
00:13:27.20\00:13:28.80
And you have
this joy and pleasure
00:13:28.84\00:13:31.97
but in the same time,
00:13:32.01\00:13:33.41
it gives you freedom
to choose every time,
00:13:33.44\00:13:35.58
you keep your freedom.
00:13:35.61\00:13:38.55
Anything that's
unhealthy and it's abused
00:13:38.58\00:13:43.59
leads to the point
of losing your freedom,
00:13:43.62\00:13:46.76
and takes when once
you come to that point
00:13:46.79\00:13:49.59
you lose your
freedom and you actually,
00:13:49.62\00:13:51.96
you become a slave
and becomes a torture.
00:13:51.99\00:13:55.76
I was talking
recently with someone
00:13:55.80\00:13:57.47
that has been in
drugs and because of drugs,
00:13:57.50\00:14:00.60
they, both him and his wife,
00:14:00.64\00:14:02.04
they lost a wonderful apartment,
00:14:02.07\00:14:04.31
of half million apartment,
00:14:04.34\00:14:05.71
a very good job
lost expensive cars,
00:14:05.74\00:14:10.05
lost everything
ended up as homeless.
00:14:10.08\00:14:13.35
And I was talking to him
about the whole experience
00:14:13.38\00:14:15.95
and he said, Octavian,
00:14:15.98\00:14:17.55
what people don't understand
00:14:17.59\00:14:18.92
is that when you
become a dug addict,
00:14:18.95\00:14:21.62
the only way you
can function actually
00:14:21.66\00:14:23.63
is when you are under
the influence of the drugs.
00:14:23.66\00:14:26.59
Then you have to take the
drugs to be able to function,
00:14:26.63\00:14:30.03
to be able to act normally,
00:14:30.07\00:14:32.13
you have to be actually under
the influence of the drugs.
00:14:32.17\00:14:34.67
At least that's what he said.
00:14:34.70\00:14:37.37
And he said, when
you're not with the drugs,
00:14:37.41\00:14:39.91
then you are
agitated, you're angry,
00:14:39.94\00:14:41.78
and you want to do everything
possible to get your dose.
00:14:41.81\00:14:46.45
It's very
interesting again because...
00:14:46.48\00:14:48.88
Well, some people
like that about sports...
00:14:48.92\00:14:51.05
Yeah, well, Dr. Norman Herr,
00:14:51.09\00:14:56.49
he is a professor
00:14:56.52\00:14:58.73
of the
California State University,
00:14:58.76\00:15:00.33
he describes the
dependency symptoms,
00:15:00.36\00:15:05.30
and he says if you
have three of them,
00:15:05.33\00:15:08.14
you can classify yourself
as being addicted, three only.
00:15:08.17\00:15:11.57
And he says for example
00:15:11.61\00:15:13.14
and he speaks about
using the television.
00:15:13.17\00:15:15.61
Using TV as a sedative,
00:15:15.64\00:15:18.35
means that you
have a stressful day,
00:15:18.38\00:15:20.95
busy day, you come
home and the thing you do,
00:15:20.98\00:15:25.59
you just collapse on
your couch and turn the TV on,
00:15:25.62\00:15:29.86
just to take your mind away
00:15:29.89\00:15:31.43
and just using it as
a sedative which is...
00:15:31.46\00:15:34.83
A lot of people do.
00:15:34.86\00:15:36.20
Yeah, then...
00:15:36.23\00:15:38.43
And that's the first thing,
00:15:38.47\00:15:39.80
we have to pay
attention to that,
00:15:39.83\00:15:41.47
instead of doing that probably
we should go for a walk,
00:15:41.50\00:15:43.91
talk to our
children or do something else
00:15:43.94\00:15:46.07
which is healthy and creative.
00:15:46.11\00:15:49.84
Secondly he says using
an indiscriminant viewing.
00:15:49.88\00:15:54.28
Basically you
watch ever whatever.
00:15:54.32\00:15:56.99
Third is losing
control over while.
00:15:57.02\00:16:00.36
Feeling lost of
control while you're viewing.
00:16:00.39\00:16:03.39
At one point I
guess you watch that
00:16:03.43\00:16:07.13
and you realize that you
can stop, you like to stop,
00:16:07.16\00:16:11.27
you realize it's
late or you realize that
00:16:11.30\00:16:13.47
you have something
else to do, but you can't.
00:16:13.50\00:16:16.74
You want to see
this movie being over,
00:16:16.77\00:16:19.47
or you want to do
this and finish the game,
00:16:19.51\00:16:21.54
or you want to
do something else.
00:16:21.58\00:16:22.91
It's kind of
like you've invested
00:16:22.94\00:16:24.35
certain amount of
interest and time in it,
00:16:24.38\00:16:27.02
and so you feel
like you're cheated
00:16:27.05\00:16:28.92
if you don't go
clear to the end,
00:16:28.95\00:16:30.72
I have experienced that myself.
00:16:30.75\00:16:32.42
Yeah.
00:16:32.45\00:16:33.79
Then point number
four is feeling angry
00:16:33.82\00:16:35.82
with oneself for
watching too much.
00:16:35.86\00:16:38.53
Then these are signals,
signs of actually drifting
00:16:38.56\00:16:42.66
into an addictive
pattern or dependency symptoms.
00:16:42.70\00:16:47.24
Inability to
stop while watching,
00:16:47.27\00:16:49.27
and the last one
feeling miserable
00:16:49.30\00:16:52.17
when kept from watching.
00:16:52.21\00:16:56.04
Internet addiction has
not being fully established
00:16:56.08\00:17:00.72
to being an addiction
but as far as I'm concerned,
00:17:00.75\00:17:04.35
I think it has all the
components or the traits
00:17:04.39\00:17:08.59
of an addictive behavior,
00:17:08.62\00:17:12.79
it's called actually
internet addiction disorder.
00:17:12.83\00:17:16.16
Again it's not in the books,
but I believe a lot of people
00:17:16.20\00:17:19.27
actually have the symptoms
of functioning of as an addict.
00:17:19.30\00:17:25.04
And the interesting thing...
00:17:25.07\00:17:26.71
It was such a shocking story
00:17:26.74\00:17:28.08
about the young Chinese
boy who sold his kidney,
00:17:28.11\00:17:30.61
but when you think
about it time is life,
00:17:30.65\00:17:33.25
so how you invest your time
is how you invest your life,
00:17:33.28\00:17:37.22
and people are
making a huge investment,
00:17:37.25\00:17:39.72
they're swapping their
time to sit in front of the TV
00:17:39.75\00:17:43.73
just like he swapped the
kidney to get these things.
00:17:43.76\00:17:45.63
Yeah.
00:17:45.66\00:17:47.00
The second concern I
would mention this morning
00:17:47.03\00:17:48.90
or today is the body image.
00:17:48.93\00:17:54.04
Both men and women being
exposed to so much media,
00:17:54.07\00:17:59.11
advertisement, movies,
shows then in our minds,
00:17:59.14\00:18:03.01
especially in
the western countries
00:18:03.04\00:18:04.48
we have came up with an
idea that specially women,
00:18:04.51\00:18:08.65
you have to
look in a certain way
00:18:08.68\00:18:10.69
and you have to be certain way
00:18:10.72\00:18:12.55
in order to fit in
the culture you're living.
00:18:12.59\00:18:15.82
I like to read one Bible passage
00:18:15.86\00:18:18.29
which I think it's significant,
it's in Romans 12:1 and 2,
00:18:18.33\00:18:22.90
"I beseech you
therefore, brethren,
00:18:22.93\00:18:24.63
by the mercies of God,
00:18:24.67\00:18:26.20
that you present your bodies
as a living sacrifice, holy,
00:18:26.23\00:18:30.07
acceptable to God,
00:18:30.11\00:18:31.51
which is your
reasonable service.
00:18:31.54\00:18:33.64
Do not be
conformed to this world,
00:18:33.68\00:18:38.91
but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind,
00:18:38.95\00:18:42.02
that you may prove
00:18:42.05\00:18:43.55
what is that good and acceptable
00:18:43.59\00:18:46.12
and perfect will of God."
00:18:46.15\00:18:49.22
Body image, it was in the 1960
00:18:49.26\00:18:52.23
when this lady Jean Kilbourne
00:18:52.26\00:18:56.16
begin to
explore the relationship
00:18:56.20\00:18:57.60
between media and
public health issues.
00:18:57.63\00:19:00.14
And then she spoke in many,
00:19:00.17\00:19:02.54
many probably in
half of the colleges
00:19:02.57\00:19:03.94
and
universities in United States
00:19:03.97\00:19:05.31
about this topic, body
image and media relationship.
00:19:05.34\00:19:09.18
And in '79, 1979
00:19:09.21\00:19:11.98
she wrote this
Killing Us Softly,
00:19:12.01\00:19:16.52
and I don't know
if you've seen that
00:19:16.55\00:19:19.35
and it's about
advertising the image of women
00:19:19.39\00:19:23.56
in the advertisement industry.
00:19:23.59\00:19:26.90
Then she
repeatedly did the same thing
00:19:26.93\00:19:28.86
ten years or nine years later,
00:19:28.90\00:19:31.13
in 1987 Still Killing Us Softly.
00:19:31.17\00:19:35.64
In 1999 Killing Us
Softly number three.
00:19:35.67\00:19:38.91
In 2010 Killing Us
Softly number four.
00:19:38.94\00:19:42.54
Then she sees that
actually things didn't change,
00:19:42.58\00:19:45.25
not only they didn't
changed for the good,
00:19:45.28\00:19:46.68
they changed for the worse.
00:19:46.72\00:19:48.12
Right.
00:19:48.15\00:19:49.48
Especially now that
things can be airbrushed
00:19:49.52\00:19:52.52
in what's being
presented to people
00:19:52.55\00:19:55.06
is totally an unrealistic image,
00:19:55.09\00:19:58.99
you know, it
doesn't even, sometimes,
00:19:59.03\00:20:01.43
I've heard and
read where models say,
00:20:01.46\00:20:04.13
I didn't even
recognize myself from my body
00:20:04.17\00:20:06.53
by the time they finished that.
00:20:06.57\00:20:07.90
Because you mention
this, there is this,
00:20:07.94\00:20:09.84
it was this very short video,
00:20:09.87\00:20:12.17
very short film under
the title Creation Dove.
00:20:12.21\00:20:17.91
You can Google
that, find it on YouTube,
00:20:17.95\00:20:19.88
Creation Dove and it's a
minute and 41 seconds I think
00:20:19.91\00:20:22.62
it's a very short clip,
where they took this lady,
00:20:22.65\00:20:26.49
it was part of a staff, it
was a common person like we.
00:20:26.52\00:20:30.29
And they do the whole
changing, they change it to that
00:20:30.33\00:20:34.83
she became a what we
call a gorgeous women.
00:20:34.86\00:20:39.07
Glamorous.
00:20:39.10\00:20:40.44
Yeah, and did all kind of makeup
00:20:40.47\00:20:43.00
and then computer
changed the nose and the eyes
00:20:43.04\00:20:45.87
and the height of her neck
and everything and she became,
00:20:45.91\00:20:50.45
basically she
became another person.
00:20:50.48\00:20:52.95
Well, they do that
with a lot of images
00:20:52.98\00:20:55.02
we see in the media on...
00:20:55.05\00:20:58.45
At the end of this
very short clip they had is,
00:20:58.49\00:21:01.69
I think very truthful
sentence which they say,
00:21:01.72\00:21:03.83
"No wonder our perception
of beauty is distorted."
00:21:03.86\00:21:07.96
Our perception of
beauty has been distorted.
00:21:08.00\00:21:11.67
I think we have been
culturally conditioned
00:21:11.70\00:21:13.94
in the way we look at the women
00:21:13.97\00:21:15.80
as even including
the our perception
00:21:15.84\00:21:18.67
about what a women should be.
00:21:18.71\00:21:20.68
Its probably about,
it's equally valid with men,
00:21:20.71\00:21:24.15
but I think it's
more about the women
00:21:24.18\00:21:25.75
because in the
advertisement industry
00:21:25.78\00:21:29.08
if they sell a pair of tires,
00:21:29.12\00:21:32.92
guess what's next
to the pair of tires,
00:21:32.95\00:21:35.12
it's a sexy woman.
00:21:35.16\00:21:36.86
If they sell a pair of
boots, guess who wears them?
00:21:36.89\00:21:39.69
If they're selling a
hamburger or something...
00:21:39.73\00:21:41.70
Right.
00:21:41.73\00:21:43.06
They're using sex
to sell everything.
00:21:43.10\00:21:44.43
Right.
00:21:44.47\00:21:45.80
And they use the body
of a woman to do that,
00:21:45.83\00:21:50.41
and unconsciously they
have build in our minds well,
00:21:50.44\00:21:53.07
this is what
you should look like
00:21:53.11\00:21:55.61
if you want to be accepted.
00:21:55.64\00:21:57.65
There is this
model Cameron Russell
00:21:57.68\00:22:02.32
and she speaks on Ted
Talks, and she has a great talk
00:22:02.35\00:22:06.15
and the title of her talk
is "Looks aren't everything.
00:22:06.19\00:22:09.79
Believe me, I'm a model."
00:22:09.82\00:22:12.53
And she speaks about
her experience as a model
00:22:12.56\00:22:15.03
and how, what her life is
00:22:15.06\00:22:17.97
and she had the
courage to say well,
00:22:18.00\00:22:19.83
what you see in the
advertisement industry,
00:22:19.87\00:22:23.24
what you see on
the cover of reviews
00:22:23.27\00:22:25.17
and then in the media is
not the real life of a person.
00:22:25.21\00:22:29.54
But we've made,
we've been taught
00:22:29.58\00:22:33.28
by the society through
media to think that way.
00:22:33.31\00:22:38.62
Well, the consequence
is that the lot of us
00:22:38.65\00:22:41.62
try to fit the
model, both men and women.
00:22:41.66\00:22:45.56
I remember in my
district when I came,
00:22:45.59\00:22:49.76
we were planning
to do youth weekend,
00:22:49.80\00:22:53.54
and I was talking to my
staff what shall we talk about,
00:22:53.57\00:22:57.67
what should be the
topics we want to address.
00:22:57.71\00:22:59.94
And one of the young
ladies, she was a married women,
00:22:59.97\00:23:04.31
young enough probably 27, 28,
00:23:04.35\00:23:07.45
I think it was
her age at that time,
00:23:07.48\00:23:10.49
and she said, well, pastor,
00:23:10.52\00:23:11.92
we need to speak
about this body image.
00:23:11.95\00:23:16.83
At the beginning
I have to be honest,
00:23:16.86\00:23:18.23
I did not realize what she
was talking about completely.
00:23:18.26\00:23:20.86
She says, no pastor,
you don't understand.
00:23:20.90\00:23:23.33
You don't understand the impact
of this concept on our lives,
00:23:23.37\00:23:27.47
we need to speak about this
to our kids and to our girls.
00:23:27.50\00:23:31.87
This is why there
is so much anorexia
00:23:31.91\00:23:34.38
and all of these
unhealthy practices
00:23:34.41\00:23:36.48
where people are trying
to become like this ideal.
00:23:36.51\00:23:40.52
Yes, then it has psychologically
00:23:40.55\00:23:43.12
and physiologically
affects on terms of,
00:23:43.15\00:23:45.45
you see your
self-esteem is going down,
00:23:45.49\00:23:47.46
you don't fit these models.
00:23:47.49\00:23:49.49
You think that
you're not beautiful.
00:23:49.52\00:23:52.39
I think you've heard plenty
of stories of beautiful women
00:23:52.43\00:23:54.70
or young ladies but they
see themselves ugly and fat
00:23:54.73\00:23:59.77
or whatever,
they see themselves,
00:23:59.80\00:24:01.70
their nose is not the right nose
00:24:01.74\00:24:03.27
or the color of the eye.
00:24:03.30\00:24:04.64
They're having plastic surgeries
00:24:04.67\00:24:06.01
at such a young age in our days.
00:24:06.04\00:24:07.38
Yeah.
00:24:07.41\00:24:08.74
And with lot of consequences
both on the physical body
00:24:08.78\00:24:11.75
and the
psychological on their thinking.
00:24:11.78\00:24:16.18
It works with boys
probably not to the extend that
00:24:16.22\00:24:19.45
it works with women,
but it works with men too.
00:24:19.49\00:24:23.06
Again I'm going
to become vulnerable,
00:24:23.09\00:24:24.63
I remember my son
talking about this six abs.
00:24:24.66\00:24:28.40
Six pack. Oh, six pack.
00:24:28.43\00:24:30.13
I was getting ready to say that.
00:24:30.17\00:24:31.50
What do I say,
oh, Nathan tell me,
00:24:31.53\00:24:33.54
I mean, I'm busy what
are you talking about?
00:24:33.57\00:24:35.77
Says, well, then
you don't understand,
00:24:35.80\00:24:37.14
you don't know, I
said, what is this all about?
00:24:37.17\00:24:39.31
And he told me
about the six pack
00:24:39.34\00:24:41.31
which is the abdominal muscles,
00:24:41.34\00:24:43.11
you have to
develop in three and three.
00:24:43.14\00:24:46.15
And did you know, the
reason I was reading an article,
00:24:46.18\00:24:49.08
I love to read medical journals,
00:24:49.12\00:24:50.99
but when it comes
to plastic surgery
00:24:51.02\00:24:53.62
that has become
00:24:53.66\00:24:55.02
one of the number
one procedures for men
00:24:55.06\00:24:57.69
as they're going in to have
00:24:57.73\00:24:59.06
their bodies
sculpted to so that they
00:24:59.09\00:25:01.90
'cause not
everybody can achieve it
00:25:01.93\00:25:03.47
through exercise so they're
having their bodies sculpted
00:25:03.50\00:25:05.73
so they'll have a six pack.
00:25:05.77\00:25:07.47
It's like breast
augmentation for women.
00:25:07.50\00:25:10.11
Now men are having this.
00:25:10.14\00:25:11.97
So it is really, you see that
00:25:12.01\00:25:13.88
men are kind of
picking up on this body image.
00:25:13.91\00:25:16.58
And now it's all
this because of media.
00:25:16.61\00:25:17.95
Yeah.
00:25:17.98\00:25:19.31
And there is nothing
wrong with being healthy.
00:25:19.35\00:25:21.25
We want to be healthy
00:25:21.28\00:25:23.02
but I think there is this
very much distorted view...
00:25:23.05\00:25:25.99
And what beauty
and healthy looks
00:25:26.02\00:25:28.22
and it's all because of media.
00:25:28.26\00:25:29.89
What's wrong again,
00:25:29.92\00:25:31.26
I would like to
mention a few things.
00:25:31.29\00:25:32.69
Number one it's an exaggerated
preoccupation with self.
00:25:32.73\00:25:36.60
Number two unhealthy practices,
00:25:36.63\00:25:38.67
eating disorders
or excessive exercise,
00:25:38.70\00:25:41.00
number three, it can lead
to self adoration and pride.
00:25:41.04\00:25:44.74
Yes.
00:25:44.77\00:25:46.11
D or number four,
00:25:46.14\00:25:49.08
self-esteem distortions.
00:25:49.11\00:25:53.11
E sexual explicit
or subliminal messages.
00:25:53.15\00:25:57.82
You have to be sexy in
order to be accepted today,
00:25:57.85\00:26:00.22
it seems to be.
00:26:00.26\00:26:01.59
And the last one
would be distraction
00:26:01.62\00:26:03.22
from spiritual methods
in the real life issues.
00:26:03.26\00:26:05.89
Well only have
about a minute and half,
00:26:05.93\00:26:07.26
what would you
like to talk to us
00:26:07.30\00:26:09.26
about media and depression
00:26:09.30\00:26:11.13
because I believe
that was your third point?
00:26:11.17\00:26:13.00
Yeah, there are
plenty of studies that show
00:26:13.03\00:26:15.97
that there is a direct relation
between the number of hours
00:26:16.00\00:26:19.94
someone watches
media and depression level.
00:26:19.97\00:26:25.55
They've been, again we
don't have the time now,
00:26:25.58\00:26:27.58
there are plenty of articles
00:26:27.62\00:26:29.28
published in the
journal of psychiatry
00:26:29.32\00:26:33.46
and others which shows that
there is a direct correlation
00:26:33.49\00:26:37.63
between the number of hours,
00:26:37.66\00:26:38.99
especially in the
younger population.
00:26:39.03\00:26:40.73
The number of hours
they watch on television
00:26:40.76\00:26:43.97
or spend in the media
00:26:44.00\00:26:45.43
and the depression
level they experience.
00:26:45.47\00:26:47.37
So the bottom-line is that
00:26:47.40\00:26:48.90
media has a major
impact on our brain
00:26:48.94\00:26:54.28
and on our mental health.
00:26:54.31\00:26:56.24
The number one cause for death
00:26:56.28\00:26:57.98
in the young
population is suicide,
00:26:58.01\00:27:00.62
and they made a
clear relationship
00:27:00.65\00:27:01.98
between suicide and depression.
00:27:02.02\00:27:03.69
Then if you see this
link, media leads to depression,
00:27:03.72\00:27:07.09
and depression
may lead to suicide,
00:27:07.12\00:27:09.76
then it's an
interesting connection
00:27:09.79\00:27:12.76
which has been
established by specialists.
00:27:12.79\00:27:15.60
Yeah.
00:27:15.63\00:27:16.97
It's fascinating material
that you're presenting us.
00:27:17.00\00:27:19.70
And I know you do the seminars
00:27:19.73\00:27:22.64
that are great
length and great detail
00:27:22.67\00:27:25.81
and we're just kind of
hitting the surface if you will,
00:27:25.84\00:27:29.24
but thank you so
much for joining us again.
00:27:29.28\00:27:31.28
Thank you for having me. Yes.
00:27:31.31\00:27:32.81
And for those of you at home,
00:27:32.85\00:27:34.88
please remember
especially if you're a parent
00:27:34.92\00:27:38.59
or if you're a grandparent
that media has a major impact
00:27:38.62\00:27:44.06
particularly on
a developing mind,
00:27:44.09\00:27:45.99
a mind that hasn't,
00:27:46.03\00:27:47.60
the frontal lobe
isn't fully developed,
00:27:47.63\00:27:49.90
and you want to make certain
00:27:49.93\00:27:51.57
that you monitor what
your children are watching
00:27:51.60\00:27:54.57
or how much time they
spend online on Facebook.
00:27:54.60\00:27:57.71
Monitor what they are doing,
00:27:57.74\00:28:00.24
because otherwise if
you give the child a device
00:28:00.28\00:28:04.45
that is
detrimental to their health,
00:28:04.48\00:28:07.95
that's child abuse.
00:28:07.98\00:28:09.35
So thank you for joining us.
00:28:09.38\00:28:11.25
Please come, join us next week
00:28:11.29\00:28:14.72
when Octavian will
be sharing solutions
00:28:14.76\00:28:17.96
to this problem of media
00:28:17.99\00:28:20.10
and the battle for
the mind, God bless.
00:28:20.13\00:28:22.96