Man’s desire for a fulfilling reality: Why it is vital for all people to dwell in sober-mindedness
Right now, there’s a man whose life seems better when his eyes are fixed on a monitor. His world is his screen, and he can see himself as the video game avatar in front of him who is strong, courageous and accomplished. He, however, has a dull life apart from the one he lives in a virtual world. He is more well-loved as a fictional character than a real man.
The situation described is, in my eyes, one of the greatest problems facing young men in society today. Dissolution and dissatisfaction with life are common catapults that cultivate a culture of men who are more fulfilled with their situation when escaping reality than when participating in common interactions. As realistic versions of the virtual world become increasingly potent, it is ever necessary to call those who seclude themselves back into the truth of reality.
In the 1960s and 70s, the most common form of escape for young men was the growing psychedelic drug culture. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) drove the hallucinogenic escape movement. The DEA notes the psychological effects of both drugs, which include a confused sense of reality, body movement and memory impairment, hallucinations and mood changes. These substances have not gone out of style, however, with the NIH confirming that the use of hallucinogenic drugs, particularly among people of 35 to 50, have peaked in recent years.
In addition to chemically-created escape, today, some of the most common vacations from reality can be found on screens rather than in substances, though drug use is still prevalent. Statista specifies that gaming is a 347 billion dollar industry. It further notes that 18% of gamers play for six to 10 hours each week and 7% of gamers said they play over 20 hours per week. Statista also records that, when asked, 58% of Americans stated they watch online pornography, with 70% those who responded “yes,” being men.
Within the church, pornography is just as present and problematic, considering 57% of pastors said they have at one time, or are currently struggling with porn addiction, according to Barna. Further, Barna states that, though Christian teens are three times less likely to use porn as unbelievers, it is still an issue gravely damaging the church. Christians are in no way immune to the draw of the virtual world.
These numbers highlight the hunger of many to release themselves momentarily from the real world through a variety of means. And in some cases, those who become addicted to reality-escaping methods feel hurt, unwanted or dissatisfied by what is real. After all, the world is indeed a dark place. However, these people who flee life’s struggles must not be unaccounted for by Christians. Unreached people do not just live on remote islands or in far away forests; they live beside us, and they are hungering for more than what a fallen world can provide.
I believe, based on Romans 1:20, that the desire to exchange the troubles of the world for something more meaningful is a feature of God’s grace upon us, but it is also a tool that Satan has used to lure people into addictions. We are all capable of understanding that pain and death are not natural and that God’s plan for all to find him is natural. And in the instances when it seems God is quiet, many turn to the deceiver to find fulfillment, even when the door to grace is never locked.
Therefore, based on this grace that God has bestowed upon us, it is fitting that we share this grace to those who are desperately seeking something more than the goings-on of everyday life. We can empathize with the addicts and the outcasts, knowing that though they search for fulfillment in the wrong places but understanding both why they search and the invisible thing they search for. Let us point them in the right direction. “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
Kilker is the opinion editor for the Liberty Champion