Why Does the Dark Side of Life Capture Our Attention?
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The Intrigue of the Dark Side
Why are we so intrigued by dark and evil themes?
Think not? Look at the titles and content of what is popular in movies, TV series, and books. Stories about unsolved murders, cults, the occult, and, don’t forget, gangsters and mob stories. I guess whatever is mysterious stirs more interest than what is not.
I suppose we can blame it on popular culture. But history shows us how common the dark underpinnings of civilizations are to all generations. Human trafficking and slavery are not recent phenomena. Even cannibalism and human sacrifices were common in some regions of the world up to the 20th century.
The puzzling thing to me is why? Why are we so interested in the dark side of humanity and life? And why are villains and villainous events glorified so often, at least in media?
I believe it is basic human nature. We generally have an interest in what’s forbidden or taboo. Toddlers are a simple example. Tell a toddler “no” and watch how they respond! And remember, teenagers who rebel against rules and requirements are like toddlers with bigger bodies and raging hormones.
The truth of the matter is this—we inherited all of this from our first ancestors. And yet, what draws our interest in one way, we hate when it affects us personally. We’re outraged by what is evil and who is behind it when this darkness touches our lives.
Do you know who else hates evil? God.
Scripture
There are six things that the Lord hates, even seven that are disgusting to him:
arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people, a mind devising wicked plans, feet that are quick to do wrong,
a dishonest witness spitting out lies, and a person who spreads conflict among relatives. (Proverbs 6:16-19 GW)
(Context—Proverbs 6:12-19 GW)
Simple Insights
In the ancient world—long before printing presses and the worldwide web—most people didn't have the opportunity to learn to read and write. Education and literacy were the privileges of the few—mostly the wealthy.
Even today, much of the world's population is nonliterate or has limited literacy. God in His great wisdom, instructed those who wrote the Scriptures (2 Peter 1:20-21) to write in a memorable way—using stories and parables and poetry with lists, alliteration, illustrations, and other forms of figurative language.
Right before these verses, Solomon gives an illustrative story of a person with evil intent who is an example of this list of things God hates. He wrote the list in a way that makes it helpful to remember—
There are six things that the Lord hates, even seven that are disgusting to him:
The numbers reinforce what's contained in the list and the previous verses (Prov 6:12-15) paint a picture of what such a person looks like—
A good-for-nothing scoundrel is a person who has a dishonest mouth. He winks his eye, makes a signal with his foot, and points with his fingers.
Looking at the list, it's easy to see why God hates these things—
arrogant eyes — arrogant eyes look down on others with contempt and none of us want to be put down, marginalized, or belittled by anyone.
a lying tongue — someone with a lying tongue can't be trusted—not only what comes out of their mouth, but their character.
hands that kill the innocent — when the innocent are killed intentionally, it's a sign of a hardened heart and an untrustworthy person.
mind devising wickedness — again, someone who is devious can't be trusted by anyone—neither their words nor their actions.
feet quick to do wrong — everyone is at risk with someone who displays no restraint and seems bent on doing what's wrong—they're not just self-absorbed but self-destructive.
a dishonest witness — many people have been victimized by those who claim something to be true that isn't—lies, deceit, and untrustworthiness cost everyone involved.
someone who stirs up conflict— whether in a family or among friends, when someone is contentious and stirs up conflict, everyone suffers for it.
Other people suffer the consequences of these things. Think of times when people have looked down on you, lied to you, done you wrong, or stirred up trouble that impacted you. No one wants that, whether or not it’s intentional.
Think of those who are the victims of violent crimes and corrupt schemes. This includes the powerless trapped in the conflict of war and the millions of aborted babies who had no say about the end of their lives.
God hates and despises these seven things and so do we, especially when directly affected by them. If left unchecked, these attitudes and actions become habitual. Guard yourself against doing the same to others!
Reflection—
Which of these things listed here have you been on the wrong end of? Have you found any of these seven hated things in yourself?
Prayer Focus—
As you go throughout each day and week, make a point of asking God to help you not fall into the same pitfalls of these heart attitudes, thinking, and actions.
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