Tag Archives: Breaking Bad

Pursuing God While Breaking Bad

Posted on December 31, 2018 by expressyourself4him

The television series Breaking Bad ran from 2008 to 2013 on the AMC Network.  This popular drama starred Bryan Cranston, a high school chemistry teacher named Walter White who is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer.   The plot thickens when White turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine in order to secure his family’s future.  Sometimes when your motives are pure, souls can become lured away, distracted by temptation, resulting in the spiritual version of breaking bad.

As it is written and forever remains written,“There is none righteous [none that meets God’s standard], not even one, Romans 3:10.

The apostle Paul expands upon this concept in a letter to the church at Rome.  The context of the passage above refers to legalistic religious leaders like the Pharisees who attempted to be holy without God’s help.  Paul corrects anyone who thinks otherwise by stating that no one meets God’s standard of perfection.  Thus, when individuals seek to pursue God without leaning on the power of the Holy Spirit, becoming bad can happen to anyone.

And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose, Romans 8:28.

The passage above contains a promise.  However, as people go through life, there are accidents, bad breaks and unfair circumstances that don’t make any sense when they occur.  These unforeseen events make embracing this promise from God difficult.  The human mind struggles to grasp the purpose of heart breaking moments, painful experiences and gut wrenching trials.  Nonetheless, as Christians pursue God’s will for their life, don’t be surprised by periods when you are not yourself.  These troubling stretches are marked and stained by immaturity when demons, selfish ambition and worldly desires result in breaking bad until repentance occurs.

by Jay Mankus

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Focusing on the Darkness Within

Posted on June 28, 2018 by expressyourself4him

According to a 2015 article in Time Magazine, the top ten television shows of all time include Friends, Breaking Bad, the X-Files, Game of Thrones, Seinfeld, the Sopranos, Saturday Night Live, I Love Lucy, Mad Men and the Simpsons.  While five of these programs were comedies, the others contain adult content, graphic images and violence.  Based upon the series chosen on this list, American audiences are searching for something to laugh at and tune into nteresting dramas.  In order to grab someone’s attention, producers focus on the darkness within souls to spice up weekly episodes.

“The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive], your whole body will be full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts]. 23 But if your eye is bad [spiritually blind], your whole body will be full of darkness [devoid of God’s precepts]. So if the [very] light inside you [your inner self, your heart, your conscience] is darkness, how great and terrible is that darkness! – Matthew 6:22-23

When tragedy strikes in the form of mass shootings, blame immediately goes to guns and gun owners.  After the facts reveal the true motives of any massacre, some of these events may be blamed on terrorism, others on bullying and some remain unexplained.  Whatever the inspiration may have been, rarely do experts, media panels or psychologists point the finger in the direction of Hollywood.  From time to time, mature video games that desensitize the frailty of life receive a portion of the blame.  Yet, unless a shooter survives their day of reckoning, no one will ever know for certain why school shootings happen.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin, 1 John 1:5-7.

The word light appears 272 times in the Bible.  Meanwhile, darkness is mentioned 162 times.  Two of Jesus’ disciples highlight the positive aspects and negative concerns of these terms.  According to Matthew, darkness is like a poison that corrupts hearts internally before external actions magnify evil from within.  John takes a different approach, comparing light to a truth detector.  Anyone who pretends to be a Christian while maintaining a relationship with darkness is a fool.  The ultimate goal is to expose any darkness within you by daily reading and studying the Bible.  Although Christians can’t control what Hollywood or others do, the decisions that you make will determine your destiny.  May the light of Christ guide you through the darkness.

by Jay Mankus

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It Seemed Pretty Innocent at the Time

Posted on April 17, 2017 by expressyourself4him

Hollywood story lines attempt to produce a few basic responses.  Comedies seek to provoke laughter, dramas hope to gain your attention and genres somewhere in between try to imitate life through the art of entertainment.  Despite getting this down to a science, projecting which film, series and program will flop or succeed hasn’t been perfected.  Thus, the concept of pushing the envelope continues, stretching further and further each year.

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! – Isaiah 5:20

The idea of a poor school teacher dying of cancer turning toward drugs to provide for his family seemed pretty innocent at the time.  The backdrop to Breaking Bad was original and made sense.  Why would a hard working man want to leave his family with the debt of countless medical bills.  Yet, as chemistry teacher Walter White begins manufacturing and selling methamphetamine, a cult following began during this shows five year run.  Like anything in life, this concept influenced some to produce and experiment with meth.

For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer, Romans 13:4.

My wife flew to Chicago on Wednesday for a funeral of a family member who became enslaved by meth.  While Bryan Cranston was able to evade the law in Breaking Bad, my nephew wasn’t as fortunate.  In real life, most behavior seems relatively innocent at first.  Yet, as you move from the light into darkness, evil stimulates further immoral acts.  By the time most people come to their senses, addiction has already arrived.  While I’m not blaming this hit show for Brandon’s drug overdose, I’m merely warning anyone on the verge of breaking bad.  May God send the Holy Spirit quickly to those who need divine intervention to escape darkness by finding the light.

by Jay Mankus

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Breaking Bad

Posted on March 31, 2013 by expressyourself4him

A friend recently turned me onto the drama, Breaking Bad.  Debuting in 2008, this storyline features Walter White, a high school teacher who has been diagnosed with inoperable cancer.  Struggling to provide for his family, Walter turns to a former student, Jesse Pinkman to avoid leaving a legacy of debt.  Using his knowledge of chemistry, Mr. White starts up a methamphetamine ring to create a slush fund of savings.

Breaking bad is nothing new, a growing trend since the first act of disobedience  in Genesis 3:6.  An old testament prophet uses similar terminology in Malachi 2:10-12, referring to the broken faith of Jews, highlighted by their acts of unfaithfulness.  Even one of the holiest men who ever lived, the apostle Paul, confesses his own shortcomings in Romans 7:15, 17-18.

Northwest General Hospital

If this wasn’t enough, the United States of America is in their 5th decade of breaking bad.  Kicking God out of public education during the 1960’s opened the door for abortion on demand in the 70’s.  The establishment of cable television in the 1980’s brought immorality, pornography and sexual innuendos into many American homes.  With moral antennas lowered, the 1990’s brought brief nudity and cursing to public television through the hit series NYPD Blue.  Edgy commercials, custom malfunctions and reality shows continued to push the envelope in the 2000’s.

As my 3 children grew up in this shewed culture, I hate to see what the next 50 years will bring their kids.  If Animal Planet’s Tanked 2013 season premiere is any indication, I’m horrified.  Without any warning, in a show often geared for kids, the 2 main characters Brett and Wayde used the word jackass several times, doing a special tank for one of the main stars in the movie series.  As individuals, media outlets and nations slide down this slippery slope, there is only one who hasn’t lowered their standards, Hebrews 4:15-16.  Go against the flow, look up to Jesus and make a conscious decision to glorify God, 1 Peter 2:11-12, so that breaking bad doesn’t enter your mind!

by Jay Mankus

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