Friday, August 19, 2011

Paris Hilton: An Inspiration to Filipino Girls

Filipino Dad Blog: Paris Hilton was in Manila to endorse her handbag brand and promote a hotel-resort. During a live press conference, Paris met her number one BFF and “loyal fan” in the Philippines, Isha Dinio. Shaken and in tears, Dinio said to the has-been Hollywood starlet (thank you Lolit Solis),  “you’re an inspiration.”

The well-publicized and obviously rehearsed moment reminded me that Paris Hilton once described herself “an inspiration for a lot of girls” and a story I read from a BreakPoint blogger a few years back. During his young rebellious years, Franklin Graham (son of evangelical leader Billy Graham) one day came home discouraged and told his mother, Ruth Graham, that he was worthless. Ruth replied saying he’s not worthless and God could always use him as a bad example.

So in a way, Paris was right.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

It’s not just porn that can be dangerous on the internet...

A new South Korea law forbids teenagers from playing online games after midnight. Why? Because too many South Korean youths are addicted to these games, and are neglecting themselves, and becoming angry and anti-social.

These restrictions are helpful, as any type of Internet addiction can be self-destructive. But many experts recognize that games themselves are not the real problem. The real problem in Korea is often performance-driven systems of family and education, and a culture that sacrifices relationships to a particular type of success. That pressure drives students to seek escape – for many in a virtual world they become addicted to.

Teens reflect the image of God, who is relational and designed them to love and be loved in a community, first and foremost with their families. Without that, they’ll turn to all sorts of things for satisfaction, worshiping those things instead of their Maker. And virtual reality is no substitute for the real thing.

(Originally posted on The Point Radio by John Stonestreet)