Into the Fire

Nearly every age group in the USA can reminisce about "the good old days", but the "baby boomers" seem to indulge the nostalgia better than most. Growing up the in the 40s and 50s and experiencing the transformation that took place in the 60s and 70s, it's easy to say those years before the hippie movement and the Vietnam War were definitely the last remnant of so-called innocence.

Culture often portrays the notable – and not necessarily the best – elements of society during different years. The fluctuations of different politics, religion, morality, and business are reflected in film and music. Perhaps that's why today's version of Hollywood theatrics have given themselves more credit for influence than they truly possess. When producing political agenda driven movies which fail miserably at the box office, they fail to realize they're alienating a large portion of those who refuse to pay to see their opinions depicted on the big screen. 

When I was in grade school in Seattle, Washington, for a period of time there was a curfew of 10 PM for kids under 18 to be off the streets. There was a "gang" known as the "Dukes" who wore letterman-style jackets and roamed the streets. I never saw one, and I never had any reason to be out of the house that late at night as an elementary school student. I had no idea what a "gang" was, and my life was fairly idyllic. My brother was nine years older than I so he probably knew all about the "Dukes". I knew no one who'd ever experienced any confrontations with this gang, and I don't remember when the curfew lapsed.

Maybe "the good old days" weren't really all that "good" since sin was rampant then just as it is now. However, in "those" days, most of it wasn't in your face as it is so blatantly today. On the big screen, the "small screen", every magazine rack at the grocery store, in song, in speeches, on Twitter, Facebook, and the other multitudes of social networks, pornography is available, flaunted, accepted, and passed along. We could spend literally hours making a list of depravity on the airwaves and in print. The irony will be when someone in the future refers to this era as "the good old days".

Here is a smattering of 50s' films for you to contrast what was offered during that time in our history.

God, you know many of these people have passed on and only you know their eternal dwelling place. I pray those who've been given your gifts today would come to know your Son and realize from whom their talent has been given. Only you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.