It is said there are three kinds of people in the world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened.

To survive the onslaught of immorality in mainstream culture, you must make things happen by taking control of your life and those you are responsible for. If you don’t, you will be a casualty and so will your family—to whatever degree you allow the antagonists to infiltrate your domain.

To survive the assault, you must first know what you are fighting. We are up against more than just a collection of media mavens with subpar moral views. We face an unseen enemy whose ultimate goal is to destroy God’s Family way of life!

Know the Enemy

1 Peter 5:8 warns: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” Satan is like a man-eating lion, and he preys on the unsuspecting.

One of his favorite strategies is to convince people he doesn’t even exist. Close to 90 percent of Americans express belief in God or a higher power, yet only 65 percent believe the devil is real. Of those who believe in a real devil, many think he has little or no sway over their lives. That’s exactly what he wants you to believe: that at most, he’s a harmless, cartoon-like annoyance. Most people are oblivious to his vast power.

The truth is, God does not rule this world; the devil does (John 14:30; New King James Version). In His plan, God has allowed Satan to be the present god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), and most people unknowingly worship him! He is “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), and he broadcasts.

You are probably right now in a room filled with voices and music. A television or radio tuned to the right wavelength makes them audible. Similarly, Satan broadcasts to the spirit in every human being, which is automatically tuned to his wavelength. He stirs the spirits of humans and injects into them such attitudes, moods and impulses as selfishness, vanity, lust, violence, envy, bitterness and resentment against authority. Since he broadcasts in attitudes, you don’t hear them. People feel these feelings, impulses and desires but don’t recognize their source because the devil is invisible. That’s how Satan deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9). The selfish, hostile, deceitful, rebellious attitude we call human nature is Satan’s nature that he broadcasts into unsuspecting minds beginning in infancy.

To the extent that those broadcasts are not countered or allowed to penetrate unchecked, each individual will become more evil. This is vital knowledge you need to survive the culture war.

Don’t Be Duped

In any war, including our personal war against immoral influences, you can know the enemy and how he operates but still be fooled by propaganda. The devil is the most cunning being ever (Genesis 3:1; Moffatt). He disguises his ulterior motives in ways that sometimes appear or sound righteous. He is a master of deception. And those who are deceived don’t know they are deceived.

To illustrate, the homosexual movement worked for years to gain public acceptance—all in the name of inclusivity and tolerance, which sounds noble. Over time, a majority of people came to tolerate homosexuality. But what immediately follows such thinking? Compromise. And compromise is classic devil logic.

God says homosexuality is an abomination that needs to be repented of! (Leviticus 20:13; Romans 1:27). Thus it should be no surprise that once that sin was accepted, the push began for same-sex “marriage.” It took more years to overcome public resistance, but that taboo also finally gave way. That led to even more heinous sexual deviance gaining public acceptance.

This is just one classic technique Satan uses to undermine God’s authority. Compromise bolstered by “enlightened” reasoning is a slippery slope that leads to oblivion! And modern society is far down that slope.

You and your family, however, can survive the onslaught. Remember: Don’t underestimate how powerful the real enemy is, and don’t be duped by his deception and propaganda.

Now you’re ready to battle.

Fight to Win

The culture war does not threaten your possessions, but it will rob you of happiness, peace and satisfaction if you don’t fight it to win it. You need to implement effective strategies. To do that, you must first know where the main battlefield is.

The Apostle James wrote that “every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:14-15). We must stop wrong thoughts from taking root before they drive us to wrong action—because we are what we think (Proverbs 23:7).

The main battlefield is in your mind! Satan knows that well. That’s why he broadcasts to the human spirit—relentlessly. Abusive media content is one of his main tools. He uses it to fertilize the mind so you will more readily accept his moods and impulses and allow them to grow until they mature into destructive actions.

A vital strategy for surviving this war, then, is to guard your mind. The more you allow Satan to engage you on that battlefield, the weaker you will become—the more susceptible to his wiles. He will fool you into thinking you’re strong enough to handle some wrong thinking. But you cannot entertain evil thoughts in moderation. The key is to immediately reject all wrong thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5). The more you challenge his advances, the stronger you will grow and the less effect he will have on you. “… Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). This is the key to surviving the war against immorality.

Instead of plopping yourself down in front of the television use your leisure time to build your mind—filling it with good things that will provide ammunition in this war (Philippians 4:8). Read a good book, exercise to stay fit, or take a class to learn about something. (Incidentally, the Herbert W. Armstrong College Bible Correspondence Course is an excellent way to learn about your Bible! It’s a 36-lesson course that we offer absolutely free.) Update your knowledge and skills to be a more valuable employee. Play games with your children; spend time with them! Fix things around the house; do some gardening or landscaping and enjoy some fresh air and sunshine. Develop a hobby, visit the sick, write letters, or cheer someone up with a phone call. Volunteer at the local library, zoo or charity. You will be happier, and so will your children.

The greatest tragedy of the culture war is the adverse impact on so many children. As a parent, you are responsible before God to control and monitor your children’s media exposure, especially when they are very young. The Carnegie Corp. reports that brain development during the prenatal period and in the first year of life is rapid, extensive and vulnerable to environmental influences. Those early experiences have a lasting impact on a child’s brain. If we use tv and other media as a babysitter, that content will shape their minds! Furthermore, it deprives them of the love, attention, teaching and discipline they need to develop into well-rounded, balanced adults.

Satan knows that young minds are impressionable. He strives to mold them into his image, which is reflected in much of the teen subculture today. And no wonder. The most recent studies show that children up to age 8 spend about 2.5 hours a day on media (including tv, videos and digital devices; nearly a quarter of 8-year-olds have access to an Internet-connected smartphone). Those ages 8 to 12 average 5.5 to 6 hours per day on entertainment media, not including school or homework-related screen use (including video games and social media). Teens average 7.5 to 9 hours per day on entertainment media, excluding schoolwork; social media alone accounts for about 4.8 hours daily, with platforms like YouTube and TikTok being major contributors.

As parents, we should ask ourselves some hard questions. Are we neglecting our responsibilities to our children? Does that cause them to turn to media for satisfaction? How vulnerable are they to warped influences? Will they be victims of the culture war?

You can do much to prevent that. Dad and Mom should be the strongest positive influence in a child’s life—not peers, not teachers or coaches, and certainly not media.

Control Media Exposure

The devil uses coarse and vulgar media to condition children’s minds to his broadcasts. To be successful in the struggle against immorality, you must control your children’s media exposure.

Too much tv stifles brain development and causes neurological damage. Television has been linked to attention deficit disorder. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under age 2 not even be allowed to watch television—none at all!

If you do let your young children watch tv, you should watch it with them whenever possible. Even in sanitized shows, watch for rebellion, disrespect for authority, immorality, cruelty, intolerance, lying, cheating, rudeness, displays of vanity and so forth. That way you can offset any bad effects by teaching them what is unacceptable behavior. If you find that you have to speak so much that you can’t enjoy the program, then don’t expose your children to it!

For older children, be extremely selective in what you allow them to watch or listen to. Avoid programming or music that glamorizes crime, violence, cruelty, sex and vulgar language. Set a good example by what you allow into your own mind; actions speak louder than words, and children can detect hypocrisy in a heartbeat! Most importantly, become God-centered in your entertainment choices. Always ask yourself if you would watch or listen to a program if Jesus Christ were sitting in the room with you.

On the Internet, know the websites your child is visiting. Ask the child, but also check the Internet history files on your computer. As the parent, you have the responsibility and the right to know what your child is doing on the Internet.

Set up your computer in a public area of the house like the living room, where its use is a family affair, so you can monitor it. Don’t allow your child to be on the Internet in another room behind closed doors. Proverbs 29:15 warns that “a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” The unsupervised children of today are easy targets for Satan. Children’s natural curiosity can lead them into wrong areas quickly.

Take advantage of password controls when the computer is used. Set the password that allows your computer to boot up. Consider purchasing password-protected Internet security software or parental-control software so offensive material cannot be viewed.

Above all, don’t allow tv, the Internet or other media to become a babysitter. Set a time limit on how much media exposure you allow. Because we love our children, we must establish rules to protect them from satanic influences they don’t fully understand. If you don’t, it could undermine everything else you are teaching and doing.

Practical Advice

Following is more practical advice to help you insulate your children from immorality so they will develop into happy, well-balanced individuals.

• Provide good music often for your children and read to them daily with animation and voice inflection (studies indicate this is beneficial even while they are still in the womb). This will begin to instill a love of reading and music appreciation into their precious minds. It stokes their curiosity and imagination, and enhances bonding between parent and child. It is also a fantastic memory-training technique. As children begin to talk, they will be able to “read” books from memory! Continue reading to them aloud as they grow older.
• Teach your toddlers to respect authority, especially yours. Discipline them appropriately for their age—for rebellion and infractions of rules you have taught them. And always do this calmly, with explanation and love, never in an outburst of rage.
• Spend a lot of time playing with your toddler. Provide toys that stimulate creativity and develop motor skills. Discovery Toys is one company that produces quality toys that focus on learning.
• Have fun with your young children. Take them to the library, the park, the zoo. Make them laugh a lot. Above all, leave no doubt in their mind that you love them and are willing to sacrifice your time for them.
• Teach young children to be responsible. Build a good work ethic in them. As soon as they are physically able, require them to help you with household duties and chores. For example, make them responsible for keeping their rooms organized and tidy. If you have pets, give your child the responsibility to feed and care for them. Whenever possible, home improvement, gardening, landscaping and other household projects should be family affairs.
• Be honest with them. They must learn to trust you. If you want them to be honest and open with you, especially as they grow older, you have a better chance of securing their trust if they know you are always candid with them.
• Teach your children about sex. You need to start teaching them as soon as little minds begin to become curious about little bodies. Most importantly, stay ahead of the gutter-talk they will be exposed to them from their peers. Our free book The Missing Dimension in Sex can help you do this. It is available upon request.
• Apply these principles before your children go to school so you build a strong foundation of parental respect. By the time they attend school, your children should be convinced that you are their rock-solid provider, confidant, nurturer and protector. They should know they are fully loved and secure under your care.
• When your children go to school, don’t relinquish your position as the most important influence in their life. Continue to be heavily involved. Become familiar with their teachers and friends. Participate as much as possible in school activities. Every day, review with them what they were taught. If necessary, be prepared to counter any wrong teaching.
• As they start into their teen years, make sure they stay busy with fun and wholesome activities. Encourage them to excel in school and to participate in sports, music programs such as band or choir, and computer, language or chess clubs. Cultivate their interests. Help them develop hobbies such as photography, arts and crafts, sewing, cooking, gardening, woodworking, building model cars, planes or trains. If time and grades allow, a part-time job would help them build responsibility in the world of work and prepare them for the “real” world.
• Stay involved as much as possible and keep the lines of communication open with your teens. This is paramount. You need to know what they are thinking about. And they need to know that they can confide in you about anything. Provide opportunities to simply talk about whatever is on their mind—daily family mealtime and a weekly family fun night are ideal. Carve out that time for them!
• Above all else, teach your children from infancy the truth about God, His law, way of life and moral authority. Teach them to pray daily as soon as they can speak.

God says, “My people are destroyed for lack of [spiritual] knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee … seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children” (Hosea 4:6). Sobering, prophetic words! If you allow it, the spoils of the culture war will be your children. But if you do these things, you will survive the onslaught of immorality, and so will your children.

Find plenty more practical parenting instruction in our free book Child Rearing With Vision.