Itsjusta: Exposing the Lie Behind “It’s Just a…”
- Joe Hawkins
- Aug 20
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 21
The Excuse of Our Age
“It’s just a movie.”
“It’s just a song.”
“It’s just a game.”
We’ve all heard these phrases. They’re usually spoken when a Christian raises a concern about entertainment. The implication? You’re overreacting. Relax. Stop being so serious.
But here’s the truth: it’s never just a movie, show, song, game, or book. What we consume through our eyes, ears, and minds shapes us. It molds our worldview, influences our desires, and can either draw us closer to God or push us further into compromise. Scripture tells us plainly:
“I will set no worthless thing before my eyes” (Psalm 101:3).
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
“Test everything; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21–22).
Entertainment is not neutral. It is discipleship in disguise — the only question is: who is doing the discipling?
The Trojan Horse of Entertainment
The enemy has always preferred subtlety over shock. In Eden, the serpent didn’t shove sin into Eve’s hands — he questioned, he twisted, and he offered something “desirable” (Genesis 3:6). That same strategy has carried into our age.
Movies, shows, songs, games, and books are today’s Trojan Horses. They don’t storm the gates; they slip inside dressed as laughter, art, and harmless fun. With the package comes the payload: worldviews that deny God, normalize sin, or glamorize the occult.
Think about it:
A film presents witchcraft as playful.
A show turns Satan into a sympathetic anti-hero.
A song celebrates lust as freedom.
A game immerses players in ritualized violence or demonic fantasy.
A book paints God as either irrelevant or hostile.
By the time the credits roll or the playlist ends, the message has already been delivered — and the heart is a little more desensitized, a little less discerning.
This is why Paul warned that Satan “masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Darkness rarely shows up looking dark. It looks fun, exciting, beautiful, even good — until it begins reshaping what we believe about truth, morality, and God Himself.
What’s Coming in the Itsjusta Series
1. It’s Just a Movie – When Hollywood Becomes the Devil’s Pulpit
Movies don’t simply entertain; they preach. We’ll look at films that normalize sorcery, pantheism, and rebellion against God, from Marvel’s occult superheroes to family comedies glamorizing witchcraft.
2. It’s Just a TV Show – How Binges Shape Beliefs
Streaming culture isn’t harmless. Shows like The Owl House, Lucifer, and Euphoria don’t just tell stories; they normalize sin, invert morality, and reshape how young viewers see truth.
3. It’s Just a Song – Lyrics as Sermons for the Soul
Songs preach. Whether it’s Sam Smith’s Unholy or classics like Hotel California, music carries doctrine. Every lyric you sing plants seeds in your heart — the question is, seeds of what?
4. It’s Just a Game – Playing with Darkness Isn’t Just Play
Games are no longer just toys. Many glorify violence, immerse players in demonic fantasy, and blur the lines between reality and roleplay. What’s presented as “just play” can desensitize hearts to real darkness.
5. It’s Just a Book – When Fiction Teaches Falsehood
Books shape imagination and belief more than almost any medium. We’ll look at fantasy that glamorizes witchcraft, fiction that undermines God, and even “Christian” books that distort theology.
Why This Series Matters
Why tackle this now? Because the stakes are higher than we realize.
We live in a world where children can quote spell incantations from movies better than Scripture, where song lyrics shape identity more than the Bible, and where “binge-watching” has replaced Bible reading. What we laugh at, sing along with, or excuse as harmless eventually becomes what we believe and accept.
Jesus warned that the last days would be marked by deception (Matthew 24:4). Entertainment is one of the enemy’s most effective tools of mass deception because it bypasses critical thought and goes straight for the heart. Stories, songs, and images sink deep, discipling us in ways we barely notice.
This series matters because Christians cannot afford to be passive consumers. We are called to be watchful, discerning, and holy (1 Peter 1:16). To shrug off entertainment as “just” anything is to lower our guard right when the enemy wants us asleep.
Over the next several weeks, we’ll shine a light on how each form of entertainment disciples culture — and how Christians can respond with discernment, conviction, and hope in Christ.
A Challenge for the Journey Ahead
So here’s the challenge: don’t dismiss the phrase “It’s just a…” anymore. Ask the harder question — Does this glorify God or grieve Him?
Over the next few weeks, commit to walking through this series with an open Bible and a guarded heart. Guard your home, guard your eyes, and guard your mind. Together we’ll uncover how the enemy has turned entertainment into a training ground for deception — and how we can stand firm as lights in the darkness.
Because at the end of the day, it’s never “just” a movie, show, song, game, or book. It’s a battle for the soul.
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