The Vanishing Word

The Vanishing Word:

The Veneration of Visual Imagery in the Postmodern World,Arthur Hunt

This has got to be one of the most eye opening books I have ever read.When I considered posting about it I read through the first few pages and tried to catch a sentence or 2 that would convey the *heart* of the book and kept think the next sentence was more important than the last.

This book is about how Paganism is alive and thriving though in a different form today. We are in an image driven world trying to serve a Word based God. There has been a subtle yet systematic and successful attempt by the enemy to remove our desire for words that have meaning to flickering images that dull the mind.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.


Internet and TV have replaced the Golden calf. Even churches are moving towards 7 second sound bites,multi-media projectors and strobe lights. I attend a church whose Sunday School is changing its format into 7 minute segments so we can keep our children's attention. Puppets and balloon's are replacing Bible stories in hopes that we may win some.

The enemy knows that technology has the ability to eradicate our desire for the Word. It doesn't take a genius to tell us that our world has an insatiable appetite for visual stimulation.We no longer have much need for a Word based religion.The author contends that a media that promotes sex,violence and celebrity worship into 7 second flickers lest the viewer get bored is a direct assault on Christianity.

Get.This.Book! Make yourself read it. In 1991 75% of adults claimed to read for pleasure in the course of a week. In 1994 the figure dropped to 53%. I wonder what its down to now. We are a passive generation sucking in Hollywood's sludge. Its no wonder we could care less about each other but care more about TV placement in our homes.

We have not owned a TV in many years and yet we are all affected. Hollywood permeates everywhere we go and everything we do. This book is bone chilling.!!

Ec 7:29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions