A “guilty pleasure” is something that one enjoys despite believing other people don’t generally value it or think it’s strange or unusual. It often implies enjoyment of something that societal standards may view as low-brow or embarrassing, but the individual finds personal enjoyment in it regardless. This pleasure could be a specific type of music, a television show, food, or any other enjoyable activity that might not be considered “sophisticated” or “appropriate” by some.
Embarrassment or the acknowledgment that one’s enjoyment may not be socially acceptable causes the feeling of guilt. At the same time, “pleasure” indicates the personal joy or gratification one gets from it. Therefore, “guilty pleasure” does not always mean something unethical or immoral. It’s more about finding value in something that society frowns upon or labels as “low culture,” “kitsch,” “campy,” etc.
Rather than being due to actual wrongdoing, guilt often results from a contrast with one’s usual standards or tastes or from a perception of the judgment of others. The concept of guilty pleasure is widely recognized and accepted as a regular part of human behavior. Hence, whether you realize it or not, you likely have a few guilty pleasures too.
Dystopian and disaster scenarios are some of my guilty pleasures. I’ll use the 2004 apocalyptic thriller The Day After Tomorrow as an illustration. It nicely sums up Al Gore’s and Greta Thunberg’s exaggerated climate alarmism. But even Roland Emmerich, who brought us Independence Day, couldn’t find mainstream success with his ludicrous environmental doomsday epic. A 50% audience score and a 45% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes explain why it’s one of my “guilty pleasures.”
Recently, I came across “Doomsday: 10 Ways the World Will End” on the History Channel. As I had a little time on my hands, I gave it a watch. I was not disappointed. Having Michio Kaku as a guest on the show was a highlight for me. I can’t put my finger on why I find him so intriguing. Therefore, I pause the remote and pay attention whenever I see his face. This series had everything in its ten hypotheticals, from a mega eruption at Yellowstone to the Earth being pulled out of orbit and hurtled into the sun.
I smiled wryly as I listened to an anthropologist with huge gauges in his earlobes describe how the latter scenario would result in a gradual temperature rise that would eventually engulf the planet in “hell.” I couldn’t help but notice that the only time producers used Bible-related terminology was about a place of eternal punishment “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished” (Mark 9.48 NASB).
I wonder why I find it entertaining to watch things that I know to be implausible and ridiculous. I should swallow my pride rather than end up sounding like that Pharisee in the Temple. “God, I thank You that I am not like these academics who do not believe in You.” More than likely, I use my guilty pleasure to reassure myself that everything will be fine.
I’m not a natural salesperson. The sales commission I make would not be enough to support me. However, I have studied materials on success in a cold sale. A sale that has no prior leads is considered “cold.” You are going up to a total stranger and trying to make a sale. You may see why an evangelist would read such a book out of curiosity.
Imagining the worst-case scenario is one strategy for buffering the emotional impact of rejection. You might, for instance, imagine a situation in which, after you’ve formally introduced yourself to the homeowner, he goes off and punches you in the face for no apparent reason. If the person says “no” to your sales pitch, you can console yourself by thinking, “Well, at least he didn’t punch me in the face.” This method is great for calming your nerves.
When I watch a doomsday scenario movie or documentary, I immediately notice that the show’s producer has overlooked one crucial factor: the existence of God. God’s existence ensures that nature always follows its laws. Hence, Earth will not experience any disturbance in its orbit. Instead of suggesting that past eruptions in Yellowstone indicate a repeat occurrence, this evidence is more consistent with the mechanisms God used to destroy the world in a global deluge. Although mankind can make life on Earth quite unpleasant, only God has the power to wipe out all human life forever. In the meantime, He has promised that the cycle of planting and harvesting, cold and warmth, summer and winter, day and night, will never end (see Genesis 8.22).
Perhaps you don’t enjoy watching disaster films or documentaries. I understand. But maybe this will help you see why I refer to this as one of my “guilty pleasures.” I know you will agree that God’s promises are worth holding on to. When fear overwhelms you, even if it seems irrational, remember to take solace in the words we attribute to the sons of Korah in Psalm 46.
“God is our refuge and strength,
A very ready help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the Earth shakes
And the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.” (Psalm 46.1-4 NASB)
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