Transcripts: Enjoy Life Forever!

Transcript: What Entertainment Should I Choose
[Danny a teenage boy is deeply immersed in a combat video game and imagines himself as a solider wearing a camouflage uniform running through the woods wielding an assault riffle.
With a muddy face he turns his head, then back to reality he is sitting on the couch with dress clothes, looking over at the door. After closing the game and sliding the phone in his pocket, he quickly searches around him then opens the door and greets a young adult brother Akil]
Danny: I promised Akil I’d go out in service with him after school.
[Feeling his neck for a tie, Danny hurry’s back inside closing the door]
Akil: ‎Hey, we’re just waiting in the car.
Brother: ‘‎And I kept my word,
[Now, in the car with a brother, sister, and Akil, he puts on his tie as they drive off]
but my head just wasn’t in it.
[Walking in the ministry, as Akil speaks Danny looks away]
Akil could tell, so he tried to see if everything was OK.
[Forehead scrunched. He nods at Akil and drops his head]
Honestly, at the time, I would have rather been playing video games,
[Reluctantly, he follows Akil to the next door]
but I couldn’t tell him that.
[Danny anxiously stares at Akil]
I mean, he’s a pioneer, a ministerial servant. He wouldn’t understand.
[Later, Danny exits the car and Akil waves goodbye. Akil’s phone lights up on the center console of his car and he picks it up]
[Text from Max. 5:24PM. Hey! Sorry, but I can't go biking next week. Something came up. Can you think of anyone to fill in?]
[Akil considers and looks back in the direction of Danny’s house]
Later that week, Akil invited me to go mountain biking with some friends. It was actually really fun.
[After, the group of the friend’s ride bikes through a wood trial, Danny and Akil enter a café and sit at a table]
Waitress: ‎. . . and your croissant.
‎Brother: Great, thanks.
Waitress: ‎Please let me know if there’s anything else, OK?
Danny: ‎All right. Thanks.
‎Akil: So, Danny, you’re obviously good at biking. What else do you like to do for fun?
[Danny’s eyes brighten as he pulls out his phone]
Danny: ‎OK, so I have this game, and it’s called . . . Soon I was showing him my video games.
[The phone displays the game Global Combat. Eyebrow slightly raised, Akil looks back to Danny]
And surprisingly, he liked video games too.
[Danny puts his phone back in his pocket]
But he said he chose to be selective.
[Smiling warmly Akil explains]
He began to describe the gladiators in ancient Rome.
[A sky view of an ancient arena. A crazed crowd of men chant]
People would come from all over to watch them fight to the death. And while the spectators weren’t in any physical danger, the real danger came over time.
[In unison, the men make stabbing gestures towards their chest. The gladiator raises his sword and shield. The defeated opponent trembles on the ground]
Repeatedly watching the bloodshed and the killing, ‎it was dulling their senses, and they wanted more of it.
[In a frenzy, a child in the stand cheers waving his fist in the air]
‎This was a big test for the Christians who lived back then.
[Danny solemnly absorbs Akil’s words]
Akil helped me to reason on the scripture ‎at Romans 12:9: Abhor what is wicked; cling to what is good.’
Akil: ‎So, Danny, the games may have changed over time, ‎but the violence is still the same. ‎I like video games, ‎but I avoid the ones that promote what Jehovah hates.
[Danny nods and broadly smiles]
‎Danny: Jehovah’s people can still have fun. ‎
[With his friends, Danny plays a spirited game of soccer. Later at a movie theatre, they laugh and eat popcorn. Now sitting in a living room, they play a car racing game]
And, yeah, we can even play video games.
[They jeer and laugh]
‎I just want to make wise choices.
[Now dressed for service, Danny looks at his game apps]
‎I want to show Jehovah that I hate wickedness
[After deleted global combat, he picks up his service bag and heads for the door]
and make his heart glad.
[In a park, Danny witnesses to a young man with a black beanie and skateboard handing him a tract. As Danny and Akil walk away chatting, Akil playfully nudges Danny on the arm]
(Logo: Black capital letters JW.ORG inside a white box. Copyright 2018 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania)