America, as we know it, has always been in a constant state of flux, experiencing the ebb-and-flow of continuous change- morally, socially, politically, physically, and economically, and, to a large extent, television has been one of the driving forces behind those changes.

Its programming has helped define public opinion of right and wrong, good and bad. From its soap operas, dramas, talk shows, news programs, and even children’s cartoons, television has subtly swayed us to think and feel one way or the other and has changed our nation and its culture.

Now, I was born in the early fifties. My parents bought our first television set when I was five years old. Two channels with a rabbit-ear antenna. I watched the transition of television from black-and-white to color, and observed, even as a young child, how its programs influenced so much of our society.

One program I distinctly remember that personified television and its impact on our culture was Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, an American comedy program that ran for over 5 seasons on the NBC television network and quickly became the most popular television show in the United States.

The show was characterized by a rapid-fire series of gags and sketches, many of which were politically charged or contained sexual innuendo, definitely the exception for television programs in that day. It consistently pushed the envelope of decency and morality. But it became hugely popular, big enough to even attract a guest appearance by President Richard Nixon.

It also created numerous catchphrases that soon became part of our everyday vocabulary, across all generations of Americans. Phrases like:

§ "Look that up in your Funk and Wagnall's Dictionary!

§ "You bet your sweet bippy!"

§ "Sock it to me!" and,

§ "Here come da Judge!"

Let’s just say, it was culturally influential and worthy of network censorship on every level.

Now, one character sketch that always stood out to me on the show featured comedian Flip Wilson as the character Geraldine. I don’t remember all the skits he was in, but one thing became his trademark. Any time he was challenged for making a mistake, blunder, or no-no, he’d use his signature excuse: “The devil made me do it!”

And, you know what? A lot of us are just like Flip Wilson, aren’t we? I think all of us from time to time blame the sins, the blunders, and the mistakes we make on Satan, not ourselves, and, to a large measure, we’re right. Satan’s temptations and insidious ways of manipulating our thinking and actions could make us feel that way.

But is Satan entirely to blame, or do we need to hold ourselves accountable for them, as well? What can we do to change or are we destined to continue our sinful ways?

Well, stay with me, because that’s what we’ll discover together about the topic: The Devil Made Me Do It! That’s coming up on this episode of Living Lite Today.