DAY 21 STOP CORRUPTION

Day 21 - Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

“The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.”
-Proverbs 15:27

AREAS TO CONSIDER

• The FCPA is a US federal law known primarily for addressing accounting transparency requirements and bribery of foreign officials; it is not restricted to money, but includes anything of value. (1)
   
• As the imagination of Hollywood stories takes the movie industry all over the world, filmmakers are often willing to employ “any means necessary” to fulfill their artistic vision; this often includes bribes and money paid illegally to gain access to particular areas, street closures, personnel, etc. (2)
   
• These illegal funds frequently fuel illicit activity in already broken, corrupt systems, sending an unofficial but powerful message of approval.
   
• Some countries limit the number of foreign films allowed (China is one example); film corporations have been guilty of bribing governments to get their movie selected, increasing their profits on a global scale. (2)

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PERSONAL REPENTANCE

Father God, I repent if I have manipulated people or systems in order to get what I want. I repent for any selfishness that I may have harbored that would motivate me to act in this way.
 

CORPORATE REPENTANCE

Oh God, on behalf of the United States we repent for allowing any form of manipulation of people and money in our society. Expose any financial corruption in the entertainment realm, and teach us to walk in integrity and humility with one another, honoring one another over our own selfish desires.

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PRAY

1. Pray that the wealth in Hollywood would be handled with honesty and integrity. (Proverbs 11:3)
    
2. Pray that our influence and wealth as a nation would no longer be used to enforce broken and corrupt systems. (Proverbs 22:16)
    
3. Pray for any and all corruption in Hollywood, including violations of the FCPA, to be exposed. (Ephesians 5:13)

ACT

1. Do research on your own to see if any TV shows, movies and other entertainment programs you watch have violated the FCPA in any way. If you feel it’s your conviction, boycott them so you are not supporting this kind of corruption.

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SOURCES

1. “Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.” Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Corrupt_Practices_Act
    
2. “Q & A: Entertainment Industry Corruption Risks.” Main Justice. 7 June 2012. Web. 15 July 2014. http://www.mainjustice.com/justanticorruption/2012/08/14/qa-entertainment-industry-corruption-risks/