A man knocks on your door. As soon as you answer, you recognize him from the posters around town. He’s a known thief and sexual predator of young girls who has just escaped from prison. He asks if he can go into your teens’ bedroom to hang out with them for a while. Of course you say, “No way!” so he asks if he can just come into your living room and hang out. You say, “Absolutely not!” So he finally just settles for hanging out with the whole family as you watch a litany of popular TV shows that night; as you spend “family time” together.
If we, under any circumstances, wouldn’t let that man into the rooms of our kids (whether male of female) why would we let a TV or computer reside in our kids’ bedrooms? These modern occupiers of time dispense a river of polluted entertainment riddled with the same values driving the visitor at your front door. Why would you let all those people into your house? Every time we let unsupervised media into our homes and into our kids’ minds, we have invited a terrorist into our home.
You may be surprised at how many “terrorists” there are in your home right now. Video games, computers, cell phones, teen magazines, music, TV, & movies: all of which fall under the umbrella of entertainment and all are likely perpetrators. But in particular, entertainment in the form of movies, television and music is what is shaping our young generation. Although we consider them entertainment, they are actually infotainment. They impart values and information about the world, maybe information about life, that your kids are not ready to process and absorb. The problem is that too many parents use these avenues to keep their kids occupied, allowing them to witness just a part of the “unavoidable” culture in which we live. For example, television, broadcasts some 20,000 sex scenes that the average young person will view by the time he or she graduates from high school!
Some parents think part of blessing their kids is giving them what they never had when growing up. A personal media device that feeds a child day and night in his or her bedroom––I have even heard of a ministry leader who allows his son to watch movies with his girlfriend, in his bedroom, on the bed, with the door closed––this is not a blessing. My wife, Katie, and I could have afforded to put a TV in each of our kids’ rooms, or given them stereos at a very young age, or filled their lives with video games. But we didn’t want to give them easy access to media and risk their addiction to it. On our family TV set, we got about three scratchy channels when our kids were small. Sure we could have afforded a dish or cable, but we didn’t want the world invading our home and taking our kids hostage. I think many of the conveniences that many people now consider a necessity are more of a curse than a blessing. Moreover, we need to be careful about justifying getting cable for the kids when in reality, we’re talking about the sports and movies that we like, and we would have to sacrifice if we decided to shut it off.
We must be careful what we invite into our living room in the name of entertainment. If you let the wrong things in, these terrorists will seduce your kids, impart harmful values and, in doing so, inject poison into your kids’ worldview that could follow them for the rest of their lives. If we can perceive the perils of a depraved culture all around us, surely we are smart enough not to invite a terrorist into our living room. Continue >>
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Comments
prophet, humor can be a powerful tool in desensitizing people on certain issues and the media has done a great job in using sitcoms to do just that. And that's why parents need to be very cautious in what they allow their children to watch and at the same time adults need to be just as cautious with the programs we watch and this is also true of what we and our kids read as well.
There is so much garbage on TV cleverly disguised as sitcoms. I had to get on my wife about watching Will and Grace. "It's just a comedy" she would say. It's amazing how satan disguises sin as comedy or music or entertainment. Not all entertainment is sin. I happened to like the Cosby show when that was on. 7th Heaven is another good one. But I don't watch much TV except the Discover Channel, TLC, HGTV, and Broncos! LOL. Although I wouldn't consider the Broncos as wholesome entertainment with as bad as they play.
But anyway, TV isn't a sin. Neither is the internet. But what you do with it could be.
veil, apparently you did not read the article because that is exactly what Ron Luce suggests is that parents take an active role in what their children are watching and the video games they are playing and yes parents do need to be training their children in these areas, but at the same time the media needs to be more family friendly in what they present on television. But at the same time your premise that if parents raise their children right then they'll only watch and do wholesome things and if they don't then it's the parent's fault is just a tad naive. They are a number of parents who did a great job in raising their kids and yet many of their kids got into some type of trouble, it's called being a teen-ager.
This article is right on the money!
Dear wbmoore, God bless you! Thanks for your prayers. Wherever you are, peace be with you and your home.
A
Dear BarnseyJr.,
There is so much to say about what you have written. To keep it short though, I just want to say that no one is saying you support terrorism! That is pretext. The issue our of context. In context, I believe the author of the article was using "terrorist" as a metaphor to better illustrate the effect of having the media's influence in one's house; especially a house with young children. There are certain things that God has commanded of us. They all must be fulfilled to the Glory of God. God is an end, not a means, and cannot be 'used' for the improvement of one's life. One's life is improved necessarily by a relationship with our Lord and King; this is a result of the regeneration. In order to fulfill these commands, we are told "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. " This call to holiness is not done on our own power, but done by and through the grace of God. We meet the call with a willing heart, which, before becoming Christiains, was a heart of stone. Now a heart of flesh, a willing, supple and obedient heart, we come to the Father and receive the blessing of conviction to a holy life. This means resisting evil, being separate from the world while living in the world, avoiding worldly cares and desires, etc...
You said: "That is what I hate about Christianity... the overwhelming sense of 'righteousness' in having to force everyone else to see our point of view and that everything else is wrong." You are sadly correct in that some try to force others to see a particular point of view. However this is not Christianity, this is man. I, or we, can do nothing without Christ. Absolutely nothing. If I try to force your viewpoint elsewhere, and I do so of my own power, or of the flesh, it is fruitless.
However, if I rebuke you using the plain Word of God, and I do so out of love and with prayer, this shall bare fruit.
God bless you, and thank you so much for sharing your thoughts here.
Brother Aaron
brotheraaron,
Consider it done.
I know I'm opening myself up for condemnation on this board, but I wanted others to know (as if they can not tell) I struggle between wanting to please/apease people and being stern and being truly loving. My wife reminds me it is not being stern, but neither is it being weak. It is being truthful as kindly and gently and patiently as one can. Sometimes I fail miserably, though I think I try to be loving. I'm still learning tact and patience and gentleness. I'm still learning to not react, but to pray. My kids and wife and dogs and friends help me learn these things.
BarnesyJr48,
I am glad you claim Christ as your savior and Lord.
However, the Bible was breathed by God Himself. How big is your idea of God? God is all powerful, loving, righteous, just. He wants us to be in a relationship with Him. As such, He provided the Bible for us to get to know who He is, what He has done, and what He wants for us and from us. It behooves us to read it and use it to guide our lives.
If we think God is not all powerful and not able to provide a manual for life that answers many, if not all, the questions of life, then I submit we have God in too small a box. I happen to think God is bigger than I can imagine and more powerful than I can imagine. We need to stop trying to make God conform to us, and allow ourselves to conform to what He has said He wants for us.
I never said all television, movies, books, video games, etc. are evil. I said, "People need to wake up to the corrupting influence movies, television, radio, magazines, newspapers and books can have. Some of these things can provide positive and helpful ideas. Most are so corrupted by the world as to provide no truth what so ever."
These things can be corrupting. I spend much time helping young men and women come to understand what it means to be God's people. Often we are so calloused by what we watch or do that we are unable to discern God's will for us or the effect that the world has on us. What we watch and listen to and who we hang around with affects us, for good or bad. I use the bible to help guide my life, as God has provided us much wisdom in it that is far superior to the wisdom of what man provides.
It is not being arrogant or self-righteous to recognize I am not as smart as God. It is not egotistical to think I know less than God. I consider myself lucky to have been called by God to be His child and to be used by God for His purpose. I only pray I can become stronger in my faith and weaker in my flesh and walk closer with God and become more able to hear and obey Him.
I am truly sorry, but as a young British christian i have to say how much this article upsets me and makes me ashamed to call myself a Christian.
Why is it that everything is just another way to corrupt children? I have just turned 20, and I am a big fan of videogames and commercial music, so much so I am training at university to become a music professional of some kind. I have a good relationship with my parents, I believe there is a god etc al. Overall I would say Im a fairly well adjusted upstanding member of my community.
So does the fact I enjoy playing GTA or Halo mean Im suddenly supporting terrorism?
I do agree with this article on the issue of responsible parenting, that parents should always be involved with their childs intake of media, but such views that children should be cut off from all forms of popular entertainment is a very extremist view.
To sum up, the christian values that have been taught to me by my parents and my local church have always been about tolerance and love for others. As christians we should tolerate the media, because it has many benefits that are unexplored by this article. And we should love and trust our neighbours that they are good and sensible people, so that they give their children a balanced upbringing, instead of having our own views rammed down their throats.
That is what I hate about Christianity... the overwhelming sense of 'righteousness' in having to force everyone else to see our point of view and that everything else is wrong.
Dear wbmoore:
If there is one things many of us Christians can communally laugh about, it is the number of times we've pulled our hair out, winced, squinted, ground our teeth, laughed aloud, pounded the table and vowed never to look at the Christian Post again... I can just imagine what standing at the pulpit will be like... Please pray for me, there are so many times I think I know not love.
brotheraaron
Amen!
Dear Veil:
Do you really need more proof that we "are truly concerned about the things on tv or in video games"?
Have we not just strung sentences together to propagate this concern? All you are saying, which is completely in unison with the humanist thinking of the world, is no different than what anyone else has said so far. Which is why the world is in such sad shape. You compromise. You compare your standards to worldly standards instead of to the standards set by God in His Word. Veil, I stand by God's Word over man's ANY day. Why is mankind sinking into a hole from which it will never crawl out? Because they reject God's Word for humanistic psychology and self-gratifying egoism. He IS SUFFICIENT!
Unfortunately, people and satan twist what God created good.
And as for letting children see whatever and discussing it with them, so you are saying I should let a three year old watch Texas Chainsaw massacre and discuss it with them?
Congratulations Ron Luce! You are a terrorist!
Because contrary to what the average american may realise, but a terrorist is not some muslim from the middle east out to bomb you. A terrorist is anyone, ANYONE, who would use FEAR and TERROR to try and force someone to change their way of life. And that is EXACTLY what Ron Luce here is doing, trying to scare everyone out there into believing video games and the media is evil. I mean, seriously, you're really going to try comparing video games to pedophiles? That doesn't even make any sense! Don't give in to terrorism people, ignore this man.
Also, wbmoore, those passages you quoted seem rather hypocritical. Was not the world and everything in it created by God? Is to not love it to simply let his work go unappreciated?
If you people are truly concerned about the things on tv or in video games, the best option is not to control what your children are allowed to view. It is better instead to speak with them, teach them to judge for themselves what is appropriate and what is not, teach them how to be media literate and how to see through the deceit that television will often promote as fact. If you cannot trust your children on their own to do what's right and proper, then you have not been a good teacher, and if you have not been a good teacher, you are a bad parent.
The Bible is quite clear; God loves you, God is holy, God is righteous, God will judge, God sent Jesus to suffer and die for your sins and if you believe God you will have eternal life.
John 3:16-18
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
The Bible is also clear we must not corrupt ourselves with the things of the world.
Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.
1 Corinthians 1:20
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
James 4:4
You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
2 Peter 1:4
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
1 John 2:15
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.