Entertainment-itis Part 3

Part 1 of "Entertainment-itis" dealt with the addictive tendencies many of us face in the realm of visual media. Part 2 made the case for contemporary Christian music. In this final installment, we will broaden the discussion and tie up any loose ends.

Let’s Not Stop There

Could this same ideology not be applied to the world of print and film media today as well? Many of us retreat to books, movies, plays, etc. for most of the same reasons stated in parts 1 and 2 of this article. Therefore, it is important to note that the lens applied to the evolving nature of music and popular culture must also be pointed toward the aforementioned industries. While reading material can fall prey to the same dangers we have previously described, generally speaking, broad-brushers are less likely to summarily condemn print media as they might more modern forms of recreation, such as film. Therefore, I’ll confine my final arguments to the latter.

  

Finding and Supporting Finer Films

Motion pictures first saw the light of day in the early 1890’s, long after the Bible was written, and were not readily available to the common man until decades later. The first films were short, simple, and devoid of dialogue and color. Fast forward 100 plus years, and we have large-scale productions with huge budgets, covering a plethora of topics from zombies to war, romance, and even the gospel.

Can we not agree that a theater in 2019 hosting a revived showing of The Ten Commandments or The Greatest Story Ever Told, both of which were well received in their day, would likely be anything but filled with impressionable adolescents looking for a riveting stimulation of their senses? Especially when delectable, modern day actors are blowing up robots, unraveling plots for world domination, and portraying questionable love scenes two theaters down the hall. This returns us to our previous point – we must seek out healthy alternatives to compete with less desirable ones.

I’m not suggesting parents introduce young children to horror flicks and R-rated films in the name of family bonding and child development, any more than I would endorse serving young people musical indulgences glorifying sex, violence, or illicit substances. However, the stark fact remains that these options are all too real in our vast world of moving media, and to many of today’s youngsters, they offer the forbidden fruit we discussed in part 2. That being the case, we must ask ourselves the question, do artistic works render themselves harmful to us as believers simply because they have been adapted to suit the modern eye (or ear)? If the answer to this is no, we must next ponder, in a world where the line in the sand is so fluid, how do we know where it should be drawn?

While discretion and discernment are certainly called for when making viewing decisions, I hardly think our Lord and Savior would be flipping over concession stands at the local AMC, especially when it’s playing life affirming films like Unplanned and Gosnell. I have found that the secular media is usually loathe to advertise such movies, but rather, does everything in its power to bury them. For this reason, while I'm usually much too frugal (OK, cheap), to take in first-run films, I make it a point to put out cash for movies like these that are often the targets of ideological discrimination due to the important messages they bear. 

For example, Unplanned saw its Twitter account suspended the weekend of its release, and received an "R" rating, rather than "PG," for its mature content, forcing parents to think twice before bringing their children. Interestingly, Hollywood powers-that-be are largely silent over the fact that little ones are increasingly being indoctrinated  with pro-choice propaganda and hypersexualization in the name of gender freedom. In fact, entertainment moguls seem stunningly unperturbed about the link experts say exists between sexual content viewed by minors and their subsequent risky behavior; on the contrary, Hollywood continues to release pictures that fuel this phenomenon. Meanwhile, the Motion Picture Association of America, which assigns ratings, is more than willing to slap "PG" ratings on kids' movies with questionable content, while kneecapping a comparatively tame film like Unplanned by assigning it an "R" rating. If consistency is key, Tinseltown sure doesn't measure up.

But I digress. The main thing to remember is that the vehicle itself, i.e., the theater, is not to blame for the content it may at times be made to carry (think back to our discussion in part 2 of the fact that technology is a great tool, even though sin-stained hands may at times misuse it). I believe Christians should support worthwhile films when they manage to find their way into theaters.

The point is, it behooves believers to consciously consume with their families some of the finer productions available in theaters and home entertainment venues. Entities like Pureflix and the Kendrick Brothers are offering high-caliber film alternatives to Hollywood’s less desirable menu of options. In addition, Movieguide and Plugged In are online tools to help parents navigate and decide which movies will best reflect the values they wish to impart to their children. Here again, we see technology, rightly harnessed, being employed to serve rather than scare the believer.

Overcoming the Octopus

The scope of entertainment and worldly distraction has come leaps and bounds from the days of playing with a Jacob’s ladder in the schoolyard. The evolution and progression of the world has simply brought us to a place where practicalities are ever changing. As these things continue to develop, we find ourselves having to conform to a certain degree simply to be able to keep up with the pace at which life moves. After all, the wheel used to be a square. When was the last time you saw a car with square wheels? We are simply taking steps forward.

Children will be exposed, sooner or later, to the entertainment octopus. I’m nicknaming it thusly because this industry has arms and tentacles everywhere. Unless we decide to lock young people away with no technology or communication devices, the vast array of leisure options will find them. Some, like myself, may be rudely awakened by the manner in which this inevitability occurs. I tried very hard to prevent my sons from becoming interested in video games, which I saw as time wasters at best and mind corrupters at worst. To my dismay, the first person to bring them into our home was a parent from the Christian school they attended.

I can’t emphasize enough that children will not escape exposure to a vast array of recreational activities. As the previous example demonstrates, there is great diversity of opinion among believers as to what is and is not acceptable for Christian consumption. What we ought to be able to agree upon is the need to prayerfully and sensibly expose our youth to what’s out there while they're still under our roof and our authority.

God honoring adults must first lasso the entertainment octopus in their own lives, then wisely guide the next generation.

12-Step or Sidestep?

I began this article series by joking that we could use a new 12-step group for entertainment junkies like myself. This may seem to suggest total abstinence as the only way to conquer addiction. In many cases, such as alcohol dependency, there is no other way. However, when complete avoidance isn’t possible, prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit can help us safely navigate the minefields of modern life – and that includes recreational choices.

We then considered the idea that good messaging can be presented through today’s technology, but it must be palatable. Just as toddlers first receive medicine via sweet treats to make it taste better, the things of God can be introduced to an unchurched world in a similarly delicious way.

Come to think of it, a 12-step program may not be necessary after all. Perhaps we just need some help swallowing our pills.