What's your entertainment philosophy?

[God&DogGirl]

I know there are entertainment forums but this covers all of them, not just one aspect.

When considering whether or not to read a book, watch a movie/TV show, play a game, or listen to a certain kind of music, what's your philosophy on how to make your choice?

For example, would you watch an R-rated movie because it has a very strong moral message, despite the fact you know the f-word will be said once or twice? Would you read a book that includes fairy tale magic even though you know that witchcraft is wrong (when I say fairy tale magic, I mean wands and silly words, not anything resembling the real stuff)? Or do you strictly avoid all entertainment in which the characters don't live up to your moral code?

I know I have a controversial opinion on this so I won't say it here, I'll bring it in later. How do you make choices in this way?

 

[God&DogGirl]

Okay, no one's replied so I'll just pop in with my very unpopular opinion here.

I'm an actress and as an actress, I watch a lot of TV. And a lot of the shows I watch are to study techniques so therefore I am required to watch stuff that has good acting. Unfortunately, few "clean" shows have good acting. So I wind up with shows like Buffy or Desperate Housewives. Now I know what my morals are. And I know what theirs are too. So I choose, very simply, to enjoy the program and ignore the bad stuff. And if I don't ignore it, I learn from it. Characters make bad choices which come back to really hurt them. I often use these as examples of WHY I've decided not to follow those paths. As for language, the shows I watch don't have much, thank goodness. I love television as a way to really learn, how to act, how not to act, and it's also entertainment as well.

So no, I don't think we should prevent ourselves from watching certain programs unless none of the content can be used to bring us closer to God. A lot of shows bring you fantastic ethical dilemmas that really get me thinking about how I would react and what really would be the right thing to do.

An example? My very favorite show, Doctor Who, had an episode in which the Doctor, the main character, was sent back in time to prevent the most feared creatures in the universe, the Daleks, from existing. The adventure led to a poignant moment in which the Doctor was holding two wires, one in each hand, knowing that if he touched the wires together, the Daleks would never have existed, the universe would be safe from them and the people they killed would never have died. But as he stands there with a wire in each hand, he wonders aloud whether he has the right to shape the future in this way. He wonders if doing this would give him too much power, whether destroying an entire race is really the right thing to do. In the end, he decides not to destroy the Daleks because he doesn't want that much power. The Daleks then go on to kill every member of his family, which means this unselfish choice had disastrous consequences. The question raised is "Did the Doctor have the right to change the future like that? And was the decision he made the best one for everyone?" There's no right answer to that question!! And yet this show has been criticized by Christians as too secular (it avoids all discussion of religion, not affirming or denouncing God's existence at all, which is fine with me, personally).

Harry Potter, a book series and eventually a movie series called evil and demonic by Christians, actually raises some very good points. One character informs Harry that he must choose between what is right and what is easy. Prejudice is brought up in the form of the pure-blood/half-blood/Muggle-born arguments and Harry defends all wizards regardless of whether they had magical heritage or not (his best friend Hermione was born to Muggles, who are non magical people, as was his mother). His adversary, Voldemort, seeks to destroy all people without magical bloodlines, claiming that they are less valuable. Harry, in essence, fights to encourage acceptance of all people, no matter where their family came from. Now that's noble. Voldemort also says to Harry "There is no such thing as good and evil, there is only power and those too weak to seek it." to which Harry tells him he is wrong. It even rejects moral relativism when Dumbledore tells Harry many times that it is his choices which determine who he is, not his circumstances. God may not be mentioned but there are a LOT of very important lessons to be taken and I'm personally quite glad so many young people are interested in the series, it has a strong moral core. Yes there is magic, but it is VERY different from real witchcraft, which I have studied. These are Latin words and a silly waving of the wand. We want to be careful that kids know the difference and know that this is make believe, but other than that, I encourage Harry Potter since it has such a good foundation in morality.
*Dumbledore is NEVER ONCE mentioned to be gay in the books. Homosexuality is never addressed.

Anyway, that's why I believe that if we can learn something from our pop culture, we should. If we cannot, then it's time to close the book or turn off the TV. I keep myself very open to the media because I know that they tell many lies, but the truth is there if you keep your eyes open.

That's my philosophy. Now I know I'm going to get shot down for bringing Harry Potter into this!

 

[jasoncran]

simple for me. if its on current tv i dont watch it as gave up tv. i grew up on the first doctor who, i like the orginal better as that problem wasnt a big thing as the darleks didnt die but were slowed down.the time lord that the doctor is doesnt exist in time plane like mortals do and nows the actions and the reaction at the same time.

 

[handy]

Arrrggghhh! I hate it when this happens...wrote out a brilliant post then most likely hit "preview" instead of "send" and then got busy doing other things and it never got posted.

I'll have to think it through again...

Short answer...I watch all kinds of genres from reality crime shows to Dr. Who, to InuYasha. My decisions are based upon how characters respond to the situations they are in...how ethically they act, or if they are acting unethically, how are they treated.
For instance, in InuYasha, one of the characters is a womanizer. He's a good guy, but everyone has their flaws and his is that he comes onto women....all kinds of women. And, usually the result of it is that he gets a sound slap on the face. The women he travels with, the two main women characters hold firm with him and are showing him that sex shouldn't be that cheap and that if he truly loves women, he needs to show respect and caring...and, as the show progresses, he's "getting it".

Anyway, that's the "short" answer. I'll revisit this thread when I have more time, I think it's a great topic for discussion.

PS...sounds like we share some of the same taste in entertainment...love Dr. Who...and my favorite Doctor will always be Tom Baker!

 

[jasoncran]

dora she is watching the new one, the one with tom baker as the time lord is the one i like and inuyusha as in anime?

i wonder if that has a more hedonistic version . anime is very adult like in nature in japan and is meant to be.its we dumb americans that think all toons are for kids and censor them. i dont have a problem with that but the peeps need to know that. i went through that with robotech. the one hulu.com has mild nudity and i had to let that go.i wont ever watch that again as much as loved the story line.

 

[handy]

I like the new Who as well, but I'll always love Baker as the Doctor!


I've only watched InuYasha and Full Metal Alchemist, and FMA was some of the best TV I've ever watched. Oh, I've also watched Darker Than Black, but it's no where near as good as InuYasha and FMA.

 

[jasoncran]

I like the new Who as well, but I'll always love Baker as the Doctor!


I've only watched InuYasha and Full Metal Alchemist, and FMA was some of the best TV I've ever watched. Oh, I've also watched Darker Than Black, but it's no where near as good as InuYasha and FMA.

fma in japan isnt very clean from the hard core anime nut that i serve with. if i'm right its typical anime as in nudity or that hentai.american censors change alot , i could watch the american robotech all day long as the nude scenes are edited.

 

[jackkerouac]

God&DogGirl - I totally agree with you. I don't think we always need to be doing cartwheels to justify our entertainment choices. Frankly, I think Christians over the past 60 years are heavily guilty of adding to the word of God and creating systems of "morality" that just aren't biblical. And a lot of people have been guilted into following those silly rules. (Yes, I just made up a word!)

That's not to say anything goes. Anything that is created just to arouse me (like porn) or glorifies ungodly behavior is probably not a good idea. But you're right. Human stories are about humans who do human things. And sometimes humans do bad and sinful things, and that's part of the story. Back in the 90's I had a good friend jump on me for watching 'Indecent Proposal' because it involved a couple making a decision to let the wife sleep with another man. But the thing is, the film was pretty much about the horrible consequences of their decision and how their previously happy marriage began to unravel after the act. So, from what I see, if 'Indecent Proposal' is wrong for me to see, then the story of David and Bathsheba is wrong for me to read.

I love cinema. I love films like 'Dogtooth' and 'Let the Right One In' and 'The Prophet' - films with stuff like death and blood and nipples and peniseseseses. They don't glorify sin and other horrible things. They portray them honestly and in context and give full attention to complications and consequences. And many times they are actually redeemed by the story or the character arc or whatnot.

And then there are movies like 'Hangover' and crap like that. Boobies for boobies sake. Trash for trash sake. Nothing redemptive. I don't hold films like that in very high regard.

 

[God&DogGirl]

Another Who fan?? And a Christian to? YES!! Actually the moment I cited was a Tom Baker moment and I agree, he's a wonderful Doctor! ("Do you want a jelly baby?" gets me every time!!) My favorite is Matt Smith because he and TB are so similar. 11 is such a goofball and so childlike, it makes his one-liners perfect and thanks to him, bow ties will ALWAYS be cool. As will fezzes and stetsons. And, to add to our discussion, his Doctor actually rejected the advances of a beautiful girl named Amy because she was engaged. He even went as far as to take her and her fiance on a romantic trip to Venice to rekindle their past love. Yet another good thing Doctor Who features.

Now I do watch the spin off series, Torchwood. I haven't seen every episode but a lot of them are very inappropriate. But, again, ethical dilemmas are what the show does best. That's why I like it. It makes me think, how would I have handled the situation, would I have, in essence, murdered an innocent child to save millions of other children? Captain Jack didn't have a choice, he basically made the decision to kill his grandson to save a tenth of the children of the world. Would I have killed the unborn alien growing inside me because it would have killed me and thousands of other people the moment it was born?

Desperate Housewives really shows the consequences of adultery. When Gabby cheats on her husband for her teenage gardener, she unleashes a Pandora's box of trouble that takes years to fix. When the nephew of one of the residents gets the teenage daughter of one of the main housewives pregnant, he is forced to leave town and is unable to pursue the romantic interests of the girl he really does love. An ex-model has an overweight daughter and tells her that she is beautiful even though her daughter doesn't believe it. One couple on the show stay together the entire run, despite cancer and an unplanned pregnancy and even the discovery of another child that the husband fathered before they were married. The husband, in one scene, is lecturing a couple about their upcoming marriage and telling them that their spats mean they shouldn't get married because they won't be able to handle the big things. He looks at his wife and tells her that every day he decides to get through their problems because he truly believes she's worth it. There's even a scene in which one housewife's kids and husband are buried under rubble from a tornado and the residents pray for her family's safe rescue. A few minutes later, her entire family is pulled from the rubble, shaken up, but very much alive.

I have so many more examples but I'll leave it at that for now. Secular shows can and do have many things to teach us.

 

[God&DogGirl]

God&DogGirl - I totally agree with you. I don't think we always need to be doing cartwheels to justify our entertainment choices. Frankly, I think Christians over the past 60 years are heavily guilty of adding to the word of God and creating systems of "morality" that just aren't biblical. And a lot of people have been guilted into following those silly rules. (Yes, I just made up a word!)

That's not to say anything goes. Anything that is created just to arouse me (like porn) or glorifies ungodly behavior is probably not a good idea. But you're right. Human stories are about humans who do human things. And sometimes humans do bad and sinful things, and that's part of the story. Back in the 90's I had a good friend jump on me for watching 'Indecent Proposal' because it involved a couple making a decision to let the wife sleep with another man. But the thing is, the film was pretty much about the horrible consequences of their decision and how their previously happy marriage began to unravel after the act. So, from what I see, if 'Indecent Proposal' is wrong for me to see, then the story of David and Bathsheba is wrong for me to read.

I love cinema. I love films like 'Dogtooth' and 'Let the Right One In' and 'The Prophet' - films with stuff like death and blood and nipples and peniseseseses. They don't glorify sin and other horrible things. They portray them honestly and in context and give full attention to complications and consequences. And many times they are actually redeemed by the story or the character arc or whatnot.

And then there are movies like 'Hangover' and crap like that. Boobies for boobies sake. Trash for trash sake. Nothing redemptive. I don't hold films like that in very high regard.

That is my exact view right there. It's about human dilemmas and we can't just claim something is wrong just because someone sins in it. We might as well watch Winnie the Pooh and call it quits. Things that feature stories with human dilemmas are simply more interesting.

Monk is one of my favorite shows for that reason. Oh my goodness, if you haven't seen it, you should, it's a cop show but the murders are never graphic and you just feel for Mr. Monk. Now that's a show that can really teach you something about compassion and kindness and patience to those who are different from us.

 

[handy]

fma in japan isnt very clean from the hard core anime nut that i serve with. if i'm right its typical anime as in nudity or that hentai.american censors change alot , i could watch the american robotech all day long as the nude scenes are edited.

I can't recall any nudity in FMA ...except in a very vague sense...sort of like the opening sequences in all James Bond movies. The ones I watch are in English so they must have been redone for American audiences. The story line in FMA is excellent though..

There's a little bit of nudity in InuYasha as well, but again very vague...sort of like a nekkie barbie doll, just the outline of the human shape, no gentialia. And, not in sexual situations, but in things like transformations. It's in Japanese, with English subtitles, so again, perhaps some censorship has taken place. I've no problem letting my kids watch.

Japanese anime is by no means for little kids...it ain't Scooby Doo. But, my kids are older kids now, my daughter is a teen and my son is 11...so we watch together. I know there are some anime shows they wouldn't be allowed to watch. People should never make the mistake of thinking just because something is animated, it's for the kiddies.

Monk is great!!!!!

 

[jasoncran]

just so you know, if its a real japanese show it will have nudity in that that will show everything but public hair. you laugh but that isnt even allowed in hentai nor porn videos. japanese laws regulate that out.

that is what i saw in robotech:bigfrown

 

[God&DogGirl]

You know, handy, I was fully expecting you to be like someone else I met on a Christian forum. She was really wise when it came to the Bible and such. She told me Harry Potter was demonic although she did respect my opinion... I was wrong. You're so much cooler. ;)

Or maybe it's because you like both my all time favorites, Doctor Who and Monk.

I'm not as much an anime fan but I hear that it can be quite inappropriate if you see the wrong one.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Actually it's rather simple - IF it's on Network TV, then it's not worth watching, period.

If it's a "comedy", it'll be NAUSEATING.

And if it's a "Magazine show" then there'll be no point in watching it - unless you really enjoy 3-minute stories stretched out to an hour.

And "Reality shows" - (I think I'm gonna be sick) - "Biggest Loser" at least DOES have a positive message, when you slog through all the emotional pathos.

Last last Movie I went to was "Avatar" in 3D. I enjoyed it THOROUGHLY, and (even though it WAS "Fern Gully" with Blue people, and neat birds) I though it was a GOOD yarn where the good guys win, and the bad 'ol Business, and Military goons get whipped. And it ticked off ALL the "talking heads" with their "Opinions" that don't mean spit.

I enjoyed Harry Potter - was sorry when she wrote the ending to it, and haven't seen the last chapter in the theater yet. It'll probably be the next movie I see.

The BEST Book series that I read was the "Christ Clone Trilogy" by Beausigneur. I'ts a FASCINATING study in deception with a STRONG finish. The author cautions that one is likely to Scream BLASPHEMY!!!!!! and want to burn the books - and he's right - until you see it through. It's the same basic "theology"/time period as "Left behind, but not "Milked" as endlessly.

But If I'm looking for ENTERTAINMENT!!! - I get with other folks who make music - and just DO IT.

YouTube - GSP_Practice.wmv

The best music is home-made.

 

[AKJVReader]

Or do you strictly avoid all entertainment in which the characters don't live up to your moral code?

I wont watch tv because it is so artificial and dumb. I dont go to the movies because i know who is behind Hollywood. I dont read magazines because they aren't worth it. I dont read books by Preachers that i believe to be pretenders like Joel Osteen. The world has its own ways and it permeates into all things, even the vast majority of Churches!
Ten years ago i would have done all the above even though i considered myself a Christian, i was heavily into video games for years too.
But do you know what happened?
I started reading the Authorized King James Bible and the Holy Spirit changed me, i'm like i only want knowledge about God's Word and i want to love other people and share with them my own story and what God has done for me. Is my life dull because i dont watch all this entertainment that is popular and supposedly fun?
No way, i have the joy of the Lord and when you get that you just love the Lord Jesus and have a relationship with Him and nothing worldly matters. I'm happy where i'm at at the moment. I'm not going back to the world.

 

[handy]

You know, handy, I was fully expecting you to be like someone else I met on a Christian forum. She was really wise when it came to the Bible and such. She told me Harry Potter was demonic although she did respect my opinion... I was wrong. You're so much cooler. ;)

Or maybe it's because you like both my all time favorites, Doctor Who and Monk.

I'm not as much an anime fan but I hear that it can be quite inappropriate if you see the wrong one.

....I was wrong. You're so much cooler.






OK, so about Harry Potter.

There is no doubt that Harry Potter presents a problem for some Christians and all I can say is, if the books or movies present a problem for an individual, then that individual shouldn't read them or watch the movies. Not everything is for all people.

As for me...I loved them. I think that the Harry Potter series is just about the best written series of books that have come down the pike since The Chronicles of Narnia. The depth of the characters, the depth of the story, the themes that Rawlings fleshes out in the course of the seven books are all good.

The one thing that I will say is that to all the people who cry out... "WITCHCRAFT"...no...not at all. The "witchcraft" in Harry Potter is no more real than the "witchcraft" in Hansel and Gretel or Snow White. I've read all seven of the books, watched the movies and it simply isn't. Most of the people who decry Harry Potter haven't read the books for themselves...they read what others have to say about them. If one reads through the first 4 chapters and the last chapter of the first book and decides that one just isn't comfortable...OK, fair enough. But, if one reads through at least that much, I think one would agree that the "witchcraft" is no more real than Desperate Housewives portrays "real" neighborhoods or "Survivor" is about real survival.

 

[Mike]

There is no doubt that Harry Potter presents a problem for some Christians and all I can say is, if the books or movies present a problem for an individual, then that individual shouldn't read them or watch the movies. Not everything is for all people.

What about those of us who just can't keep up with the plot of Harry Potter. Those movies seem like a dream sequence to me. :

Seriously, though. I agree with Dora. IMO, it really does come down to the individual and how they are or aren't led away from their focus on the Lord. Personally, I have issues with Harry Potter, so I won't watch them. (Actually I did take my 15yo to one, and I was more confused walking out than I was walking in.)

I do believe nudity is blatantly wrong, and there is no way of justifying it.

I think it's rare that someone who condemns others for something they watch or read is fully innocent himself/herself. I could go on and on about shows like "Desperate Housewives" and say Christians shouldn't watch them, and I would believe what I'm saying. What I wouldn't be saying is, "Oh my gosh!! I've watched 'Goodfellas' 100 times! And I'm a huge "Soprano's" fan! Why did that show have to end?!!" Here's another one... I cannot stop cracking up at "The Family Guy"! It's just so funny, I can't stand it! :rolling

"Goodfellas", "The Soprano's" and "Family Guy" are hardly Bible study material. So, I can't begrudge others for watching things that I wouldn't. I would just advise caution to each person that they are sensitive to where they are weak. Personally, I don't watch shows that focus on sexuality. I know to stay away. I hope people everywhere (including myself) know where to draw the line between living in His Grace (not being too legalistic) and being sensitive to the Lord Speaking to them that they should avoid something.

This is an area that I've changed on in a big way. I used to be VERY closed-minded, but I was being hypocritical. (even more so than I am today)

 

[Lost_but_searching]

Aaaa I have so much to say on this topic, I'm quite confused and unsure about it myself, but I do know that in this day and age people go to the extreme of idolizing programmes, celebrities, films, and music. Too much of anything is not good for you, 'all things in moderation'. I've gone through phases of absolutely loving loads of different types of films and books, but I've grown up in quite a stict christian environment. A lot of families I know dont own a tv, but they just watch everything on iplayer anyway. Some people I know think tvs are the epitome of all that is sinful, so those of us who do own tvs feel inferior and wicked and are obliged to 'hide the tv' etc. A lot of people around me, would say that everything like that (entertainment) is simply designed to take your mind away from salvation and God, and that horror films especially, are 'devilish.'

This view has led to a lot of hopelessness in myself because I cant live up to the perfect spotless image christianity requires, but it's one small step at a time

I think there's a lot more to it than that though, I agree with a lot of people here who think that there can be a lot learnt about humanity from tv etc. I think its individual to each person, some people can handle it and some can't. If it takes too much away from the time that should be spent serving God and if your conscience is warning you about it then steer clear. But it's a huge part of culture, and I can't help thinking that someday technology and all this incredible showing everything to the world in a matter of seconds lark will play a part in bringing the world to christianity.
Oh and Harry Potter, I love it, I've loved it for years, and I think its harmless, but part of me is saying 'am I just making excuses for myself because I love it so much?' But I dont really think Harry Potter has in any way damaged my character, or that I'm on the whole worse off for reading it.

 

[God&DogGirl]

Oh dear.

Doctor Who's newest episode just hinted that the Doctor and his companion may have slept together. Now I know that CAN'T be true because quite frankly, both characters adore the companion's husband and would never do anything to hurt him. But that's kind of sad that they would hint at it.

But I'm getting to the point that only outright pornography or anti-Christianity messages would make me stop watching that show. Far too fascinating and quite a good example of human behavior and weakness. The Doctor or companion's mercy (or lack thereof) toward certain creatures really makes me think. I loved the bit in which Donna told the Doctor that he needed someone to stop him after she watched him brutally destroy an entire nest of newborn aliens. A year later you see him spare newborn creatures even though they do pose a threat. So you see character development even though the Doctor isn't actually human. ;)

I'll add another example of a wonderful moment in a not-so-savory show. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, one of the main characters becomes evil. She kills many people and becomes so powerful that no human can stop her. But when her closest childhood friend assures her that he loves her no matter who or what she becomes, that snaps her out of it. There is no final battle, just the unconditional love of a friend. It was such a stunning example of what the media can do right. Friendship and love really can make a huge difference.

 

[jasoncran]

as much as i love star trek and stargate.the former is very liberal at times and politically correct. star trek the the next generation has done several episodes trying to make the watcher think about the lbgt.

i can if i look around post the very episodes and add ds9 to that list.