Media Influences

My husband and I were sitting down to watch TV last night, and really nothing was on. He decided to watch an episode of Family Guy. I am not a fan of this show. I think it is rude and crude. However, I sat and watched it with him. I was horrified as to what the episode was about. The daughter on the program announced she was a born again Christian. Every stereotype mocking thing they could think of followed. She tried to get her family to believe too, but she was ridiculed and made fun of. Her family dog then announced he was an atheist. The show continued to make fun of Christians and Jesus. There was a part where they even showed Jesus trying to sleep with a woman. The dog told her there was not a God. The dog continued to say if there was a God, would he really make her as ugly as she is, and give her a family that treated her badly. She then agreed with the dog that there was no God.

Yes, I understand this is just a show, but this filth is corrupting and confusing millions of lost people. They openly mock God every chance they get. Some people actually think this is entertainment.

This show is just one example of the trash that is on TV today. Everything God is against is on TV like it is “normal” and “cool”. Think of the shows that are on: CSI, Sex in the City, Bones, Desperate Housewives, Sister Wives, Ghost Hunters, Jersey Shore, and the list goes on and on. These shows are feeding to America that murder, lust, greed, fornication, black magic, rape, divorce, homosexuality, swearing, cheating, stealing etc are not only “normal” but that it is acceptable. It is not. God is constantly warning us to have nothing to do with people who fall into this deception.

2 Timothy 3:1-7 says, “¹ But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
 ⁶ They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, ⁷ always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
We are to have nothing to do with such people, well that means we are also not to infect ourselves with this form of entertainment as well. It is not “just a show.” When we watch TV or movie it causes emotions in ourselves. When I watch a good chick flick, I know I feel emotions that are not true, but a result of what I just watched. I know I have fallen victim to this many times. I see this gorgeous man on TV treat his woman with love, compassion, romance and it creates a doubt in my mind. Why doesn’t my husband do those things? Why don’t I have a “happily ever after”? Why don’t I have such a beautiful home, successful career, skinny body, great car, tons of money? These “just a show” can cause a great deal of self-doubt, insecurity, depression, not being content and looking for more in worldly things and not looking to God.
I am not saying never watch TV or a movie again. I am saying be aware of what you are taking in. Emotions are strong and powerful things.
Not only are we to protect ourselves from this, but we must also protect our children. All it takes is one image, tag line or dirty jock to place confusion in our children.  Once an image is in your brain it is there forever. I remember seeing Jaws as a very young child, maybe 7, and I can still see the image of the shark coming out of the water. To this day I am terrified of sharks and swimming in the ocean.
Protect your children from the media as much as possible. Place parental controls on shows or channels your children should not be watching. Watch a movie or show first before you allow your children to watch it. Do not allow children to have their own TV in their room. Be aware of what they are taking in. Also, have an open discussion of things you watch together that do not line up with your morals. Talk about what is right and wrong, and what God says about the subject.
A little side note. You can survive without cable TV. I grew up without it. We did watch a lot of movies, but most of them were musicals, Biblically based or G rated.
It is hard to sometimes get away from the media and its propaganda. All you can do is your best. I pray for God to guide you and your family. I pray for God to protect you. And I pray to God to help men and woman stand up to these big media corporations and say enough is enough.