What does it mean to think biblically about what we watch and read? And how do we discern the difference between entertainment that is harmless, content that compromises our holiness, and stories that subtly shape our worldview? We take an honest look at Christian convictions, entertainment, and the pursuit of holiness. We explore how Scripture guides our decisions about movies, television, books, horror films, and social media, including why sexual content deserves particular attention and how even seemingly harmless stories can influence the way we see the world. We also discuss practical questions we can ask when deciding what to consume, how to help our children develop discernment, and why we should be careful not to judge other Christians whose convictions may differ from our own. Ultimately, we want our entertainment choices to reflect our love for Jesus, fuel our joy in Him, and help us run the race He has set before us.
What We Learned
Holiness should be our starting point. Rather than beginning with what we're allowed to watch, we should begin with what Scripture teaches about purity, holiness, and glorifying God in everything we do.
Sexuality is meant to be experienced, not viewed. Even when a movie portrays sexual activity within marriage, that doesn't automatically make it appropriate for us to watch.
Our entertainment shapes our worldview. Every storyteller communicates a perspective about how the world works, which means we need to evaluate the messages we're taking in through movies, books, and television.
We can teach our children to watch with two eyes. Our fun eye allows us to enjoy good storytelling, while our discerning eye asks what a story teaches us about God, the world, and the gospel.
Worthless entertainment can still be harmful. Content doesn't have to be explicitly sinful to become a problem. Mindless scrolling and endless consumption can distract us from setting our minds on what is true, honorable, pure, and lovely.
Some good things can become weights. Even content that is clean may not be helpful for someone in a particular season of life if it makes obedience more difficult or discourages them in their walk with Jesus.
We should evaluate what fuels our joy in Jesus. Questions like "Could I watch this with Jesus?" and "Do other people know I'm watching this?" can help us examine our entertainment choices.
We need grace when evaluating others. Christians are at different stages of spiritual maturity, and we should allow room for the Holy Spirit to work in each person's life rather than using our convictions to judge others.
Resources Mentioned
Check out our episode on AI: How Chat GPT Can Ruin Your Spiritual Life
Tools to aid discernment:
VidAngel — for filtering content in movies and television.
AI — for researching book content and helping parents vet books for their children.
Brick — for limiting social media use and managing phone distractions.
Biblical References:
Movies Discussed:
Titanic — Discussed in the context of evaluating sexual content in movies.
Terminator 2 — Mentioned when discussing the first rated R movie Jimmy watched.
Avengers: Endgame — Used as an example of enjoying entertainment with a discerning perspective.
Home Alone 2 — Discussed as an example of evaluating the worldview and messaging within a movie.
Heavyweights — Recommended as an entertaining coming-of-age film.
Pressure — Recommended as a war movie, with a brief discussion of its opening language.
Hacksaw Ridge — Mentioned in the discussion about violence in movies.
Hallmark — Referenced when discussing romantic movies and how certain entertainment can affect us depending on our circumstances.
Disney — Mentioned in the discussion about movies that celebrate rebellion against parents.
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