Is theater/movies/tv sin?

[JasonF]

Hello,

I had seen A. W. Pink and Spurgeon say comments that seemed against the theater, and I was wondering their perspective. I found and read this tract that I believe speaks to their sentiments perhaps from I don't know when.

The Christian and the Theater

I am wondering how you all decide what is ok in terms of our entertainment of books, stories, movies, tv, theater, etc.

Also how do you decide on how much time to give these things?

I actually think a lot of sense is made in that tract and think as a society we do spend too much time on etertainment, though I likely think more rest is okay than the author did.

I think that it could be true that we are paying actors to sin when we watch things in which they do.

I am not sure on actors having bad life styles, I mean some do, but not sure its fair to make a judgment about it regardless.

I do think that entertainment often does make our mind not interested in thinking about the things of God, but rather thinking about entertainment and when we can get more of it.

I am supposed to go to a theater production of some kind this Saturday, a 1 man production that relates to C. S. Lewis. I am thinking its ok, I am thinking the actor is likely a Christian to want to do this production, and I am thinking the people who go will likely mostly be Christian as well, and the person who bought the tickets bought them hoping we all would talk more about Christian things with each other it sounds like.

Would like your thoughts, I have been vexed by all the swearing and sin in entertainment today. I tried to lok up wholesome or clean tv shows, and even the ones defined by articles today as wholesome and clean have fornication, getting drunk, high, and such things in them, which rules them out of being clean and wholesome to me.

I had been under the thought that it was okay to just ignore all the bad stuff and just focus on the parts that are okay, but I am not sure anymore, and not sure what is okay anymore as there can be a lot of things to do with revenge and sinful attitudes.

But we are not under the law, so not sure how to view all this.

Thanks for any help.

 

[KenH]

I have pretty much no problem with TV shows or movies or theater. Now straight-up porn I have absolutely no interest in whatsoever. I don't watch as much TV as I used to before my wife died. Watching TV was something that my wife and I did and enjoyed doing so together.

Nowadays I mainly watch sports, old episodes of the "The Andy Griffith Show" and "The Addams Family", Godzilla movies, and several hours of pro wrestling per week(mainly Impact Wrestling and Ring of Honor).

 

[KenH]

We should all follow the instructions of the apostle Paul:

Romans 14:1-4 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

 

[Piper]

No. Not sin. But they sure can be used for sin. We do not watch tv, and rarely watch movies. Internet use is more dangerous than tv or movies, in my opinion. They must all be placed under the Lordship of Jesus and used accordingly.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

Every decent-sized city that Paul visited, except for Jerusalem, is likely to have had a theatre, but he makes no comment upon theatre-going, so I think there can be no objection to the theatre or cinema in themselves, nor indeed to Television. However, we should heed Paul's words in Philippians 4:8, and not go to things that are impure or contain bad language. Unfortunately that seems to cut out around 80% of the stuff on UK television!
The reason that the Puritans disliked the theatre was that in the 16th, 17th and 18th Centuries they were magnets for prostitutes, pickpockets and footpads. I think that Spurgeon and Pink may have followed their lead even though society was being steadily cleaned up throughout the Victorian era.

 

[JasonF]

Am I wrong to view Philippians 4:8 in where he says the things that are good etc. to think on these things, I don't think that means there is an absence of the bad, just to focus on the good? As my thought before was it was ok to watch a show that had some bad language in it, just to ignore it? As you said if you are going to watch something without seeming to have fornication or bad language at all, there isn't much left, yet at the same time we are allowed to go to dine with unsaved who fornicate and have bad language that is where confusion also comes for me. But for entertainment I am exposing myself on purpose for relaxation, which seems different than in many cases where you go out into the world or to dinner with the unsaved where you are likely have witnessing as some part of a goal. But it doesn't say only go to dinner with unsaved if you want to witness so maybe I shouldn't make that conclusion either.

 

[Bible Thumpin n Gun Totin]

Depends on what you're watching at the movies and the context of it.

Movies portraying demons for example can be good things. Movies portraying bad language can be good. This is only the case though if they're portrayed in a bad light in opposition to a character that overcomes them via God.

Some things are never good, I.E nekkid folk.

A theatre, just like books, can be good or bad depending on what it is that you're reading and watching.

 

[JonC]

Depends on what you're watching at the movies and the context of it.

Movies portraying demons for example can be good things. Movies portraying bad language can be good. This is only the case though if they're portrayed in a bad light in opposition to a character that overcomes them via God.

Some things are never good, I.E nekkid folk.

A theatre, just like books, can be good or bad depending on what it is that you're reading and watching.

I was thinking the same.

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

No, not in and of themselves. Such things can be used for good or bad, and some are more sensitive to them.

 

[JasonF]

So where do you all draw the line

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

So where do you all draw the line

Don’t go by someone else’s conscience. If your conscience tells you it’s not for you, then that’s that.

 

[KenH]

So where do you all draw the line

Romans 14:22-23 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

 

[Salty]

So lets give a couple of specifics,

Lets take the programs/ movies, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, The Good Witch, The Wizards of Waverly Place.

Would you watch these shows?
Would you allow you children (would age make a difference) to watch these shows.
If you had a visitor over and they wanted to watch such a show....

No need to limit the discussion to just these four........

 

[KenH]

So lets give a couple of specifics,

Lets take the programs/ movies, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, The Good Witch, The Wizards of Waverly Place.

1) "Bewitched" - one of my favorite shows. I would watch this with anyone.

2) "I Dream of Jeannie" - one of my favorite shows. I would watch this with anyone.

3) "The Good Witch" - haven't watched it.

4) "The Wizards of Waverly Place" - haven't watched it, but Selena Gomez has a music video to her song, "Naturally", in December 2009, that I really like a lot. The Vevo video has well over 363 million views on YouTube. Thanks for the reminder, I hadn't watched it in a while until tonight. I would watch the music video with anyone.

Now there are some shows that I have watched that I wouldn't want to watch with children below a certain age - such as "True Blood", or "Strike Back", or "Game of Thrones". Now what age I don't know since my wife and I did not have children.

 

[DaveXR650]

2) "I Dream of Jeannie" - one of my favorite shows. I would watch this with anyone.

" I Dream of Jeannie" is the most inspirational show of all time. Barbara Eden following the Major around all the time in a skimpy genie outfit, calling him "Master" - and never once did he have an inappropriate thought. Billy Graham wouldn't have done any better.

 

[Salty]

" I Dream of Jeannie" is the most inspirational show of all time. Barbara Eden following the Major around all the time in a skimpy genie outfit, calling him "Master" - and never once did he have an inappropriate thought. Billy Graham wouldn't have done any better.

Interesting point of view

 

[KenH]

skimpy genie outfit

Barbara Eden was well clothed compared to what "Jeannie" would probably be clothed in a remake today.

 

[Scarlett O.]

Barbara Eden was well clothed compared to what "Jeannie" would probably be clothed in a remake today.

Yes, especially on Game of Thrones. What they wear is nothing while they are being raped and committing incest with brothers and fathers.

Wouldn't that equate to soft core porn? I've never seen an episode, but after Christians tell me that they are "addicted" to it, but can't let Jesus sit by the while they are watching it - I googled all the parent guides that I could find.

It's porn. Simulate rape and incest - but soft core porn none-the-less.

Wouldn't you say so?

 

[DaveXR650]

It's porn. Simulate rape and incest - but soft core porn none-the-less.

Wouldn't you say so?

Yes. And in all seriousness, watching that stuff will affect you and change you. There is nothing legalistic about saying "I will not watch that stuff".

 

[KenH]

It's porn. Simulate rape and incest - but soft core porn none-the-less.

Wouldn't you say so?

I don't know. I watched it for the drama and the storylines. When I watch a show that has sex scenes(now that I don't watch so many TV shows after my wife died, I guess maybe I should say "When I watched") the quicker those are over with and get back to the story, the better as far as I am concerned. I am not watching any of the new dramatic TV shows. I started the first episode of the "Game of Thrones" spinoff and also started the first episode of "1883", but I just wasn't into watching another big, heavy drama in either case. Now I just prefer sports(horse racing, tennis, baseball, football, basketball, hockey), old episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show" and "The Addams Family" and "Dark Shadows", pro wrestling, and Godzilla(and other kaiju) movies.

And in all seriousness, watching that stuff will affect you and change you.

In all seriousness, watching "True Blood or "Strike Back" or "Game of Thrones" did not affect and change me. Now what did affect me, after watching the first six seasons of "The Walking Dead", the episode to open season seven, which became known as the "Torture Porn" episode, disturbed me enough that I stopped watching "The Walking Dead" cold turkey and never went back to it.