It has been on my heart recently to discuss the matter of entertainment. Do you ever think about how much movie, music, TV, video game items you indulge in? Do you ever think about why you indulge? Do you blindly accept all Christian media simply because it has a Christian stamp on it? Do you accept any and all secular media without giving it a critical thought?
Due to the increasing amount of media in our day, it is crucial for followers of Jesus to think critically about what we consume. First John warns us not to love the world, and I fear we flirt with this quite a bit as Christians. If you listen to Christian and/or secular music, you need to think about it. Saying, “This is Christian..it’s OK”, will not suffice. Also, saying, “I just love the music”, referring to secular music, is a lazy answer. If you are letting anything in, have a biblical reason for it.
I listen to both Christian and secular music, but not all. I watch both Christian and secular movies, but not all. I am by no means a perfect example to follow, but I have thought about this and long to glorify Christ in all areas of my life.
Here are some random thoughts that help guide my choices:
- You are a Christian, filled with the Holy Spirit. Evaluate your entertainment based on what the Spirit is saying to you, not on what Hollywood says is OK (Yes, the ‘Passion of the Christ’ is rated R).
- Just because music is Christian doesn’t mean it is true theology and good art. Some of it is. A lot of it isn’t.
- Evaluate all secular music/movies/TV through the lens of your faith – if you think something is harmful, don’t be lazy and say you ‘just listen to the music’ or ‘close your eyes on the bad parts’. It most likely will affect your spirit and weaken your passion for holiness. On the other hand, some secular artists make beautiful art and present a true picture of the world and even faith, sometimes. Enjoy it and praise God through it.
All in all, fight to spend as much time in the Word as you can. Let your favorite entertainment be reading the Word and listening to the Holy Spirit. In my opinion, those are the best times.
Do you agree? I would love to hear your feedback on this one.
DS
good post. I agree. better to actively evaluate entertainment rather than passively absorb all of its messages.
very good thoughts. i have actually been thinking a lot about this lately too. it is sort of odd, if you sit down and really analyze it, how much we ‘ok’ because its ‘only a movie’ or ‘only a song’ or even ‘only a book’.
and, if you say, ‘well, only this once’, you have to realize that the more you have, the more you crave because you are feeding your flesh and making it stronger. it holds a lot more danger than we give credit for.
if you REALLY want to live your beliefs, try explaining to your friends (even your ‘christian’ ones!) why you wont watch a certain movie. it either convicts people and annoys them, or proves your willing to live what you believe.
Great Post. I like the point you are making about being lead by the holy spirit. I agree that we should not just blindly follow because it is either christian or secular.
If the world at large would think before they act, the world might be a better place, both the secular and the christian world.
I think your point can span every spectrum of life. Well said David.
Thanks for your responses, everyone. These are questions I ask to help me when making entertainment choices.