Media That Kills

“By their 18^th birthday an average person in the U.S. witnesses over 40,000 murders on TV. That’s just fatalities, not assault, aggression, or other violent behaviors.”  (Rawhide Youth Services).

“More than 1,000 scientific studies and reviews conclude that significant exposure to media violence increases the risk of aggressive behavior in certain children, desensitizes them to violence, and makes them believe that the world is a ‘meaner and scarier’ place than it is.”     The Academy of Pediatrics (Rawhide Youth Services)

“The average American child spends three to five hours of each day watching television. That’s 1,500 hours per year in front of the TV compared to only about 900 hours in school.”

“Children’s TV shows contain about 25 violent acts per hour.”  “More than 60 percent of TV programs contain violence. Seventy-five percent of violent scenes show no punishment for, or condemnation of, violence.”  (Evergreen Psycho Therapy Center)

“Estimated costs associated with youth violence in the United States is more than $20 billion annually.”  (PMC Pub Med Central, National Library of Medicine)

Different studies and reports yield varying results and conclusions, but there is clearly cause for concern.

What video games are you or your children playing? What movies, shows, and other entertainment are you viewing? Should God set the rules for what we watch and play?

Years ago, I heard the saying about TV, other forms of entertainment, and data collection: “Garbage in, garbage out.” What we feed our minds is eventually going to come out. If you feed evil thoughts in, wicked words and actions are going to come out. Feed good thoughts in, and good things will come out.

Jesus was concerned about what goes into our hearts. “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” (Matthew 15:19). Paul wrote about our thought life  in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Proverbs 4:23 advises, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”  Guard your mind and your heart. Guard what the media feeds into your child’s brain.

Feed your heart with God’s Word and commandments. Let His Word determine what is good for your mind and your child’s mind.

Here are some questions to ask yourself and your child as you consider any specific entertainment. Yes, Christians should want to have fun and times of relaxation. But will this activity glorify Christ? Will it build or tear down my love for Christ? Do I want to be doing this when Jesus comes back? Will this help or hinder my child’s spiritual growth? Is this the best use I can make of my entertainment time?

Consider these Scriptures:

Psalm 101:3 “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” I do not want wickedness in my life. Therefore, I will not allow wicked things before my eyes.

2 Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” This involves spiritual and mental discipline. Does what you watch and enjoy for entertainment help you accomplish obedience to this verse?

Hebrews 12:2. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;” Jesus is the focus of our life.

Colossians 3:2. “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Purpose to direct your thoughts and emotions to eternal things.

Colossians 3:16. ”Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;”   Saturate yourself with the Word.

Proverbs 23:7. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.”  If we allow our minds to be filled with evil, we will think and eventually act on evil. Guard your children.  Think on good things and you will act on that which  is good.

Here is the Old Testament instruction to parents, which still applies today. We have a God-given instruction to pass our faith on to our children. We must live it before our children, teach them, show them how to obey the Lord, and protect them from danger. Psalm 78:4-7 “We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:”

Is God speaking to your heart about your forms of entertainment? Are there any changes you need to make regarding TV and video games?

Follow the Lord’s direction on these issues.