Should Christians watch Game of Thrones?

SnowyMacie

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To me, I think the decision of whether something is wrong or right to watch is more about how it makes you feel than it is the content. If you are having second-thoughts or feel guilty after watching a certain show, you have to ask yourself why you feel guilty and decide whether or not that show is really worth watching.

Exactly.

I'm also going to add that the violence, sex, nudity, incest, torture, etc. aren't at all for the purposes of shock value or draw in viewership (after all, this was a book series first that actually contained more of it), but what actually one of the things that makes the show great. In a feudal society like Westeros, those things would actually be very common and normal. It's a very realistic interpretation of a society that is not as civilized as we are today. In fact, Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire is based on an actual historical war, the War of the Roses, just with things added it to make it fantasy.
 
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NothingIsImpossible

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It says to flee sexual immorality, not to entertain it and pridefully consider yourself able to "withstand" it.
Technically your also abusing the Word of God by expanding on what you want it to mean instead of what it actual says. It doens't say "...not to entertain it considering yourself able to withstand it!".
 
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DoubtfulSalvation

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Technically your also abusing the Word of God by expanding on what you want it to mean instead of what it actual says. It doens't say "...not to entertain it considering yourself able to withstand it!".

The amount of people who come out in defense of the show is amazing. The opposite of fleeing from it would be staying and withstanding it. What exactly is your point?

Calling that an abuse of God's word is a very very very very far stretch.
 
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SnowyMacie

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Chapter and verse as to were we are suppose to entertain lust, please?

I can't speak for everyone, but the sight of naked women doesn't automatically cause me to lust, especially in a show when other things are happening.
 
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Hetta

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Okay so... theres no thread about this that Ive seen yet but if there is feel free to direct me to it...

I started watching Game of Thrones with my husband last year before season 4 came out. He was into it until I believe the first episode of the second season when the royal family made a decree to murder all of King Roberts bastards. My husband said "This is ungodly, killing innocent babies" and has never watched another episode.

In fact he even scoffs me because Im still up to date on the series and I plan to be until it comes to an end. I have a great love for fiction stories and movies and tv series. I have since I was small and its just who I am.

Believe me I dont believe in any way killing children in right by any standards.
But its all fantasy and not REAL life or real life circumstances.

I think he has taken the moral of the episode a little too far and judges me because it didn't prevent me from furthering my attention to the series.

Any comments or thoughts?
Granted there are DOZENS of other reasons to stop watching this show.
But my main question would be, just because something is fantasy and fiction and the opposite of what we know and believe, should stop watching it?
If you are going to be a real purist, you wouldn't be able to watch anything that had a single, offensive moment. That would leave you with ... nothing to watch very probably. It's fine for him to stop watching, but I don't see why that should stop you watching. It's up to him as an adult to make his own choices, and up to you as an adult to make your own choices.

The whole "killing children" thing seems like a red herring to me. It's not like you're going to do anything that they do on GoT because you know the difference between reality and fantasy.
 
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Hetta

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Why do people have such a problem with lust? What is the big deal?

This is hilarious.. This tv show has murder and mayhem, peoples arms getting chopped off, people being tortured, etc etc.. and you all are worried about lust? ROFLMAO..

Man.. you can't buy the kind of entertainment that takes place in this forum... Truth is always stranger than fiction.
Unfortunately, many Christians will hide their faces and decry the sight of a naked body, but eagerly absorb explosions, torture, murders etc. Somehow, sexuality is bad and violence is, if not good, at least okay. It's a warped sensibility.
 
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Hetta

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Not to mention the incest that is also in the show, but that happens in grocery stores too, right?
There is one incestuous relationship, just one, and you only see about 5 minutes of it in season 1. It is presented as a negative, not a positive, and yes it happens, and might be happening between people you might in the grocery store. You'll never know.
 
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NothingIsImpossible

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The amount of people who come out in defense of the show is amazing. The opposite of fleeing from it would be staying and withstanding it. What exactly is your point?

Calling that an abuse of God's word is a very very very very far stretch.
Oh, if you read my past posts I don't defend the show. I watched it for awhile then felt conviction about it. Its way to overboard. None the less I said you abuse the word because you added your own extension onto what the verse said. For example we all know this verse:

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Now if I say its saying God gave His only son so that anyone who believes in Him can shall be saved, as long as they listen to what their pastor says only. That would be wrong. Just as you said "not to entertain it and pridefully consider yourself able to "withstand" it.". It doesn't say that. Also you have to not specifically cherry pick verses. Such as often people bring up do not judge, but they ignore other verses that expand on that about things like correction/reproofing. Such as those about conviction. Which leads into other things. Like I knew one man who said I was a sinner because I chose to play video games that sometimes had blood in them. Yet this very person was into games that had sex and swearing. Though to be fair I am not saying we shouldn't point out others flaws in order to justify ours.

But I am saying some people can get so aggressive about others flaws that they become judgmental and hypocrites instead of correcting/reproofing. The way you said what you did before shows aggression since people aren't listening to you. Its why its best to leave it in Gods hands if someone ignores correction. Not keep correcting them and become aggressive about it.

Me, as I said I won't watch GOT, but I do watch The Walking Dead. My convictions about GOT were there, I have none about TWD though. I know my limits. And by that I mean I know if something (usually) is affecting me or not. Which is a good point in response to what you said also. The Bible says if we are being affected by something then we should be free from it. Maybe some who watch GOT are affected by it. Maybe some aren't. But in the end they have to stand before God for all that.
 
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SnowyMacie

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The Bible says if we are being affected by something then we should be free from it. Maybe some who watch GOT are affected by it. Maybe some aren't. But in the end they have to stand before God for all that.

This is pretty much all that needs to be said when it comes to these types of questions.
 
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Hetta

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Oh, if you read my past posts I don't defend the show. I watched it for awhile then felt conviction about it. Its way to overboard. None the less I said you abuse the word because you added your own extension onto what the verse said. For example we all know this verse:

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Now if I say its saying God gave His only son so that anyone who believes in Him can shall be saved, as long as they listen to what their pastor says only. That would be wrong. Just as you said "not to entertain it and pridefully consider yourself able to "withstand" it.". It doesn't say that. Also you have to not specifically cherry pick verses. Such as often people bring up do not judge, but they ignore other verses that expand on that about things like correction/reproofing. Such as those about conviction. Which leads into other things. Like I knew one man who said I was a sinner because I chose to play video games that sometimes had blood in them. Yet this very person was into games that had sex and swearing. Though to be fair I am not saying we shouldn't point out others flaws in order to justify ours.

But I am saying some people can get so aggressive about others flaws that they become judgmental and hypocrites instead of correcting/reproofing. The way you said what you did before shows aggression since people aren't listening to you. Its why its best to leave it in Gods hands if someone ignores correction. Not keep correcting them and become aggressive about it.

Me, as I said I won't watch GOT, but I do watch The Walking Dead. My convictions about GOT were there, I have none about TWD though. I know my limits. And by that I mean I know if something (usually) is affecting me or not. Which is a good point in response to what you said also. The Bible says if we are being affected by something then we should be free from it. Maybe some who watch GOT are affected by it. Maybe some aren't. But in the end they have to stand before God for all that.
So the violence and mayhem in Walking Dead - blowing people's heads off, eating people is just fine. LOL. Like I said, violence = okay; nudity/sexuality = terrible, horrifying, sinful.
 
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JackKerouac

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Why do people have such a problem with lust? What is the big deal?

This is hilarious.. This tv show has murder and mayhem, peoples arms getting chopped off, people being tortured, etc etc.. and you all are worried about lust? ROFLMAO..

Man.. you can't buy the kind of entertainment that takes place in this forum... Truth is always stranger than fiction.
If you had been following the argument carefully, you would know that the concern with some is not in what it depicts per se, but how what it depicts might tempt people toward lust. Naked people tempting viewers to lust is a real thing, despite the efforts of you and others to minimize it and condescend toward those who struggle with it. On the other hand, realistically speaking, how many people do you know who are actually tempted by such shows to murder, torture, and pillage?

Maybe before you bring out the snark and the rudeness, you might consider understand what people's actual concerns are.
 
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Murby

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If you had been following the argument carefully, you would know that the concern with some is not in what it depicts per se, but how what it depicts might tempt people toward lust. Naked people tempting viewers to lust is a real thing, despite the efforts of you and others to minimize it and condescend toward those who struggle with it. On the other hand, realistically speaking, how many people do you know who are actually tempted by such shows to murder, torture, and pillage?

Maybe before you bring out the snark and the rudeness, you might consider understand what people's actual concerns are.

Wow.. if I described your comments as righteously judgmental and pompously narrow minded, I'm not sure if I it would adequately do them justice.

I don't give a rats behind what the show depicts or what it tempts people towards..

I asked, in very simple and very clear English, "Why do people have such a problem with lust, what's the big deal?"

Let me rephrase this so I can frame it in terms that even a person with a small, narrow mind and limited ability to think for themselves can understand..
>>>What is it about lust that some people feel is bad..? <<<

Look at that.. I did it without using a single word with more than two syllables... Oh wait.. I did that the first time too.
 
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NothingIsImpossible

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Problem with people on christian forums is often times they feel as though their view is the only right one and anyone who disagrees is bad. Hence they are holier then thou. But thankfully when people act like that they just prove they are just as flawed as whatever it was they were responding too.
 
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Murby

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Problem with people on christian forums is often times they feel as though their view is the only right one and anyone who disagrees is bad. Hence they are holier then thou. But thankfully when people act like that they just prove they are just as flawed as whatever it was they were responding too.
I hit the like button on that..

So maybe a reasonable person like yourself would care to explain what these other folks find so horribly wrong with lust?

From my perspective, as a non-religious person, I see nothing inherently bad about it. It certainly does not hurt anyone else or affect the lives of anyone.. I can't see how it would affect the well being of the person who is lustful..

Is this just one of those things where the bible say's its bad and everyone just follows along without any thought to it?
 
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NothingIsImpossible

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Lust for someone would mean your sexual wanting someone (to some degree). Hence as a christian lust is wrong because God told us it is wrong. Does it affect someone elses lives? No. Can it affect ours? Yes, at least as a christian. Alot of the things we are told to do basically are about self control and trust in God. So theres really no other way to explain why we do it. Just different views in the end.
 
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JackKerouac

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Wow.. if I described your comments as righteously judgmental and pompously narrow minded, I'm not sure if I it would adequately do them justice.

I don't give a rats behind what the show depicts or what it tempts people towards..

I asked, in very simple and very clear English, "Why do people have such a problem with lust, what's the big deal?"

Let me rephrase this so I can frame it in terms that even a person with a small, narrow mind and limited ability to think for themselves can understand..
>>>What is it about lust that some people feel is bad..? <<<

Look at that.. I did it without using a single word with more than two syllables... Oh wait.. I did that the first time too.
So you're clearly that guy. The guy who is more interested in playing gotcha than having a conversation. If you want to show me in a rational way how my comments are judgmental or narrow minded, I'm happy to continue this conversation with you. If, as I suspect, you're using those words just to attack the bad guy you disagree with, or because it's the only way you know how to respond to rational arguments, then I've got nothing else to say to you.

I hope you have a great week.
 
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Murby

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If you had been following the argument carefully, you would know that the concern with some is not in what it depicts per se, but how what it depicts might tempt people toward lust.
Following the argument carefully? There's barely two pages of postings. I simply asked what was the big deal about lust and you started in with pompous attitude and accusations..

Naked people tempting viewers to lust is a real thing, despite the efforts of you and others to minimize it and condescend toward those who struggle with it.
Judgmental and pompous. I haven't minimized anything. I simply asked a question about what's the big deal and you went all wacky accusing me of being condescending.

On the other hand, realistically speaking, how many people do you know who are actually tempted by such shows to murder, torture, and pillage?
Your argument here is valid but still not applicable to what I was asking. Murder, torture and pillage have quantifiable affects on other people. Lust does not.

Maybe before you bring out the snark and the rudeness, you might consider understand what people's actual concerns are.
They're concerned with lust.. I understand the argument just fine. You're insinuation that I am being snark and rude is a direct reflection of your own response. I simply asked what the big deal was and you still haven't answered that question.

So you're clearly that guy. The guy who is more interested in playing gotcha than having a conversation. If you want to show me in a rational way how my comments are judgmental or narrow minded, I'm happy to continue this conversation with you. If, as I suspect, you're using those words just to attack the bad guy you disagree with, or because it's the only way you know how to respond to rational arguments, then I've got nothing else to say to you.
Yes.. I am "that guy".. the one who uses logic and reasoning to live my life as opposed to following a book full of more horse manure than can be shoveled out of the way.
I just showed you how your comments are irrational. Of course, I expected as much since the whole christian belief system is irrational so it's sort of par for the course I guess.

So, perhaps it might be possible to discard the attitude and just answer the question? What is it that you folks find so horribly wrong with lust? It has no affect any anyone else, it's never been shown to be unhealthy, and it doesn't seem to create any type of habitual conditioning.
The only thing I can figure, is that there's a book that was written by people who used to wipe their rear ends with their hands and thought the earth was flat and they said lust is bad.... Now if I'm mistaken somehow, please speak up..
 
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