Should Christians watch Game of Thrones?

[Hetta]

Hilarious that, as usual, the hardcore violence gets a miss, and all that Christians care about is sex/nudity.

 

[Hetta]

So the standard is not whether a woman is raped, humiliated, women paraded around naked in a ridiculously obvious pandering to male genital stimulation, but whether women viewers are aroused by it? So...if lesbians are aroused, it's wrong, but if straight women are not, then....all this violence against women is okay? Not following. The question is, is it morally wrong to show such an extraordinary amount of sexual violence against women, such that a Christian should seriously consider whether he or she should tacitly approve such depictions by watching it. And scripture, and my morals, and my understanding of the wider pandemic of real-life violence against women is an unequivocal no. Now, I can't stop someone from watching torture inappropriate content like this, obviously, nor would I. But don't kid yourself it is a Christian activity, because we all know it isn't.

So you don't have any studies, right. That's what I figured.

Again, you haven't watched it, I have and "torture inappropriate content" is a ridiculous statement to make, but if that's what you think, that's fine, don't watch it. Go watch all those other "pretty bad things" you admit to having watched.

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

That's a false equivalency. Hardcore inappropriate content is only about sex.

Actually inappropriate content movies have stories. Sure they are usually cheesy, but they are still stories, so my point still holds.

GoT does have a very complicated, vital story, of which the few sex scenes are merely a sprinkling.

You left out the rampant murder (often gory), constant swearing that wouldn't even make it into a R rated movie, incest, evil...etc. Also so are you saying an incestual sex scene or someone stabbing a persons eyes out in graphic detail it vital and thus ok to watch?

But I guess you're someone else who hasn't seen it, but you're basing your opinion of what other people have told you.

Actually watched the first two seasons (well almost tot he end of season 2) and gave up on it. To disgusting and vile even for my relatively leaned back standards. I actually don't know of any christians who watch it. Or any show even close to it really.

No children are raped on GoT. None. Zero.

Just because they don't show skin doesn't ignore the fact its implying people had sex with underage people or were raped. One scene if I recall had a middle aged man putting his hand down a underage girls pants as he molested her.

Because then can separate fact and fiction.

While I can agree with you about that does make a difference, we still have to ask ourselves just how much vile things are we willing to watch and to what limit just because its fiction. I mean GoT is pretty much at the top of my list for having every form of filth in it possible. THe first season alone tallied in at having just over 200 swear words. And I'm not saying what some people call swearing like "Darn!", I mean legit swearing.

The show is simply about shock value. Extreme shock value just to see how far a show can go. Its worked great so far drawing in a record amount of people, even christians (it seems). Now lets take the show Fear the Walking Dead (a spin off of TWD). In its two seasons there have only been maybe a dozen swear words if that. Graphic death scenes involving a living human? Not many at all really. There are zombie death scenes but not many either and not at the frequency in graphicness as TWD. No nudity. No evil stuff (magic and what not). No incest. No rape or molesting. So even comparing TWD to GoT is like comparing burger to a steak.

Now I am not typing all this to make you stop watching it. Your mind is set of course. I'm typing this so no one else falls into the trap of watching it and letting it loosen their values in what they watch even more. Remember years ago I was into horrible things. But I realized even thought I know what was fiction, it doesn't mean its still ok to watch since there will always be something worse to watch and that would probably draw me in too.

I will take back one statement, I do know christians that watch shows like Sopranos and Breaking Bad when it was on. So they probably watched GoT too. I'll drop this topic now.

 

[Hetta]

Actually inappropriate content movies have stories. Sure they are usually cheesy, but they are still stories, so my point still holds.

I bow to your superior knowledge of what goes on in inappropriate content movies. However, there are five major novels behind GoT, which are great reading. Can you say the same for inappropriate content?

You left out the rampant murder (often gory), constant swearing that wouldn't even make it into a R rated movie, incest, evil...etc. Also so are you saying an incestual sex scene or someone stabbing a persons eyes out in graphic detail it vital and thus ok to watch?

You can't be reading where I several times mentioned the violence. Swearing doesn't bother me. They're not really having incestual sex, and no I cover my eyes at the violence. I don't like violence, period.

Actually watched the first two seasons (well almost tot he end of season 2) and gave up on it. To disgusting and vile even for my relatively leaned back standards. I actually don't know of any christians who watch it. Or any show even close to it really.

Wow, that took a lot of nudity (full frontal) and sex, violence and swearing before the light dawned. You do know one Christian who watched it - yourself. I know many, many more.

Just because they don't show skin doesn't ignore the fact its implying people had sex with underage people or were raped. One scene if I recall had a middle aged man putting his hand down a underage girls pants as he molested her.

I don't remember any such details, and "implications" to all kinds of things exist. But that's a long walk back from stating that child rape takes place. I don't mind comments that are stated on fact - yes, it's violent, said so myself, but no need to invent things.

While I can agree with you about that does make a difference, we still have to ask ourselves just how much vile things are we willing to watch and to what limit just because its fiction. I mean GoT is pretty much at the top of my list for having every form of filth in it possible. THe first season alone tallied in at having just over 200 swear words. And I'm not saying what some people call swearing like "Darn!", I mean legit swearing.

I asked myself and decided it was no more violent than the Bible. You know, Lot lying with his daughters, or offering them up to be raped, or the murders of the firstborn.

The show is simply about shock value. Extreme shock value just to see how far a show can go. Its worked great so far drawing in a record amount of people, even christians (it seems). Now lets take the show Fear the Walking Dead (a spin off of TWD). In its two seasons there have only been maybe a dozen swear words if that. Graphic death scenes involving a living human? Not many at all really. There are zombie death scenes but not many either and not at the frequency in graphicness as TWD. No nudity. No evil stuff (magic and what not). No incest. No rape or molesting. So even comparing TWD to GoT is like comparing burger to a steak.

You can keep the Walking Dead. I wouldn't watch it if I was paid to. I guess that those aren't living people playing on those parts, lol. You know, the actors *pretending* to murder, eat, eviscerate each other. Again, IDC about curse words.

Now I am not typing all this to make you stop watching it. Your mind is set of course. I'm typing this so no one else falls into the trap of watching it and letting it loosen their values in what they watch even more. Remember years ago I was into horrible things. But I realized even thought I know what was fiction, it doesn't mean its still ok to watch since there will always be something worse to watch and that would probably draw me in too.

I guess everyone has to have a hobby, and yours is trying to persuade people that they should be guided by you. In the years of reading the books, then watching the shows, I have yet to: rape someone, commit incest, curse (any more than usual), kill someone ... nope. Still me. Still entirely normal. Perhaps because I *can* tell the difference between good and evil, and my values were set in stone a long, long time ago, so I wouldn't allow a novel or a tv show to change them.

 

[Go Braves]

I'm a Christian, I love this show. Excited about tonight!

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

I guess everyone has to have a hobby, and yours is trying to persuade people that they should be guided by you

To be fair you sometimes have the same hobby as I do on this forum. Heck alot of us do, even if we don't mean to. With that said I apologize for picking what you said apart. None of us are perfect and even though you watch GoT, I still don't think Jesus would be thrilled with me watching Walking Dead either.

 

[Poppyseed78]

*Walks into thread*

*Walks out* lol

Seriously though, I watch this show. I like it. That's all I have to add.

 

[Go Braves]

What did y'all think of tonight's episode?

 

[Go Braves]

My husband and I have discussed this also, but never came to a final answer. 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.

This is a wise post.

 

[Go Braves]

I stopped watching it because it was obvious they did whatever they could for ratings "Lets show 20 nude ladies with breasts, butts and genitals (almost) showing every episode!". Its one thing if the nudity is brief and has something to do with the story, I can accept that. But when its thrown in just for shock value then its annoying. I didn't mind the gore or swearing really. But overall I lost interest because of the shock value. I stick to Walking Dead now.

I lost interest in TWD because to me it became all about shock value, with nothing else of value to it. Like that scene where the little kid gets graphically torn apart, and the whole story it fit into was just so dang stupid. So the only thing they were going for was to shock you with a kiddie murder. The 1st season was great, loved it especially because it's all filmed in Georgia. But it took a nosedive IMO.

 

[SnowyMacie]

What did y'all think of tonight's episode?

"Shall we begin?"
"Yes, Your Grace, you shall"

I lost interest in TWD because to me it became all about shock value, with nothing else of value to it. Like that scene where the little kid gets graphically torn apart, and the whole story it fit into was just so dang stupid. So the only thing they were going for was to shock you with a kiddie murder. The 1st season was great, loved it especially because it's all filmed in Georgia. But it took a nosedive IMO.

I've lost all interest as well about two season ago, but to be honest I feel like I've already committed so much time that I feel obligated to see it to it's end. Plus, I've come to despise Negan on a level that rivals my hatred of Joffrey from GoT so I want to see his demise.

 

[Poppyseed78]

What did y'all think of tonight's episode?

I liked it a lot. It looks like they are moving the plot along much faster now, which I think is a good thing considering how they dragged out some storylines in previous seasons. The opening scene was powerful and set the tone very well.

Cersei is as power-hungry as ever. I enjoyed The Hound's dialogue, very amusing. I always like seeing the ferocious and spirited Lady Mormont. Sam's chamberpot sequence - that was too much lol, but this show doesn't shy away from showing the good, the bad, and the ugly. Overall I think this episode's pace was perfect, and it addressed all the important storylines without feeling rushed.

 

[Dawn Marie]

I love this series a lot. I'm someone who tends to avoid entertainment which is very graphic in nature (violence, sex, etc), but when the storyline is good enough... I will watch. And I do. Game of Thrones is amazing.

 

[AthensToJerusalem]

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.

Eveyone feels their view is the only right one. Even "moral relativists" who claim there is no absolute morality are making precisely an absolute claim about morality. And many of them tend to be some of the most holier-than-thou people you'll ever meet when they're defending their curious view of "tolerance".

Either way, the topic of graphic films, series and video games is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. Still haven't figured it out lol. I wasn't even Christian yet when I stopped watching the previous season. It's not a simple, yes or no issue, I suppose. Kind of a grey area.

 

[Go Braves]

I love this series a lot. I'm someone who tends to avoid entertainment which is very graphic in nature (violence, sex, etc), but when the storyline is good enough... I will watch. And I do. Game of Thrones is amazing.

You said exactly what I feel.

 

[AntiVillain]

I don't watch it... simply because I don't care enough about it.

 

[anna ~ grace]

View attachment 164091 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?

My take is, that if something is neutralizing / normalizing evil, stay away from it. What we watch can and does have an effect. I don't watch TV much. I rent a couple of programmes from the library, but some stuff is just blatantly weird and creepy. Avoid it, that's my take.

 

[Hishandmaiden]

I watch GOT for the plot.
I hate the nudity and sex scenes and violence.
I hate the sister brother love relationship, gay and lesbian scenes.
It is not a healthy show to watch.

 

[Robert6671]

Anyone want to read there bible...you have rape, murder, genocide, incest..tell me when King David went to conquer or destroy a people, what do you think those soldiers did to the innocent women in those stories...sounds just like GOT. It is a story...Martin is telling a medieval story...and he is not pulling punches. The bible does not go into graphic detail but when god says kill every man woman and child but keep the virgins...the virgins are kept for raping lets not pull punches...they way take babies and bash there heads in on the wrong. The bible is and incredibly violent book. If you think GOT is evil...don't read it.

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

True, the bible if made into a series would be rated NC-17. However I'd watch it because its the truth in all its horrible detail. Where as GoT is not a true story. For example I watched Schindlers List despite whats in it because it's a true story.