Can multimedia truly be evil??

[ThatRobGuy]

Some of you guys are going to laugh at this one.....I heard something yesterday that puzzled me.

For the last couple years my parents have been taking my 15 year old brother to a very conservative baptist church to receive brainwashing. When he got home from church the one week, he was telling me that they told him that watching the show South Park was evil, and also that his favorite band Slipknot was evil as well (I'm guessing because of the profanity). When they tell him these things, I make sure to balance him out with some common sense, and he's a pretty smart kid and can already start seeing through some of their lies.....Plus, he loves watching South Park with me .

Why do fundamentalists think that "bad" words can be harmful to listen to? They're just sounds like any other word. It just seems kind of silly to me.

 

[Robinsegg]

Why do fundamentalists think that "bad" words can be harmful to listen to? They're just sounds like any other word. It just seems kind of silly to me.

Well, here are a couple of thoughts (though I can't speak for those who are telling him this).

1. Filthy language doesn't just come in, it eventually becomes part of your thinking and your own speech. Jesus said that what comes out of the mouth has the ability to defile a person (15:10-12).

2. I don't think all multi-media is evil (I use computer programs and television to "give spice" to my 6yo's education). But I do think that it has the potential to become evil, just as anything else man touches does.

3. We, as Christians, are called to think on those things which are pure, lovely and of good report. While you might argue that South Park is lovely to you, I doubt the statement could truthfully be made that it's pure, and it's not of "good report", as most Christians I've spoken to don't report favorably upon it.

Rachel

 

[comana]

Well, when I was receiving my Sunday morning brainwashing I was taught all about the satanic messages in popular music and then they later showed us 6th graders 'The Killing Fields' (rated R) in sunday school.

 

[Robinsegg]

Well, when I was receiving my Sunday morning brainwashing I was taught all about the satanic messages in popular music and then they later showed us 6th graders 'The Killing Fields' (rated R) in sunday school.

Well, I suppose if you consider the large majority of songs about extra-marital sex and violence, they may have had a point about the music, huh?
Rachel

 

[comana]

Some of you guys are going to laugh at this one.....I heard something yesterday that puzzled me.

For the last couple years my parents have been taking my 15 year old brother to a very conservative baptist church to receive brainwashing. When he got home from church the one week, he was telling me that they told him that watching the show South Park was evil, and also that his favorite band Slipknot was evil as well (I'm guessing because of the profanity). When they tell him these things, I make sure to balance him out with some common sense, and he's a pretty smart kid and can already start seeing through some of their lies.....Plus, he loves watching South Park with me .

Why do fundamentalists think that "bad" words can be harmful to listen to? They're just sounds like any other word. It just seems kind of silly to me.

I think that such parents believe brainwashing and sensory deprivation where profanity and sexual images are concerned will cause their innocent babies to stay innocent.

My experience is that these innocent children just take thier fascination with these things underground so to speak.

 

[Uphill Battle]

Again, It appears it's all the fundamentalists fault....

Even beyond the crude humour, and the profanity, south park is a lousy show. Do you think perhaps the depiction of Jesus as a wrestler, as a clueless game show guest, etc... are really honouring to him? Perhaps that might be a reason why we "fundies" don't watch it, and view it as detrimental?

 

[Mskedi]

I would say those things listed could only be considered "evil" if they harm a person's faith or how they behave/think towards others. Some people have a high tolerance before they are affected, others have a low tolerance.

So instead of branding specific things as evil, as this church has done, I would think it would be better advice to advise people to look at what they allow to influence them and see if that influence helps them, harms them, or has little effect on them.

I'm sure the intention was good, but the blanket statement was one that would not fit every individual.

 

[comana]

South Park disclaimer

 

[kopilo]

I'd say some media has been and is boardline evil, but not evil in a religious context.

"Having qualities tending to injury and mischief" - [1913 Webster]

 

[Adriac]

I would say those things listed could only be considered "evil" if they harm a person's faith or how they behave/think towards others. Some people have a high tolerance before they are affected, others have a low tolerance.

So instead of branding specific things as evil, as this church has done, I would think it would be better advice to advise people to look at what they allow to influence them and see if that influence helps them, harms them, or has little effect on them.

I'm sure the intention was good, but the blanket statement was one that would not fit every individual.

See, I don't really understand that. Faith, if I understand it correctly, is supposed to be about a personal relationship between you and God. How can some external influence affect that?

It seems to me like fleeing from things which could test your faith is counterproductive. I would say (if I were running a religion) that one should seek out those things, so as by overcoming them to become stronger in one's faith.

 

[Robinsegg]

See, I don't really understand that. Faith, if I understand it correctly, is supposed to be about a personal relationship between you and God. How can some external influence affect that?

I'd say an external influence affects that relationship as an external influence can affect any kind of relationship (ie by changing one of the people involved). However, there is the thing about God not being able to be around sin . . . which would cause a separation any time temptation is yielded to .

It seems to me like fleeing from things which could test your faith is counterproductive. I would say (if I were running a religion) that one should seek out those things, so as by overcoming them to become stronger in one's faith.

Well, Christian Scripture is clear on "flee what is evil, cling to what is good" and "flee the appearance of evil". (I can give references, if needed).

Rachel

 

[moogoob]

There are many good, valid reasons to not listen to Slipknot (I personally abhor them. Give me a decent Scandinavian metal band any day. But I digress.). However, "because they're evil" isn't one of them.

As to media in general, one thing I've found conservative Christians love doing is replacing all of their media with Christian alternatives. Christian Rock bands, Christian magazines, Christian Discusssion Boards etc. It's just something they do, and perhaps is may even be beneficial to them, but they tend to find it hard to beleive that not everyone is willing to self-censor themselves to their extent. Maybe that is one reason behind what your brother's been hearing.

Thanks for the interesting topic, I was getting tired of the Sodomite Agenda posts.

 

[Adriac]

I'd say an external influence affects that relationship as an external influence can affect any kind of relationship (ie by changing one of the people involved). However, there is the thing about God not being able to be around sin . . . which would cause a separation any time temptation is yielded to .
Well, Christian Scripture is clear on "flee what is evil, cling to what is good" and "flee the appearance of evil". (I can give references, if needed).

Rachel

See, that's what I'm talking about. I much prefer (for example) Buddhist philosophy, which calls on us to meditate on those things that affect us, in order to achieve a greater understanding of, well, ourselves.

 

[DailyBlessings]

I never met, in my youth, a child who was genuinely unaware of profanity or violence, despite the fervent attempts of their parents to keep them pure.

 

[kopilo]

See, that's what I'm talking about. I much prefer (for example) Buddhist philosophy, which calls on us to meditate on those things that affect us, in order to achieve a greater understanding of, well, ourselves.

“In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.” - dalai lama

 

[Robinsegg]

I never met, in my youth, a child who was genuinely unaware of profanity or violence, despite the fervent attempts of their parents to keep them pure.

I actually was unaware of profanity until about 3rd grade (to the best of my recollection, that's when I was exposed to one by another student in class). As far as violence goes, no . . . I was on the receiving end of it too often in school (mostly verbal violence prior to 3rd grade).

Rachel

 

[DailyBlessings]

I actually was unaware of profanity until about 3rd grade (to the best of my recollection, that's when I was exposed to one by another student in class). As far as violence goes, no . . . I was on the receiving end of it too often in school (mostly verbal violence prior to 3rd grade).

Rachel

I meant by the start of adolescence- say, 7th grade or so. By the time it becomes a serious question, the World has a way of creeping in no matter how much one may try to "protect" one's child.

 

[gwenmead]

No, media of any kind - multi- or otherwise - isn't inherently evil. They're just tools for communication. The written word, TV, radio, the internet, telephone, film, smoke signals, art... whatever. None of them have any intrinsic moral value in and of themselves at all.

As vehicles for content, however, various kinds of media are sometimes censored - not because of the medium, but because of the message. People differ in what kinds of "messages" they want others to hear, or think people should be hearing. Swear words are a kind of message. Some folks don't care about them, others find them highly offensive. I have no idea who's right on that.

Although I certainly appreciate George Carlin's take on words and how they're used, and why they're powerful. His "Seven Words You Can't Say on Television" sketch is great.

I also agree that often attempts to steer children away from certain things only tends to increase their interest. Sadly, a lot of parents don't seem to have figured this out yet.

Anyway. I'm kind of rambling so I'll shut up now. Thanks for reading.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Filthy language doesn't just come in, it eventually becomes part of your thinking and your own speech. Jesus said that what comes out of the mouth has the ability to defile a person (15:10-12).

In that case, the true problem would be that someone along the way decided to pick and choose a few words and labeled them as evil....in many cases the "bad words" have the exact same meaning and connotation as the "ok" words. That's why a baby can say the word poop and it's cute and funny...but when an adult says the S-word, it's considered bad, even though they mean the exact same thing.

 

[Robinsegg]

In that case, the true problem would be that someone along the way decided to pick and choose a few words and labeled them as evil....in many cases the "bad words" have the exact same meaning and connotation as the "ok" words. That's why a baby can say the word poop and it's cute and funny...but when an adult says the S-word, it's considered bad, even though they mean the exact same thing.

I agree with this, to a point. Many of our "bad words" or obscenity are actually Anglo-Saxon words replaced by Norman words. In some cases, an acronym for something, uh, distasteful is used as an obscenity. For the most part, I find those who use obscenities to be woefully lacking in imagination (esp. when used to indicate ire, wrath or anger). I really feel sad for those people, because they just can't think of anything better to say.

In the case of the truly profane, however, I must say that I take issue with anyone misusing the name of a deity. I feel this way in part because of the 2nd Commandment given in Exodus, but also in part because of the (sometimes intended, sometimes unintended) effect upon those who believe in that deity. It's disrespectful as well as rude. In today's society, I realize it's often done unthinkingly. But that's another problem as described above.

BTW, why is it that people don't think anymore?

Rachel