See also:
In trying to make wise choices about the media our family watches, I wanted to understand what the prophets and apostles had counselled us to avoid. Notice how many of the current or recent prophets and apostles have spoken on this.
In trying to make wise choices about the media our family watches, I wanted to understand what the prophets and apostles had counselled us to avoid. Notice how many of the current or recent prophets and apostles have spoken on this.
For me, the main drive for this goal was a desire to “always
have His Spirit to be with us,” as explained in this quote by Elder Bednar:
The
standard is clear. If something we think, see, hear, or do distances us from
the Holy Ghost, then we should stop thinking, seeing, hearing, or doing
that thing. If that which is intended to entertain, for example, alienates us
from the Holy Spirit, then certainly that type of entertainment is not for us.
Here is the summary from the
quotes below of things we should avoid in our media:
·
Immodesty
·
Immorality
·
Vulgar language
·
Profanity
·
Violence
·
Subtle ridicule of
traditional values
·
Whatever tears people
down or confuses gender
Pres. Russell M. Nelson, Sisters’
Participation in the Gathering of Israel, Oct. 2018
I
invite you to participate in a 10-day fast from social media and from any other media that bring negative
and impure thoughts to your mind. Pray to know which influences to remove
during your fast.
- For
the Strength of Youth: Entertainment and Media
“Do not attend, view, or
participate in entertainment that is
vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in
entertainment that in any way presents
immorality or violent behavior as acceptable. …
“Have the courage to walk out of a
movie or video party, turn off a computer or television, change a radio
station, or put down a magazine if what is being presented does not meet
Heavenly Father’s standards. Do these things even if others do not.”
- Elder
L. Tom Perry, “Choose
the Right,” October 1993
“We live today in a world so full
of choices. Television offers both the
good and the bad. Very few movies are worthy of seeing because
of the profanity, violence, and immortality that fill them. Advertising is full of enticements to lead us
to violate the Word of Wisdom. Some
music, with its monotonous rhythms, beats illicit thoughts into our heads.
3.
Joseph
B. Wirthlin, “The Unspeakable
Gift,” April 2003
Brothers and sisters, do we turn away the still,
small voice? Do we do things that offend the Holy Ghost? Do we allow influences
into our homes that drive the Spirit from our homes? The type of entertainment that we permit into our homes will certainly
have an impact on the power of the Holy Ghost. Much of the entertainment of
the world is offensive to the Holy Ghost. Surely we should not watch movies or
television shows that are filled with
violence, vulgar language, and immorality.
We should also endeavor
to discern when we “withdraw [ourselves] from the Spirit of the Lord. Precisely
because the promised blessing is that we may always have His Spirit to be
with us, we should attend to and learn from the choices and influences that
separate us from the Holy Spirit.
The standard is clear.
If something we think, see, hear, or do distances us from the Holy Ghost, then
we should stop thinking, seeing, hearing, or doing that thing. If that which is
intended to entertain, for example, alienates us from the Holy Spirit, then
certainly that type of entertainment is not for us. Because the Spirit cannot
abide that which is vulgar, crude, or
immodest, then clearly such things are not for us.
5.
Elder M. Russell Ballard, “Let
our Voices Be Heard,” October 2003
Most of the sitcoms, dramas,
and reality shows contain immorality,
violence, and subtle ridicule of traditional values and traditional families.
Each year the new shows seem to get worse, pushing the envelope of what the
public will accept. What comes out of Hollywood, off the Internet, and in much
of today’s music creates a web of decadence that can trap our children and
endanger all of us.
Family-destructive viewpoints and behavior are regularly
portrayed as pleasurable, as stylish, as exciting, and as normal. Often media’s most
devastating attacks on family are not direct or frontal or openly immoral.
Intelligent evil is too cunning for that, knowing that most people still
profess belief in family and in traditional values. Rather the attacks are
subtle and amoral—issues of right and wrong don’t even come up. Immorality and sexual innuendo are
everywhere, causing some to believe that because everyone is doing it, it must
be all right.
When evil wants to
strike out and disrupt the essence of God’s work, it attacks the family. It does so by attempting to disregard the
law of chastity, to confuse gender, to desensitize violence, to make crude and
blasphemous language the norm, and to make immoral and deviant behavior seem
like the rule rather than the exception.
- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “A
Matter of a Few Degrees,” April 2008
Pornography, violence, intolerance, and
ungodliness destroy families, marriages, and individual lives. These
dangers are distributed through many media, including magazines, books,
television, movies, and music, as well as the Internet. The Lord will help you
to recognize and avoid those evils. It is the early recognition of danger and a
clear course correction that will keep you in the light of the gospel. Minor decisions can lead to major
consequences. The Lord requires not only outward acts but also your inner
thoughts and feelings to be close to the spirit of the law.
Many sacrifices are quietly accomplished:
returned missionaries not delaying the responsibility of finding their eternal
companion; righteous women desiring children and investing their lives in
rearing them in love and truth; families
carefully restricting the media and Internet influences that would tarnish
their spirits; husbands and wives finding more time to be in the temple
together.
- Elder Richard G. Scott, “How
to Live Well Amid Increasing Evil,” April 2004
Satan
skillfully manipulates the power of all types of media and communication. His
success has greatly increased the extent and availability of such degrading and
destructive influences worldwide. In the past some effort was required to seek
out such evil. Now it saturates significant portions of virtually every corner
of the world. Have you noticed how Satan works to capture the mind and emotions
with flashing images, blaring music, and
the stimulation of every physical sense to excess? He diligently strives to
fill life with action, entertainment, and stimulation so that one cannot ponder
the consequences of his tempting invitations. Think of it. Some are tempted to
violate the most basic commandments of God because of seductive actions
portrayed as acceptable.
- Elder Quintin L. Cook, “Can
Ye Feel So Now?” October 2012
We are
all aware the culture in most of the world is not conducive to righteousness or
spiritual commitment. The constant
portrayal of violence and immorality in music, entertainment, art, and
other media in our day-to-day culture is unprecedented. This was dramatically
described by a highly respected Baptist theologian when he stated, “The
spiritual immune system of an entire civilization has been wounded.”
Sexual immorality and impure thoughts violate the standard established by the Savior.17
We were warned at the beginning of this dispensation that sexual immorality
would be perhaps the greatest challenge.18
Such conduct will, without repentance, cause a spiritual drought and loss of
commitment. Movies, TV, and the Internet often convey degrading messages and
images. Parents must have the courage to filter or monitor Internet access,
television, movies, and music. Parents must have the courage to say no, defend
truth, and bear powerful testimony.
- President Thomas S. Monson, “Three
Goals to Guide You,” October 2007
To an alarming extent, our children
today are being educated by the media, including the Internet. In the United
States, it is reported that the average child watches approximately four hours
of television daily, much of the programming being filled with violence, alcohol and drug use, and sexual
content. Watching movies and playing video games is in addition to the four
hours. And the statistics are much the same for other developed countries.
The messages portrayed on
television, in movies, and in other media are very often in direct opposition
to that which we want our children to embrace and hold dear. It is our
responsibility not only to teach them to be sound in spirit and doctrine but
also to help them stay that way, regardless of the outside forces they may
encounter. This will require much time and effort on our part—and in order to
help others, we ourselves need the spiritual and moral courage to withstand the
evil we see on every side.
- “’A society that views graphic violence as entertainment … should not be surprised
when senseless violence shatters the dreams of its youngest and
brightest.’” Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Apr. 1994
- “Remember, our Savior,
Jesus Christ, always builds us up and never tears us down. We should apply the power of that
example in the ways we use our time, including our recreation and
diversions. Consider the themes of the books, magazines, movies,
television, and music we make popular by our patronage.” --Dallin H.
Oakes, Nov 95,
13.
Another
activity that can detract us from the proper way is watching television
excessively or viewing improper movies. While fine productions on these media
are uplifting and entertaining, we need to be very selective in choosing what
we see and how much of our time such an activity deserves. Our precious time
must not be diverted to the sideline attractions of vulgar language, immoral conduct, pornography, and violence. Joseph B. Wirthlin, Oct. 1990
- “Sadly, the effects of this great
pollution are perhaps most evident in the mass media, films, television,
and popular music. Although there
are some uplifting exceptions, in most areas of the mass media there seems
to be a declaration of war against almost everything the majority
treasures most: the family, religion, and patriotism. Remember that anything that is not good
for children is rarely good for adults.” --Joe
J. Christensen, Nov 93, p. 11
- “One of the great tragedies is that too many are watching and listening to this type of so-called entertainment. I plead with you to leave it alone. Stay away from any movie, video, publication, or music - regardless of its rating - where illicit behavior and expressions are a part of the action. Have the courage to turn it off in your living room. Throw the tapes and the publications in the garbage can, for that is where we keep garbage.”
I know it is hard counsel we give
when we say movies that are R-rated, and many with PG-13 ratings, are produced
by satanic influences. Our standards
should not be dictated by the rating system.” --H. Burke Peterson, Nov 93, p. 43
16.
Opposite from its
harmful and permissive side, media offers much that is positive and productive.
Television offers history channels, discovery channels, education channels. One can still find movies and TV comedies
and dramas that entertain and uplift and accurately depict the consequences of
right and wrong. This pernicious evil is not out in the street somewhere;
it is coming right into our homes, right into the heart of our families. Elder M. Russell Ballard, “Let our Voices be Heard”
10/2003
- “We live today in a world
so full of choices. Television
offers both the good and the bad. Very few movies are worthy of seeing
because of the profanity, violence, and immortality that fill them. Advertising is full of enticements to
lead us to violate the Word of Wisdom.
Some music, with its monotonous rhythms, beats illicit thoughts
into our heads. Consider the counsel given by Pres.
Spencer W. Kimball: ‘Now may I make a recommendation? Develop discipline of self so that, more
and more, you do not have to decide and redecide what you will do when you
are confronted with the same tempatation time and time again. You need only to decide some things once. How great a blessing it is to be free of
agonizing over and over again regarding a temptation. To do such is time-consuming and very
risky.’ Pres. Kimball Speaks Out.“
--L. Tom Perry, Nov 93
I believe you cannot watch on film people gunned down in cold blood, in living color, and not have it affect the attitudes and thoughts of some of the people who see it. I believe you cannot continually portray human sexuality as just another physical appetite that has to be satisfied—whenever and with whomever the urge strikes—without diminishing respect for God and His commandments. And I believe that the desensitizing effect of such media abuses on the hearts and souls of those who are exposed to them result in a partial fulfillment of the Savior’s statement that “because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12).
In order to keep the light and love of Christ burning in our hearts, we have to be careful in our choices of what we will watch and what we will read.
Dallin H. Oaks 1974 Ensign
“Our Savior emphasized the importance of sexual purity when he taught that it was sinful for a man to look upon a woman to lust after her. That teaching leads me to say a few words about the kind of material we read and the kinds of movies and television we view. We are surrounded by the promotional literature of illicit sexual relations on the printed page and on the screen. For your own good, avoid it.
Pornographic or erotic stories and pictures are worse than filthy or polluted food. The body has defenses to rid itself of unwholesome food. With a few fatal exceptions, bad food will only make you sick, but will do no permanent harm. In contrast, a person who feasts upon filthy stories, or pornographic or erotic pictures and literature, records them in this marvelous retrieval system we call a brain. The brain won’t forget this filth. Once recorded it will always remain subject to recall, flashing its perverted images across your mind and drawing you away from the wholesome things in life.”
Brigham Young University President Dallin H. Oaks, from President’s Assembly speech, September 6, 1973
THE ETERNAL NATURE OF THE LAW OF CHASTITY by Elder Gene R. Cook 1989 - Ricks College, See the section on "Select Wholesome Music:
How many of you have heard of Mick Jagger? I think almost everyone has as he is one of the most famous rock stars in the world. Well, you might be surprised to know that I had about 2-1/2 hours with him on an airplane and it was quite an experience. I’m going to relate part of that to you to try to illustrate this important point about selecting wholesome music.
After we visited back and forth a minute or two about what we were doing and all, I finally said something like, “You know, Mick, I have a question for you that I’d like you to answer for me.” He said, “Well, I’ll be glad to try.” Then I said to him, “I have opportunity to be with young people in many different places around the world, and some of them have told me that the kind of music you and others like you sing has no effect on them, that it’s okay, and that it doesn’t affect them adversely in any way. Then other young people have told me very honestly that your kind of music has a real effect on them for evil and that it affects them in a very bad way.
You’ve been in this business for a long time, Mick. I’d like to know your opinion. What do you think is the impact of your music on the young people?” This is a direct quote, brothers and sisters. He said, “Our music is calculated to drive the kids to sex.” Those were his exact words.
