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 Mind Over Media By Clarissa Worley Sproul
But movies? Well, that’s another thing altogether. There’s nothing like a well-crafted storyline packaged into a glorious hour or two and beamed down to me off my huge movie screen. It’s like a good meal. You taste all kinds of sights and smells, feelings, and dynamics and if it’s really good you come to think on a level never yet discovered, like with the movie A Beautiful Mind. Suddenly I knew what it was like to fumble through false realities like they were true. So why do I bring up movies? Well, it’s because of this ornery little passage in the teachings of Paul that shreds most the movies I’ve ever seen. His challenge goes something like this. Whatever things are lovely, pure, true and of good report… so on and so on… set your mind (focus and think) on these things. Yes, there it is. The great Apostle Paul exposing almost every movie for what it is not, and calling us to turn our focus away. Now I know there are all kinds of rationalizations one can make. There must be. Most (really, I’d say about 99.9%) of my friends who care about God and have received His spirit and want to grow up in Him watch all kinds of crazy stuff that doesn’t fit into Paul’s criteria for what we should be setting our minds on. Someone, somewhere has come up with a loophole that will pass the excuses test with flying colors, and we’ve all bought into it. But really, who on earth am I kidding? It makes no sense. I don’t believe in killing, wouldn’t ever attempt to kill, and yet I’ll watch killing after killing if it’s part of a good plot with a grand finale? Then there’s poor behavior, double-crossing, lying, stealing, cheating on the wife or husband. The list goes on and on. And that’s even if you get that little thing that beeps out the swear words. We aren’t even talking about the conversational sludge that muddies up the brain. Though I cannot say I fully understand or can explain how it all must drill holes in us until we’re empty, I just know that being a body of people who believe and teach one thing and then sit down on a weekly or nightly schedule and absorb the opposite, must make us really, really lame. Lame and conflicted, or maybe not conflicted as much as fake. Fake in the sense that we feel at ease watching people act out evil to new extremes, but act as those who wouldn’t kill a fly. It makes no sense. Something, somewhere is being lost for good. And so it is that I’ve started to apply Paul’s standard to my viewing habits, and with devastating effects. So far there are only three or four movies that work—all movies that actually don’t show me gore, lust, selfishness, greed and the rest of it. It’s kind of sobering. First I’ve embedded the teaching of Paul in my mind, second I think on it before watching a movie, and third, I just say no. Though still hoping it isn’t so… I’m slowly coming to realize that saying no is pretty much my only sane option if I want to guard my Spirit and the growth God is doing in me. And yet it feels as if I’m abandoning friends, dear old, long-enjoyed friends. I love a good story. I’m predominantly visual. It’s a not-fun process to be sure. And yet, I have little double of the blessing I am becoming to myself. I am guarding my heart—out of which flows all my life (Proverbs 4:23)—and the perks are already rolling in. No longer desensitized as I was, I’m now finding myself keenly aware of what’s going on, like my conscience just took a bath. So there it is…a bit of honesty on a topic I’ve been trying not to address for a while. And even writing this feels good. It feels grounding. It’s definitely assuring in the sense that as I write I know what I say is truer than true. And I’ll be better for it. After all, sacrifice for one’s own good is always glorious in the end. Glorious. Visit Life Notes ______________________________ Clarissa Worley Sproul writes from the Pacific Northwest. All rights reserved © 2010 AnswersForMe.org. Click here for content usage information. Add your comment. |
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