Answering: Why Bother Protecting Your Children From Sex on TV, Violence, . . .?

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Why Bother Protecting Your Children From Sex on TV, Violence, classroom sex ed . . .?

I’ve been asked this question from parents for years that seem unconcerned about what their children are exposed to. I would like to build an apologetics base of Scripture citations and Magisterial document statements on the NEED for us as parents to protect our kids from graft.

I KNOW we as parents must protect the innocence of our children. But HOW can I defend this position to other parents who are criticizing me for trying to “take my kids out of the world.” “You can’t shelter them forever” they say (a straw man argument if I’ve ever heard one).

To a certain extent that their criticisms are true, but in another sense they are completely false.

We do protect our children. For example: We got rid of our TV about 15 years ago (still do very selected videos, etc.) not just for the kids but for us (my Wife and I) as well.
But we discuss in an age appropriate fashion (at HOME) about what is going on in the world, etc. They are well trained. But HOW do I defend this age appropriate sheltering of our children?
 
My first reaction is: why are you concerened about what others think about the way you raise your own children? Who gives a flying rip about what these people think?

Someday your kids will be decent human beings, and their kids will be nothing but trouble. They’ll figure it out eventually. In the meantime, nothing will convince them.
 
Hi
I was really glad to read ur post.It revived my faith…to know that there are catholic like u who care so much about the moral upbringing of children. Continue ur good work…& all u can do is to pray for other parents who dont agree with you. It is only God who can change hearts & minds…so just surrender them in God’s hands
& continue to speak to those parents who will listen. Praying for u.
 
[Jesus] said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the person through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin” (Luke 17:1-2) No doubt, there are many more.

Jesus thought it important to protect little ones from sin. Sadly, things like TV, movies, the Internet do cause us to sin. I applaud and pray for your efforts. It hurts us all even when the children of others are under bad influences. Apart from any harm it may cause us, being influenced to sin is bad for other people’s kids themselves. We should do what we appropriately can to help future generations, at least as far as exhorting their parents to act responsibly.

Are the parents who are unconcerned likely to be influenced by Scripture and Magisterial statements?
 
because exposing children to depictions of explicit sexual activity and violence is child abuse.
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Cathoholic:
Why Bother Protecting Your Children From Sex on TV, Violence, classroom sex ed . . .?

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Cathoholic,

I will echo what somebody else said in response: not protecting them is child abuse. Probably the smartest decision my wife and I made in raising our children–actually we kind of fell into it–was not having a TV set at home. As a result our kids read, have curiosity, are well-behaved, and are generally the sort of people that I am proud to be known as the father of.

One response that I haven’t seen suggested here is “I won’t question your not protecting your kids and you don’t question my protecting my kids.” Of course, that’s only valid if you haven’t questioned the other parents about their practices.
  • Liberian
 
Thanks for the all the fine replies so far:

To DaveFilmer: It is not that I care about what they think so much as I care about their lives and their children’s lives (and souls). As you said when their kids grow up they will reap the bad fruits. Unfortunately you are right and my wife and I have already seen much of that in these unprotected children.

Puzzleannie: I agree it IS child abuse not to protect your kids. And I know you concur with me that protecting your kids is absolutely necessary. But the fact remains that a lot of parents just DON’T see what you and I are seeing here. That’s WHY I want to obtain a collection of Bible verses and Magisterial document statements. So I have something to share with these people. Otherwise they will say “Well that’s just your opinion.” Yes they will probably say that anyway, but the Authority of the Church through Her documents, especially Sacred Scripture and other Magisterial documents will tug at their heart much more than my mere words.

Aridite I’ll take your advice and put Luke 17:1-2 in my collection to use for such occasions.

Any other authoritative sources/quotes? (I thought of the millstone verses since I posted this.)

Thanks.

Cathoholic
 
laudable aims, but I am willing to bet people who watch this slime and feed it to their kids will not be impressed by bible verses.
 
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