I think your sentiments are why some traditionalist organizations suggest not having TV at all. You just can’t get away from worldly interpretations with it.
OTOH, it is extremely helpful for Christians to know how others perceive us, to ask ourselves why they perceive us this way, and to ponder how we can change this.
Why is it that Catholics are often portrayed badly or incorrectly on television? Yes, it’s possible that the writers and actors have an “evil agenda” to “bring down Catholicism.”
But more than likely, the writer has created the “bad Catholic character” because that’s what the writer knows. The writer has never met a “good” Catholic, and the writer fully believes that he/she is creating a realistic character.
What does this mean for Catholics? Obviously, we are not moving in the circles that television writers move in. And that’s not good. We need to be there.
There are Christians in the entertainment business, but many of the ones we see publicized are the “liberal” Catholics who do not adhere to Church teachings on many issues.
Why aren’t the “good Catholics” working in entertainment fields?
Because this is a mission field, and lots of Catholics don’t feel comfortable in a foreign land, so they stay away.
My daughter is a Catholic who is a professional stage manager out in California. She considers herself a light in a very very dark place. She can’t be an “in-your-face” Catholic, and she has to be careful about certain issues, especially the issue of homosexual marriage. If she is too vocal, she could end up blacklisted and this would essentially mean the end of her career–no job = no money = no food or shelter= coming home to live with Mom and Dad while preparing for a totally different career.
My daughter lights a soft light in her world. E.g., one of the things that she always does is pray backstage before the show. She doesn’t make a big deal out of it–no kneeling, no arms uplifted and loud chanting. The prayer is silent, and the Sign of the Cross is the only visible evidence of the prayer.
But actors find out about it, and so far, they have been touched by her loving action. They ask her if she prays for them specifically, and when she says yes, they are totally touched and grateful.
This simple prayer for fellow professionals may be having a huge impact on some big names in the show business world, even though that impact is not immediately obvious. No miracle conversions. But the seeds are definitely being planted by my daughter.
I think a lot of parents discourage their children from careers in entertainment because they are afraid the child will end up waiting tables, or because they are afraid of the child being badly influenced by a non-Christian business. This has to change. If Christians are to have any good influence in the entertainment world, we simply MUST enter that world and be the lights that Christ told us to be.
