Can Catholics watch scary movies/shows?

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Hawkeye916

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From time to time I enjoy watching videos online that are kinda home shot movies about creepy stuff happening. Like a guy walking around an old scary house and then suddenly seeing a figure, or a door closes by itself or there are spooky voices, stuff like that. I’m sure you’ve all seen a video like that here and there, and they claim to be true footage (and very well may be). Now I’m just wondering if Catholics are allowed to watch stuff like this? Or is it a sin in any way? Its not like we are trying to contact spirits in any way like this, but it’s more of capturing the supernatural on video that interests me.
 
I’m not into that stuff, but I don’t think it’s sinful to watch in any way.
 
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In principle, it is not a sin to watch “scary movies”. However many modern horror movies have enough offensive content to make them problematic (at best).

As with most genres of film, you have to take it on a case by case basis.
 
I don’t know, like videos of doors slamming and nobody on the other side, creepy noises, weird shadowy figures. That stuff
 
Maybe you’re young and haven’t looked into what the church teaches on what happens to someone when they die and afterlife.

About “ghosts”,evil spirits, Satan and witchcraft. Ect.

If you’re young and haven’t looked up what the church teaches I’d look into what the Catechism says and on catholic answers. Talk to a priest.

I’m not saying you can’t watch horror movies and things like supernatural stuff but it might help to know the truth so you arent decieved into believing wrong things.
 
Movies are only sinful if they fall in one of these categories:
  1. They contain significant sinful content such as porn, blasphemy, or very graphic violence/ gore, and it’s not a momentary thing you could maybe skip over
  2. They otherwise motivate you personally to commit a sin. Example: You see a movie about robbers, you think “Hey that looks like a good way to make money” and you go plan and commit a robbery.
    Most people could just watch the movie without committing the robbery, but since robbery movies have a negative effect on you personally, then it would be a sin for you to continue to watch them.
In this case, the scary movie doesn’t sound like it has porn, blasphemy or graphic violence in it.
It just has a ghostly story.
It’s not going to infest you with demons or anything because it’s a fake movie.
If the movie motivates you to sin in some way, like watching it makes you want to hold a seance or causes you to doubt the Church teachings on the afterlife or the occult, then don’t watch it.
 
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