Is it a sin...? USCCB Movie Reviews

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William777

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Greetings Brethren,

The USCCB has movie reviews out on film and broadcasting.

old.usccb.org/movies/movieall.shtml

So I was wondering - suppose I watched a film on the list which got a bad rating, then is it a sin?

I ask because I like horror films, and - with Halloween coming up - I wanted to watch a bunch of horror films. I admit, they often lack moral value to them. Unless you watch something, like The Exorcist or The Exorcism of Emily Rose, then you’re probably not getting the benefit of morality. The Saw series, for instance, really doesn’t have much morally redeeming stuff in it. But is is a sin to watch something like those types of films?

I realize they are just fiction, and basically a waste of time the USCCB would never really approve of, but does that make it a sin to watch them?

Thanks and many blessings,

wm
 
The USCCB has a film and communications department that reviews movies as guidelines and are prudential in nature.

No, not a sin.
 
No, it is not a sin, but depending on how strong your faith is, it could put you in the near occasion of sin.
 
The USCCB really has no authority (more or less) in the lives of everyday Catholics. You have no obligation to listen to them in 99% of matters.

There’s been many odd and concerning things that I’ve seen come out of the USCCB. Supportive reviews of movies that hold well known and strong anti-christian sub-themes, money going to pro-gay and pro-abortion “charities,” articles advocating ignoring the rubrics in the Roman Missal, questionable letters coming out against Paul Ryan that have been publicly spoken against by other Bishop(s?) (including Ryan’s own), just to name a few… In short, I wouldn’t take the USCCB as the final word in the matter for ANYTHING. There’s a reason the Vatican has had to “slap them down” before. Sad but true.

But that being said, that doesn’t give you the licence to go watch any movie you want either. If you think it would put you in a near occasion of sin, you still shouldn’t go.
 
William777 said:
Greetings Brethren,

The USCCB has movie reviews out on film and broadcasting.

old.usccb.org/movies/movieall.shtml

So I was wondering - suppose I watched a film on the list which got a bad rating, then is it a sin?

I ask because I like horror films, and - with Halloween coming up - I wanted to watch a bunch of horror films. I admit, they often lack moral value to them. Unless you watch something, like The Exorcist or The Exorcism of Emily Rose, then you’re probably not getting the benefit of morality. The Saw series, for instance, really doesn’t have much morally redeeming stuff in it. But is is a sin to watch something like those types of films?

I realize they are just fiction, and basically a waste of time the USCCB would never really approve of, but does that make it a sin to watch them?

Thanks and many blessings,

wm
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Going against the USCCB ratings? Not a sin.

As for whether it’s a sin to watch horror movies, you should probably ask yourself why you enjoy watching them. Especially movies like Saw, which are referred to as torture porn for a reason.
 
OrangeOwl said:
As for whether it’s a sin to watch horror movies, you should probably ask yourself why you enjoy watching them. Especially movies like Saw, which are referred to as torture porn for a reason.
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Just to be clear - I deliberately used Saw as an extreme example. A sort of worst case scenario. I’ve not seen the full Saw series, but only two of the films, and then only from time to time. So I’m not a tremendous Saw fan.

I do like horror films in general, though. They’re a bunch of silly fun. I don’t take them seriously. They’re like a haunted house hayride. If I was going to take horror seriously, then I’d look at the sufferings of many of the Catholic martyrs. I do take their sufferings seriously. But, then, I realize that the horrors they suffered were real, not fantasy. And, then, I also acknowledge that they often endured them with courageous and heroic virtue, and their faith wasn’t daunted by mere appearances, like a Hollywood movie. If they were afraid of suffering, as if to recoil in disbelief, then scruples might have even made them afraid of their own shadow.

For fear of presumption - I’ll admit I am not always that strong, however, and - out of respect for anyone who might be listening quietly - I will emphasize that I tried to ask a responsible question here, and I did not posit an answer. My intention was not to point people in the wrong direction, or create an occasion for sin. If it was, then I wouldn’t have asked in the first place.

Finally, as per my motive, horror films come out a great deal around Halloween, which is why I asked, since we are going into the Halloween season in a few weeks. Last year I watched a lot of them, and it was fun and “seasonal”, if that makes any sense. I was trying to figure out if I would do it again this year.

Peace and Blessings,

wm
 
It certainly may be sinful to watch morally offensive movies. The sin would not lie in going against the recommendations of the USCCB. The sin would be in the objectively immoral nature of the movie itself.
 
1ke said:
It certainly may be sinful to watch morally offensive movies. The sin would not lie in going against the recommendations of the USCCB. The sin would be in the objectively immoral nature of the movie itself.
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Then, if you disregard the USCCB, what are you using as your moral standard?

Blessings,

wm
 
1ke said:
It certainly may be sinful to watch morally offensive movies. The sin would not lie in going against the recommendations of the USCCB. The sin would be in the objectively immoral nature of the movie itself.
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I agree.

I’ll give an example…The Cider House Rules is classified as (O) morally offensive.

I’ve watched it not really for entertainment but to learn a bit about pro-abortion propoganda. I don’t agree with any of the film’s premises.

Say someone else watches it and comes away with the idea that abortion is morally good and agrees with all the premises of the film…that could be a sin, and the film would be a source of scandal ( presenting something morally evil as morally good)
 
The USCCB movie reviews are offered as guidance for movie-going Catholics. They are written by the lay staff of the Office of Communications. They are not morally binding infallible declarations that are voted on and agreed upon by all of the nation’s bishops.

Not to say we should disregard them entirely. They are often helpful guides for determining the moral acceptability of a film. But there is no penalty of sin attached to disagreeing with them.
 
I wouldn’t say it is a sin but then again, I also wouldn’t say it is a good idea.
 
OrangeOwl said:
Going against the USCCB ratings? Not a sin.

As for whether it’s a sin to watch horror movies, you should probably ask yourself why you enjoy watching them. Especially movies like Saw, which are referred to as torture porn for a reason.
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Watching Saw is a sin against good taste in movies, but not a sin as you intended in the question.
 
He_Man said:
Watching Saw is a sin against good taste in movies, but not a sin as you intended in the question.
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I never said that watching Saw was a sin. I only indicated that you should ask yourself why you enjoy watching it. If you enjoy seeing the act of someone being tortured, I would say that you have a problem.

There is also the issue of contributing money to these type of movies.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=61975
 
Yeah, I had a question about this too. I know that the USCCB’s movie reviews have roundly condemned the PG-rated Nacho Libre, despite its depiction of a child-like novice monk as a hero and benefactor to orphans. I know he appears buffoonish, but for goodness’ sake, so does everyone else in the movie…
 
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