Is watching "FAMILY GUY" a mortal sin?

[Cable]

I think in terms of fiction, this is a little more blurry. What of watching a show where one of the characters is an atheist, and at some point they deny the existance of God? Does that make the viewer morally culpable for the actions of one character? Now, I know that’s not the way this particular show works, but I’m just saying. By that logic, you wouldn’t be morally able to be friends with a person who has a habbit of taking the lord’s name in vein, since speaking to them MIGHT be contributing to that

"…we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate with them: - by participating directly and voluntarily in them, by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them, by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so; by protecting evil-doers… Thus sin makes men accomplices of one another. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1868)

Your point on friends and profanities, I’ve heard some Catholic friends&family take the Lord’s name in vain, and I’ve said to them I disagree with it b/cause of what our faith teaches. A short answer, without belaboring the point. They were only in a habit of it and didn’t realize the significance of their words until they were mentioned by someone else. Now the ball is in their court.

If there was a bear standing behind me, so to speak, I would expect my friends to tell me as much. And they have!

 

[shondrea]

Now imagine the flip side of your first sentence - that every moment is a potential moment to honor God, a moment to pray, to listen for Him.

This point only leads to the arguent that anything entertaining, secular, or not objectively religious is a waste of time.

“Why talk to your friend on the phone when you could pray a rosary?” sort of thing.

Yeah. sorry. I’d rather be able to function outside of non stop prayer, thank you very much.

 

[shondrea]

What for. You didn’t bother reading the first one - or did you.

I did. And I didn’t agree with it. Repeat it ten more times, I still don’t see any basis to it. Forgive me for not being a rigorist and, LE GASP, not holding the same religiously conservative opinion as someone else. For shame on me.

 

[Cable]

I did. And I didn’t agree with it. Repeat it ten more times, I still don’t see any basis to it. Forgive me for not being a rigorist and, LE GASP, not holding the same religiously conservative opinion as someone else. For shame on me.

drama

No one asked my opinion before publishing what the Catholic Church reveals to us about sin via the Catechism.

Whether or not you or I agree, it still stands.

 

[shondrea]

drama

No one asked my opinion before publishing what the Catholic Church reveals to us about sin via the Catechism.

Whether or not you or I agree, it still stands.

Drama? What? I’m pretty sure the Catholic church remains silent on matters of secular entertainment. If watching a tv show was a sin 100% of the time, the church would forbid it. Characters in a tb show are not real people. You can’t participate in the sin of somersetting that doesn’t exist.

Nor does an author sin by portraying sin, so we’re not sinning with the author.

I’m not talking about people who write porn or purposely blasphemous material here. I’m talking about entertainment in general.

 

[edwest2]

Roy, thanks for your reply.

On the topic of censorship, I oppose the concept of censorship. The last thing I want is the government telling me what I can and cannot watch on TV. I trust the preferences and sensibilities of the average person over that of government bureaucrats.

But I believe parents need to take a much more active role in monitoring what their kids watch on TV. I take a very active role in that regard within my family.

I am for censorship. I think the United States should be concerned about any source of garbage entering its citizens’ homes. That’s why I have sent emails to the Federal Communications Commission telling them about lewd and obscence programming. This is not an us versus them (government) situation. This is about using our voices to speak to the government and to the media.

I reject any statement that says we are smarter or better than the bureacrats. We put them there and WE should be able to communicate our concerns to them. The media should hear from us, politely.

I am sick and tired and offended when I turn on the TV and see a character who is portraying a doctor, go to a bar, and pick up a man for anonymous sex. In the midst of an era of AIDS and a lot more STDs than 40 years ago, she is what? A role model?

I am sick of so-called cartoons that portray little kids as sluts. In an episode of South Park, a little girl says the following to her teacher, “Stay away from my man, *itch!”

And things are not improving with the media. Simply turning it off is not the answer. Take Dexter, that lovable serial killer who cuts people up after leaving his job at the police crime lab. You can pick up season one at Target. Hello. Anybody paying attention? What’s next? The lovable Cannibals next door?

Family Guy is just one perversion after another.

Go ahead, criticize the government all you want, but if Catholics take all of this culture without discernment, then who are we? The salt of the earth? The light under the bushel? The people who just ignore the media because we’re constantly told to either turn it off or “Hey. What’s the big deal? It’s only a cartoon.”?

Sure, be a good parent. Educate your kids about right and wrong. But, as my examples show, there’s not much worth watching on TV. Not much with any virtue. The word decency has no meaning if we don’t defend it and live it.

God bless,
Edd

 

[shondrea]

I seem to be the only one on these forums who can find plenty of good, decent stuff to watch on TV. Seriously. I rarely find sex, drugs and rock and roll in the programs I watch.

 

[Christopher68]

I am for censorship. I think the United States should be concerned about any source of garbage entering its citizens’ homes. That’s why I have sent emails to the Federal Communications Commission telling them about lewd and obscence programming. This is not an us versus them (government) situation. This is about using our voices to speak to the government and to the media.

I reject any statement that says we are smarter or better than the bureacrats. We put them there and WE should be able to communicate our concerns to them. The media should hear from us, politely.

I am sick and tired and offended when I turn on the TV and see a character who is portraying a doctor, go to a bar, and pick up a man for anonymous sex. In the midst of an era of AIDS and a lot more STDs than 40 years ago, she is what? A role model?

I am sick of so-called cartoons that portray little kids as sluts. In an episode of South Park, a little girl says the following to her teacher, “Stay away from my man, *itch!”

And things are not improving with the media. Simply turning it off is not the answer. Take Dexter, that lovable serial killer who cuts people up after leaving his job at the police crime lab. You can pick up season one at Target. Hello. Anybody paying attention? What’s next? The lovable Cannibals next door?

Family Guy is just one perversion after another.

Go ahead, criticize the government all you want, but if Catholics take all of this culture without discernment, then who are we? The salt of the earth? The light under the bushel? The people who just ignore the media because we’re constantly told to either turn it off or “Hey. What’s the big deal? It’s only a cartoon.”?

Sure, be a good parent. Educate your kids about right and wrong. But, as my examples show, there’s not much worth watching on TV. Not much with any virtue. The word decency has no meaning if we don’t defend it and live it.

God bless,
Edd

Ed,

Thanks for your reply. We view this issue differently. I appreciate your comments, but I stand by my earlier comments as well.

 

[RosaryFan]

I’ve been thinking of going out with a guy who likes watching “Family Guy”. I’ve never seen any episodes before, so I went to youtube and watched some clips. Oh, yeah, very crude even though I found myself laughing at some things. But, I started thinking, is watching something like this mortal?

I wouldn’t be able to say whether or not it’s a mortal sin, but I wouldn’t watch “Family Guy” because I truly feel that enjoying garbage like that is offensive to my Lord and Savior. I don’t want to offend Him, so I don’t watch smut. I would say it is at the very least a venial sin, if you are aware that enjoying the immorality of others offends Our Lord.

 

[Cable]

I’m pretty sure the Catholic church remains silent on matters of secular entertainment…".

No, the Church doesn’t.
Couple of examples,
The USCCB reviews movies and says some are not advisable for Catholic viewers. Some U.S. Catholic bishops have attempted to keep the play, The V##ina Monologues out of Catholic Universities. Our Holy Father described the H. Potter books, as having the capacity to corrupt developing Christian faith. You can’t get passed the Decalogue w/out considering the quality and quantity of secular entertainment in your living.

 

[shondrea]

but they do not condemn Harry Potter or condemn it from being read now, do they? Nobody SINS from reading Harry Potter.

Go check out decentfilms.com

Go find me the Churhc document that proclaims he who watches secular entertainment is sinning, and Catholics should not enjoy it. You’ll be gone a while. I’ll wait.

There are things on the Vaticans’s Important Films list that are far more offensive to the eyes and disturbing than anything I’ve seen on TV

 

[Cable]

Go find me the Churhc document that proclaims he who watches secular entertainment is sinning, and Catholics should not enjoy it. You’ll be gone a while. I’ll wait.

Stay on task. This is specifically about willingly watching a show that is known to blaspheme our Lord and the Church.
CCC #'s1853, 1868, 1869, 2088.

 

[shondrea]

didn’t I say, like, 4 posts ago that I wasn’t talking about Family Guy, because I rarely ever watch it?

 

[Cable]

Sallysusan, it’s an astute question. I’ve relayed some Catholic support on why, with full knowledge and consent, watching F Guy or shows like it can be a venial sin. Am not, however, interested in who it applies or doesn’t apply to. Hope it helps you somewhat.

Interesting part of the CCC re: defending the faith:
1285 Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the “sacraments of Christian initiation,” whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For “by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.”

 

[edwest2]

but they do not condemn Harry Potter or condemn it from being read now, do they? Nobody SINS from reading Harry Potter.

Go check out decentfilms.com

Go find me the Churhc document that proclaims he who watches secular entertainment is sinning, and Catholics should not enjoy it. You’ll be gone a while. I’ll wait.

There are things on the Vaticans’s Important Films list that are far more offensive to the eyes and disturbing than anything I’ve seen on TV

I have watched TV and movies become gradually degraded over a 40 year period. The Church does not beat up on people. It proposes, not imposes. Loving God is not achieved by force. I hope all Catholics will read the following and understand the Church’s concerns:

vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_29061936_vigilanti-cura_en.html

God bless,
Ed

 

[LittleSoldier]

I am sick and tired and offended when I turn on the TV and see a character who is portraying a doctor, go to a bar, and pick up a man for anonymous sex. In the midst of an era of AIDS and a lot more STDs than 40 years ago, she is what? A role mode?

Source, please.

 

[edwest2]

Here you are:

fullcirclepregnancy.com/abstinence.html

God bless,
Ed

 

[LittleSoldier]

Here you are:

fullcirclepregnancy.com/abstinence.html

God bless,
Ed

No, I mean a source which shows the statistic from your post (a “lot more” STD’s than 40 years ago).

 

[LittleSoldier]

Ed,

On second thought, don’t bother responding. I would have very much enjoyed having a fruitful discussion with you, but it takes at least two people to have a good discussion and you have consistently refused to respond to my posts on three threads, even when I answered a question you had.

Ignoring other human beings shows how you feel about them. I thought Catholics were supposed to love everyone. I thought we were supposed to be the good guys. I thought we were the ones who were supposed to show how it should be done. I guess your idea of Christian behavior is not the same as mine. I guess you think it’s fine to treat others in an uncharitable manner. But I have no intention of treating others the way you have treated me.

This is my last post on this forum.

I apologize to the participants of this thread - I know this is off-topic and personal but I had to say it. It’s been bothering me for quite awhile now. I won’t post anymore and I appreciate your understanding. God bless you!