Mad Men

[edwest2]

AMC TV has decided to run a show about an ad agency set in the early 1960s. Although there is meticulous attention paid to accuracy in hair styles, clothing and furniture, it is not a history program, at least as far as the main characters are concerned.

In its never-ending pursuit to put the dark side, and nihilistic side, of human behavior on display, here is another unGodly television show that should be avoided by Christians. In our current world of right and wrong, it seems only the wrong matters. This show does not qualify as entertainment in that regard.

The lead character is an ad executive who just lives for today, and is cheating on his wife. The new secretary tells her doctor she wants the new birth control pills and her doctor prescribes them to her, saying she’s not that kind of girl. Later, she has an encounter with a soon to be married man, showing she is “that kind of girl.” There is even a tawdry scene with a stripper.

I know what going to Catholic school was like in the 1960s. Modesty, decency, in dress and in speech, these are the things our children need today. A willingness to live for God and by His Commandments are what’s needed for young and old today. Each one of us needs to rededicate ourselves.

God bless,
Ed

 

[ddeluna]

I know what going to Catholic school was like in the 1960s. Modesty, decency, in dress and in speech, these are the things our children need today. A willingness to live for God and by His Commandments are what’s needed for young and old today. Each one of us needs to rededicate ourselves.
Ed

AMEN!
Yes, I was in Catholic school those years (late sixties, early seventies), and I recall. I could not agree with you more. It’s sometimes just depressing seeing what’s on TV and the movies today. If I didn’t know the end of our own “movie” (Christ triumphs over all), it would be enuf to despair over.

 

[RascalJones]

I don’t know, if you watch the show, none of these people that are doing horrible things are portrayed in a positive light. The management character of Don seems to have the most sense about him, but he’s the one you mentioned that’s cheating on his wife.

I really don’t see anything idolizing what these men do. From what I’ve seen it’s more of a “can you believe the depravity of these individuals?” point of view. Kind of makes it tabloid-sleazy like and I guess that’s not really right. The girl that got the pills is rather ticked about all the unwanted attention she’s gaining. The people she tries to trust are turning into scumbags right before her eyes.

It IS a well packaged show, and I don’t think it really glamorizes or sympathizes with these people. At least not to me.

 

[edwest2]

That’s my point. As a Catholic, I don’t want to watch people I cannot relate to for entertainment. And the girl had her sexual encounter with a pig who when he first laid eyes on her did not have the decency to restrain himself from making lewd remarks.

No, I don’t need to watch the latest episode of The Dysfunctionals, whether it’s set in the 1960s like this show, or present day Dysfunctional programs like Grey’s Anatomy and Desperate Housewives.

In the actual 1960s, television contained good and bad characters, clearly defined. Now, it’s just the bad or people who appear to be good but who have “dark secrets” and are actually bad. Sad.

God bless,
Ed

 

[Nevarlander]

In the actual 1960s, television contained good and bad characters, clearly defined. Now, it’s just the bad or people who appear to be good but who have “dark secrets” and are actually bad. Sad.

People aren’t 100% good or 100% bad. That’s just how it is in real life, and TV these days reflects it, because TV tries to be a mirror of reality, not something edifying (not that it was all that edifying in the real 1960s either - people were just as bad then as they are now and the saccharine stuff on TV didn’t change it, but people forget that because they were children and remember it through the nostalgia that people have about childhood).
Sorry if I come across as snarly. Even though I wasn’t alive in the 1950s or 1960s, I don’t like it when people idealize any time, because people suck. People have been awful since the time of Noah.

 

[edwest2]

“because people suck”? Why do you believe that? I was there in the 1960s. I lived in a community where most people were nice to each other, but don’t think for a second that I didn’t know about crime, murder, etc. The difference between then and now, in real life, is that people tried to live good and holy lives. Now, a lot of people have given up, both on themselves and on other people.

Sure, there were a few bad apples in the neighborhood but our parents never told us to bother them. They said, “Stay away, leave them alone. If they give you any problem, tell us.” We didn’t hate these people.

And that’s what Catholics need to do now. Dedicate themselves to leading holy lives and treating themselves and others with repect. And if you fall down, pick yourself up and keep trying.

God bless,
Ed

 

[Nevarlander]

“People suck” because in most cases if they are given the opportunity to do their neighbor or themselves a bad turn without getting caught, they’ll do it. The indicator of morality these days is not “Is it wrong?” but “Will this affect my material state negatively?” This used to not be official culture, I will admit, but it seems like it’s always been the unofficial operating state of the human race.

 

[AaronsStaff]

AMC TV has decided to run a show about an ad agency set in the early 1960s. Although there is meticulous attention paid to accuracy in hair styles, clothing and furniture, it is not a history program, at least as far as the main characters are concerned.

In its never-ending pursuit to put the dark side, and nihilistic side, of human behavior on display, here is another unGodly television show that should be avoided by Christians. In our current world of right and wrong, it seems only the wrong matters. This show does not qualify as entertainment in that regard.

The lead character is an ad executive who just lives for today, and is cheating on his wife. The new secretary tells her doctor she wants the new birth control pills and her doctor prescribes them to her, saying she’s not that kind of girl. Later, she has an encounter with a soon to be married man, showing she is “that kind of girl.” There is even a tawdry scene with a stripper.

I know what going to Catholic school was like in the 1960s. Modesty, decency, in dress and in speech, these are the things our children need today. A willingness to live for God and by His Commandments are what’s needed for young and old today. Each one of us needs to rededicate ourselves.

God bless,
Ed

I absolutely agree with you, im a big Godfather fan and there have been marathons running on AMC so ive seen the ads for Mad men a few times. This show looks like trash, I see it and im like, “here comes another immoral show full of garbage like desperate housewives.” And you know its going to be popular because its trash and thats what modern America seem to love these days. Believe it or not there was a time when Archbishop Fulton Sheen used to be on prime time national television. What has happened to America where we go from wholesome, religious, moral programming to shows that glorify adultery and the most immoral behavior.

 

[edwest2]

It has been a slow, gradual process that began in the 1970s. Each year, a little more skin, a little more suggestive dialogue, and by the 1980s, porn in hotels and on cable. By the 1990s, the writers of NYPD Blue decided to throw in “adult language,” known to most of us as cussing and swearing, and partial nudity. When an actor from the show was asked about this, his response was, “Hey, it’s the 90s.” What?

In the meantime, no fault divorce had swept the country and abortion, which began as a “use only in case of emergency” became no big deal. Divorce also began as “use in case of emergency only” has also become no big deal.

The internet made it easier to get porn, and while families fell apart, the poison of television had accumulated to a point in The Body Of Christ that it is no longer possible to tell a Christian from a secular, worldly person.

Wake up my brothers and sisters in Christ. Return to the Church, ask for forgiveness, humble yourselves and read what God wants you to do. Life is short but eternity isn’t.

God bless,
Ed

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. It’s just that simple. If you don’t want it in your home but feel other channels or other programs on that channel have value, block the channel with a code or set the V-chip to not allow any show on your TV to broadcast the rating given the show. You ultimately control what comes into your house through the television.

Also, tell AMC you hate it and why. Don’t threaten them. Politely tell them why you won’t be watching this, and don’t watch it. Tell them even if they run it in between the Godfather clips you change the channel. Tell them what you do like, and that you will be watching that.

(I own both the DVD and VCR versions of the Godfather, so I can understand how one feels about really watching the Godfather trilogy.)

There was a show awhile back, one maybe two years ago, called “the Book of Daniel” that was on NBC, and simply horible. It was about an Episcopal priest who had a family who majored in sin, esp. sins of the flesh. It was badly written and horribly acted. It was canceled I believe after showing three episodes. People complained longly and loudly.

So, it can be done.

 

[AaronsStaff]

If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. It’s just that simple. If you don’t want it in your home but feel other channels or other programs on that channel have value, block the channel with a code or set the V-chip to not allow any show on your TV to broadcast the rating given the show. You ultimately control what comes into your house through the television.

Also, tell AMC you hate it and why. Don’t threaten them. Politely tell them why you won’t be watching this, and don’t watch it. Tell them even if they run it in between the Godfather clips you change the channel. Tell them what you do like, and that you will be watching that.

(I own both the DVD and VCR versions of the Godfather, so I can understand how one feels about really watching the Godfather trilogy.)

There was a show awhile back, one maybe two years ago, called “the Book of Daniel” that was on NBC, and simply horible. It was about an Episcopal priest who had a family who majored in sin, esp. sins of the flesh. It was badly written and horribly acted. It was canceled I believe after showing three episodes. People complained longly and loudly.

So, it can be done.

I think that your philosophy of “if you dont like it, change the channel,” is totally irresponsible. the point is that just because a show doesnt poison your household doesnt mean that it isnt having a negative effect on someone elses. All this poison on T.V. , and thats what it is, is corrupting the hearts and minds of its viewers with moral relativism when it comes to issues on sexual morality, and right and wrong in general. So when you say “If you dont like it change the channel,” keep in mind that your brothers and sisters are being seduced by the garbage thats on TV. I challenge anyone here to name one of the major television networks that hasnt aired a show or program that hasnt presented sin in a positive or neutral light.
PS ( you wont be able to name one)

 

[pete_29]

People aren’t 100% good or 100% bad. That’s just how it is in real life, and TV these days reflects it, because TV tries to be a mirror of reality, not something edifying (not that it was all that edifying in the real 1960s either - people were just as bad then as they are now and the saccharine stuff on TV didn’t change it, but people forget that because they were children and remember it through the nostalgia that people have about childhood).
Sorry if I come across as snarly. Even though I wasn’t alive in the 1950s or 1960s, I don’t like it when people idealize any time, because people suck. People have been awful since the time of Noah.

What good was there in Hitler or Stalin, what bad was there in Mother Theresa.

 

[pete_29]

“People suck” because in most cases if they are given the opportunity to do their neighbor or themselves a bad turn without getting caught, they’ll do it. The indicator of morality these days is not “Is it wrong?” but “Will this affect my material state negatively?” This used to not be official culture, I will admit, but it seems like it’s always been the unofficial operating state of the human race.

You need to hang out with different people. The people I know that would do a bad turn to someone whether they would get caught or not is a distinct minority.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

I think that your philosophy of “if you dont like it, change the channel,” is totally irresponsible. the point is that just because a show doesnt poison your household doesnt mean that it isnt having a negative effect on someone elses. All this poison on T.V. , and thats what it is, is corrupting the hearts and minds of its viewers with moral relativism when it comes to issues on sexual morality, and right and wrong in general. So when you say “If you dont like it change the channel,” keep in mind that your brothers and sisters are being seduced by the garbage thats on TV. I challenge anyone here to name one of the major television networks that hasnt aired a show or program that hasnt presented sin in a positive or neutral light.
PS ( you wont be able to name one)

Please, read it again.

I said:

1.) Turn off your TV if you don’t like what’s coming in your house. You are in charge of the TVs in your house. You say what goes on them. Use the v-chip and the parental selection software that comes with VCRs, DVDs and TiVos. That’s why it’s there.

There are people in the CAF community who don’t even use their TVs except for prescreened videos for their children. I have toyed with taking out the TV. As the Internet improves, I just might.

2.) Tell the networks, cable or otherwise (in this case it was AMC) what you **don’t **like and why. Also, tell them what you do like and why. I used the example of “the Book of Daniel” an extremely offensive show, also with poorly written and acted, that was taken off the air in 3 episodes by people complaining about it.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Better explanation

I think that your philosophy of “if you dont like it, change the channel,” is totally irresponsible.

First, it is not a philosophy. I am married to an honest-to-goodness philosoper. You should go check what a philosophy is before labeling something as such.

It is not irresponsible to turn off the TV, possibly putting on another channel where the programming is better. Perhaps I should have said, “And don’t turn on that program again.” If one is not watching it, then the ratings go down. Certain niche cable channels die on the vine because of this.

A TV is not a necessity to life, BTW. People live without them all the time.

Is it better to let this stuff seep into your house? I don’t think so. Responsible people watch TV responsibly. That means controlling what the “one-eyed monster” transmits.

I, personally, cannot run to everybody’s home and tell them what to watch and what not to watch. They have free will. It is not my place to tell them “no” when they have their own consciences.

However, I can turn off my TV and make sure I don’t watch what I don’t want to watch and feel is morally harmful. I do it all the time. I don’t watch “Rescue Me.” I don’t watch AMC period, ever since they started commercials way back when. I don’t watch LOGO! I don’t watch BYU TV, which is also part of my package.

There are other things to do besides watch TV. Catch up on all those little household chores. Play games. Read. Learn to knit or crochet or woodwork. Grow an herb garden. Pray for people who fly off the handle and don’t read all of a post, hurting one’s feelings.

And it is certainly not irresponsible to tell that station why you are not watching whatever they throw at people. How will they know who is watching what? Nielsen only reaches so many households. If they know enough people are not watching, they will make changes.

It is also **not **irresponsible to tell the station what one does like, if anything, about their programming. Even if all that’s said is, “Thank you for your opinion” they have been told (not necessarily listening, but told).

For that matter, one should also tell the cable company or satellite company what isn’t watched in one’s home and why, and what is watched. Mine hears from me every quarter.

One should tell sponsors of such TV programming as well. Spnsors want their product seen. If nobody is watching the show, the sponsors are not going to continue to sponsor.

It is really easy to come on a site such as CAF and say “ain’t it awful” and accuse others of not doing their duty to their neighbor. It is another thing entirely to try to do something about it. Turning off the TV, in hand with complaining about content on a station, both to the station and the feed provider, seems to me extremely responsible.