Music and sitcoms

[Athanasius]

I was just wanting to make sure that a couple of things I have been doing are ok…(and perhaps I’m just being scrupulous, as I think may be the case)

First, when I’m in the car with my family (father, mother, and my 12 and 13-year old nieces), or any portion of my family (such as just with my father), we listen to the radio. We listen mostly to country stations, and most of the music on there is ok. However, there are a few songs the stations play that I find the lyrics to objectionable…(Just to give a couple of examples: Joe Nichols’ song Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off, and Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy by Big & Rich.) Normally, when those songs come on, I just try to ignore them altogether, and when that doesn’t work, I try to change the lyrics in my head, so they aren’t objectionable. Of course, that fails to work sometimes (though at other times it does work), and so I have the lyrics in my head…However, I would feel ackward about asking to have the station changed, especially since in just a few minutes a new song (probably completely ok) would be coming on. (Indeed, most of the songs on those stations are ok). That being the case, I just sit there and do what I described above, simply waiting for the song to end, and ignore it to the best of my ability.

Also, when we are at home, my family also sometimes watches certain sitcoms in the living room which have some objectionable content (such as Everybody Loves Raymond and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, to give a couple of examples). I don’t know if watching those shows is wrong in itself (for instance, I’ve seen some people on the Catholic Answers forums list Everybody Loves Raymond as among their favorite TV programs, so it would seem that watching those shows would be ok). But whatever the case may be, I am often in the living room at the same time those are on. I don’t usually directly watch those shows even though I’m in the same room, and I try to ignore any objectionable content at all. Of course, sometimes that doesn’t work, and I hear the objectionable content anyway. But I don’t leave the living room, because I’m wanting to stay in there for whatever reason. And I don’t ask for the station to be changed, again because it would seem ackward, and also because I don’t think they would want to change the channel. So again, like I said, I do what I described above: even though I stay in the room, I try, to the best of my ability, to ignore any objectionable content, and just continue doing whatever I’m doing in the living room.

So is that all right? Thanks.

 

[Tonks40]

When it comes to your children, this would be a great teaching opportunity on the Faith for them. I’ve been doing this for years ever since the boys were small and can watch TV - if an inappropriate situation comes on the the television, I engage in conversation with them - “Is what happened there good or bad? Why is it good? Why is it bad?” Then I tell them what is morally (according to Church teachings) good or bad about the situations. This helps them in their development of discernment towards living a more Christian and righteous life for God. As far as the music on the radio, I quickly change stations - they’re too caught up in other things to ever really notice.

As for your parents or other adults, it would depend on their own outlook on things. Ones you know would take offense to such lyrics, the best thing to do is to put it on another radio stations that’s more appropriate before the drive starts. It wouldn’t hurt or kill you if you miss your favorite country song for the time being. The same goes for television. Gauge what the tolerance levels are for these adults, and do what you feel is comfortable for both you and them.

 

[Magicsilence]

While both things in themselves are not generally wrong.

We both know that they wouldnt be part of a saints life, and, after all, that is what we should all be aspiring to be.

When in the car, why not pray instead of listening to the radio.

In Christ.

Andre.

 

[Latin_Catholic_1]

Athanasius:

However, I would feel ackward about asking to have the station changed, especially since in just a few minutes a new song (probably completely ok) would be coming on. (Indeed, most of the songs on those stations are ok). That being the case, I just sit there and do what I described above, simply waiting for the song to end, and ignore it to the best of my ability.

And I don’t ask for the station to be changed, again because it would seem ackward, and also because I don’t think they would want to change the channel.

Your don’t have to take it.

From my experience, I can tell you should just take the initiative, change the station/channel, and everyone will just silently agree with it (because they understand why you are changing it!).

I used to feel awkward about it too, but not anymore.

 

[Athanasius]

When in the car, why not pray instead of listening to the radio.

My family listens to the radio in the car…but I’ll try to remember to pray when such songs are playing (though I will still notice the lyrics at times, unfortunately.). Similarly, when at home in the living room and I hear objectionable content on the TV, while I at times still notice it anyway, I always try to concentrate on something else, though I still stay in the room.

So basically, is what I described doing in this thread ok?

From my experience, I can tell you should just take the initiative, change the station/channel, and everyone will just silently agree with it (because they understand why you are changing it!).

Unfortunately, I don’t think that would work…(like I said, it’s ackward even asking the station to be changed, for the reasons mentioned above).

 

[Dorothy]

Athanasius,

If it is out of your control what is being played on the radio in the car, and you are not deliberately consenting to or enjoying what is immoral, then you are not culpable.

 

[Athanasius]

Thank-you for the answer!

Like I said, while I could ask them to change the station on the radio or the TV, it would be very ackward for me…(especially if I asked every single time it occurred. Then, I think they would soon get very tired of it…). So I simply try to ignore it, to the best of my ability. As for the TV, I do stay in the living room because I prefer to be in the living room a lot of the time, and so sometimes I hear the objectionable content on TV anyway, but if I do, I try to ignore it to the best of my ability. Thankfully, most of the time I don’t even hear such content, because I’m too busy reading or on the computer)

 

[AndyF]

Athanasius:

I feel soaps are classified in a category of the Popes encyclical on “The Culture of Death”, and some music is very negative and antagonistic.

The soaps feed the public with conflict as entertainment. Mostly every scene is like this. It contributes nothing to society but the message that the negativism,quick fixes,abortion,divorce and false proceedings of the Catholic priest is normal and OK. I know a lady who watches soaps, and her day is a complete emulation of the soaps she watches, and she tells me she feels run down at the end of the day. So ingrained is she that I asked her to take a moment and reflect on her day’s activity, and she agreed that it was uncanny how it paralleled the program.

She is on the phone angry trying to convince someone of something. She has a fight with some member of her family, and it goes on and on. Her grandkids come in with their real abortion stories, breakups, etc, and it’s no wonder with the TV and it’s wonderful teaching aid.

After all this she sits down and watches these stupid programs.
We gotta be more aware of the subtle influences in our families and return to a culture of living.

Andy

 

[Oliviad]

Much of what the world offers is at best the things we all have to deal with, mixed with a completely antichrist aspiration. If something is, as a thing one might meditate on, of the exact opposite effect to that of an Apostle writing an Epistle basquing in the Inspiration of the HOLY SPIRIT, it holds onto the estate that CHRIST came to save us from. What would Mary do? She has already gone through this life having immaculately avoided even Eve’s disobedience in a matter of a piece of fruit.
What leads so many of us to accept being the audience of a world dead to our GOD is a prior lack of abiding directly in the Fellowship of the DIVINE TRINITY. Once you begin to participate in THEIR intimate Fellowship, THEIR Glory you see in ever increasing measure, and you see all else as shadows by comparison.
When I was in my late teens, I was told by the LORD JESUS to crucify myself to immodesty in dress, and never again seek undue attention from female eyes. Within a few short minutes, I resolved to never again use summer as an excuse for immodesty. Soon afterward, the matter of our family going to the beach came up. I was not willing to go back to my former haunts, so I announced to my somewhat aggravated mother that I would never go to the beach again - the SPIRIT of the LORD was unrelenting within me in this resolve, which I have never once gone back on in 14 years. I did not enter into drawn-out debate, but simply stated an initial cause for modesty, then remained unmoved as often as any scorned me for it. Almost right away, my brother had the exact same Understanding and resolve in CHRIST, and, within weeks, we realized that our mother too had one heart with us in the matter. Before this stand was made by one of us, we thought we were a close Christian family. However, once I made the stand (seeming to lose what common ties I thought we had, leaving their acceptance to follow the LORD), I entered the Gate to the Path upon Which we gained each other 100 fold more than we had ever had each other before - for a common bond aquired along the Way of the Cross is greater than all of this world’s political correctness, and is the true Unity of no less than Truth and Love Itself, and eternal.