Negative influence from the media

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divinefaith

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Not sure if this should go under Moral Theology or the Popular Media forum

I would like to get an insight from other fellow Catholics regarding this issue:
  • As we know, pop culture is filled with messages which are contrary to our Christian beliefs… For example, many songs, tv shows, movies seem to promote pre-marital sex amongst other things.
When I reflect on my spirituality, I do find that a part of me does fall into the trap where I start to believe that it’s ok to have sex outside of marriage. I haven’t completelllyyy fallen into that trap though, I do believe I have some sense of control in terms of how my behaviour goes.

What do you guys think? How should a genuine Catholic act in such a circumstance? Would eliminating a bulk of popular media help or is there a moderate action to take?

Thanks guys!
 
divinefaith said:
Not sure if this should go under Moral Theology or the Popular Media forum

I would like to get an insight from other fellow Catholics regarding this issue:
  • As we know, pop culture is filled with messages which are contrary to our Christian beliefs… For example, many songs, tv shows, movies seem to promote pre-marital sex amongst other things.
When I reflect on my spirituality, I do find that a part of me does fall into the trap where I start to believe that it’s ok to have sex outside of marriage. I haven’t completelllyyy fallen into that trap though, I do believe I have some sense of control in terms of how my behaviour goes.

What do you guys think? How should a tenuously Catholic act in such a circumstance? Would eliminating a bulk of popular media help or is there a moderate action to take?

Thanks guys!
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Be careful what you watch. If you think it will influence negatively then stay away. You cannot completely rid yourself of evil in the media. Even Disney has subliminal messages. It would suck to solely listen to Christian music or movies. There are old movies like It is Wonderful Life that illustrates Christian virtues.
 
You and I are in the same boat, now. I have NetFlix which has some very good movies and religious, even Catholic ones, though Mexico’s NetFlix is much more limited than that of the US.

I’ve been looking for a site that contains only clean movies, but I haven’t found it, yet.
 
divinefaith said:
Not sure if this should go under Moral Theology or the Popular Media forum

I would like to get an insight from other fellow Catholics regarding this issue:
  • As we know, pop culture is filled with messages which are contrary to our Christian beliefs… For example, many songs, tv shows, movies seem to promote pre-marital sex amongst other things.
When I reflect on my spirituality, I do find that a part of me does fall into the trap where I start to believe that it’s ok to have sex outside of marriage. I haven’t completelllyyy fallen into that trap though, I do believe I have some sense of control in terms of how my behaviour goes.

What do you guys think? How should a genuine Catholic act in such a circumstance? Would eliminating a bulk of popular media help or is there a moderate action to take?

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
I believe Catholics shouldn’t listen or read things that promote this kind of stuff. Especially if it presents a temptation to you to consider agreeing with it, which would be an occasion of sin. We are obligated to avoid occasions of sin.

St Padre Pio, a great Saint and priest from last century, had many spiritual gifts including reading souls. I read in a book he was very much against the indecent media and movies, and didn’t want people watching them. I think the same applies with books and music. It can affect us.
 
divinefaith said:
Not sure if this should go under Moral Theology or the Popular Media forum

I would like to get an insight from other fellow Catholics regarding this issue:
  • As we know, pop culture is filled with messages which are contrary to our Christian beliefs… For example, many songs, tv shows, movies seem to promote pre-marital sex amongst other things.
When I reflect on my spirituality, I do find that a part of me does fall into the trap where I start to believe that it’s ok to have sex outside of marriage. I haven’t completelllyyy fallen into that trap though, I do believe I have some sense of control in terms of how my behaviour goes.

What do you guys think? How should a genuine Catholic act in such a circumstance? Would eliminating a bulk of popular media help or is there a moderate action to take?

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
Recently I’ve become very aware that our culture is geared towards sexual arousal. Now, before you scoff and look at me askance…

Think about the songs you hear on the radio. How many of them are talking about sex? Too many.

Think about the TV shows you watch? How often is pre-marital, disordered and fruitless sex mentioned? Too much.

Think about the books you read? How many sex scenes are there? How many moments GEARED towards making us aroused? If you ever dabble in romance or even YA novels… too much.

Think about our commercials… how many have very strong images of sexualized people posing in ways that are MEANT to arouse? So many.

Think about the advertisements you see in print, on buildings, on flyers, everywhere you look… how many have highly sexualized images meant to arouse? Too many.

Everywhere we turn, everything we listen to and see is trying to arouse us. It’s an epidemic. People don’t see it, they don’t notice, because they don’t CARE.

I used to be constantly sexually aroused. I started participating in things I shouldn’t participate in but the urge was overwhelming. After years of what I thought was an ‘addiction’, the Lord delivered me from my sin and opened my eyes to the reality of the world I’m standing in.

I hear people say they’re addicted to sex.

They’re not. What’s going on is they’re CONSTANTLY being sexually aroused by our society and they don’t know how to control themselves. They have not mastered their own bodies or minds.

Now, if the culture has this much affect on us sexually… how else is it affecting us?

I think we are absolutely negatively influenced by the media and the ONLY solution is to cut yourself out. Know your limits. Do what you can to safe guard.

I do not listen to the radio.
If I’m watching a TV show and sex and/or immorality is popping up too much I change the channel.

Sure I sometimes see things as I’m out and about in my normal life but I have cut down the cultural stimulus enough in my home that it doesn’t bother me as much as it used to.

I think, if you look around, you’ll start to see the connection between media and sin and after you see that connection the solution is obvious…

Lead me not into temptation…
 
divinefaith said:
Not sure if this should go under Moral Theology or the Popular Media forum

I would like to get an insight from other fellow Catholics regarding this issue:
  • As we know, pop culture is filled with messages which are contrary to our Christian beliefs… For example, many songs, tv shows, movies seem to promote pre-marital sex amongst other things.
When I reflect on my spirituality, I do find that a part of me does fall into the trap where I start to believe that it’s ok to have sex outside of marriage. I haven’t completelllyyy fallen into that trap though, I do believe I have some sense of control in terms of how my behaviour goes.

What do you guys think? How should a genuine Catholic act in such a circumstance? Would eliminating a bulk of popular media help or is there a moderate action to take?

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
I think while that it’s difficult, but it can still be done. We just have to stay focused on what the church teaches.

We are bombarded by what’s in the media daily.

What’s that expression…“being in the world, but not being of it.”

There are alternatives for cleaner reading, for example. They’re there, if you search them out. 🙂

Here’s a link that I will post to the goodreads website. It contains a Christian section, with different types of genres.

You can probably find some of these books at your local library, too. My library carries some of these authors.

goodreads.com/genres/christian
 
nickybr38 said:
Recently I’ve become very aware that our culture is geared towards sexual arousal. Now, before you scoff and look at me askance…

Think about the songs you hear on the radio. How many of them are talking about sex? Too many.

Think about the TV shows you watch? How often is pre-marital, disordered and fruitless sex mentioned? Too much.

Think about the books you read? How many sex scenes are there? How many moments GEARED towards making us aroused? If you ever dabble in romance or even YA novels… too much.

Think about our commercials… how many have very strong images of sexualized people posing in ways that are MEANT to arouse? So many.

Think about the advertisements you see in print, on buildings, on flyers, everywhere you look… how many have highly sexualized images meant to arouse? Too many.

Everywhere we turn, everything we listen to and see is trying to arouse us. It’s an epidemic. People don’t see it, they don’t notice, because they don’t CARE.

I used to be constantly sexually aroused. I started participating in things I shouldn’t participate in but the urge was overwhelming. After years of what I thought was an ‘addiction’, the Lord delivered me from my sin and opened my eyes to the reality of the world I’m standing in.

I hear people say they’re addicted to sex.

They’re not. What’s going on is they’re CONSTANTLY being sexually aroused by our society and they don’t know how to control themselves. They have not mastered their own bodies or minds.

Now, if the culture has this much affect on us sexually… how else is it affecting us?

I think we are absolutely negatively influenced by the media and the ONLY solution is to cut yourself out. Know your limits. Do what you can to safe guard.

I do not listen to the radio.
If I’m watching a TV show and sex and/or immorality is popping up too much I change the channel.

Sure I sometimes see things as I’m out and about in my normal life but I have cut down the cultural stimulus enough in my home that it doesn’t bother me as much as it used to.

I think, if you look around, you’ll start to see the connection between media and sin and after you see that connection the solution is obvious…

Lead me not into temptation…
Click to expand...
You are right, but this did not happen overnight. Those of us born in 1964 and before saw a lot of clean media. The vast majority of it was uplifting, good, and fun. A profound change happened in 1968. It was called the Sexual Revolution, and it encouraged everybody to detach love and commitment from sex. To reject Christian morality and replace it with Eastern mysticism. Starting in the late 1960s for movies and 1970 on TV, the poison was dripped into our veins slowly. Hippie and Anarchist evangelists began to appear in our neighborhoods promoting sexual immorality and smoke a lot of dope. You had to speak Hippie-speak, which included profanity. And porn was OK. Fornication was called “performing natural acts.” Our media gradually turned against morality as each year passed. At first, it wasn’t too bad, but they kept turning up the volume on sexual situations, profanity and other immoral things. I lived through it.

There were dissidents in the Church too but we didn’t know at the time. wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704586504574654282563939764

The media is no longer a “welcomed guest in our home.” But the transition from then till now and the tendency of people to buy into it, even a little, grew. People do care, some just don’t know, some just need guidance. The people behind this want us to like what they already like. They want the world to be like this.

You’re thinking correctly.

Ed
 
edwest2 said:
You are right, but this did not happen overnight. Those of us born in 1964 and before saw a lot of clean media. The vast majority of it was uplifting, good, and fun. A profound change happened in 1968. It was called the Sexual Revolution, and it encouraged everybody to detach love and commitment from sex. To reject Christian morality and replace it with Eastern mysticism. Starting in the late 1960s for movies and 1970 on TV, the poison was dripped into our veins slowly. Hippie and Anarchist evangelists began to appear in our neighborhoods promoting sexual immorality and smoke a lot of dope. You had to speak Hippie-speak, which included profanity. And porn was OK. Fornication was called “performing natural acts.” Our media gradually turned against morality as each year passed. At first, it wasn’t too bad, but they kept turning up the volume on sexual situations, profanity and other immoral things. I lived through it.

There were dissidents in the Church too but we didn’t know at the time. wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704586504574654282563939764

The media is no longer a “welcomed guest in our home.” But the transition from then till now and the tendency of people to buy into it, even a little, grew. People do care, some just don’t know, some just need guidance. The people behind this want us to like what they already like. They want the world to be like this.

You’re thinking correctly.

Ed
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Not through my own doing. God opened my eyes and granted me wisdom to see.

I have been spreading this wisdom as I can, when I can. Hopefully others do as well.

The ONLY way to turn the tide is to change one heart at a time.
 
nickybr38 said:
Not through my own doing. God opened my eyes and granted me wisdom to see.

I have been spreading this wisdom as I can, when I can. Hopefully others do as well.

The ONLY way to turn the tide is to change one heart at a time.
Click to expand...
That’s right, God does touch us and open our eyes. And you are doing the right thing. Continue to help others, one at a time, constantly.

God bless,
Ed
 
A Catholic should know to reject New World Order messages. Many films contain messages that promote the New World Order agenda both overtly and subliminally. The Illuminati wants you to become a slave to them. They want you to accept sin. Our faith is stronger than their messages.
 
anon67074017 said:
A Catholic should know to reject New World Order messages. Many films contain messages that promote the New World Order agenda both overtly and subliminally. The Illuminati wants you to become a slave to them. They want you to accept sin. Our faith is stronger than their messages.
Click to expand...
I agree with you 100%, and many times nowadays, its not even indirect or subliminal, they have reached the point where they can come right out and say what they want and people gobble it up and fall for the lies, hook line and sinker.

Popular media, like tv shows and movies, are extremely convincing and powerful, if done methodically and slowly enough, they can literally change the minds and beliefs of entire generations of people, its really amazing how powerful it can be.

The only thing I do not understand in this regard is, the FCC, even today, in 2016, when immorality and sexuality, are so pervasive and rampant, ALL network TV shows are still not allowed to show certain things, air certain words, etc, most major hollywood movies will only go so far when it comes to showing sex and other things…?? Why are there not tons of people calling for them to end this practice, especially in todays world? How did the rest of world fall into accepting immorality but the FCC is still able to have power over content? Seems like the powers that be would want a media where anything goes, literally, makes it that much easier and quicker to desensitize people.
 
mikekle said:
I agree with you 100%, and many times nowadays, its not even indirect or subliminal, they have reached the point where they can come right out and say what they want and people gobble it up and fall for the lies, hook line and sinker.

Popular media, like tv shows and movies, are extremely convincing and powerful, if done methodically and slowly enough, they can literally change the minds and beliefs of entire generations of people, its really amazing how powerful it can be.

The only thing I do not understand in this regard is, the FCC, even today, in 2016, when immorality and sexuality, are so pervasive and rampant, ALL network TV shows are still not allowed to show certain things, air certain words, etc, most major hollywood movies will only go so far when it comes to showing sex and other things…?? Why are there not tons of people calling for them to end this practice, especially in todays world? How did the rest of world fall into accepting immorality but the FCC is still able to have power over content? Seems like the powers that be would want a media where anything goes, literally, makes it that much easier and quicker to desensitize people.
Click to expand...
There are still Republicans who have influence over the FCC. They will shut down any attempt for mass media to promote even more liberalism.
 
divinefaith said:
Not sure if this should go under Moral Theology or the Popular Media forum

I would like to get an insight from other fellow Catholics regarding this issue:
  • As we know, pop culture is filled with messages which are contrary to our Christian beliefs… For example, many songs, tv shows, movies seem to promote pre-marital sex amongst other things.
When I reflect on my spirituality, I do find that a part of me does fall into the trap where I start to believe that it’s ok to have sex outside of marriage. I haven’t completelllyyy fallen into that trap though, I do believe I have some sense of control in terms of how my behaviour goes.

What do you guys think? How should a genuine Catholic act in such a circumstance? Would eliminating a bulk of popular media help or is there a moderate action to take?

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
I think this is a really important topic. I struggle with this too. The only way seems to be to do what you suggested in your last question, eliminating the bulk of it. But I really get fed up with it sometimes, especially the hypersexualizing of everything. I try to stick with EWTN for my media, but I find it difficult to limit myself to that.
 
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