Prudery or piety: how do you tell?

[workinprogress]

I hear about saints who were deadly afraid of committing even a venial sin, yet those who are afraid to do things like hang out with the guys (or, in these days, the gals–though every century has had bad examples, for the faithful, as friends) are called “prudes”. How do you know if you are being a prude or not if you refuse to see a movie that is rated “R” for “sensuality” amongst other things? Should you avoid it like the plague–play sick if with friends? I don’t have the peer pressure but I was thinking of seeing “The Grudge” until I saw that Sony made it. I figured, since the Japanese original had a husband and wife in it, the sensuality (it says nothing of nudity) would be at least within the marital bond. BTW the original is really creepy!
Anyway, prudery is like false-piety where you look down on other’s impiety, right? Is it even a symptom of one’s tepidity mixed with ego? So, would it be false judgment of one to call you a prude if you stayed away from a show like “South Park”, even if swearing is not your weak point, because you fear that you might be made impure in such a way that is mentioned in the Bible, you might commit a venial sin or you might at least have your intellect darkened so that you could act in a sinful manner unexpectedly–like laughing at another’s sexual joke or humor with blaspemy in it.

Thanks!
Phil

 

[puzzleannie]

one test might be in judging what to watch and read, and who to associate with, are you focusing your love on yourself, on others, on creatures, or on God. If any activity or attitude, pious or otherwise, is directed at filling your own needs, it is not piety but self-worship. If any activity, choice or attitude puts a creature or created thing in opposition to God, it is not piety.

 

[drforjc]

We have the right to avoid any form of entertainment we wish and it’s nobody’s business to name-call! I, too, avoid R rated movies etc. Frankly, if someone called me a prude for doing this, I think I would take it as a compliment. It’s just adhering to plain ol’ decency.

 

[Ter]

Being considered a prude by others does not make you prudish. After all people who think affairs & sex outside marriage is wrong are considered ‘prudes’ in certain quarters.

Of course you can and should avoid trashy movies. I’ve noticed personally that when I watched trashy movies I became more ‘accepting’ and continue with books films that I would have put down say a year before. And that ‘slackened’ attitude feeds out into the rest of my life.

My favourite quote is one from St. Dominic Savio, who when his friends were making fun of him for not looking at something said, “I have eyes to look on the face of God, if and when I get to heaven”.

 

[vienna]

Your post didn’t sound judgmental towards those of your friends who have different values from yours, e.g. in movies, or also political opinions, religious affiliation, etc. You cut them some slack, so why shouldn’t they do the same for you? When I was 11 years old my best friend broke off the friendship with me because she liked pop music and I listened to classical, but by the time we’re out of middle school most of us learn to accept each other as persons even in the face of really vital disagreements. Unless your friends have gone off the deep end, they will be more absorbed in finding and expressing their own values than in running your life, so even if they may comment on your choice, you can probably trust them to respect it – perhaps even to consider it as a viable alternative to their own. Peace,

vienna