Dear Ed,
Cordial greetings and a very good day.
Thankyou, dear brother, for providing that link to the
Vigilante Cura, the Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XI, which, I would hasten to add, remains authoritative Catholic teaching for the faithful today. Indeed, I would urge all those currently viewing this thread to peruse that document very carefully, for they will then perhaps begin to appreciate just how morally objectionable is the content of much modern film/television output, to say nothing of the extent in the deterioration of standards of decency, especially since the permissive revoultion of the Sixties. Incontrovertably, the world of film/tv, and indeed the arts and literature generally, are in a very desperate plight and wallowing in a veritable cesspit of iniquity. Bring back the* Legion of Decency*, I say, and a more rigorist approach to media evaluation, for it could provide the very moral disinfectant that our depraved Western society so urgently requires. In any event, we certainly need a more stricter censorship, both in the UK and Stateside, that will uncompromisingly supress before public release films containing morally objectionable material and profanity. There is, alas, a lowered public opinion that urgently needs to be raised. Sadly, the consciences of many men, especially film makers, appear to be “seared with a hot iron” (I Tim. 4: 2), that is to say, they are so immersed in godlessness that they are thoroughly lost to the very first principles of virtues and basic morality. Their unwholesome film output is but a reflection of the darkness that lurks within their hearts - “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things” (S. Matt. 12; 34-35).
It admits of no doubt, dear brother, that there has been, as you rightly say, a tragic declension in film and television standards since the Sixties moral revolution. Have professing Catholics remained impervious to the steady stream of morally unhealthy films/TV? Most certainly not, as multiple discussions here on CAF evince ony too plainly. Owing to increased worldly conformity many modern Catholics have sadly compromised their standards and allowed themselves to descend to the level of the ungodly in their midst, that is to say those who are habitually walking “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2: 2). Look, we Catholics properly belong to the high mountain land above and even now our commonwealth is supposed to be in Heaven (see Phillip. 3: 20), but many are virtually indistiguishable from their pagan neighbours; they watch the same culturally unwholesome films and television programmes, read the same degrading fiction and listen to the same debased music. All of this, I would contend, is highly prejudicial to the cause of Christ’s true religion and its mission to the world. As those who profess godliness we cannot befoul our immortal souls with the filth of the immoral culture around us without bringing contempt upon our most holy faith - “I beseech you therefore, brethren,…be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom. 12: 1-2). This whole issue of morally objectionable film and televsion material cannot be disassociated from the much broader issue of personal sanctity and separation from the godless world; it must needs always be considered in the light of our call to holiness, for only then will we clearly apprehend the urgent moral obligation to resist unwholesome media influences (
Catechism of the Catholic Church, paras, 2013-15; 2496). Our souls must be kept “unspotted from the world” (Jam. 1: 27).
The crucial question is, dear brother,: are we earnestly seeking a more intimate communion with Jesus Christ and our we setting our affections upon things above, rather than the morally corrupting things of this fallen world? If we answer yes unreservedly, then surely we will want to protect our moral sensitivity to sin and will accordingly give all morally objectionable and culturally unhealthy media a very wide-berth indeed. However, key to all this is developing a properly formed conscience that will sharpen our powers of discernment, thus enabling us to to make the correct viewing choices as regards films and television programmes.
This, dearly beloved friends, will be my final post in this thread as I do not feel that I can say anymore by way of response, in addition to what I have said already in this and my previous posts. May God be with us and enlighten our hearts and minds as we continue to ponder this very important topic after we have said farewell. My earnest prayer is that those who are confused and uncertain may be guided by our Lord into all truth, never being afraid to revise their thinking upon the matter.
Blessings be upon you and may the peace of God be yours now and always.
Warmest good wishes,
Portrait
Pax:tiphat:
), maybe it’ll give somebody a springboard to explain which actions are objectively sinful, since I’m pretty sure that’s what the OP asked about. Not personal preferences or appeals to “common decency”. He wants to know about whether watching certain shows is objectively wrong.