Lost In the Prairies.....Found by God

This weekend I watched two movies.  These movies together made me think about the choices I have been making regarding my tv/video viewing.  These movies were Letters to Juliet and No Strings Attached.  One I can recommend, the other left me reeling.  Both these movies are advertised as romantic comedies and aimed at the late teenage/college and career age.  But these movies are different as night and day.  One relies on the premises of what if and is light.  The other relies perverse humour to get the laughs.  

I watched No Strings Attached with some friends while I was over at their place for dinner.  I was shocked and repulsed at the movie.  Within the first 5 minutes there was already language that I wouldn't want my child to hear or see.  (I can't believe I said that, I sound like my grandmother).  I felt at one point that we were watching soft core porn.  It was that vivid.  Luckily I had to leave early and didn't watch the rest of the movie.  I still feel a bit shocked and dirty.  But I was more shocked that this movie was being played in front of a 15 year old with no issues about language or content.  

I went home and watched Letters to Juliet and was taken back at the difference of the movies.  I knew how both would end.  Of course, the main characters would end up together, but in the second movie they didn't have to sleep together to do it.  This difference, as well as others, led me to start thinking about what I have been watching lately and are they shows I could watch if my daughter came into the room unexpectedly.  

Most of the shows I watch are pretty clean.  I watch a lot of food shows, home decorating shows, shows on the history channel.  We like to watch Pawn Stars and American Pickers.  We enjoy watching Billy the Exterminator as a family and old Mash episodes.  There are few shows I watch that I don't want my kids to watch namely Glee and Grey's Anatomy.  Both these shows are inappropriate for the kids, but if it's inappropriate for the kids, then why is it ok for me?  These are things I've been thinking about lately.

A few weeks ago I fasted from TV for a week.  It was a struggle, but I learned that I could do it.  That the TV shows didn't need me to continue.  I missed one week of my two favourite shows and I didn't die.

Do the things that I read and watch regularly reflect these truths?  No.  Many of the shows and books I read are more "worldly."  The focus on what the "world" says is acceptable, rather than what God says is acceptable.  They focus on many of the issues of the day, but many look at self rather than God for help.  This basic lie that we can rely on ourselves and not God can lead us further from the Father until we don't hear His voice, which is where the enemy wants us.  

I will admit that sometimes I read and watch such things to see what all the "hoopla" was about.  For example the Da Vinci Code.  I hated this book and not because of the premise which was how most of my friends felt about it but because it was a poorly written book.  Did I learn anything from this book - NO.  But reading it did help me to talk to my non-Christian friends about truths.   I am not a believer in banning, but I think we need to discern what we put in ourselves and how it can either educate us or harm us.  If what we are watching or reading will lead us away from God then we need to cease and desist immediately.  We need to match what we are feeding our hearts and minds with Gods word.  

I know this is a struggle that I have.  What's appropriate and what's not.  I think we all do.  But after this weekend I know that if it makes me feel "icky" then it's definitely something that I shouldn't be watching or reading. 

 What are your thoughts?  Is this a struggle you've been having? 

I'm linking up with the Soli Deo Sisterhood today at Finding Heaven.