That's Entertainment
I own several (meaning too many to know where to store them) movies/DVDs and I am always on the lookout for some of the classics – especially if they are bargain priced. As you know, I am also an avid baseball fan, so I particularly look for movies with a baseball theme. The other day I came across a true classic from 1976. Everyone I know that has ever seen it says is a truly great movie with an inspiring theme…"The Bad News Bears.” Now I had never actually seen this movie, so I figured that it was a steal at under $5, and I didn’t hesitate to pick it up. As a bonus, the film is rated PG so I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to sit down with my family to watch it.
Boy was I surprised! The basic premise of the story is that a drunken, ex-minor league pitcher is hired by a local politician to coach his son’s little league team. The kids are terrible and are uninspired to improve. The coach then brings in a couple of ringers who basically carry the team the rest of the season, one of which is his ex-girlfriend’s daughter who he taught to pitch (and to cheat while playing). I was amazed that anyone would be inspired by this film. It seemed that every other word spoken, not only by the coach but by the kids as well, was a curse word. You never see the coach without a beer in his hand and at the end of the championship game, he passes one out to each of the 10 year old kids!
Having been appalled by the movie, and seeing no redeeming qualities whatsoever, I am reminded that what we show our kids – and what we watch ourselves – can have a truly detrimental effect on our lives and our values. I remember vividly a conversation I had with my friend as a teenager about the movie, “Kramer vs. Kramer”, starring Dustin Hoffman as a divorced father trying to salvage his relationship with his son. This film won best picture in 1979 and was heralded as another truly great movie. I had not seen it and was asking my friend what he thought and his reply was both profound and convicting. His older brother was going through a divorce at the time and his comment was basically that we really need to reevaluate our “entertainment” values when we get pleasure out of watching a family in crisis suffer.
How many times today do we stop to really think about what we are watching in the movies and on television? If we examine the shows we think are “great”, “entertaining” or “funny”, we might think differently about our viewing habits and those of our children. How many of the shows are simply about sexual situations, outlandishly dysfunctional families, sinful lifestyles, disrespectful children and spouses, and those who are rewarded for illegal acts? Have we truly sat down to analyze shows like Seinfeld, Two and a half Men, Desperate Housewives, Will and Grace, The Sopranos, Friends, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Sex and the City, and That 70’s Show?
Don’t get me wrong, there are some truly good shows out there, such as Joan of Arcadia, that teach ethics, morals, consideration for others, and that our actions have consequences. My challenge is to steer my family to those types of shows and movies, and to truly look hard at what a show is teaching my children before we sit down to watch. I encourage you to visit some Christian review sites before blindly purchasing a ticket or turning on the tube. (See www.pluggedinonline.com/ and www.screenit.com/index1.html)
I for one will be more careful and discerning with my entertainment dollar.
“But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15.
Boy was I surprised! The basic premise of the story is that a drunken, ex-minor league pitcher is hired by a local politician to coach his son’s little league team. The kids are terrible and are uninspired to improve. The coach then brings in a couple of ringers who basically carry the team the rest of the season, one of which is his ex-girlfriend’s daughter who he taught to pitch (and to cheat while playing). I was amazed that anyone would be inspired by this film. It seemed that every other word spoken, not only by the coach but by the kids as well, was a curse word. You never see the coach without a beer in his hand and at the end of the championship game, he passes one out to each of the 10 year old kids!
Having been appalled by the movie, and seeing no redeeming qualities whatsoever, I am reminded that what we show our kids – and what we watch ourselves – can have a truly detrimental effect on our lives and our values. I remember vividly a conversation I had with my friend as a teenager about the movie, “Kramer vs. Kramer”, starring Dustin Hoffman as a divorced father trying to salvage his relationship with his son. This film won best picture in 1979 and was heralded as another truly great movie. I had not seen it and was asking my friend what he thought and his reply was both profound and convicting. His older brother was going through a divorce at the time and his comment was basically that we really need to reevaluate our “entertainment” values when we get pleasure out of watching a family in crisis suffer.
How many times today do we stop to really think about what we are watching in the movies and on television? If we examine the shows we think are “great”, “entertaining” or “funny”, we might think differently about our viewing habits and those of our children. How many of the shows are simply about sexual situations, outlandishly dysfunctional families, sinful lifestyles, disrespectful children and spouses, and those who are rewarded for illegal acts? Have we truly sat down to analyze shows like Seinfeld, Two and a half Men, Desperate Housewives, Will and Grace, The Sopranos, Friends, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Sex and the City, and That 70’s Show?
Don’t get me wrong, there are some truly good shows out there, such as Joan of Arcadia, that teach ethics, morals, consideration for others, and that our actions have consequences. My challenge is to steer my family to those types of shows and movies, and to truly look hard at what a show is teaching my children before we sit down to watch. I encourage you to visit some Christian review sites before blindly purchasing a ticket or turning on the tube. (See www.pluggedinonline.com/ and www.screenit.com/index1.html)
I for one will be more careful and discerning with my entertainment dollar.
“But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15.
posted by Carl Wheeler at 12:26 AM
1 Comments:
Carl:
Appreciate the reminder on what a Christian should view on TV and at the movies. We need to remember the childrens song from time-to-time: Be Careful Little Eyes What You See!
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