The other day I turned on the TV to settle in to a little R & R time while I watched "So You Think You Can Dance". One of my all time favorite shows! OH the dancing! I love it!
When the TV came on it was on a local channel. I was a bit distracted because of the screaming and crying going on. A little girl was crying as a man was kidnapping her from her mother, who was frantically and desperately screaming in return, begging for him to stop, promising her daughter she would find her, and covered in blood, since she was apparently previously beaten by this man....as was the little girl.
Kind of make you sick?
Me too!
When in the world did a real life horrific event, something that people in the most terror filled moments in this life have suffered through, become a source of our entertainment. It really struck me!
I also thought back to a few years ago when I was with Ryan at a doctors appt. There was a TV in the waiting room. Some kid show was on. Mallory was running around the room, playing and occasionally stopping to check it out. A man came in and sat down close to the remote. He noticed that I wasn't watching, and saw that Mal was making laps around the chairs. He changed the channel. Totally fine. Until I saw what his choice was. He stopped a few times and watched a few things here or there to see if they were interesting enough, none passed the test, that was until he found what he thought was his best choice. I remember a woman being tied up in a pit. She was bloody and bound and screaming for her life. Apparently her predator was coming for her to finish the job.
Why do I remember the details of this? Why in the world would I spatter their gore on this blog?
Well, I remember the scream made Mallory stop in her tracks. Her attention was 100% on the TV. The man was so wrapped in the moment that I don't think he noticed us leave the room.
I remember that the woman's scream seemed so real. That actress had quite a scream. It really bothered me. Why in the world would we find entertainment in watching someone experience something like that? How is there any entertainment in something that would be our greatest fear! Since then I have been interested in the fact that these sort of crime mystery shows are the top rated shows on TV. Man, we must be seriously de-sensitized to what we are really watching!
This all made me think about the description of the people called the Lamanites in the Book of Mormon, and the words used to define the wicked people in the last days, that they are a wicked people that delight in the shedding of blood.
Interesting, isn't it?
I mean, I always thought about that in our day being the ones that were actually part of the action of shedding blood, with a little chill, mind you, for the dread of what DELIGHT in bloodshed might bring about. However, when I stopped to think about it....if a show is proclaimed the most gory AND the most watched show on TV, then what else could it mean, but being a people that delights in the shedding of blood.
That being said, how much do we watch on TV that we wouldn't allow into our homes in any other way? I just find this whole thing very interesting to think about and it really helps me get a grip on what I allow into my house. Justification comes easy to me, but when I look at it in this way....there certainly isn't any justifying it.
Anyway, I would absolutely love to here your thoughts on this! If you are interested in putting in your 2 cents....or 50 cents! :) Go ahead and click on that little "comment" link and get typing!
3 comments:
I agree Amy! I especially hate the violence!! For this reason I hardly watch any TV at all. I wish everyone in my home felt the same way..... I spend alot of time finding other things to do when the TV is on. It's disheartening to see how desensitized people can get to what they are watching. Seriously.
I have repeatedly told my kids (and myself) ...if there is anything virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
We are all given 24 hours in a day--I think we will be held accountable on how we spent it.
Luckily we can work on it every day!
I currently live on the pacific island of Saipan and happily stumbled onto your blog. So pleased I did.
A number of years ago, after returning from an 18 mo. church mission, I was shocked at what I was suddenly seeing on television. After not watching during the 18 months I was amazed at what was now on primetime, shocked that people seemed numb to violence, immoral scenes, language, more than just sexual innuendos,etc that just a year or so earlier would have been appalling and caused most to change channels or turn off the TV.
It seems that the adversary works little by little, a little language here, a little scene here, a “small” violent scene here, etc. Slowly enough and gradually enough that unless we are careful we may not even notice. It reminds be of the a prophet Nephi in the Book of Mormon when he says the devil is the founder of works of darkness and “he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cord forever.”
How often do we try to rationalize what we see, hear, read, etc. “It’s a really great show except for just that one part.” Rationalization is frequently used to excuse what some see as lesser degrees of evil. If we continually rationalize, we are being subtly, ever so gently, led away by Satan until eventually we will become bound with his “strong cords.” We can become numb and unfeeling and DELIGHT (as you said) in the things we are watching or spending out time on.
Thank you for the wonderful post and I look forward the visiting your blog often.
Noelle
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