#232 Brainwashing

A long time ago the Christian Reformed Church—that's the denomination I'm part of—said that church members should not go to the movies. A few decades later the CRC changed its guidance, deciding that an outright ban on movies was not the way to go. I remember talking about this history one day in seminary, and my professor said that by the time movies were given the okay again, most people had TVs in their living rooms. The big screen seemed less dangerous when small screens were everywhere.

Now I enjoy watching TV and going to the movies. I don't think we as Christians should avoid film and television altogether. But I do think those original decision-makers had some valid reasons to be concerned. As I've gotten older I've become slightly more aware of how movies and TV shape the way we think. Stories are powerful things. When we watch a show or film, we're meant to side with a certain character or group of characters, hoping for their success. Sometimes these heroes are pursuing noble goals: safety, justice, friendship, happiness. But many times those goals (or the means taken to reach those goals) stray into sinful territory: violence, extramarital sex, dishonesty. If we just absorb these stories, they can begin to affect the way we think, making us more and more comfortable with behavior that goes against what God wants for us, what God says is right. It's easy to switch our minds off when we're watching TV shows and movies. Without even realizing it I can start cheering for that dating couple to hook up or that main character to steal a car or that "villain" to be killed. On some level I'm being brainwashed into accepting the morals of the filmmakers.

And it's not just shows that shape the way we think. The news we watch can influence our perspective. If we hear one side of an argument over and over and over again, it becomes easier and easier to believe it or agree with the speakers, no matter how ridiculous their positions may seem at first. Advertising, too, uses short, crafted stories to try to convince us that we need certain products to be happy or to feel complete. In many ways, TV bombards us with more constant messaging than the movies.

So what do we do to combat this subtle brainwashing? I don't think Christians need to just avoid TV and movies altogether. They can also teach us things that are good and beautiful and true. But I think we need to watch critically. We need to think about the messages our shows and movies convey. Sometimes we should stay away from certain projects. I don't think I can give a hard and fast rule, but I think there are limits where a film or series can have so much graphic violence or explicit sexual content or rampant disregard for God and His name that Christians should simply avoid it. I think we should place limits on how much we watch. And finally, I think we need to root ourselves in God's story, the true story of the world, by reading the Bible and worshiping and spending time with other believers. If God's story is the main story shaping us, we'll be better prepared to evaluate and (when necessary) resist other stories. It's good to remember that our goal is not to conform to the values of movies and TV but to be transformed by God.

Grace and peace,

BMH

P.S. Lanie and I continued our ice cream cone sculpture hunt this week: