Methods of Removal

[unixknight]

So lately I've been trying to make my home a more spiritual place, and one of the ways to do that was to carefully re-examine my DVD collection.

For the most part, my DVD collection doesn't contain material that would be objectionable, but I have chosen about a dozen or so that have scenes of brief nudity (some not so brief) and I've decided they have to go. I have 2 teenage sons and when I go to bed before they do, I don't want to be wondering what they're watching, or contributing to it.

We're not talking about a lot of intense stuff, some of the movies I'm talking about are The Terminator, Total Recall, Starship Troopers, Conan the Barbarian, etc. Action movies mostly from the 80s, an era when nudity was common in action films, however brief.

The next question is, how to dispose of them? Throwing them in a dumpster is the easiest way, but I've also considered giving them away or selling them on eBay, as we're in serious financial stress. I haven't made a final decision, so I was hoping to turn to you guys for some advice.

What would you do?

[hordak]

mail them to me:)

[RachelleDrew]

I can understand why you wouldn't want to contribute to another person's less-than-spiritual movie collection by selling your own movies, but in all honesty I would sell them if you are having money problems.

To me, it's a no-brainer. If you don't want them in your house then take them to a Capitol Records or a Game Stop and sell 'em. Or trade them in for more family-friendly films.

[Connie]

To me it's also a no-brainer, but i would go the other route and toss 'em out. We are always in financial distress and have done this before with our own movie collection. It was easy for me to just throw them away, not wanting to be a "wolf in sheep's clothing" so to speak. I would not consider you a bad person if you took the other route, however. I think you'll just have to decide on your own what you are comfortable with doing.

[Maureen]

Have a garage sale.

[unixknight]

Thanks or the responses so far.

Stuff like this is hard to call sometimes, and having the additional perspectives helps a lot.

I gotta tell ya though, giving up some of these is hard... I really like Conan... and the Excalibur movie has scenes in it that send a chill down my spine (Like the part where the knights are riding into battle again after Arthur is restored)... But I just really feel like I've been prompted to do it...

Edited August 19, 2008 by unixknight

[candyprpl]

This is one of those subjects where there is no totally righteous way of doing it. Do whatever will make you feel that you are following the Lord's way.

When I joined the Church I had a coffeemaker (brand new and fairly expensive one) and some good coffee (not canned stuff). I also liked black tea and bought the good stuff. I had friends I could have given all this to, even my son. But for me, I needed to just throw it all in the dumpster. I did the right thing for me.

[rena_goldmoon]

I would throw it away. If you dont want to contribute to your own kids immorality why would you inadvertintly do it to someone else. Not trying to be rude but you asked for oppinions.

[unixknight]

I would throw it away. If you dont want to contribute to your own kids immorality why would you inadvertintly do it to someone else. Not trying to be rude but you asked for oppinions.

I didn't find that rude at all. Opinions are what I need

[Jbs2763]

I eBayed abotu 50 DVDs last year for the same reasons

[Listener]

This may be excessive lateral thinking, but had you considered using one of the recent software programs which allow you to edit purchased DVDs?

These programs allow you to delete the scenes which are unwanted, and then allow you to burn the edited result onto a blank DVD. These are currently evolving, but freeware is not likely to be far behind.

Otherwise, alas, I agree with the throwers. I love books. But I had to dispose of some in order to feel at peace.

I wish you an easy solution.

[unixknight]

This may be excessive lateral thinking, but had you considered using one of the recent software programs which allow you to edit purchased DVDs?

These programs allow you to delete the scenes which are unwanted, and then allow you to burn the edited result onto a blank DVD. These are currently evolving, but freeware is not likely to be far behind.

Otherwise, alas, I agree with the throwers. I love books. But I had to dispose of some in order to feel at peace.

I wish you an easy solution.

Interestingly, last night as my wife and I were discussing this, she had a similar idea. (Only after I'd already unloaded 3 of my old favorites... *sigh*)

What I can do is this:

1)Rip the DVD onto my computer

2)Edit out the parts that are objectionable

3)Burn the new version onto a blank DVD

4)Dispose of the old DVD

5)Take the new DVD and put it in the case, and return it to my DVD shelf.

Presto... only the edited copy remains, playable on any device. And because the copy is for my own use and I've disposed of the original, it's perfectly legal.

[HoosierGuy]

Now you all got me thinking of all my DVD's. All those years spending money on them. I really don’t' watch them anymore anyway.

But what to do with them? E-Bay? Is it ok for me to get rid of them on E-Bay? I could use the money for sure.

And what about my favorite thing on DVD ever - I Claudius? There is some nudity in that but it's definitely not presented in a bad way.

I know - I have my Agency. It's my choice.

Speaking of unwanted DVD's - I've been Netflixing Hawaii Five-0. The first season is from 1968. It has a lot of evil things in it - people being murdered every episode or drug use in every episode or some other mean thing. I’ve been watching it thinking - cool series with great plots and acting and scenery but - very unrighteous.

[MorningStar]

I went through the same dilemma. Any movies I had with objectionable scenes, I got rid of them. I didn't know what I was going to do with them, so I put them in my van. I showed up at my friend's house to bring her mom a shower chair to use when she had cancer in her leg and couldn't walk and then I found out it was her birthday. I gave the movies to them in case they wanted to watch one together and told them they could do anything they wanted with them because I was getting rid of them. I got rid of Charlie's Angels, Family Man, Meet the Parents, and quite a few others. I would love to get clean versions of those. They were on VHS.

[ruthiechan]

Interestingly, last night as my wife and I were discussing this, she had a similar idea. (Only after I'd already unloaded 3 of my old favorites... *sigh*)

What I can do is this:

1)Rip the DVD onto my computer

2)Edit out the parts that are objectionable

3)Burn the new version onto a blank DVD

4)Dispose of the old DVD

5)Take the new DVD and put it in the case, and return it to my DVD shelf.

Presto... only the edited copy remains, playable on any device. And because the copy is for my own use and I've disposed of the original, it's perfectly legal.

That is exactly what I was about to recommend.

[Captain_Curmudgeon]

I gotta tell ya though, giving up some of these is hard... I really like Conan... and the Excalibur movie has scenes in it that send a chill down my spine (Like the part where the knights are riding into battle again after Arthur is restored)... But I just really feel like I've been prompted to do it...

If you're prompted, you're prompted and my advice would be to follow that.

I would like to point out the possibility that not all nudity is necessarily sexual. I can't comment on the nudity in Conan or Excalibur -- that's for you to judge. But you might try watching it again with that possibility in mind.

When I was a scout and in the Aaronic priesthood here in Salt Lake City, we often went swimming nude at Deseret Gym. Nudity was required there and in my high school swimming gym class. So far as I can tell, none of us became porn addicts as a result. YMMV.

Naturally,

R.O.

PS. I used to be a Unix kernel hacker. I'll have to go look in the computer names topic to see how you became unixknight.

[VisionOfLehi]

I've always wanted to light a DVD on fire...

Do that with at least ONE of them.

And take pictures.

[skippy740]

Throw 1 in the toaster. (I accidently did this to a "Little Einsteins" DVD I had for the kids!)

Throw another in the microwave.

Break the others in half. This ensures that no one else can use them.

I did this to a bunch of "Smallville" DVDs that I found to be too much "soft porn" and suggestive themes.

It just didn't feel right to sell them and profit at the spiritual degradation of others.

[Gwen]

what hurts my spirituality may not hurt someone else. what helps mine may not help someone else. we are all different.

maybe the prompting is to handle to situations with one solution. get it out of the house and bring in a bit extra money.

i say pray about it and find out which the lord wants you to do.

[Guest tomk]

I'd throw them away. If you don't want their influence, then don't give them to someone else. My two cents.

I applaud your courage.

[unixknight]

If you're prompted, you're prompted and my advice would be to follow that.

I would like to point out the possibility that not all nudity is necessarily sexual. I can't comment on the nudity in Conan or Excalibur -- that's for you to judge. But you might try watching it again with that possibility in mind.

When I was a scout and in the Aaronic priesthood here in Salt Lake City, we often went swimming nude at Deseret Gym. Nudity was required there and in my high school swimming gym class. So far as I can tell, none of us became porn addicts as a result. YMMV.

Naturally,

R.O.

PS. I used to be a Unix kernel hacker. I'll have to go look in the computer names topic to see how you became unixknight.

I did use some of that discernment... Like, there's nudity in Schindler's List and Apocalypto but those movies will remain, because there's no sexual context for them.

Now, in a couple of the other movies I'm getting rid of there might be some nudity that while not in a sexual context, is still gratuitous so on the chopping block they went.

(unixknight because Unix was the focus of my study for my B.S. and knight because of my ancestors.)

[Iggy]

Sell them. You need the money. Also go through your closets and drawers and see what clothes you haven't worn in a year or two (if there are any). Sell them too.

Have a small garage(yard, driveway, stoop, whatever) sale. Include any books, or other household items that haven't been used for a minimum of 1 year.

Before you do though, take a couple of Saturdays and go to all the thrift stores in your area. Make note of their prices on clothes, DVD's, video's, used books, etc. Then price your items from a nickle to 50 cents less then they do.

[michaela]

... and the Excalibur movie has scenes in it that send a chill down my spine (Like the part where the knights are riding into battle again after Arthur is restored)... But I just really feel like I've been prompted to do it...

I believe the music in that scene is Carmina Burana by Orff. Get that on CD and you can be enlightened any time you want.

:)

michaela

[Captain_Curmudgeon]

I believe the music in that scene is Carmina Burana by Orff. Get that on CD and you can be enlightened any time you want.

:)

michaela

Don't read the lyrics. They're somewhat racy. But mostly in Latin.

This has been one of my favorite bits of music -- all of it -- since I was in college. There are many excellent pieces beyond "Ay, Fortuna."

[delio32]

We went through this 5 years ago, probably had over 100 DVD's. We sold them at a yard sale, I went through the same thoughts while selling them. We needed the money too, so selling was the way we went.