Course language in games and movies.

[CommanderSouth]

Ok, so I am in the process of evaluating my life (the one process that never ends :). I am really feeling I should trade in GTAIV. That's an easy enough choice to make, but how far do you walk down that road. How much is too much? If I wanted to get rid of every single game, movie, or song I have with any swearing, swaths of highly enjoyable content would be gone. Now should I be enjoying something like that, I do not know. Part of me says no, but part of me goes to the words of Christ to try to justify it, that being, it isn't what goes in that defiles, but what comes out.

That being said, I know I need to further change, as I caught my foot on the dog's cage this morning and caught myself saying "mother", mind you I didn't finish, but nonetheless it bothered me, and right before I was sitting down to watch General Conference no less.

It's funny, violence and language don't seem to bother me unless they are uneedfully gratuitous, but I try always to either skip movies with sex scenes in them, or in the case of stuff in shows like 24, just fast forward.

So on the topic of movies and such, how much leaven spoils that batch? And if the only "guideline" we have is to avoid R rated films, how "PG-13" is ok?

Thanks for the insight...

[Dravin]

And if the only "guideline" we have is to avoid R rated films

It isn't. If it offends the spirit don't partake.

For the Strength of YouthFor the Strength of Youth (Page 17)

LDS.org - Young Women Chapter Detail - Avoiding Degrading Media Influences

LDS.org - Aaronic Priesthood Chapter Detail - Avoiding Degrading Media Influences

Though I think Elder Ballard puts it best: LDS.org - Ensign Article - The Effects of Television

The prophet Mormon said that each of us is given the Spirit of Christ to know good from evil; everything that invites us to do good is of God. On the other hand, anything that persuades us to do evil is of the devil, for he and those who follow him persuade no one to do good. (See Moro. 7:16–18.) This simple test will guide us in judging television and other media programs.

how "PG-13" is ok?

Not all of them are as far as I'm concerned.

[Blackmarch]

Ok, so I am in the process of evaluating my life (the one process that never ends :). I am really feeling I should trade in GTAIV. That's an easy enough choice to make, but how far do you walk down that road. How much is too much? If I wanted to get rid of every single game, movie, or song I have with any swearing, swaths of highly enjoyable content would be gone. Now should I be enjoying something like that, I do not know. Part of me says no, but part of me goes to the words of Christ to try to justify it, that being, it isn't what goes in that defiles, but what comes out.

That being said, I know I need to further change, as I caught my foot on the dog's cage this morning and caught myself saying "mother", mind you I didn't finish, but nonetheless it bothered me, and right before I was sitting down to watch General Conference no less.

It's funny, violence and language don't seem to bother me unless they are uneedfully gratuitous, but I try always to either skip movies with sex scenes in them, or in the case of stuff in shows like 24, just fast forward.

So on the topic of movies and such, how much leaven spoils that batch? And if the only "guideline" we have is to avoid R rated films, how "PG-13" is ok?

Thanks for the insight...

How much horse turd in a cake are you willing to have when you eat the cake?

On a seperate note.. no mattter what line you decide to draw.. getting rid of the GTA game is a very good choice.

[marts1]

it isn't what goes in that defiles, but what comes out.

Anyone know where this is?

[CommanderSouth]

Anyone know where this is?

Mark 7:14-16

Though I may be taking this out of context...

[Wingnut]

How much horse turd in a cake are you willing to have when you eat the cake?

How many ground-up insect heads are you willing to eat in your fig newtons?

[CommanderSouth]

Not all of them are as far as I'm concerned.

And I agree, which is why I am looking for insight. Violence is a tricky thing. If I threw out things that simulate killing I lose the two main genres I play with my friends, FPS and RTS. But no one ever stops kids from pointing at each other and saying "bang" (not usually anyway), so this really isn't anything more than a step up from that. I don't worry too much about it because it hasn't made me want to kill anyone so. But usually there is at least some cursing in pretty much all games, which is making me wonder where to draw the line on that.

[marts1]

Mark 7:14-16

Though I may be taking this out of context...

ya..it could be He's talking about what we take into our bodies

[CommanderSouth]

How many ground-up insect heads are you willing to eat in your fig newtons?

I thank you, I always hated it when Dad used the "rat droppings" argument against me, at least I have some type of retort if I ever wanted to reply...

[talisyn]

You should just switch to FINAL FANTASY XI I play it and depending on the people you hang out with I can go whole weeks without seeing bad language or inappropriateness...unless you count killing Trolls or the Undead inappropriate

[CommanderSouth]

You should just switch to FINAL FANTASY XI I play it and depending on the people you hang out with I can go whole weeks without seeing bad language or inappropriateness...unless you count killing Trolls or the Undead inappropriate

True, but I thought that was because you wouldn't see other people playing for whole weeks?

*rimshot*

[Traveler]

Ok, so I am in the process of evaluating my life (the one process that never ends :). I am really feeling I should trade in GTAIV. That's an easy enough choice to make, but how far do you walk down that road. How much is too much? If I wanted to get rid of every single game, movie, or song I have with any swearing, swaths of highly enjoyable content would be gone. Now should I be enjoying something like that, I do not know. Part of me says no, but part of me goes to the words of Christ to try to justify it, that being, it isn't what goes in that defiles, but what comes out.

That being said, I know I need to further change, as I caught my foot on the dog's cage this morning and caught myself saying "mother", mind you I didn't finish, but nonetheless it bothered me, and right before I was sitting down to watch General Conference no less.

It's funny, violence and language don't seem to bother me unless they are uneedfully gratuitous, but I try always to either skip movies with sex scenes in them, or in the case of stuff in shows like 24, just fast forward.

So on the topic of movies and such, how much leaven spoils that batch? And if the only "guideline" we have is to avoid R rated films, how "PG-13" is ok?

Thanks for the insight...

I thought to respond to this thread. I was raised in a home where there was no swearing and most slang words were also forbidden. I have never heard my father swear even when he was in pain and dying. Some time ago I decided to quit watching any program on TV that took the L-rd’s name in vein. Within a week there was nothing I could watch on TV and that included the news and sports. I have sent Glen Beck several e-mails pleading with him to be more careful with the L-rd’s name. The other stuff I can shrug off.

As to violence – I have lived through real and actual violence. It is not a very entertaining experience. It is my personal input that movie and TV violence is falsely depicted and overly glamorized. The cartoon violence – AKA the road runner and coyote are funny. Often I see movie and TV violence in the same vein. That is completely out of touch with reality. Sometimes I do find violence real enough that I cannot watch it and I must leave. If I don’t I will not be able to sleep for weeks or months.

I do not watch “R” rated movies. There may be some good movies that I miss but at this point of life I do not want or care for the “R” stuff. I just do not want to go there. I am concerned with the efforts by so many that go to extremes for entertainment. I do enjoy entertainment that depicts the struggle between good and evil and shows what really happens to individuals and societies that embrace violence as a means to an end. I do not like movies that the only way to discern the “good” guys from the bad “guys” is the good guys only are violent towards the bad guys that deserve it.

So there you have it – some input from à

The Traveler

[Nikkie85]

I don't watch anything that makes me uncomfortable or takes the spirit out of my home. I have a picture of the temple in my living room and if I am watching TV and look up at the picture and feel guilty then I know it is wrong. Most PG13 movies in my opinion are inappropriate.

[Bini]

I watch both PG13-rated films and R-rated films. And in both categories you'll get various degrees of inappropriateness. There have been times when I've watched a PG13 film and was amazed it wasn't given a more restrictive rating. And there's been times when I've watched R-rated films and couldn't figure out why it wasn't given a less restrictive rating. BUT. I agree that for someone who doesn't want to chance encountering any explicit content, avoiding R-rated films is a good rule of thumb. Just keep in mind that you're not always "safe" with less restrictive rated films either. I think common sense and being in-tune with what's right and what's wrong, will help guide you into choosing wise entertainment selections.

[marts1]

I noticed something just today which I found interesting. I watch tv where I might find the odd word that I would rather not hear and it does disturb me a bit. I was walking in a park today and got talking to a stranger and she said a word or two that I didn't like. It took all my effort not to react and these were the same type of words that I would hear occasionally on tv. It seems that I can tune out what I hear on tv to a certain extent perhaps becuase it is not real. I do agree it would be better to not hear these words at all but for me it would be very hard to not watch tv.

[dorave]

If the Book of Mormon were made into film or game, it would definitly be rated R for Violence. I like War films or epic films like Gladiator and I feel there is a message to be learnt in films dipicting war and history. Senseless violence I dont enjoy at all or anything glamorizing violence, sex or profanity for that matter.