Rated R movies


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Entertainment writer here.

Unless a company is seeking to create a family-friendly film, the traditional wisdom is that PG-13 is where it's at, and R should be reserved for films where you either don't want kids watching or where it's impossible to tell the story without a lot of violence or horror. 

Typically, films with an "R" rating were oddities. Every so often we'd get a "Terminator" or "Robocop" that managed to achieve mainstream popularity, but otherwise R was the province of horror films or other such material. If you were a minor, it was bragging rights if you'd seen such a movie. 

Nowadays, however, we have a crop of writers and directors who wear that R rating as a badge of honor, and seek after it even when a PG-13 would be a better choice for their film. For example, the recent "Birds of Prey" film would have been better served with a PG-13 given how large a percentage of comic book movie fans are teenagers, but they went R and so cheated themselves out of a large chunk of their target audience. Cue the director (et al) trying to scapegoat everyone else *but* their own decision to have the film be R in the first place. 

There *are* some films with the R rating that are worth it, but for every "Deadpool" or "The Foreigner" we get a dozen "Birds of Prey" going on. 

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I haven't paid attention but regardless of the rating I think a movie should be determined to be viewed based on it's own merits rather than a rating.

Is it uplifting, is it spiritual, does it have offensive themes.

Even among PG movies you can find movies which have offensive items which drive out the spirit.

I tend not to see a LOT of the modern movies these days as most of them are not all that uplifting, or at least appear to be very biased towards aspects that would drive the spirit away.

I watch one occasionally or when a grandkid or child drags me to them (for example, I saw Frozen 2).  I find a lot of the modern movies are rather repulsive in many aspects and prefer what many would call old movies or classics these days.  Of course, it may also just be that I naturally prefer movies from the time period before the 70s more than anything else, and that it's more nostalgia (as per my children) rather than seeing the movies of today being worthless for the most part. 

I, on the other hand, feel that most of the movies coming out today are either too violent, have too much immorality, or too much language rather than it simply being me nostalgic for movies from my younger years.

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9 minutes ago, JohnsonJones said:

I haven't paid attention but regardless of the rating I think a movie should be determined to be viewed based on it's own merits rather than a rating.

Exactly how I feel about pornography. We need to judge these things individually. Consider each photograph on its own merits rather than just slap a label on it and ignore it wholesale. Ah, how I pity the ignorant fools who cut themselves off from a whole world of creative wonder because of their childish, irrational fear of the label "pornography"!

This is also how I feel about eating wild mushrooms. I'm sick to death of the broad classifications of "dangerous" and "poisonous" and "don't eat this!" and other such hype. I think we should eat each mushroom individually, without reference to any other mushrooms, and then decide for ourselves whether it's good.

 

Edited by Vort
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1 minute ago, Vort said:

Exactly how I feel about pornography. We need to judge these things individually. Consider each photograph on its own merits rather than just slap a label on it and ignore it wholesale. Ah, how I pity the ignorant fools who cut themselves off from a whole world of creative wonder because of their childish, irrational fear of the label "pornography"!

Perhaps, but if you use the same metrics you'll find that what people define as pornography in the US and Europe and what actually IS pornography is different.  Many PG-13 Movies, R-rated movies and perhaps even PG movies are actually pornographic in my opinion. 

Most times there are strong indications on how horrible these films will be (you can tell by many ads that they will have scandalous content in them) though occasionally you may be taken by surprise.

I find that if you TRULY are trying to use the spirit and only watch films that are uplifting and judging it by the merits of the film in relation to what the gospel teaches, you'll find that the restrictions on the movies you will watch are FAR more than those rudimentary restrictions of the world that set the bare minimum of what you should consider regarding the media you watch, read, or listen to.

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Just now, JohnsonJones said:

I find that if you TRULY are trying to use the spirit and only watch films that are uplifting and judging it by the merits of the film in relation to what the gospel teaches, you'll find that the restrictions on the movies you will watch are FAR more than those rudimentary restrictions of the world that set the bare minimum of what you should consider regarding the media you watch, read, or listen to.

Exactly! Let the SPIRIT tell you whether that movie scene is pornographic or simply artistic! Let the SPIRIT dictate whether the mushroom you just ate was poisonous! I'm glad to see I have at least one like-thinking compatriot.

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1 minute ago, Vort said:

Exactly! Let the SPIRIT tell you whether that movie scene is pornographic or simply artistic! Let the SPIRIT dictate whether the mushroom you just ate was poisonous! I'm glad to see I have at least one like-thinking compatriot.

I think there's a difference between what you are inferring and what I am saying (though I may not understand what you are saying).

If you are led by the spirit, you won't even be WATCHING most of those scenes...AT ALL.  The spirit lets you know before you even WATCH it EVER.

It seems you are implying that one would have to watch such things rather than avoid them.  You judge things PRIOR to watching them generally.

Many members simply put the line down that they will not watch R-Rated movies. 

A few that they will only watch PG and under rated movies.

This doesn't work in many other areas of the world, especially parts of Asia...especially when they are not using US ratings.

The guidance given is to watch only that which is uplifting.  If you would not let your little children watch it, do not watch it yourself (of course, I've seen some parents let their children watch some rather horrible things, I tend not to lean in that direction).  Following that advice you read reviews and watch ads and other items BEFORE you watch the movie to check whether it would fall in that qualification.

I find I watch LESS movies in general and LESS movies qualify to be worth watching under that metric...but, depending on your values, your restrictions on what you watch may vary.  If you have very loose morals, perhaps you would end up watching what the world qualifies as pornographic and not finding it so.

However, for those who tend to lean more towards my arena of the church, one already knows to avoid those movies automatically in general just from the sections or theaters or channels they are on, and in fact may see far more things (such as many movies that might be rated PG-13 and R ) as ALSO pornographic movies  because of the content that they advertise or are shown (some guides point to a number on how much of a certain type of material is included in a film or other media) to avoid in general.

 

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29 minutes ago, JohnsonJones said:

I think there's a difference between what you are inferring and what I am saying (though I may not understand what you are saying).

If you are led by the spirit, you won't even be WATCHING most of those scenes...AT ALL.  The spirit lets you know before you even WATCH it EVER.

I believe this is naive, and perhaps simply ignoring the issue.

The Spirit is not magic. It can warn you from evil, certainly. But if you put yourself in a position to experience evil and then expect the Spirit to warn you, "Look out, this is bad!", that is ridiculous. The idea that I'm going to start watching a porn flick (or R-rated movie) and then wait in sensitive expectation to hear the still small voice of the Spirit whisper gently to me me that something bad is coming up strikes me as beyond absurd.

Why are movies rated R in the US? Is it because they're just so, you know, good? "This movie is of such exceptional dramatic quality that we feel compelled to give it an R rating." Nonsense. Movies are rated R for nudity, sex, violence, and/or foul language. The very fact that a movie contained enough of (at least) one of these to merit an R rating is proof enough on its face that the movie can be safely avoided.

Funny how Nephi never needed to watch Saving Private Ryan to gain his exaltation. Gives me a sneaking suspicion that neither do we.

Edited by Vort
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1 hour ago, Vort said:

Funny how Nephi never needed to watch Saving Private Ryan to gain his exaltation. Gives me a sneaking suspicion that neither do we.

This goes through my mind all the time. Do we really need to watch saving private Ryan, Matrix, Dead Pool or Schindlers List (*gasp*)?

There are 2 sides to the R movie argument.

(1) R movies are bad but anything less is ok

(2) Its the content that matters, some pg-13 movies are worse than R movies. So some R movies are ok

I would argue for a third thought:

(3) Do not attend, view, or participate in anything that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in anything that presents immorality or violence as acceptable.

 

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18 minutes ago, Fether said:

(1) R movies are bad but anything less is ok

For the record, I have never met anyone who thinks this. Not a single solitary person. As far as I can tell, this is a pure straw man.

18 minutes ago, Fether said:

(2) Its the content that matters, some pg-13 movies are worse than R movies. So some R movies are ok

Again, I have never heard anyone try to make this leap of (il)logic. Another straw man.

18 minutes ago, Fether said:

I would argue for a third thought:

(3) Do not attend, view, or participate in anything that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in anything that presents immorality or violence as acceptable.

👍

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1 hour ago, Vort said:
1 hour ago, Fether said:

(1) R movies are bad but anything less is ok

For the record, I have never met anyone who thinks this. Not a single solitary person. As far as I can tell, this is a pure straw man.

You are mostly right. However I did have a confrontation with a missionary companion about this once as well as an argument with a friend of mine who wanted to watch Zoolander (PG-13). Granted the friend was not active in the church at the time.

 

1 hour ago, Vort said:
Quote

2) Its the content that matters, some pg-13 movies are worse than R movies. So some R movies are ok

Again, I have never heard anyone try to make this leap of (il)logic. Another straw man.

This one is absolutely NOT a straw man. It is a very  prevalent  thought amongst my generation.

exhibit A :
 

 

the “R rated movies” segment starts at 4:00ish and goes about the whole time. At 10:35 is where they talk about how some pg-13 movies are worst than R. Earlier (around 7 minutes) they talk about how some R movies are fantastic and we should all watch them.

Many young adults our age think this.

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  • pam featured this topic

Satan has a lot of control in Hollywood so many movies are going to have pornography and other material that is offensive to the LORD in them.  I am pretty particular to what I watch.  Movie ratings are not to be trusted in my opinion.  I read other websites that give me reviews of movies and of what material is in a film and go from there with judgment on whether or not something is worth watching.

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2 hours ago, Fether said:

You are mostly right. However I did have a confrontation with a missionary companion about this once as well as an argument with a friend of mine who wanted to watch Zoolander (PG-13). Granted the friend was not active in the church at the time.

 

This one is absolutely NOT a straw man. It is a very  prevalent  thought amongst my generation.

exhibit A :
 

 

the “R rated movies” segment starts at 4:00ish and goes about the whole time. At 10:35 is where they talk about how some pg-13 movies are worst than R. Earlier (around 7 minutes) they talk about how some R movies are fantastic and we should all watch them.

Many young adults our age think this.

This is sad, and I don't believe it's primarily generational. It's primarily about dishonesty, or perhaps stupidity. I'm especially sorry to hear David Snell spew crap opinions like that. Not surprised, mind you, but disappointed. I realize that it takes many people a lifetime to grow up (present company included), but when you have divinely appointed leaders warning you against things that you embrace anyway because you're waaaaaay smarter and more sophisticated than those old-fashioned rubes—well, something is very wrong with that.

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37 minutes ago, Vort said:

This is sad, and I don't believe it's primarily generational. It's primarily about dishonesty, or perhaps stupidity. I'm especially sorry to hear David Snell spew crap opinions like that. Not surprised, mind you, but disappointed. I realize that it takes many people a lifetime to grow up (present company included), but when you have divinely appointed leaders warning you against things that you embrace anyway because you're waaaaaay smarter and more sophisticated than those old-fashioned rubes—well, something is very wrong with that.

Once your mature enough to know which sins are allowed, then you can just throw the prophet’s words out the window.

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9 hours ago, Vort said:

I believe this is naive, and perhaps simply ignoring the issue.

The Spirit is not magic. It can warn you from evil, certainly. But if you put yourself in a position to experience evil and then expect the Spirit to warn you, "Look out, this is bad!", that is ridiculous. The idea that I'm going to start watching a porn flick (or R-rated movie) and then wait in sensitive expectation to hear the still small voice of the Spirit whisper gently to me me that something bad is coming up strikes me as beyond absurd.

Why are movies rated R in the US? Is it because they're just so, you know, good? "This movie is of such exceptional dramatic quality that we feel compelled to give it an R rating." Nonsense. Movies are rated R for nudity, sex, violence, and/or foul language. The very fact that a movie contained enough of (at least) one of these to merit an R rating is proof enough on its face that the movie can be safely avoided.

Funny how Nephi never needed to watch Saving Private Ryan to gain his exaltation. Gives me a sneaking suspicion that neither do we.

What are you trying to attribute to me?  What is your POINT!?  Is this a personal attack that you are on trying to attribute things to me that I have not said, or are you playing the devils advocate here?  I never stated you have to watch anything to determine whether it was good or evil.  I also attribute the great power the Holy Ghost has in our lives.  In addition, I have stated the information given to us by General Authorities of the church, which you seem to have problems with?  Why is this and what are you trying to say?  The impression you are seeming to indicate would be either you are playing the Devil's advocate here, or are on a personal crusade to attack me and what General Authorities have instructed, or you are attacking those who are not in the United States and do not use the United States rating system, or have a grave misunderstanding of what I've stated (and I think I stated it pretty clearly already).

If you didn't live in the US what would you do without that R-rating.  It's ironic that you suppose everyone in the world lives in the US and utilizes the US's rating system.

You don't put yourself in a position to experience evil.  You do what you do with everything ELSE in your life, or do you listen to anything that comes on the radio, watch anything that comes on TV, or read any book out there because it is not rated R?

You use the resources available to you, just like you do anything else, to reason what is spiritually uplifting and what is not.  Most people in the world do not need to rely on the US rating system to be able to determine what is good or evil.  Many don't even have that as a resource or available to them.

If you are using the US rating system as an excuse to watch pornographic items that are a PG-13 or other items, that sort of mystifies me.  To overly rely on a worldly rating system that includes what I would deem as pornographic material in items that it would rate as reasonable for those over 13, or at times under 13 (in the case of PG ratings) seems to sticking to the very basic letter of the law without regard to enact one's own free agency to choose the right from the wrong.

Funny, I never watched Saving Private Ryan either and ironic you mention it.  I probably saw a LOT WORSE when I was in the military (not movies, but in real life combat and other experiences), but that does not mean I need to subject myself to that type of visual violence within media.  Funny also, that when it came out I wasn't in the United States and the nation I was in didn't have the US rating system to tell me or anyone else what it was rated.  It was up to those there to determine whether they would see it or not based upon our own judgment of what we knew of the content and what each of us felt was acceptable to our own morals.  Perhaps you would be lost as you seem to think that one must depend on the US rating system to know whether something should be watched or not (as that is the impression it seems you are trying to state?  Or are you simply playing the Devils Advocate here)?

I've never watched Schindler's list either, which seems to be a popular one among some of the Saints.  I haven't watched many of the PG-13 or PG movies either.

There are many things in life we must determine on our own whether they be good or evil.  Music is a prime example of something that we excuse ourselves in listening to the most crass and obsence lyrics, and yet because there is not a set rating that we must avoid, many listen to anything and everything out there.  On the otherhand, for those who use the same ideas I have presented above and we apply the same ideas and logic that we do to the movies we watch we will do our best to listen to music that brings in the spirit, that uplifts the soul, and is inspiring rather than music that tends to chase the spirit away.  There are songs and channels that are obvious to avoid, but at the same time we learn from advertisements, album covers, summaries of songs, and other items what type of music is more likely to be good for us to listen to and which music is more likely to be ones that we want to try to avoid.

Having the Spirit aid you and guide you in this is a great gift and one that I would have thought MOST saints try to use in their day to day life.  Using it can help one tremendously in choices between what is right and what is wrong.

I know there are Saints out there that watch R-rated movies as per the US ratings (or PG-18 or other types of ratings per rating systems), and there are those that have other standards similar to mine where even a PG movie (and once or twice G rated movies which were not offensive in regards to language or violence, but per chance immorality that was implied even if not seen or shown and thus had inappropriate themes) may be something we avoid because we do not feel it is appropriate for what we want to watch.

Each of us must decide what is appropriate or what we want to experience.  There are many different levels and standards which we apply.  Using the spirit to help us determine what we should or should not watch I find is a very helpful ally in my desire to stay on the path of the Lord.

Now, if you simply utilize the idea that you won't watch R-rated movies as your only guide...that's good for you if you feel that's what you want.  However, I feel for me that is not strict enough and not good enough guidance.  It allows to much of what I would consider pornographic, violent, or otherwise spiritually detrimental for me and thus I have somewhat stricter standards.  We have different standards in what we watch and experience.  It seems odd that you would try to imply that stricter standards are more lax than your standard of simply not watching R-rated movies (or at least that's what you have implied here) when in fact I find it tends to be somewhat stricter.

I normally spend around a quarter of the year outside the US.  Most of the places do NOT use the US rating system.  The guidance we have in determining what to watch has come from General Authorities.  In this matter, and according to how I've seen it effective in my life, I think I'd probably value their advice on the matter, not just in regards to movies, but other media as well.

Edited by JohnsonJones
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3 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

I've never watched Schindler's list either,

When I was 15 my friends and I were talking about Schindler's List. Someone said "Oh yeah, there were people making out in that movie." Someone else in our circle said "That's all you got out of it?" We were all stunned. Even for a group of 15 year old boys it was appalling and incredibly shallow. 

Edited by MormonGator
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I'm not totally sure what an R movie is (we have a different classification system in the UK) - I guess it's similar to our 18 rating. But there are a lot of things milder than those, which some people will consider beyond the pale. Many, many years ago, when I was young, I was browsing in my local poster shop, when a man came storming in. He was one of those tall, smart, serious, ultra-respectable-looking men who I've always found a little unnerving; I rather fancy he had a mustache. Anyway, he stormed up to the counter holding a poster, which he presented to the woman serving for her inspection. It was a picture of Pamela Anderson - quite a well known one in fact - wearing tight denim shorts and a stetson hat, leading forward so that you can see quite a lot of...well, I think we all know what you can see quite a lot of whenever Pamela Anderson leans forward. (Steamy stuff I grant you, though nothing worse than you'd see on page 3 of The Sun - even in these ultra-feminist days!) I know it's bad to eavesdrop, but there are some things you can't help hearing, and the conversation went something like this:

Man: My son bought this here, and I'm not allowing him to have it. He's twelve years old and he's very keen on Pamela Anderson but I'm...but, well, I'm not allowing him to have it!

Woman: (takes poster) Well...OK I'll give you a refund.

[Short pause while woman fumbles about with the till. Man is [I suspect] a little taken aback that she has agreed so readily, and feels cheated out of a good argument. He's going to make one though, if it's the last thing he ever does!]

Man: (with faux casualness) I'm interested...do you normally sell pornography to 12-year-old boys?

Woman: (looks at poster) Well it's not exactly pornography, now is it?

Man: I consider that to be pornography!

Woman: That is not pornography!

Man: Well I...

Woman: Look, if you want a refund, for the sake of goodwill I'll give you one, but that is not pornography!

Exchanges continue between man and woman, each determined to have the last word on the matter, until eventually the man storms out deeply dissatisfied.

Edited by Jamie123
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1 hour ago, Jamie123 said:

I'm not totally sure what an R movie is (we have a different classification system in the UK) - I guess it's similar to our 18 rating.

That's the best comparison I'd imagine, though there are differences in how those from the States and the UK rate films (and the rest of the world).

PG18 is what I'd probably put close to the idea or theory of the US's Rated R movies and what many use when they stick to which ratings to avoid, however many of the movies that are rated R in the US may be rated PG15 in the UK as well. 

A PG15 could be what is similar to a PG13 in the US, though a PG12 could also be seen as a similar idea.  Occassionally the PG13 will be rated worse in the UK (perhaps even a 15), and many times the PG13 will be rated far less.

In general a PG-13 film will be rated at least a PG12 in the UK while R-rated films will vary between a PG15 and a PG18 rating.  A similar dynamic can be applied to DVDs.

Saving Private Ryan stated in this thread is a good example.  IN the US I believe it is rated R, but in the UK I think it has a rating of 15. 

The US is less restrictive in some areas when going to the theater.  In the UK some places may bar a child under the age of 12 from going to a PG12  (and more likely bar them from a PG15) movie even with parental accompaniment, whereas in the US a child can go see something as violent or immoral as Fifty shades of Grey (18 in the UK) as long as their parent approves and is with them. 

Edited by JohnsonJones
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6 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

What are you trying to attribute to me?  What is your POINT!?  Is this a personal attack that you are on trying to attribute things to me that I have not said, or are you playing the devils advocate here?

1. I attribute to you only what you have said and the immediate implications of those things.

2. I thought my point was easily recognized. Which parts of what I wrote are you having trouble deciphering?

3. This is neither a personal attack nor am I playing a devil's advocate.

6 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

If you didn't live in the US what would you do without that R-rating.  It's ironic that you suppose everyone in the world lives in the US and utilizes the US's rating system.

I suppose nothing of the sort. Who cares that no one else in the world uses an R rating? What does that have to do with anything? How is that in any possible way germane to the topic?

6 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

You don't put yourself in a position to experience evil.  You do what you do with everything ELSE in your life, or do you listen to anything that comes on the radio, watch anything that comes on TV, or read any book out there because it is not rated R?

If a radio program or a TV show or a book comes with a ready-made tag saying, "Salacious material! Brutal gorefest! Filthy and blasphemous expressions throughout!", then I do not consume it. Or if I do, I am not surprised when I find myself bathing in filth, and I do not seek to justify myself by saying stupid things like, "How could I have known? Not everything that's labeled as unfit for human consumption is really unfit for human consumption!"

6 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

You use the resources available to you, just like you do anything else, to reason what is spiritually uplifting and what is not.  Most people in the world do not need to rely on the US rating system to be able to determine what is good or evil.  Many don't even have that as a resource or available to them.

Of course, this is utterly irrelevant. It's what we call a "red herring", designed to lead away from the central point under discussion.

6 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

If you are using the US rating system as an excuse to watch pornographic items that are a PG-13 or other items, that sort of mystifies me.

If you honestly got this from what I wrote, then I have overestimated your ability to interpret expository writing.

6 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

Perhaps you would be lost as you seem to think that one must depend on the US rating system to know whether something should be watched or not (as that is the impression it seems you are trying to state?  Or are you simply playing the Devils Advocate here)?

For you to draw that inference from what I wrote demonstrates either a complete inability to assess the meaning of a written passage or an utter refusal to honestly acknowledge what was written, instead preferring to assign one's own prejudices to the meaning. Which of those two are we dealing with here?

6 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

Having the Spirit aid you and guide you in this is a great gift and one that I would have thought MOST saints try to use in their day to day life.  Using it can help one tremendously in choices between what is right and what is wrong.

[...]

Each of us must decide what is appropriate or what we want to experience.  There are many different levels and standards which we apply.  Using the spirit to help us determine what we should or should not watch I find is a very helpful ally in my desire to stay on the path of the Lord.

Do you honestly (note the word, JohnsonJones) believe that I said something different?

6 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

Now, if you simply utilize the idea that you won't watch R-rated movies as your only guide...that's good for you if you feel that's what you want.  [...] It seems odd that you would try to imply that stricter standards are more lax than your standard of simply not watching R-rated movies (or at least that's what you have implied here) when in fact I find it tends to be somewhat stricter.

I have implied nothing of the sort. Is this dishonesty or just stupidity, JohnsonJones?

6 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

I normally spend around a quarter of the year outside the US.  Most of the places do NOT use the US rating system.

Please explain carefully what this has to do with anything I wrote.

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21 minutes ago, Vort said:

If you honestly got this from what I wrote, then I have overestimated your ability to interpret expository writing.
I have implied nothing of the sort. Is this dishonesty or just stupidity, JohnsonJones?

@Vort lets just say, your writing is not the weak link here.

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16 hours ago, Vort said:

For the record, I have never met anyone who thinks this. Not a single solitary person. As far as I can tell, this is a pure straw man.

Some teenagers do/did (maybe even a majority of them), including when I was kid.   Maybe I was the same in some ways, though I almost never went to movies (this was a financial reason rather than a moral one though).  

In those days, watching rated R movies was specifically taboo and we were all told not to do it in seminary and Sunday school.    Then PG-13 came out and a lot of the youth were like "yes, now we can go see those since they weren't forbidden".

The same goes for sexual purity.   As teenagers, a lot of us would ask things like "how far can you go on a date before it is a sin?"   Then of course the adults would tell the story about the stagecoach driver staying as far away from the edge as possible.

Anyway, I have no arguement or point; just some middle age reminiscing about the days of youth.  

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9 hours ago, MormonGator said:

When I was 15 my friends and I were talking about Schindler's List.

If anyone is curious about this; the Church used to tell people not to go to rated R movies (I haven't heard that as much in recent years).   When Schindler's List came out though, the prophet (I believe it was Hinkley) actually came out and said that this movie was OK to watch because of the educational value.    As far as I know, this has been the only rated R movie where a prophet has actually come out and said that is OK to watch (though not exactly encouraged).

BYU wanted to show the movie on campus, but they wanted to edit out the nudity and some of the violence.   The film company would not allow them to do this, so BYU would not show the movie on campus.  The producer of the movie did speak on campus, however.  

Edited by Scott
Edited for correction of Benson vs. Hinkley
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Under the terms of US copyright law, I have graciously allowed myself to quote myself [and I note this is a general observation, not necessarily applicable to anyone in the current discission]:

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The thing about “We cannot afford to just see a PG-13 rating as a green light, and an R-rating as a red—it just isn’t that cut and dry” is that if you then say “OK, name five PG-13 movies that Mormons shouldn’t watch and that you haven’t watched”—they’ll hem and haw and sputter something about “personal revelation” and “not within my stewardship”, but they won’t name the movies.  ProgMos, like their secularist exemplars, may theorize about principles that may have conservative as well as liberal/libertine applications; but in practice, the ratchet only turns one way.  
 

The simple fact is that yes, many PG-13 movies are trash—but easily over 95% of R rated movies are also trash; and the other 5% are not worth nearly the attention that this issue usually gets.  Most  ProgMos who make this point aren’t trying to enrich your life by giving you an “out” to see Schindler's List or The King’s Speech; they’re just trying to make themselves feel better for having watched The Godfather and Animal House and American Pie.

Edited by Just_A_Guy
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