God's Voice vs. The TV Guide: Which One Will You Listen To?

The media we consume has a deep impact on our mental and emotional well-being, shaping even our behavior around others. What we eat, listen to, and watch can either nourish our minds and bodies, promoting happiness, calmness, and strength, or it can lead to negativity, such as depression, promiscuity, and anger. I acknowledge that limiting or removing secular music can be a challenging task, but I believe that shielding our eyes and minds from certain movies and shows is equally crucial.

It's essential to recognize that the content we consume has a profound impact on our thoughts, values, and beliefs, and it's often more influential than we realize. By being mindful of what we watch and exposing ourselves to wholesome content, we can protect ourselves and nurture a positive and uplifting environment. I admit that I've indulged in numerous shows and movies that weren't beneficial for my mental well-being, including certain political commentators.

Reflecting on my past choices, I've realized that they didn't improve my mental state, but rather potentially harmed it. Interestingly, when I revisited some of these shows from my younger years, I was struck by how differently I viewed them. I often struggled to watch shows that once captivated me, such as The Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries, and Grey's Anatomy. I found the excessive depiction of dishonesty, infidelity, promiscuity, substance abuse, and other behaviors emotionally draining.

As someone seeking to nurture their faith, you have to understand that the content

we expose ourselves to can have a profound impact on our well-being. Below, I've compiled a bunch of insights and reflections on the media we watch and expose young minds to. I believe you'll find it thought-provoking and valuable in making informed choices about what you consume.

"Though there is no formally recognized disorder or diagnostic criteria, many psychologists are seeing patients suffering from news-related stress and seeking guidance on how to help them. Researchers are working to understand the science behind the condition." -American Psychological Association

"November 2023, Fox News was the most watched cable news network in the United States and continues to do well in terms of its primetime audience, with 1.72 million primetime viewers in that period. Fox News viewers in the 25-54 demographic amounted to 199 thousand, whilst MSNBC had just 109 thousand. When looking at Fox News viewers compared to CNN, the overall average number of primetime viewers was notably different. CNN has been losing viewers in recent years, although during the coronavirus outbreak, tended to pull in a larger audience than usual." -Statista.com

"Watching sex on TV predicts and may hasten adolescent sexual initiation. Reducing the amount of sexual content in entertainment programming, reducing adolescent exposure to this content, or increasing references to and depictions of possible negative consequences of sexual activity could appreciably delay the initiation of coital and noncoital activities." -American Academy Of Pediatrics

"Research by psychologists L. Rowell Huesmann, Leonard Eron, and others starting in the 1980s found that children who watched many hours of violence on television when they were in elementary school tended to show higher levels of aggressive behavior when they became teenagers. By observing these participants into adulthood, Huesmann and Eron found that the ones who’d watched a lot of TV violence when they were 8 years old were more likely to be arrested and prosecuted for criminal acts as adults." -American Psychological Association

As of 2024, Netflix has 260.28 million subscribers, Hulu has 50.2 million, Disney plus 153.6 million, and 99.6 million for HBO, Max, and Discovery+.

The top shows on Netflix are Wednesday, Stranger Things, DAHMER: Monster: The Jeffery Dahmer Story, Bridgerton, The Queens Gambit, The Night Agent, Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal, and The Witcher.

The top movies on Netflix are Red Notice, Don't Look Up, The Adam Project, Bird Box, Leave the World Behind, The Gray Man, We Can Be Heroes, The Mother, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and Extraction.

The top shows on Hulu are The Chi, 9-1-1, Grey's Anatomy, Station 19, 20/20, Under the Bridge, Family Guy, Bob's Burgers, Abbot Elementary, and The Kardashians.

The top movies on Hulu are Dune: Part Two, Ferrari, Saw X, The Plus One, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Expend4bles, Major Payne, Outlaw Johnny Black, Talk to Me, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

The top shows on Disney + are Bluey, Grey's Anatomy, The Kardashians, The Simpsons, Monsters at Work, Family Guy, How I Met Your Mother, Desperate Housewives, and Soy Luna.

The top movies on Disney + are Moana, The First Omen, Inside Out, Frozen, Luca, Wish, Elemental, Monsters University, Monsters Inc., and Ciao Alberto.

The top shows on HBO are Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, Hacks, La Promesa, Woman, Young Sheldon, Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter, Romario O Cara, Six is Not a Crowd, The Sympathizer, Naked and Afraid of Love.

The top movies on HBO are Dune: Part Two, The Exorcist: Believer, Mr. Deeds, Monolith, Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Samaritan, Joika, Dune, The Dead Don't Die, and Mad Max: Fury Road.

According to Statista.com, apa.org, Backlinko.com, Flixpatrol.com, aap.org and netflix.com.

I'm deeply concerned about the content of shows and movies. Not only do they often promote premarital sex, but they also normalize cheating, lying, gossiping, stealing, witchcraft, and murder. While I may be perceived as being overly cautious, I don't care - I'm willing to stand up for what I believe is right. I ask, why do we need to be exposed to graphic content like people having sex or acts of violence?

Why do we need to consume shows that glorify harmful behavior? It's not "It's just a show" - we're compromising our mental and physical well-being by allowing ourselves to be desensitized to such explicit material. Let's address the elephant in the room: sex. In today's society, premarital sex is often portrayed as a normal and healthy aspect of life, regardless of marital status. Don't get me wrong, sex is a wonderful part of life and God gave this to us. But let's bring attention to the fact that it's meant for married couples, a man and a woman.

At the heart of this union, we must also acknowledge the ultimate goal of marriage and sex: the creation of new life, in the form of precious children. There is a reason for everything we are given/told. It is meant to protect us mentally and physically. Unfortunately, the normalization of sex before marriage can lead to a culture that pressures young people to engage in sexual activity, even if they're not emotionally

or spiritually ready. I'm troubled by the way parents and society at large discuss sex with younger kids, often framing it as a necessary rite of passage.

Some parents even condone premarital sex by saying things like "It's healthy for your age" or "It's time to buy birth control!". This approach can be damaging, making kids prioritize physical pleasure over maturity, well-being, and good morals. This reminds me, when did the church's stance on sexuality shift from Biblical principles to a more relaxed and compromising attitude? It seems that many pastors have neglected to address the importance of marriage and sexual purity in their sermons.

This leaves young people vulnerable to the influence of the world. I'm not just talking about premarital sex, but also the consumption of pornography, which has become a plague in our society. It's disturbing to see how this has become so common, even within the church. It's time for a wake-up call - we need to stand against the moral decay that's suffocating our world. You may think that I went off topic, but this all

goes along with what we watch/consume.

Information regarding porn consumption

"Research states that every single day, a staggering 68 million search queries are related to pornography. That’s one-quarter of all Internet searches 40 million Americans view porn regularly, and at least 200,000 Americans classify as

having a “porn addiction.” -Medcircle.com

"Research shows that children first stumble upon porn at 11 years old. Most children aren’t actively seeking porn. However, because it’s so widely accessible, it’s easy for anyone to find." -Medcircle.com

"People watch pornographic content to elate their moods and evade routine stressors, but unknowingly pornography itself is a significant stressor. Neurobiological explanations suggest that pornography has dramatically

reduced overall sexual activity among couples. A sharp increase in the

prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and low sexual desire was observed in men under 40. In a study conducted in 1999, ED and low sexual desire rate was 5%, respectively. By 2011, ED rates have increased to 14-28% in European men between 18-40 years." -National Library of Medicine

"When the brain is constantly in a state of arousal, it begins to shut down its release of dopamine to protect itself from this overstimulation. Dopamine is responsible for pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation, so when it is no longer released, a person can feel moody, tired, and unmotivated, among many other symptoms. Additionally, dopamine plays a significant role in sleep patterns, motivation, learning ability, mood stability, and awareness. When dopamine is not functioning correctly, all bodily functions it affects are likely not working correctly either." -addictoncenter.com

According to medcircle.com, https://www.nlm.nih.gov/, and addictioncenter.com. 

This brings me back to the explicit content in movies and shows. It has reached a concerning level, with scenes becoming increasingly intense and graphic. It's unsettling to think that it's now indistinguishable from pornography, having a similar detrimental impact on our minds and bodies. It's also disheartening to see that even children's shows are not immune to these themes, with hidden innuendos seemingly added for adult entertainment. Don't even get me started on what I think about that..

The normalization of this has led to a lack of concern from parents, with some even allowing their kids to watch stuff like Euphoria and Fifty Shades of Grey, and in some cases, even watching dirty stuff alongside their children. At some point, you'll wake up and realize how far you've drifted from your morals. The allure of popular TV shows and movies can be strong, and it's tempting to tune in to fit in with the crowd or engage in conversations about the latest hit.

However, I've learned that this compromise is not worth the cost. I recently tried to watch Bridgerton, but was shocked by its explicit content and felt put off by its vulgarity. Let's be realistic, avoiding something that's not aligned with your values isn't a failure or a sign of weakness. It's a sign of integrity and self-respect. But, if you choose to watch content that's unhealthy or harmful, you're putting yourself at risk of experiencing negative consequences like depression, lust, anger, and isolation.

Instead, I'm urging you to take a moment to reflect before you hit play. Think about how you feel when you're watching a particular show or movie. Are you feeling uplifted, inspired, or entertained? Or are you feeling anxious, guilty, or uneasy? Take the time to consider your emotional response and make a conscious choice about what you're willing to expose yourself to. Are you allowing the world to influence your emotions and actions?

Are you adopting habits or attitudes that mirror the ones you see on screen, such as promiscuity, cursing, or substance abuse? It's not uncommon for these behaviors to seep into our daily lives, often without us realizing it. When we're exposed to negative content, it can be like surrounding ourselves with bad company - their attitudes and behaviors can rub off on us. 

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2

Truly ask yourself: Are you subconsciously imitating the characters on TV, and is this affecting your mental and emotional well-being? Are you growing weary of reading your Bible because of TV? As a fellow young woman who's been through it, I'm speaking from a place of love and urging you to take notice - don't let these shows/movies lead you away from a deeper connection with God. Let me be clear though: being distracted doesn't mean you're any less Christian or that you're not saved.

Your salvation is secured by placing your faith and trust in Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, as 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 so clearly reminds us. While we'll inevitably struggle with sin, we can take comfort in knowing that Jesus has covered our sins through the power of His blood. However, being saved doesn't give you a free ticket to sin all you want. Rather, it's a reminder to strive for growth and obedience, guided by the principles and teachings of the Bible. As we are here on Earth, we'll make many mistakes, but we have to keep learning from them.

I wanted to share this with y'all because it's been weighing on my mind and I hope you'll forgive the length. I wish you a wonderful week and a fantastic start to June. Sending love and best wishes!

“I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” Psalms 101:3

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

"And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." 1 John 2: 15-17