This is an article that I have saved in my files. Even though it is written by a Protestant minister, he makes some very good points and observations. I don't know when it was written or by whom (I'm assuming it was written in the early '70's - all the statistics presented are even higher today).
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TV: THE MOST EVIL INVENTION
I want to say today, without fear of contradiction, that the greatest immoral, ungodly, degrading influence upon our nation is the movie whether it is seen at the theatre or on television. And there is nothing more harmful for children and young people than the theatre.
What are some of the facts that should be considered? Some time ago, the American Motion Picture Research Council, consisting of leading educational authorities in the United States, with no religious bias or connection, made a survey of 1500 films and presented their findings:
"66% showed drinking scenes, 43% intoxication, and 78% booze situations. There were 71 deaths, 59 cases of assault, 17 holdups, and 21 kidnappings. Althogether there were 449 crimes in these films.
"Seventy-seven million people attend each week in the United States. The movie is the feeder of lust, a school crime, the betrayer of innocence. It glorifies sɛҳuąƖ impurity as love, pictures murder as an entertainment, exalts nakedness, divorce, revelling, gambling, adultery, and fornication as ordinary events of life. It debauches the minds of children, inflames lust in youth, hardens the hearts of the wicked, is a trap for souls and a mocker of God.
"As a class, movie actors and actresses are immoral- their influence is evil and disastrous. the few exceptions who might have a 'good' influence use it for an evil purpose by appearing with evil characters, thus becoming bait for many who would not otherwise go. It is a tradition among movie makers that marriage is not sacred- and if not, it can be nothing else but prostitution, dress it how you may.
"The female stars are promiscous women; they are embraced and fondled with no reserve or modesty in the matter of sex. To attend pictures means to be influenced by the lowest moral and spiritual strata of society, with immoral and godless standards. That is why it is unsafe to attend even selected pictures."
May I remind you that these are not the words of some pious preacher. They are the leading educational authorities in the United States. These investigators were not reformers, but sociologist, psychologists, and specialists determined to find out the facts. I want to warn mothers and fathers that in allowing your children to go to the picture shows or to watch then on TV at home, you are confronting your child with sin in all its reality. Let me read you another paragraph of the same report:
"The chances are that the principal picture will be saturated with crime and sex. It will contain at least one or two murders. It will be set against a background of luxury. It will be peopled by a cheap and tawdry population, vugarly dressed, shady in character, sensual, unrestrained, lascivious, much given to crime and sex, with little desire or need apparently of supporting themselves on this planet"
If educational leaders are concerned about the evil, degrading, immoral influences of the movies, why should not Christians be just as concerned? Why should not parents be more careful of the spiritual welfare of their children by showing them the wicked influence of movies, whether in the theatre or on TV?
Oh, yes, I hear what you are saying. "But I only go to good shows" or "I only watch the good shows on television." My reply is this: There are many garbage cans that contain good food but nor for a moment would I agree to send a poor person to the garbage can for food. There is some good almost in everything. Suppose you go to a restaurant and order a piece of apple pie. When served, you turn back the crust of the pie and see a cockroach cooked in the midst of the apples. In anger you tell the waiter, who replies, "Oh, don't let that bother you; just go ahead, - eat the good and leave the bad."
The movie picture industry has only one motive in life - to make money - and they specialize in making money by helping to destroy righteous foundations.
The sad fact is that the Devil has been using TV to put believers to sleep all over the nation.
Once, when I met with several deacons in the quiet of a home they all confessed that since TV came into their homes they had neglected God's Word, prayer and Sunday school visitation. They had grown cold spiritually, because TV had lulled them into a spiritual sleep.
Another deacon told me that since TV was brought to his home, he had lost passion for souls and the desire to go out after the lost. One year later, after I had preached in his church, this deacon put away his television and his former interest in lost souls returned. He also testified that as a family they enjoyed a happier home life.
Many pastors have mentioned to me that since TV came into the homes of the people of their congregation that interest waned in the prayer meetings and Sunday night services. Yet, strangely enough most of the pastors I know have television. Even ten year ago, these men stood against Hollywood shows and worldly influences but today they are muzzled because the same shows are being viewed in their homes.
WHAT TV OFFERS
Television shows are either Hollywood productions or the creations of worldy, ungodly, secular show people whose primary business is to entertain this old sin-cursed world. We are told that twenty-five murders are committed in New York City during an average month. But on television is that city about 30 murders a day are shown during the children's watching hours. Even when robbery and killing are absent, shameful scenes and other worldly attractions fill the screen.
Topic: Hollywood stuffs (Read 1727 times)