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CURRENTLY IN CULTURE
A Christian viewing standard

Tarina Reid

Christians need to raise their standards of viewing movies. I believe that we have allowed our standard for what we will watch drop below God’s standard.

Paul states, “I am allowed to do all things, but all things are not good for me to do. I am allowed to do all things, but I must not do those things that will make me their slave” (1 Corinthians 6:12, New Century Version). Just because it is not a sin to do something does not mean it is good for me. It may not be a sin to watch a certain movie, but would it be good for me to watch it? And if I spend a fair amount of my time watching movies, have I not become a slave to movies, especially if I watch them only because I need something to watch?

It seems that most people think that what they watch will not affect them, but “The eye is a light for the body. If your eyes are good, then your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are evil, then your whole body will be full of darkness. And if the only light you have is really darkness, then you have the worst darkness” (Matthew 6:22-23, NCV). If what I watch is good, then it will have a positive influence on my life. But if what I am seeing is unwholesome, it will have a negative influence on my life.

Paul reminds us, “So if you eat, or if you drink, or if you do anything, do everything for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31, NCV). Whatever we do, we are told to bring glory to God. If a movie is saying that sin is okay, how can watching that movie glorify God? It must make God sad to look down and see us laughing at jokes about immorality.

It may not be a sin to watch a movie, but is it good for me? Will that movie harm me, even if only by desensitizing my conscience? But most importantly, will I be glorifying God by watching it? Our viewing standard needs to be raised so that what we watch will glorify God.

Tarina Reid attends Armstrong (B.C.) Bible Chapel. She is 15 years old.

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Last modified November 7, 2000.

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