Should Christians watch MA-rated TV shows or R-rated movies?
It is said that we are living in the golden age of television. Never before have TV shows been so well made and so readily accessible. Even movies, while perhaps struggling at the box office, are just a few clicks away on our smart TVs. At the same time, never before has there been so much immorality on screen, whether blasphemy, violence, sexual immorality, or a host of other vices. All of which begs the question: What should we watch? And what should we let our kids watch?
There are, of course, many factors that should influence how we answer these questions, not the least of which include artistic, educational, and entertainment value. One might also consider the reason for the rating. But here I’m interested in the narrowly moral aspect of the question.
On the one hand, to watch something is not in and of itself wrong. It is not what goes into a person that defiles them, Jesus said, but what comes out. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander” (Matt. 15:19). On the other hand, because of our sinful hearts, what we watch often tempts us to sin, and we are responsible for that. Thus, Jesus warns that if our eyes cause us to sin, we should pluck them out, “for it is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go to hell” (Matt. 5:30).
We must, therefore, be careful about this. Paul exhorts believers, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is” (Rom. 12:2). He goes on to provide us with a good rule of thumb: “Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Rom. 12:9).
In other words, when I watch a TV show, do I find myself enjoying the immorality? Does it attract me, or even desensitize me, to what is sinful and undermine my love for what is good? Sometimes it is not so much a question of what we watch, but how we watch it. Do I watch in a way that renews my mind and makes me more like Christ or in a way that encourages the evil thoughts in my heart?
It is crucial that we answer these questions honestly. After all, we were made to love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength—even when we watch TV.
About the Author
Matthew J. Tuininga is professor of Christian ethics and the history of Christianity at Calvin Theological Seminary. He lives in Wyoming, Mich.