Sunday, January 08, 2006
Desensitizing
While reading the reviews for "King Kong" I read that while previewing the old version, movie goers lost their lunch after seeing a scene with man-eating spiders. Thus this part of the script was cut. Today the new "Kong" is filled with graphic content that won't even shock most viewers. We have become so desensitized to violence, language, etc. When I would have forgone a movie with offensive language especially the misuse of God or Christ's name now I chose my movies by those with lesser language, if say God's name is constantly misused as opposed to one or two times. I may not even notice it if it is used, say only twice. I as all of America have become desensitized. Ratings have made us more aware of a movie's content. I have watched some 1970s movies that I would have never watched if I'd know the content. I don't particularly like to waste my time watching offensive, vulgar movies. I chose to watch some movies even though I know the Hollywood version of things are a misconception of what life is. For example Hollywood glorifies drug and alcohol abuse in many movies. Sure now and then you see the down side but especially many teen movies glorify the aforementioned. As with sex too. I think my friend was right on when she questioned why would a teen not have sex unless they have some moral convictions. I don't think there is any basis for this anymore unless it is taught in the home or church. Everything else points teens to believe premarital sex is okay, normal and the thing to do. Our schools don't teach abstinence. The media encourages and displays sex freely and openly among anyone. As in "King of Queens", one of my favorite TV sitcoms, sex with a married woman by Doug's friend was not necessarily wrong as it was an uncomfortable situation when her husband came around. Then there is the bombardment of premarital sex in Friends, Seinfield, and newer shows like "Two and a Half Men". Then there are the movies like "40 Year Old Virgin" and now "Grandma's Boy". Why would our children think that sex is sacred, shared between spouses, in a caring and loving relationship where two people are committed to one another and respect one another? The kind of sex that can satisfy only as two people that really know each other's needs and are not subject to the complications of hurt emotions when one partner tires of the other. Of course then there is the implications by Hollywood that sex isn't just normal for a man and a woman but also between a man and man or woman and woman. So as in the(ground-breaking, ha) movie "Breakback Mountain" we get to witness the love story of two men. While many people are battling this sort of obsession and it is destroying lives and jeopardizing the family structure, Hollywood chooses to try and make us desensitized to yet another immorality. I was happy that the movie "Walk the Line" did show the adverse affects of drug use, putting selfish needs before family and marriage and the gift for a second chance when we chose the right decisions. I was not pleased that they left out the spiritual journey that Johnny Cash had. One in which was hinted at by Hollywood when June and her christian parents stood behind Cash to help him over his addiction and then showing Cash going to church with June. While something like Cash's spirituality is left to the imagination other immoralities have been jammed down our throats in many movies. I wonder what kind of movies, TV the next generation will be exposed to. Right now I am no longer fazed by them boiling a human head on CSI. However I would still be sickened by dogs lapping up human flesh as in "Hannibal" Sometimes we just need to distinguish the over-all movie content. Then "Whatsoever things are good,... whatsoever things are pure,...if there be "any good" ...We should think on these things." Phil 4:8 revised
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