See That Ye Do Not Judge Wrongfully

As our children get older and start to move into the teenage years, they want to participate in more media and entertainment. A natural question that then arises is what they can and can’t watch or listen to or play or read. How do we determine what is appropriate and what should be avoided? The new For the Strength of Youth pamphlet gives us this guidance: “Seek that which uplifts, inspires, and invites the Spirit. As you make choices about what to watch, read, listen to, or participate in, think about how it makes you feel. Does it invite good thoughts? Stay away from anything that mocks sacred things or that is immoral. Don’t participate in anything that dulls your judgment or sensitivity to the Spirit, such as violence, alcohol, and harmful drugs. Have the courage to turn off a video or game, walk out of a movie or a dance, change your music, or turn away from anything that is not consistent with the Spirit.” This counsel is less prescriptive than in the previous pamphlet, but certainly that is not because the Lord wants us to participate now in entertainment that previously would have clearly been discouraged. Rather, I believe that the message is that we cannot rely on rating systems of the world to determine what is right for us to participate in. The problem with a statement such as, “Do not watch R-rated movies,” is that it leads us to believe that anything which is not R-rated must be okay. Elder Lynn G. Robbins taught, “In 1986 President Ezra Taft Benson warned members of the danger of anything ‘R rated’ or beyond. The members thought he had drawn a line. I know that because I have heard many members of the Church say, ‘Oh, we can watch that movie. It’s only a PG-13. The prophet gave us permission.’ They don’t say that last part, but that is what they are thinking, because they thought he posted a speed limit, so to speak.” He continued, “But what would a movie given an R rating in 1986 be rated today? Would you agree that Hollywood has relaxed its standards? It is referred to as ‘ratings creep.’ Hollywood has gradually allowed more vulgarity, profanity, nudity, violence, sex, etc., over the decades while maintaining the same ratings…. The cunning result of this creeping trend is that the 1986 R-rated movie has deceptively become a PG-13 or PG movie in 2013. The shifting or creeping of the line could be compared to the mists in Lehi’s dream that ‘blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.’” The message of the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet is that we must carefully determine what we will participate in without reliance upon some shifting standard created by the world.

                And so, what can we use to help us determine what media is right for a disciple of Jesus Christ? The scriptures give us additional guidance in numerous places. The Prophet Joseph Smith gave this description of what we should seek: “We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men…. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things” (Article of Faith 1:13). That is one litmus test we can use—is it virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy? If not, then it is not what we should seek after. Paul gave this important counsel to the Galatians which should also help us to choose. First, here is what to avoid: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” And then here is what we should embrace: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:19-23). We might ask ourselves if the media we are thinking of participating in better fits with the first description or the second description. Mormon also gave us a powerful way to judge with these words: “For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil” (Moroni 7:16-17). As we consider our choices in entertainment we should ask, “Does it invite to do good and believe in Christ, or does it glorify evil and seek to distance us from Christ?”

                Each week as we partake of the Sacrament, we covenant to “always remember Him” throughout the next week. Perhaps that is our most important litmus test as we determine the movies and music and media we are going to participate in. We could ask ourselves this simple question: “Can I remember Him while participating in this?” In other words, can we comfortably think about Him while we watch that movie or listen to that song, or would we be embarrassed to know He was by our side? Ultimately what is most important for us is that the Spirit of the Lord is with us, and that is promised us in the Sacrament prayers only as we remember Him. We must seek to have the Spirit with us and learn to heed the rating system of the Holy Ghost—not that of the world. That is how we must judge, remembering that these choices do matter as the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet insists: “Your mind and spirit are profoundly affected by what you read, watch, and listen to.” And so, as Mormon urged us, “See that ye do not judge wrongfully” (Mormon 7:18).