Have you ever heard the expression, “garbage in, garbage out”?

Sometimes this phrase is used in science circles, but I’m specifically referring to it from a Christianity perspective.

What are we feeding into our minds?

What material is filling up our brains in the guise of “entertainment?”

As we scroll through the countless images offered to us – on our TV’s, social media accounts, and movies – do we ever consider the effect this constant dish of distractions, division, and sometimes warped thinking can have on our brains?

As the popularity of streaming services continues to grow in American households, so do the opportunities for movies and programming that are anything but “family-friendly.”

Recently, I read an interesting article by Bob Hoose in the online publication, “Plugged In.”

Check this out …

Back in the days of cable, you could opt out of R-rated programming produced by the likes of premium cable networks like HBO. That sort of content is harder to escape on today’s streaming giants, and it’s arguably worse. – Bob Hoose of Plugged In.¹

Unhealthy relationships

Gratuitous violence

Profanities and more (you get the idea)

I’m just going to say it – it’s over the top and we can get numb to it all without even realizing it.

Here’s a personal example.

I used to work at a TV station. Profanity in the newsroom was commonplace every single day. After I was there for awhile, I didn’t even bat an eye to it.

Once I became a Christian though, my perspective changed.

Now I notice it all the time in much of the “entertainment” that’s offered.

Take me back to the good old days of movie and TV viewing.

Are a bunch of “f-bombs” in movies really necessary? 

I think not.

Somehow, wonderful movies in the past entertained us well with interesting plots and characters – and without the need for all of the profanities.

The more this junk is dished out as the new normal, the more acceptable sin becomes in the eyes of society.

Is This Really “Good” Entertainment?

The founder of the Christian Music Challenge, Al Menconi, has a passion for encouraging others to better discern their entertainment choices.

How is your faith and joy, and with what do you entertain yourself? 

Look at your TV choices, songs, movies, podcasts and books. This is where we are finding men’s (and women’s) wrong and shallow answers – instead of what Christ taught. – Al Menconi, founder of the Christian Music Challenge.²

There’s a spiritual battle going on for our minds right now.

Can’t you see it?

Of course, the Hollywood machine is not solely to blame for the growing depravity we’re seeing around us, but it’s certainly guilty of contributing to it.

What are we fed a constant diet of?

Glamorous lifestyles of the famous

Celebrity worship

 Greed and selfishness

Political agendas

A constant diet of language, sex, and violence

All of these can desensitize us to the real problems in the world.

If we want to see a change in our culture, we can start by examining what we consume as “entertainment.”

As the audience, we can send a message that content does matter when we make our entertainment choices.

Our faith in God and salvation through His Son Jesus Christ is the most important relationship we have in our lives.

Therefore, it is eternally important to be careful about what we watch, and also what our children are being exposed to.

If parents don’t teach their kids to be discerning about portrayals of sin, our current American culture will teach them that everything is okay.

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¹Bob Hoose quotation, courtesy of Plugged In.com. “So Long Cable. We Hardly Knew You.” para. 7, October 3, 2022. Web. Accessed 3 January, 2023. Retrieved from https://www.pluggedin.com/blog/so-long-cable-we-hardly-knew-you/

²Al Menconi quotation, used with permission.