***WARNING: This post discusses sex and violence in the media***
Television programming comes with guides to determine if a
program is too
“mature” for children and to warn adults that the program will
contain sex, violence, nudity and a number of other things, but who pays
attention?
Do Christian adults regulate what they watch any more than
they regulate what their kids watch, read or listen to? If parents are setting the example for their
children (big “if” for some I know), than shouldn’t we all turn OFF anything and
everything with sex, violence and nudity?
The mere THOUGHT of lust is a sin that MUST be confessed for
ALL Catholics- so how can ANY Catholic sit down in front of a television show
that offers graphic sex scenes and nudity without putting themselves in sin?
Would you want Jesus to sit down next to you while you tuned
into an episode of “True Blood” or “Game of Thrones” or “Sons of Anarchy”?
The FX Channel show “Sons of Anarchy” (biker gang) depicts
(very graphically) murder, rape, men castrating other men and the tossed out “remains”
(shown), gun running, drug smuggling, drug using, orgies, porn stars, hired hit
men, torture, burning (people), carving flesh, whipping, beatings, women being
sexually assaulted, amputations of bodily parts, shootings, stabbings, cars
crushing people, torching corpses, gang rapes and large quantities of male and
female nudity.
Should ANYONE who calls themselves Christian watch
this? Promote this sort of television
viewing? Can you imagine any of our
beloved Catholic saints thinking this was a good way to spend our time on
earth?
I hope you said no.
Now, lets see what the Holy Catholic Church has to say about
sex and violence in the media.
PORNOGRAPHY AND
VIOLENCE IN THE MEDIA
|
Pontifical Council for
Social Communications
|
[in part]
9. Ordinary experience confirmed by studies conducted around the world has
recognized the evil effects of pornography and violence in the media.[5] Pornography
in the media is understood as a violation, through the use of audio-visual
techniques, of the right to privacy of the human body in its male or female
nature, a violation which reduces the human person and human body to an
anonymous object of misuse for the purpose of gratifying concupiscence;
violence in the media may be understood—especially in this context—as a
presentation designed to appeal to base human instincts of actions contrary to
the dignity of the person and depicting intense physical force exercised in a
deeply offensive and often passionate manner.
Specialists may disagree among themselves about how and to what degree
particular individuals and groups are affected by these phenomena, but the
broad outlines of the problem are stark, clear and frightening.
10
. While no one can consider himself or herself immune to the corrupting
effects of pornography and violence or safe from injury at the hands of
those acting under their influence, the young and the immature are especially
vulnerable and the most likely to be victimized. Pornography and sadistic
violence debase sexuality, corrode human relationships, exploit
individuals—especially women and young people—undermine marriage and family
life, foster anti-social behavior and weaken the moral fiber of society itself.
11. Thus,
one of the clear effects
of pornography is sin. Willing participation in the production or
dissemination of those noxious products can only be judged a serious moral
evil. Likewise, production and dissemination of these materials could not
continue if there were not a market for them, so those who use such materials
not only do moral harm to themselves, but contribute to the continuation of a
nefarious trade.
13. It has been said that there can be a psychological link between
pornography and sadistic violence, and some pornography is itself overtly
violent in theme and content. Those who view or read such material run the risk
of carrying over such attitudes and behavior into their own relationships and
can come to lack reverence or respect for others as precious children of God
and as brothers and sisters in the same human family. Such a link between
pornography and sadistic violence has particular implications for those
suffering from certain forms of mental illness.
14. Even so-called
"soft-core" pornography can have a progressively desensitizing effect,
gradually rendering individuals
morally numb and personally insensitive to the rights and dignity of others.
Exposure to pornography can also be—like exposure to narcotics—habit-forming
and can lead individuals to seek increasingly "hard-core" and
perverse material. The likelihood of anti-social behavior can grow as this
process continues.
15. Pornography can foster unhealthy preoccupations in fantasy and behavior.
It can interfere with personal moral growth and the development of healthy and
mature relationships, especially in marriage and family life, where mutual
trust, openness and personal moral integrity in thought and in action are so
important.
16. Indeed, pornography can militate against the family character of true
human sexual expression. The more sexual activity is considered as a continuing
frenzied search for personal gratification rather than as an expression of
enduring love in marriage, the more pornography can be considered as a factor
contributing to the undermining of wholesome family life.
17. In the worst cases, pornography can act as an inciting or reinforcing
agent, a kind of accomplice, in the behavior of dangerous sex offenders - child
molesters, rapists and killers.
18. A fundamental message of pornography and violence is disdain, the
consideration of others as objects rather than as persons. Thus, pornography
and violence can eat away at tenderness and compassion and can foster
insensitivity and even brutality.
29.
The Church And Religious Groups:
For the Church, the first
responsibility is the constant, clear teaching of the Faith, and therefore, of
objective moral truth, including the truth about sexual morality. In an era
of permissiveness and moral confusion, this requires that the Church be a
prophetic voice and often a sign of contradiction.
The so-called "ethic" of immediate personal gratification is
fundamentally opposed to integral human growth and fulfillment.
Education for family life and indeed for responsible life in society
requires formation in chastity and self-discipline. By contrast, pornography
and wanton violence can blind individuals to the divine image in the human
person, can weaken marriage and family life, and can do serious harm to
individuals and to society itself.
Whenever possible, the Church must join with other churches, denominations
and religious groups in teaching and fostering this message. It must also make
the best possible use of its own institutions and personnel to give education
and formation concerning the media of social communications and their proper
role in individual and social life. Special attention should be given to
assisting parents in their efforts.
Thus, media education belongs in Catholic schools and other educational
programs, in seminaries[8], in formation programs of religious and secular
institutes, in the continuing formation of priests and in parish programs for
youth and adults
. Priests and
Religious in pastoral and educational work should themselves be discriminating
consumers of media who give good example in what they read and view.
32. This document is intended to address the widely expressed concerns of
families and of the shepherds of the Church and to invite even more general
reflection
of an ethical and practical nature on the problem of pornography and violence
in the communications media.
It is
also intended to encourage all to follow the injunction of St. Paul: "Do
not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).
Source: Pontifical Council for Social
Communications, Vatican City, May 7, 1989, 23rd World Communications Day.
Archbishop John P. Foley, President
Monsignor Pierfranco Pastore, Secretary
So you can imagine my surprise earlier today when a Catholic
priest on Twitter gave this shout out to the FX Channel’s “Sons of Anarchy”.
 |
| Actual photo of Tweet |
I actually did a double-take when I saw this priest give
this endorsement for a show so full of sex and violence that I couldn’t believe
what I was seeing. I even asked a friend
and she suggested it might be a “fake” priest on Twitter. Unfortunately, he’s a real priest.
I spent hours today debating whether or not to write
this. Part of me said, don’t put the
spot light on this priest, while another part of me said, ‘He put the spot
light on himself when he tweeted to over 1,000 followers on Twitter’. I asked the priest if he felt at all bothered
by all the sex and violence on this particular show, he said “not so much,
thankfully. God bless”.
 |
| Twitter conversation |
I have to say, that was THE strangest blessing I have ever
gotten from a priest.
Now I am not writing this to attempt to shame this priest,
he has indicated no shame in his viewing preferences or in sharing such sex and
violence programs with his 1,000 followers on Twitter. He put it publicly out there, so I feel no wrong in sharing my views on this. I am writing this to tell people this priest
is wrong, even if he doesn’t personally FEEL he is wrong. He is.
And I hope that others reading this, especially Catholics who wish to be
in good standing with their Faith, will SEE how wrong this priest is and learn
from his mistake.
We aren’t to watch, read or listen to things that can damage
our souls. And worst yet, spread that
damage to OTHER SOULS. We ARE our
brother’s keepers. What we say and do
has a ripple effect on all those around us.
Especially in today’s society with social media, the ripple effect is
global! With one stroke of the keyboard
a person has the ability to cause someone to stumble into sin. How much more is the responsibility of our
Catholic clergy to lead us, not only by words in a homily, but by their own
personal example?
I am reminded of the words of Saint Paul… how priests ARE
our Fathers through the Gospel and it is their responsibility to correct us and
teach us God’s way.
1
Corinthians 4:14-15
New Revised Standard Version
Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
Fatherly
Admonition
14 “I am not writing this to make you ashamed, but to admonish
you as my beloved children. 15 For though you might have ten
thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ
Jesus I became your father through the gospel.”
So to the priest on Twitter, while I am NOT your father, you
are mine and this time you are wrong and need the correction. I do this not to shame you, but to help guide
you along the Church’s teachings in the way of Saint Paul.
God bless.
Julie
Connecticut Catholic Corner
