I know we are in the middle of a series about helping kids think Christianly. But I came across a story that fits right in with that (HT / Summit). It is an article called “see the show, be the show.” And it is thought provoking to be sure. Now my intention here is not to censor everything or become the media place saying what “good christians” do and don’t watch. But I think we are being naive if we think that what we watch does not affect us. And the younger we are the more of an effect it has (cf. our children). The evidence for this is not antecdotal, but empirical and well researched. Plenty of Government studies have shown the causal link between advertising and certian behavior (e.g., Cigarette smoking). The equation on that one is really quite simple. More advertising causes more smokers…but TV is neutral right?
Take a few minutes and read and reflect on this article by asking what you consume and how often you do? And then there is what we allow our young children to watch…if we are wanting them to form virtuous hearts and character, then what are we putting in their little hearts? Remember, lessons are always being taught and children are always listening. Whenever the TV is on; school is in session.
(excerpt) “If it seems that not much good comes from much of the media kids consume, well, that’s exactly what researchers at the National Institutes of Health (working with Common Sense Media) concluded after examining 173 studies involving entertainment and behavior. Government researchers found that 80 percent of those studies linked media (defined as TV, movies, video games, music, the Internet and magazines) to adverse outcomes among children, including obesity, sex, smoking, drug and alcohol use, attention problems and poor grades. One of the five study reviewers, Ezekiel J. Emanuel, summarized, “The research is clear that exposure to media has a variety of negative health impacts on children and teens. … We found very few studies that had any positive association [for children’s health].” (more)