Should Christians watch movies or shows with mature content?
Christians often wrestle with entertainment choices, especially when it comes to movies or shows with mature content. Balancing the Bible’s call to focus on purity (Philippians 4:8) and guarding one’s heart (Proverbs 4:23) with cultural engagement is challenging. This discussion invites you to explore how Christians can navigate these decisions in ways that honor God.
Entertainment can be a tricky topic for Christians, especially when it comes to movies or shows with mature content. On one hand, these films can offer compelling stories and themes that challenge us to think deeply. On the other, they may include elements—like violence, explicit language, or sexuality—that conflict with biblical values.
The Bible encourages us to guard our hearts and minds (Proverbs 4:23) and to focus on what is pure, lovely, and commendable (Philippians 4:8). But how do we balance that with engaging culture or understanding complex narratives that reflect the human condition?
What guidelines should Christians follow when deciding what to watch, and where do we draw the line between entertainment and compromise?
I start with a question that works well for documentaries as well as tv or film: other than making money, what is the goal or agenda? If showing the crime or sex or rage is the goal, I Don’t watch it if these things are part of the story that centers on an important event or idea, I may watch.
Hi,
Should we read books that contain sexual immorality, adultery, formication, homosexuality, and the treating women as property?
The Bible has all of that.
So it cannot be the reading that is sin.
Whatever activates our lust of eyes, our flesh, or stimulates our pride of life, that is what to look out for.
Of course that would include movies and TV.
Its our reaction to what we see that becomes the sin.
I’m an avid reader, over 200 books this year.
And I would agree that if what one is reading or watching on the big screen or at home in the privacy of one’s home causes a stumble into sin, then it’s wrong. For that person.
I have turned off many books or movies because something is “ wrong” for me in the content.
Saying that, what is wrong for one mature adult may not be wrong for another. I do believe parents must supervise minors.
Just a brief story…. As a family we were watching an HBO movie, when HBO came out (yes I’m old) and the movie content embarrassed me and I felt shame. I think, as I have looked back several times, that my parents might have felt as I did. But we all remained steadfast. Later that night I had dreams and cried fitfully in my sleep from the movie. I believe my parents should have turned it off and talked with us 5 kids.
Later, another brief memory, I was watching a movie in the home of a prominent missionary, with other missionaries, and I was again embarrassed and felt shame. There were people who got up and walked out. I should have but didn’t. It is acceptable to evaluate and walk out or turn off, like I do with some genres of books. I will not read books that are in anyway dealing with psychic, supernatural or evil spirits.
How about @Joe’s response? Are there then parts of the Bible that you won’t read because they are x-rated?
Like Abraham’s threesome?
The rape of Tamar?
David’s affair with Bathsheba?
The prostitute Rahab’s rescue of the two spies?
These stories have all the aspects of what you and your missionary friends would surely call embarrassing content, but you likely give it all a pass because it’s scripture and not HBO.
I understand your point just fine. What I’m saying is that your point isn’t a consistent position that you are able to even apply to the Bible, let alone secular entertainment. When you say that you won’t read anything that deals with the supernatural or evil spirits-- how much of scripture would that eliminate?
Personal embarrassment or the feeling that something is wrong with the content isn’t really much of a measuring stick, and it’s likely a kind of holdover from your upbringing, or teaching you’ve sat under that causes some sort of guilt-ridden response to what otherwise might simply be classified as mature content.
No judgment, just an observation, and like you say-- nothing to argue about.
