Abandoned antique tv

On Guard!

A person I love and respect made a post recently about “cancel culture” referring to the most recent movement of many people to cancel Netflix due to the release of the French film, “Cuties.” In her video, she states she watched the film and although she hated it the entire time, she needed to watch it and encouraged others to watch it rather than “cancel culture” quit Netflix. I have to respectfully disagree. Remember the old song lyrics, “Oh be careful little eyes what you see?” I put this into that category.

Listen carefully – it is ok to guard your heart! (and eyes. and ears.) You can still have meaningful conversations with your children about the dangers of apps like TikTok and about the oversexulization of girls/children in the world WITHOUT watching “Cuties” first in the name of “research.” I have not watch an R rated move in I couldn’t tell you how many years. I felt my own convictions over movies long ago, and my husband and I decided years ago we just wouldn’t watch movies rated R. (There are exceptions to this on occasion for movies that are true stories but are rated R for graphic violence/blood shed like in The Passion of the Christ, etc.)

I’m sure that’s laughable to many of you. Maybe I’m the local town prude. Do I care? Not one bit. It is fine by me. I control what I view and listen to and I know myself enough to know what I can and cannot handle. Images and ideas – they stay in my mind for YEARS and so the things I choose to put into my mind, have to meet some pretty high standards before I just open the door. In fact, there have been times in my life when someone is sharing an inappropriate story or joke and I have flat out asked them to stop. If that feels uncomfortable to you to ask someone to change the subject, maybe you just excuse yourself from the situation instead. But do something! Don’t just sit idly by and allow input into your mind when you have control over what you see and hear.

I have never heard the song, “WAP” nor read the lyrics and I never will. I don’t need to traumatize my mind to remain “relevant.” Based on the chatter online and a few images I’ve seen of that particular “artist,” I can very much declare that that “art” is not something I will be introducing to my mind. And that is ok!

**Caveat here: I absolutely still address real, painful issues – I don’t simply hide under a rock when it comes to issues like human trafficking, abuse to children in the foster care system, poverty, abortion, etc. I pray for God to break my heart for what breaks His and those things break His heart. I research and learn about topics that even though are painful to learn about, are still necessary to share and teach my children about. We have many discussions about the Holocaust and slavery and all kinds of topics that are hard to process because of how sad and horrific it is. I simply am trying to convey here that I don’t willingly view certain images in the spirit of “gathering data.” You can understand something is inappropriate (i.e. WAP) without having to actually watch it with your eyes.

I tell my kids all the time: “It is ok to live a life other do not understand.” In fact, that’s literally the whole point of the Christian life anyway. The last place a Christian needs to be is fitting in. Maybe you won’t be as relevant at the water cooler? Great! If you’re following Jesus, you were called to look DIFFERENT. This world is NOT your home. Fitting in, relevance, trending – these things can not be your idol while you simultaneously call Jesus your Lord. He wants all of your heart. And soul. And mind. So, you have permission to guard those things!

Guard your mind. You can cancel Netflix if you want. In fact, throw your TV on the curb. If you’re not doing something to look different than the world, what are you even doing? Use this as an exercise to see what you’re willing to sacrifice for Christ – mainstream radio? Netflix? Social media? What is your idol? If you can’t let Him lead you in the small things, how will He ever be able to use you in the big things?

I’ll end with this. If we sit in America in our air conditioned homes and wonder what lot we’ve been given that if we cancel our favorite streaming subscription we may persecuted for being part of the cancel culture, then we are SADLY so far from the truth of the gospel that it’s frightening. Literally, this second, Christians are in chains for Christ. They’re being slaughtered for Him. And we aren’t sure if we can make such “sacrifices” as cutting back our TV time? God help us all.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Provers 4:23

Visit Voice of the Martyrs to learn about how you can help Christians under persecution: https://persecution.com/response/

 

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