Welcome to part 2 of the multi-week series “Raising Good Kids In An ‘R-rated’ World.”  Did you miss last week’s post?  Check it out here…

Thanks to all of you who made part 1 of this series a booming success!  I am glad that there are so many people who are interested in making informed and active choices about their entertainment.  You had some homework last week, a log sheet to fill out while watching some television shows.  Did you do your homework?  I did mine and I thought we could take a look at it real quick.

I haven’t had time to watch much TV in the past week but I did log two shows I watched for fun and one show that I watched for work.  The two shows I recorded and watched on the DVR were “Jungle Gold” and “Gold Rush.” (I know…lame.)  Both shows air on the Discovery Channel.  It was interesting watching the shows while making marks for language and violence.  “Jungle Gold” had 12 censored curse words in the hour long program, a hand full of uncensored curse words and a few uses of God’s name in vain.  There was also a shooting scene where the miners were almost robbed of their gold.  “Gold Rush” had 22 censored curse words and 8 uncensored foul words.  Until I logged it I had no clue all of those words were in those shows.  Both shows are TV PG.

This is a good place to pause so we can look at the TV rating system.  I think a good number of people will be surprised by some of the descriptions of the rating system.

I pulled that graphic directly from the material that was a part of my presentation.  There was always interesting discussion that followed the analysis of the TV rating system.  For instance, most people didn’t know the ‘D’ on the ratings box represented ‘suggestive dialogue.’

The television rating system is a tool to help families monitor and control television viewing.  Most televisions, cable boxes and satellite receivers can block out shows with certain ratings.  You could easily block shows with a TV-MA rating, requiring a passcode to view the show.

We already have the best tools for managing the content that comes into our homes via television – our brains and remotes.  Let me illustrate with a recent event.  This past weekend the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) were on TV.  No one should be shocked that this program pushed the envelope with its sexual content and was filled with various obscenities.  That is the only way that MTV and similar networks can stay on air.  A Facebook post from a parent of a young teenager was related to me by a friend.  The parent was expressing disgust about what they were seeing as they watched the show with their daughter.

I commend this parent for monitoring the television viewing of their child but I think they missed a powerful opportunity to make a point.  Using their brain and remote they could have sent a powerful message to their young teenage daughter.  Turning off the TV would have made a strong point and clearly modeled what types of entertainment and behavior are acceptable in the home.  Yes, there would most likely be push-back from their daughter but it would have been a battle worth fighting and a teachable moment.

My completed television log sheet. Very informative.

This parent did what so many parents, grandparents and myself often do.  They were shocked and disgusted but didn’t change the channel or turn the TV off.  The behavior on the VMAs was so extreme that Twitter was at near record levels and countless posts were written about the debauchery on the screen.  We don’t need fancy tech gadgets to help us control the television in our homes, we need to start using our brains and our remotes.

We often know that there are programs and even networks that will push the line of decency.  Some will disagree with this, but I skim through the VMAs as part of my ministry work.  My wife and I sit down and skim through the 2+ hour show on the DVR so we can see who these artists are that so many of the teenagers listen to.  I believe you have to stay in touch with what is going on if you want to effectively teach about it.  This year I filled out a log sheet for the VMAs and I wanted to share a few findings with you:

• In regards to the language used, I counted 22 uncensored foul words and 22 censored curse words.  (Disclaimer: There were some performances where I couldn’t understand what was being said…I’m getting old.)  There were 8 times that the name of God or Jesus was used in an inappropriate context.  It is interesting to note that the 1 hour episode of “Gold Rush” had as many censored curse words (22) as the 2.5 hour VMAs.
• Adult content was a bit more challenging to monitor. The whole event is one big adult situation.  My wife and I decided there were 10 times that things were done to be explicitly shocking.  From Lady Gaga’s dollar store Ariel-inspired string bikini to the horrific performance of Miley Cyrus, there were obviously stars who wanted to push the limits of television standards.  Remember, in Hollywood there is really no such thing as bad publicity.
• There was a clear message being pushed regarding homosexuality.  The song “Same Love” by Mackelmore and Lewis was given the best social message award and was also performed live later in the evening.  Jason Collins was also brought out as a presenter and was allowed a chance to make a statement.

No one should be shocked that the VMAs (or any program on MTV) contained graphic content.  Yet Twitter, Facebook and the blogosphere have been ablaze with shock and disgust following the show.  Even major media outlets have played into the ‘shock marketing campaign.’  It goes back to brains and remotes.  We all know what role MTV has to play to remain a viable television network.  We can buy into the message they are marketing or vote with our remotes by changing the channel or simply never tuning in.

So, what will you do this week as we challenge ourselves to examine the things we are entertained by?  I have been challenged by what I have found out about the shows that I thought were pretty good.  I challenge you to try using your greatest tools – your brain and remote.  Perhaps you’ll see your teenager watching an objectionable show and seize the opportunity to turn if off and talk about why we need to be careful with the things we watch, read and listen to.  Next week we will take a look at the ‘Wild West’ of the television world – online streaming.

Did you find today’s message, “Did You See That?” to be informing, challenging or inspiring?  I would really appreciate it if you would use the share buttons below to get this message out to a broader audience.  I appreciate anything you can do to share this with at least one other person.  I would love to get some of my links in online church bulletins or Facebook pages.  Also, don’t forget about the family worship series I have been publishing all throughout 2013.  Here is today’s family worship guide >>> Week 35 – David Returns As King