Family Friendly Movies and Legacies

I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me. Psalm 101:3

One thing I will not abide by in my home is trash movies and television. Call us conservative, old-fashioned...but I won't allow the following(among others) when it comes to media entertainment:

Immodest dress. ~ Enough boobs already! Is it just me or is there a shocking lack of cami's on screen?!

Disrespectful children to parents/adults.~ This happens in so many "kid" movies.

Cursing and swearing. ~ Why? Too many movies are ruined due to lack of vocabulary on the part of the writers.

Broken home.~ does EVERY movie family have to come from a broken home? Can we be fair and have HALF of movie parents married? And boyfriends/girlfriends sleeping over?! REALLY.

Snotty, grumpy teenagers~ Children don't automatically turn into trolls incapable of productivity,love and respect for parents when they enter puberty. They actually can be enjoyable, helpful, respectful, self-controlled and caring. (soap box statement alert) Parents  have to "step up a notch" in their parenting at this time instead of allowing bad behavior patterns to continue.

http://www.pluggedin.com/movies.aspx   A great site by FOCUS ON THE FAMILY that review current in- theater movies as well as old ones. It gives a breakdown of content both positive and negative. 



A  Short list of movies that we enjoy watching together:

Lord Of the Rings
Star Wars
Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Arc and Last Crusade *with kissing scenes skipped
Hidalgo
The Black Stallion

National Velvet
True Grit - old and new versions
Napoleon Dynamite
Facing the Giants
Night at the Museum
Matilda
Swiss Family Robinson
Polar Express
Charlotte's Web
Babe
Amazing Grace
Narnia movies
National Treasure movies *kissy parts skipped
Ken Burns Documentaries; America Story of Us, and Baseball
Fiddler on the Roof

Girly Picks:
Anne of Green Gables
Emma
Sense and Sensibility
Pride and Prejudice

As you can tell, I have all boys. I do make a point to take an interest in what they watch. Likewise, I will not watch anything that I would not in good conscience view in front of my boys. I recently had an epiphany; my possessions are telling of my character. Do my books, dvd's and music choices reflect character I want associated with myself? If I were to leave this earth while I had children at home, would what I left behind leave the kind of legacy I would want? Or, would going through my possessions cause confusion, contradiction or reveal my own compromise? How will I be remembered? This was VERY helpful to me in clearing out the media cabinets! I filled a few boxes for the garage of movies and books. 

Yes, some of the shows we enjoy have scenarios or judgments on behalf of the characters that we as a family do not stand behind.  So I make every effort not to let an opportunity for family discussion to pass by. Even though I have not liked pressing pause at an exciting part of a movie initially, we have had some wonderful heart to heart discussions that have been the highlight of family movie night.

Psalm 51:6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name


http://www.pluggedin.com/movies.aspx


Jessica