THE FAMILY AND THE MASS MEDIA

 

(H.G. Bishop Moussa)

 

"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? ... For you are the temple of the living God" (2Cor 6:14-18).

There's no doubt that the world has witnessed rapid progress

in the field of the Mass Media. Over a small number of

years, we have witnessed the progress of T.V. from black and

white to color, then the development of video which we use

to record movies to watch whenever we like.

There have also been developments in broadcasting. The

French are angry because of the tyranny of American T.V.

programs that come to France clearly spreading ideas,

culture and negative aspects of American society. They are

afraid of losing the French identity, despite its culturally

distinguished heritage.

Because of all this, we need to study with an open mind the

effects of the mass media on the Christian family and how to

overcome them.

First: The Effect Of T.V. On The Family

1. The Spiritual Aspect

T.V. affects the family in - at least - two ways:

a. There is no doubt that T.V. keeps the family from

important matters that are basic to the salvation of its

members. To be forced sometimes to reschedule the hours of

Sunday School and youth meetings to avoid the viewing time

of a movie or a football match is proof enough that T.V.

takes up a lot of our time and attention. This definitely

affects our spiritual life whether individually, as a family

or as a society.

b. Some T.V. programs cause stumbling blocks because they

include unsuitable subjects for a Christian. Their moral

values are opposed to the sublime standards of Christianity,

and their principles contradict those of the Christian

faith. They titillate the senses in a way which flies in

the face of Christian integrity and faithfulness.

2. The Social Aspect

The T.V. presents social issues and offers the opinions of

famous writers and thinkers about family and public affairs.

It also shows various types of delinquency, disloyalty,

theft, and violence, and divorce for reasons like falling in

love with someone else etc. All these have their effect on

us. We get used to all these and they become accepted moral

36

values although they are as far as can be from Christian

purity. Maybe the adults can resist such effects because of

their firm upbringing, but the young may imitate what they

see and take things for granted. Current trends in haircuts,

smoking, styles of dress, even catch-phrases prove the

effect of T.V. on people.

3. The Cultural Aspect

Thinkers and writers complain bitterly about the triviality

of the ideas presented by T.B. TV has weakened the faculty

of reading. People sit waiting to watch TV programs. When

we study the TV programs, it is surprising to find that

there is a lack of humanitarian subjects and social advice.

Nothing but trivialities are presented most of the time.

Children memorize many of the advertisements, songs and

words broadcasted on TV. Why doesn't the TV handle

religious, cultural, scientific, and patriotic topics?

4. The Behavioral Aspect

There is no doubt that the violence that dominates our TV

and cinema screens is reflected in people's behavior. The

chief of Los Angeles police has realized that the rate of

certain types of crime increases after a film shows them on

TV. The cinema, now that TV has attracted much of its

audience, survives on two types of movies: violence and

sex. It degrades us by exploiting these two instincts to

take our money.

A novelist once wrote about a man who committed all kinds of

sins, then felt it did not satisfy him, and so repented.

However, the producer who made a film based on the book took

only the first part. He made a lot of effort to demonstrate

the man's sins and canceled the part about repentance. The

film was shown all over the world bearing the name of the

wronged writer.

Second: How To Face These Effects

We can face them in three ways:

1. The Spiritual Fullness

There is no doubt that "A satisfied soul loathes the

honeycomb, but to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet"

(Prov 27:7). When our children find their satisfaction in

Jesus Christ, the Bible, the lives of saints; in church,

hymns and spiritual readings; in serving in the city and the

village, it will be easy to take them away from watching TV.

It also makes it easy to overcome the negativism in TV

programs. Jesus is a great power Who saves us from the

power of the flesh, the world and the devil and gives him

the victory over evil in all its forms. He can enable us to

reject sexual immorality no matter how tempting it may be.

We have to restore the family altar, gather with our

children to read the Bible, sing hymns, pray and go with

them to take Holy Communion and to attend meetings at

church. We should watch their spiritual progress closely.

Then it will be easy for them to make the right choices.

Inner emptiness is the reason behind being attracted to TV,

but the person filled with God's grace will watch the little

that is useful, leaving the much that is useless.

2. Cultural Fullness

We used to have a big library at home that was full of books

on different subjects. The parent used to read a book and

then give it to his or her son or daughter to read; later,

they would discuss it together. Now, we rely on the

cultural triviality of newspapers, magazines, and TV.

We need a push to read, to activate the mind and fill life

with sacred enthusiasm, leaving us with no spare time for

any delinquency. A cultured person is capable of choosing

useful books, programs etc., choosing what is upbuilding.

3. The Constructive Selection

When the heart is filled with Jesus Christ and the mind with

culture, it is easy for us to choose the best programs, the

right friends, good books and magazines which will be

fruitful in the home - and leave out those that are

unfruitful.

As Christian believers we have some inner enlightenment

bestowed by the God Who made us. "Test all things; hold

fast what is good" (1Thes 5:21). We should weigh matters in

the light of three verses:

+ "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not

helpful" (1Cor 6:12).

+ "All things are lawful for me, but all things do not

edify" (1Cor 10:23).

+ "All things are lawful for me ... but I will not be

brought under the power of any" (1Cor 6:12).

We live in inner freedom: whether reading, studying,

discussing, watching, or travelling. "In all these things

we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us" (Rom

8:37).

Let's live with our children a spiritually satisfying life,

a life that builds them up culturally. Let's enter with

them into a dialogue that will build their consciences

through Jesus Christ. We will not leave them to go adrift.

Instead, they will be filled with God, live a life of faith

and holiness, and be witnesses for the Lord Who saved us.

||    Pope Shenouda    ||    Father Matta    ||    Bishop Mattaous    ||    Fr. Tadros Malaty    ||    Bishop Moussa    ||    Bishop Alexander    ||    Habib Gerguis    ||    Bishop Angealos    ||    Metropolitan Bishoy    ||