How can we know if we are making the right choice when we voluntarily expose ourselves to films or series that conflict with the message of the Gospel?
Q. As a Catholic, is it a sin to watch movies like The Goonies (1985)? I struggle with certain films, particularly those from the 80s, for example Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Indiana Jones movies, etc. Is it a sin to watch them? These are the movies I grew up with, but since turning to the Catholic faith, I fear making a mistake by watching them. I fear God. Perhaps you can help me resolve my dilemma. Thank you. God bless you.
A. Dilemma is a good word. Media consumption poses a real dilemma. On one hand, films entertain us, help us relax, allow for pleasant social interactions, and give us pleasure… all of that is good. But the price to pay is often exposure to harmful content. What should we do?
More generally, how can we know if we are making the right choice when we voluntarily expose ourselves to media that conflicts with the Gospel message?
I will answer here with morally conscious adults in mind. Many good people, even those aware that today's films are a problem, do not want others meddling in their private lives. For them, my answer will likely be unsatisfactory. As for guiding families and children in this important area, what I say here is certainly relevant, but there would be much more to say.
Jesus tells us that the eyes are the lamps of the body and warns us against letting our lamps become "unhealthy" (Matthew 6:22-23). Saint Paul tells us we must think about whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). In these passages, seeing well and thinking well are highlighted. Seeing and thinking. The eyes and the mind – the fields, so to speak, on which the Christian life is played out.
It is undeniable that what we see, we think about. And what we think about, we desire. And what we desire, we do. The media industry knows this. It knows the powerful relationship between what we see, what we think, and what we do, and it exploits it every time. That is why we must be vigilant in our media consumption.
You ask if watching The Goonies, Lethal Weapon, or Indiana Jones can be considered a sin. I assume you are concerned about instances of violence, blasphemy, and immodesty, among other things, in the films. It is true these films are relatively harmless compared to many of today's films. But yes, watching movies, even those from the 80s, can be a sin for us. When does it become a sin? In practice, the answer will not be the same for every person.
But the moral principle is consistent: I must avoid anything that knowingly causes me to sin or constitutes for me an occasion of sin.
Applying this principle to movie watching is sometimes simple. If sexually explicit content causes us to fall into the sin of lust – voluntarily succumbing to the pursuit of sexual pleasure outside of marriage – then we must watch something else, or not watch at all.
Other times, perhaps even in most cases, a film's impact is not as direct. We must then undertake what Alcoholics Anonymous calls a "fearless moral inventory" of our movie-watching habits. We ask ourselves if this film, or this viewing, is good for us. We ask if it brings us closer to God.
These are general questions that can be difficult to answer. How do we get an answer sufficient to prompt us to take helpful action? We ask ourselves more specific questions and answer them honestly:
Do these movie scenes tempt me to sin?
Do they play on my moral weaknesses?
Do they incite me to desire things I have freely renounced?
Do they prevent me from being faithful to the commitments I have freely accepted?
Do they make me ungrateful for the things that are part of God's will in my life?
Do they weaken or undermine my faith or trust in God or the Catholic Church?
Do they make me less sensitive to the dangers of mortal sin?
Would they undermine my confidence in important truths concerning sex, gender, truth, justice, human compassion, etc.?
If I am already struggling with sexual temptation, do they make it worse?
If I see people having illicit affairs, does it make me want to have affairs?
Since "everyone is doing it" on television, does fornication start to seem banal to me?
If I see handsome, sensitive men on television, do I feel ungrateful towards my husband?
If I see "perfect" women, do I feel ungrateful towards my wife?
If I am prone to anger, does exposure to violence incite me to become angry?
If I suffer from greed, an excessive desire for material wealth, does watching such and such a film put pressure on my moral weakness?
If I struggle with alcohol or drug abuse, does watching films with happy abusers incite me to consume?
If I am grappling with body issues, does seeing thin, sexy women push me to starve myself or despise myself in another way?
If I watch films containing 46 F-words (the standard for an original Netflix film), am I more prone to uttering blasphemies?
If I watch teen dramas like 13 Reasons Why, does it make me think suicide is mysterious, interesting, and sexy?
Be thoughtful. Nosce te ipsum (Know thyself). Think about your life. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your capital (recurring) sins? Are these areas reinforced or aggravated by watching Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Peacock, etc.?
Given the infernal moral state of media today, is it even conceivable that any one of us could say:
"I am not affected by watching films"?
The solution could be as simple as making a habit of checking films before watching them using websites like Common Sense Media and making informed decisions accordingly. Or using morally reasonable viewing technology like VidAngel to remove objectionable scenes from otherwise unobjectionable films. It may also involve stopping a film or series completely, including when we have become attached to the plot and characters. We all know (or should know) the steps to take.
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Finally, what about those who suffer from excessive scruples? Should we criticize everything we watch? Should we feel strong guilt and emotional discomfort about all films with morally ambiguous content?
Certainly not. Being paralyzed by guilt prevents healthy discernment. Those who experience this should seek the advice of a good spiritual counselor, and if that doesn't work, they should find a good Catholic psychologist. I speak of a good spiritual counselor, because there are many priests whose media habits should not be imitated.
The main question is not simply whether a film contains morally ambiguous elements, but more precisely, does watching it cause me to sin or constitute a near occasion of sin?
This article was originally published by the National Catholic Register (Article Link). It is republished and translated with the author's permission.