Desensitized

A Monday morning rant...

On Friday night our family decided to go get a movie or two. We knew at least one of the movies we rented would be for Audrey, since we were going to be taking a day trip on Saturday. I don't know about other video stores, nor how much of this is marketing, however in our video store the family section is in the BACK of the store. As we were walking to and from the family section, which happens to be next to the 'comedy' section (which, by the way, has very few humorous videos). So, as my daughter is innocently looking for a video...right there available for her to see are these disgusting video covers. We did our best to keep Audrey's eyes looking at the desired 'family' videos and continued to keep her distracted as we walked back up to the register.

Has our culture become so desensitized to images that we feel it appropriate to show the goriest, grossest, hideous image of the movie on the front cover for the sake of sales? It's not enough that the movies contain obscene amounts of violence and se*xuality, all in the name of marketing and profits? I'm not sure I'd feel different if these videos were put higher (so that young eyes couldn't see them), however it would show some sense of sensitivity to those of us who do not want to see these images. Our family does not rent movies often. We'd be lucky if we were able to watch a full-length movie once a month these days. However, due to our experience on Friday night we may consider renting movies via mail. We'll get what we want without having to expose our child to these horrible images.

We live in this culture, and I don't want to hide my children from the world, but rather teach them what is good and right before the Lord. I want to teach them God's Word so that they may be able to recognize what is right and wrong, and walk away from situations, or images in this case, that do not bring glory to God.

Deuteronomy 11:18-21 (NIV)

18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.

Romans 12:2 (NIV)

2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.