*This is bonus content for the blog, Can Christians Listen to ‘Secular’ Music?
In the blog, Can Christians Listen to ‘Secular’ Music, we started answering the question, “what about consuming entertainment/content that may portray sin or include ideas that don’t agree with God’s Word?” You can read that blog for context.
For now, here are some practical steps and questions I use to discern what type of entertainment I consume as a follower of Jesus and to evaluate its impact on me. I hope this helps you in your discernment process too. 🙂
1) Ask yourself: Is it genuinely promoting sin or darkness, or is it simply truthful?
I feel like a lot of Christians either mindlessly disregard entertainment without thinking critically about the content or they mindlessly accept entertainment without thinking critically about the content. I’ve been on both extremes at different points of my Christian walk too, so let me share something that might help you and I land at a healthy middle ground.
When considering entertainment, ask yourself these questions: Is it blatantly glorifying sin or something contrary to God’s will as the ideal to be pursued? Is it celebrating and encouraging sin? Or, is it simply communicating and portraying the various realties of human experience for the sake of storytelling?
If I’m listening to or watching something that simply portrays a struggle with sin and brokenness as part of real life but doesn’t necessarily encourage it, then I’m not quick to reject the content. It doesn’t mean I personally agree with everything in the content when it comes to worldview or practice. I just see them as stories about life with aspects I may agree with and some I may not.
We need not expect content creators who aren’t Christians to express their art and message perfectly as if they are Christians. There can still be value, truth and beauty present in what they create. We can still enjoy their art while disagreeing with some aspects of it.
Personally, I won’t stop listening to a song over a swear word here or there but if it were extremely vulgar sexually or derogatory in any way, I would. I won’t stop watching a movie over mild violence or an implied love scene here and there, but if it’s excessive sexually or there’s nudity, that’s over a line for me. Again, there’s nuance here so it’s difficult to draw hard lines, but that’s where I start my thought process, and I’m okay taking it case-by-case if needed.
Also, don’t hesitate to do research if you need to. Look up song lyrics or read movie or video game reviews etc. to get a feel for content before committing to it if that would help you. I use both Christian and secular sources for this, just to get a balanced perspective. I recommend the plot summary and parent’s guides at IMDB, christiananswers.net’s Christian spotlight on entertainment, and the Christ and Pop Culture online magazine.
Art reflects life, and life includes good and bad, happy and sad, struggle and triumph. I believe both the Church and the culture will be enriched as we continue making space for all those types of stories to be told, and continue learning how to communicate and appreciate them in a healthy (and hopefully more godly) way.
2) Pay attention to what causes the Holy Spirit to be grieved in you.
Is Holy Spirit stirring discomfort in you as you engage with the piece of content in question (Ephesians 4:30) Is He prompting you that He’s displeased with you watching, reading or listening to it? If so, ask Him why and how He would have you make adjustments. It’s so important for us to be willing to yield to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in every part of our lives, including the entertainment we consume.
3) Pay attention to the impact on your spiritual life.
Is your life in God dulled at all due to your consumption of a particular piece of entertainment? Are you slipping into sins or letting your guard down spiritually? Are you compromising in your beliefs or actions at all? Are you letting the content shape your worldview instead of the Word of God?
Are you still sensitive to the Spirit in worship, Bible reading and prayer? If those things are being dulled in your life, maybe it’s a good idea to avoid or temper what causes that to happen. Again, seek God for guidance.
4) Periodically check in with God.
Over the years, I’ve become pretty comfortable with discerning content I engage with, so I don’t overthink every song I listen to or movie I watch. I know my general boundaries, I consume entertainment I’m interested in, and outside of that I only ask deeper questions or make adjustments if I specifically feel God leading me to do so.
What I’ve found helpful, though, is to periodically ask God to search my heart and my life–particularly related to entertainment–and point out to me if He’s still okay with what I’m consuming or if He wants me to make any changes. (Psalm 139:23-24
I recommend you develop a rhythm of doing that too. It frees you from having to over-analyze every entertainment choice day-to-day while keeping conversation with God open about how He’s calling you personally to live in this area of your life.
I hope this helps you take some steps forward as enjoy entertainment, embrace the good things God has placed in this world, and walk faithfully as a Jesus follower at the same time. 😉
P.S. Check out this blog on navigating personal convictions and gray areas.
Let’s Talk: What’s helped you decide how to engage with entertainment as a Christian? Which of the practical tips from this blog are you most excited to implement into your life? Discuss this post in the comments below.
