Okay, so you’ve heard the theoretical side of things and the practical side of my first soapbox. But it occurred to me that I need to get personal for a minute, too.
Because I think you need to know what my personal goal for this blog series is NOT.
My intention is NOT to get you to think like me or see things my way or use my personal criteria for judging what’s okay for me and mine as your personal criteria for what’s okay for you and yours.
So.not.the.goal.
What I do want…is a little bigger than that. Honestly, I don’t care what conclusions you come to about media or arguments or politics or whatever. I DO care, very much, about HOW you come to those conclusions and whether you can articulate WHY you will or won’t watch something, participate in something, vote for someone, or whatever.
Because, as much as I wish there were actually perfect and easy criteria for judging whatever area of life we might discuss…those criteria are actually hard to come by.
For example, I heard recently the recommendation that, in regard to media consumption, we need to think, “Does this honor Jesus?” And that is certainly one good and important question to ask. But, on the other hand, it’s also very simplistic. Because which one honors Jesus more: the mediocre “Christian” film with a blatant message where someone gets “saved” during the plot…or a totally secular film that depicts, unknowingly, a beautiful and moving picture of God-style redemptive love? Which honors Jesus more? See…the question just got a little more complicated.
And the answer is…I’d love to have that discussion with you. I know my answer. Obviously, I’ve considered that question before. And yet…you may see things totally differently. And we can still both love Jesus.
Because I have my own personal biases and issues that affect my media choices – I can’t watch horror movies or CSI-style crime dramas. The visual effects of those types of media feed my heart issues of fear and worry and I will lay awake at night running those images over and over in my mind, scaring myself silly over totally fake gunshot wounds and obviously theatrical masked villains. For whatever reason, those hit a nerve with me. On the other hand, I was surprised a couple of years ago to discover how much I like the Black Eyed Peas. Not all their songs, not all the lyrics to all their songs. But hey…I like their music. Does that mean you’re a bad person if you watch CSI because I don’t? Or a better person because you think the Black Eyed Peas are a waste of musical space?
Of course, no.
And that’s my point. This blog series is NOT about getting you to agree with me or validate my media choice. It’s about helping raise awareness and equip people, especially Christians, to interact with their world more adequately and effectively. It doesn’t matter whether we listen to the same music, watch the same movies or vote for the same candidates or issues. It does matter whether or not we have considered why we will or won’t do any of those things. And whether or not we can explain our conclusions to those with whom we interact.
And that is my goal…to encourage and equip you to turn your brains on…not turn you into another version of me.
Okay…now there they are – the theoretical, the practical, and the personal sides of Soapbox #1. I will roll out #2 in the near future, but for now, I encourage you to look this weekend for places and spaces to practice asking questions and intentionally thinking about the messages all around you.
And I’d love to hear from anyone willing to share their attempts, too! Let’s get started!
