Do Movies, TV & Video Games Effect Our Children?

"They are darkened in their understanding and seperated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more." Ephesians 4:18-19

This scripture is like a view into the future for us parents. We want to keep our kids safe and away from the influence of the "world" however we plant them in front of the television and video games. We expose them to violent sites and scenes that MAY effect them more than we know, as this scripture explains.Anyone of us having kids have always heard someone say to you...'your children shouldn't watch this' or 'your children should not do that'. Don't you hate that!!!When Mike & I were kids we watched all kinds of things on TV and listened to music that may not have been deemed "appropriate". At the time it was hard to see how any of those things could be harmful to us because we thought it was all explainable, in our minds.Truth is, it wasn't understandable at all..."we did not know where to file the things we saw or heard." (SS) What can we now see that it did? Well it allowed us to become accustomed to those "things" and made it more acceptable to us, given us the notion there is "nothing wrong" with it and by the way...we should be involved in it, whatever it is, everyone else is doing it.For any parents out there, like us, who tend to believe watching certain things on TV doesn't effect them, this scripture explains it all. We have to remember that the eyes are the windows to the soul. The views of life or on television pierce through those peepers straight to the heart to lessen the effects of what is being seen. This makes it OK in the minds of our youngsters and makes it more likely that our kids may take part in something they have seen as they long for those "cool" things to make them cool as well.Their understanding has been darkened of what is appropriate for their age and they have been seperated from a pure mind with God. It isn't there fault necessarily, they are ignorant to the effects. These things harden the hearts of those fed by these television programs, words heard, fights fought and violence. The sensitivity to it is lost, which allows them to be comfortable to give in to those desires. Our children may choose to indulge in inappropriate behavior because of these sites seen on television and it only gives them "permission" and prompts them to want more.Our flesh can be so strong and overpowering when we feed it the acceptable things of the world. We as adults do understand how difficult it can be to remain spiritually strong when our desires remain constant and nagging. If we understand that, how can we expect our children to remain far from those things as well, when we allow them to watch what they want?I am not telling anyone what to do with your children. This is something I read today that spoke to me because it is something Mike & I ponder when 'questionable' material is presented on television. God may have revealed the answer.Isn't Gods word Great!!!?