The Content We Consume

"Man Writing" by Oliver Ray

As a Christian, how do we decide what content we consume or activities we participate in? Which books, movies, TV shows, theatrical productions, artwork, or games are appropriate, and which are not?A matter of debate and disagreement through the years, I plan to look at this topic from several angles and a few posts. Today's focus is background and general principles, which apply beyond the aforementioned categories to pretty much anything we do. I am indebted to my friend for his help in developing this content.

Biblical Foundations

As in all things, the Bible informs our approach to responsible content consumption. We know that "in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1) and "it was very good" (Genesis 1:31a). But man's fall brought a curse to all people and even creation (Genesis 3, Romans 8:18-25), and nobody is righteous or seeks God (Romans 3:9-12). Jesus's death and resurrection reveals God's ultimate plan of restoration- Christ has set us free from sin and death (Galatians 5:1) and is making all things new (Revelation 21:5). The Christian is to imitate Him, walk as children of light, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord (Ephesians 5:1-10) as we seek to obey the great commandment to love God and neighbor (Matthew 22:35-40).

So what content/activities are pleasing to the Lord? Creation is good, but under a curse, so we need humility and discernment. And some things that may differ from person to person. Why?

We know that the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it (Psalms 24:1). Paul says that all things are lawful, but not all things are helpful (1 Corinthians 10:23-32), and we will not be dominated by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12). It is easy to make good things into ultimate things, creating idols (false gods) as we are prone to do. Indeed, Jesus says "it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person" (Matthew 15:11). My friend notes that "this verse is primarily about dietary laws, but I think it applies to everything we consume." James agrees, as he says we are tempted by our own desire (James 1:14). So while we can enjoy the good earth God created, we must be mindful of our own weaknesses- and those differ from person to person- and look carefully how we walk (Ephesians 5:15). But it's not just about us as individuals.

The church- the community of Christians- are referred to in Scripture as the body of Christ (Romans 12:5). Like a body, we have different functions, being given different gifts (Romans 12:4-6), also called manifestations of the spirit, for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7). This diversity of gifts and functions, combined with different cultures and weaknesses, means that Christians will differ on certain topics (Romans 14). The keys in that chapter are that each "should be fully convinced in his own mind" (v5b), as "each of us will give an account of himself to God" (v12), and we should not judge each other (v13). But that doesn't mean it's a free-for-all. We need to be others-centered: it is not good to "do anything that causes your brother to stumble" (v21b), and we should "pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding." (v19)

Principles to Consider

With all this in mind, how should we then live? How do we decide what content we consume, be it a game, book, movie, music, etc.? Here are some questions to guide us, with one key verse being Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

1. Is it true?
• Truth involves both knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is provable information. Wisdom includes principles, beliefs, and other things that can be verified empirically (through observation and experience). 
• Note that something can be true even if delivered in a fictional vehicle. Jesus frequently spoke in parables, illustrating wisdom through fictional scenarios. The truth wasn't in the 'fact of' scenario itself- it didn't necessarily happen in real life- but in the point Jesus was making through the scenario- the message.
• As we look at a given object, we must discern the message(s) it is proclaiming. Some things don't have these (see point 2).  But often, there are one or more messages- proclamations about God, man, or the world. And each message must be examined to see if it is true, either in knowledge or wisdom.
• Though the messenger is important, all truth is God's truth. We are all made in God's image (Genesis 1:26) and therefore carry attributes of Him, even if we do so unknowingly (or have corrupted images due to the fall). In the Bible, God routinely uses those outside of His people to humble them- look at the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). It's telling that Jesus used a fictional account and chose Israel's enemy as the example to follow in it. One takeaway is that there may be truth in specific actions and words of others even if their overall lives may not align with our convictions. 
2. Is it good?
• Truth is the start, but not the end. There are many true facts about the evil in this world; we needn't focus on nor celebrate those. Scripture is clear: we should be infants in evil (1 Corinthians 14:20), which means we should not be engaging certain things.
• As we look at a given object, we must discern the goal or intent of it. It may be:
• Simple appreciation and enjoyment- "this is beautiful, well made, amazing, or fun; enjoy it [as part of God's creation]." 
• To deliver knowledge.
• To develop important skills.
• To enable social interaction. 
• To deliver a message of some sort- to make a statement about God and man, per point 1- and in those cases, the message(s) must be examined to determine not only their truth but their goodness.
3. Is it edifying?
• From my friend: "what is of primary importance is how that content makes us feel, think, and act." That is the intent behind Philippians 4:8. What is true and good, in goal and/or message, is eligible to be edifying, but that does not inherently make it so. 
• Ultimately, whether or not something is edifying comes down to the fruit that results from it. "So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit . . . Thus you will recognize them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:17-18,20) This is talking about people, but I argue it applies to the content or activities we engage as well.
• Part of this comes back to the goal/intent. From my friend: "When deciding if an activity is fruitful for a Christian, I think there are a lot of factors to weigh. Is it developing my skills in some way? Is it promoting interaction and engagement with other Christians or with unbelievers? Is it teaching me something about the world or humanity?"
• What is edifying/fruitful to one may not be for another, depending on their respective strengths and weaknesses. This goes back to Romans 14. So there are cases where a given thing is perfectly fine for some Christians, but others may avoid it because it distracts or tempts them.
• It is possible for something to be edifying at one point in your life (or even your day) but not another, based on your maturity, current state, or struggles. Some things may be good for adults but not for children. And since it is possible to take good things and make them ultimate things (idols), what may be good for some people might have to be avoided for others. 
• It is possible for something to be partially edifying- partially true and partially good. To have both true and false messages, good and bad intent, etc. In fact, most things probably fall into this category. We have all seen movies that may have an excellent overall message but also have a scene or two that is inappropriate, for example. In such cases, we must weigh the benefit to the cost- the good to the bad- to determine how to proceed.

So, is it true, is it good, is it edifying? For a given scenario, the answer may be obvious or require humility and discernment. And it may be good for one but not for another. Whatever the case, "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Matthew 6:33a).

Next week, I continue with the foundational topics of creativity and fiction.