I normally will use this feature to inform you about what is happening in the world of entertainment, its influence, and how to teach your children to think, but this time I would like to ask you to check out our new site and let us know what you think. What works? What doesn’t? What was helpful? What is needed? We decided to activate it in its present condition counting on you to tell us where and how to improve it. Enjoy.
In His service and yours,
Al
CHRONICLES OF NARNIA MOVIE REVIEW. My good friend Jonathan McKee has a wonderful website for youth leaders. He supplies materials, books, and curriculum to help youth leaders understand today’s youth as well as offering FREE creative teaching ideas. In his spare time he reviews books, games, movies and other forms of entertainment. He wrote a review of the Chronicles of Narnia that says exactly how I feel. So instead of posting my review, I’m posting his from his website TheSource4YM.com. I hope that you and your family choose to attend this excellent movie. In His service and yours,
Al Menconi
Movie Reviews
by Jonathan McKee
Jonathan’s Resource Ezine from TheSource [jon@thesource4ym.com]
Chronicles of Narnia, The: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (12/9/2005)
Directed by Andrew Adamson (Shrek)
Starring Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, and the voice of Liam Neeson
Rated PG for battle sequences and frightening moments.
JONATHAN’S SCORE: Theatre Worthy
C.S. Lewis would be pleased.
Since I was a child I’ve been waiting to see The Chronicles of Narnia hit the big screen. If you are my age, you may remember some feeble attempts: a lame cartoon, and a BBC version with a mix of bad animation and a giant lion puppet. Rather disappointing on both accounts.
But then we finally all heard the news about the project Disney would be taking on.
Disney?
“Would they be true to the book?” Many of us wondered. Would some of the symbolism be squashed in the leap to the big screen?
Well, stop wondering. The wait is over. And I think you’ll be pleased when you see it this week.
If you’re not familiar with the story, The Chronicles of Narnia is a wonderful fantasy about four children who stumble upon an enchanted wardrobe that takes them places they never dreamed. Stepping through the wardrobe door, they are whisked out of World War II London into the spectacular parallel universe known as Narnia—a fairy-tale realm of magical proportions where woodland animals talk and mythological creatures roam the hills. But Narnia has fallen under the icy spell of a mad sorceress, cursed to suffer through a winter that never ends by the White Witch Jadis. Now, aided by Narnia’s rightful leader, the wise and mystical lion Aslan, the four children will discover their own strength and lead Narnia into a spectacular battle to be free of the Witch’s glacial enslavement forever.
Narnia fans will love the film. Unlike its predecessors, this film features authentic characters, good affects and impressive epic battle scenes.
It’s pretty hard for me to give the film an honest review- I admit, I’m biased. I love the story and want it to be told. But I can honestly say that the film delivered.
The director had very big shoes to fill. Everyone is asking, “Will it be as good as Lord of the Rings?” Let’s be honest. That’s a tough act to follow. Probably the toughest.
No, it’s no Lord of the Rings. Some may not like me for saying that, but take into the consideration, Lord of the Rings was nearly flawless in its make-up, CGI and affects. Narnia, however, has a few scenes where you’ll notice blue screen affects and some of the creatures just don’t measure up to the Lord of the Rings creatures. But these are small details that don’t distract from the story. We’ve just been spoiled with some pretty incredible affects in the last few years. I’d hate to have to follow that kind of legacy.
THOUGHT PROVOKING
The most incredible element of this story is Aslan. The film features a very realistic Aslan voiced by Liam Neeson. Sure Lucy is cute… but Aslan steals the story. If you’re not familiar with the story or if you haven’t seen the film I don’t want to spoil it for you, but the symbolism in the character of Aslan speaks loud and clear. This movie will be a great discussion provoker for years to come. (Click here for our Narnia discussion guide)
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
Small children might be scared. There are some scary creatures and battle scenes. But this film isn’t half as scary as Lord of the Rings. I’ll be taking my 8, 10 and 12-year-old to the film without hesitation.
You have to read this before Christmas!
Note: This commentary was delivered by Prison Fellowship President Mark Earley on BreakPoint with Charles Colson on December 13, 2005
Technological Toys
Are You Gift-Wrapping Porn?
Every year my wife, Cynthia, and I look forward to picking out Christmas gifts for our six children. Like any parents, we try to give them things that they will like, but avoid things that are not good for them. But a few weeks ago I discovered that one of the hottest retail items this year may be one of the most dangerous.
I realized this when I read an article by a former “BreakPoint” writer named Daniel Weiss in the Washington Times titled: “Christmas, Porn, and Children.” Dan points out that many of the most popular gadgets this year “come with ready access to hardcore pornography.”
For instance, there’s the Apple Video iPod, capable of downloading and storing up to 150 hours of video. Porn industry giants such as Hustler, Penthouse, and Playboy, writes Dan, are formulating content for the new handheld as we speak. And he says another porn site, called SuicideGirls, “reportedly sold 1 million downloads of nude models within a week of the video iPod’s debut.”
Then there are the new high-tech camera and video phones, which are capable of wireless Internet access without filtering software. These phones can capture and store up to three megabytes of digital images. And the Sony PlayStation Portable is also Internet-ready and can be used to download pornographic pictures and video without any filtering from any wireless technology.
Appallingly, porn producers designed and released films for Playstation Portable within weeks of its launch. And keep in mind, PlayStation is intended for children.
Many parents have no idea that their kids have technological toys that can access porn—or that they may be online viewing filth when their parents think they are just playing a game.
What can you and I do about it? First, do not buy these porn-ready gadgets. If your child needs a cell phone, buy the non-video kind. Second, contact the companies that sell these things and demand they provide parental controls. Third, contact the FCC and insist that it develop guidelines for these new technologies.
But the most important thing you and I can do as parents is to familiarize ourselves with the technologies we are buying for our kids. Before you leave Best Buy or Circuit City with a new game, before you sign a contract on that new cell phone, learn what the thing can do and find out about the controls—or the lack of controls. You should also talk with your kids about responsible use of any electronics they already own.
If we do nothing, things will only get worse. In Europe and Asia, wireless companies are already making huge profits from mobile pornography.
That is why we must fight the porn industry and its libertarian supporters harder than ever. How absurd when a nation decides that an adult’s so-called “right” to view porn, anytime and anywhere, trumps a child’s right to be protected from it. As philosopher Roger Scruton warns, societies endure only when they are devoted to future generations. But “they collapse like the Roman Empire when the pleasures and fancies of the living usurp the inheritance of those unborn”—or of children who become the intended consumers of the porn industry.
If you think Hollywood is entertainment and doesn’t have an agenda to push, consider the following:
I am in the process of writing an article that is an “open letter to the Hollywood industry” which I’ll be posting it later in the month, but I am so bothered that I would like to just write a couple of things from it that are on my heart. The new “Book of Daniel” television program on NBC is a perfect example of how “Hollywood” works.
In case you missed it, and I hope that you did, it is about a dysfunctional “Christian” minister and his family. They are adulterous (homosexually and heterosexually), drug and alcohol dependant, and a generally degenerate family. The pastor speaks to Jesus –seen only by the pastor – who gives him flippant and trite responses. I couldn’t make this up.
Also, heavily advertised in the entertainment magazines I study is the new season of “The L Word” – a very positive program about lesbian relationships. This may surprise you, but I don’t care if they produce “The L Word.” In a free society, people should be able to produce any type of program that they want. And I should be free to not watch it.
The only question I have is why doesn’t this industry that prides itself in being inclusive of any and all lifestyle choices; give the same consideration to Christians that they give to lesbians?
Can you imagine a Hollywood production company trying to produce a program about lesbians, or even one that had any homosexual character, without first contacting leaders in the homosexual community? Neither can I. My question is, why aren’t Christian leaders given the same opportunity to have input on television programs and movies that involve Christian characters? “The Book of Daniel” is only a recent example of years of attacks and insensitivity by Hollywood.
More in a future blog.
A REVIEW OF THE NEW DVD “The Gospel” BY STEVE ALBRIGHT, a student at Faith Academy — a school for children of missionarires. Let me know what you think. Al Menconi
“The Gospel” (PG), starring Boris Kodjoe, tells the story of a young man who leaves his father’s church and becomes an R&B star, forsaking his Christian upbringing, and finally coming to his senses and returning to the truth at the end of the movie. It is supposed to portray the parable of the Prodigal Son (found in Luke 15), and although it tells a fun and entertaining story, it fails to retell Jesus’ famous parable.
The movie itself is well-scripted, well-acted, and well-directed. The story drags slowly at some points, and many teens may become bored with it. The very best part of the movie was the music. Gospel songs are performed throughout by large church choirs, including an excellent a cappella rendition of “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”. Though the story may be lacking, the music makes up for it.
This movie is suitable for almost all children. It has very little profanity (about four minor swear words are used), and no explicit sex (although a small amount is implied, it is not unnecessary and serves the purpose of portraying the prodigal son’s evil ways). Violence consists of one small fistfight that is quickly broken up.
However, although this movie tells a story in a safe and enjoyable way, it was disappointing in that it didn’t tell the story it was trying to tell: the parable of the prodigal son.
The Prodigal Son is an allegory, told by Jesus, of man’s sinful fall and God’s acceptance of us as his children. Let me make a brief comparison of the Prodigal Son, the truth behind it, and how this movie compares.
Jesus told about a son who left his father’s house for selfish reasons, taking his inheritance with him, to go out into the world and have fun. This is an allusion to mankind leaving the path of righteousness, taking what God has given us, and wanting to live life our own way. In this movie, however, the son leaves his father because his mother died and his father was “never there”. If the father represents God, how can we say that He is “never there”? This is a major flaw.
In Jesus’ parable, the son squanders all the wealth his father gave him by spending it unwisely on prostitution and wine. This portrays mankind taking the gifts God has given us and twisting them for our evil purposes and self-fulfillment. In this movie, however, the son leaves with nothing and makes a name for himself, not squandering his wealth but doing the exact opposite: going from rags to riches as he becomes a singing star. If mankind is this son, this movie portrays us as being capable of making things work for ourselves, without God. This is not the story of the prodigal son.
It gets worse. Jesus tells of the prodigal son losing all his wealth and working with pigs. He is unworthy of anything, and especially unworthy of his father’s love. He then returns, having nothing, and his father accepts him back and throws a party. In this movie, however, the son hears that his father is ill and returns as a courtesy to him. Does God the Father get ill? No. Furthermore, the son uses the wealth that he has made for himself to help his father’s church, thus in a sense “earning” his way back into acceptance after, get this, his father dies of illness. Does God the Father die? No! Has mankind used what we have made to earn our way back into His love? No!
And then there is the prodigal’s brother. At this point, the movie completely leaves the parable. In this movie, a subplot is developed where both prodigal and brother are pursuing their own selfish gain, and at the end they both finally realize that they have been wrong and are reconciled to each other and God. Again, this is a good story, but it is NOT the story of the prodigal son.
This movie is decent, fun, and the music will have you dancing. Find truths in it, but don’t look for Scripture where there is none.
The following is a recent letter from a concerned mother and my response. I am posting it because I could have written this to hundreds of parents this past year. I hope you are challenged and not offended.
In His service and yours,
Al Menconi
Hi Al, I heard you speak at the ACSI convention last year. I am a preschool teacher with teenage boys This year my 14 year old has added a new battle to our itinerary and it is his choice in music, he is gravitating to the secular punk genre. He is wanting to attend some concerts for the bands he likes and my husband and I are very divided on our views of this. My husband and I were both in the rock n roll and entertainment industry. We are both Christians but one of us is not as deep in his walk as the other. My question to you is do you have any websites or know of any that review bands from a Christian standpoint, so my husband can read it for himself, I have told him to just read the lyrics and watch on-line videos but wether he will or not is another story and I can’t be his mom or his holy spirit. My son is an awesome Godly kid who attends Christian school, does mission work ect. It is this one area that he is rebelling with. Any advice or direction would be appreciated, especially prayer. Thank you so much
A concerned mom.
My Response:
Dear Concerned Mom,
You are not alone in your concern. This is exactly why we have this ministry. Most Christian families are struggling with this issue RIGHT NOW. Be careful that you don’t let your child’s entertainment choices get in the way of your relationship with him or with your husband. I have found that many parents get so concerned that it consumes them and their family relationships. Don’t allow this situation create a rift in your relationship with your husband or your children. They are not the enemy. They are your family to be loved and nurtured.
I often find that one parent feels stronger about this situation than her/his spouse which is often the basis of arguments in the home. Don’t let your concern define your relationship with your family. If you have already let your husband and son know how you feel, any further “prodding” will be seen as nagging. And you will NEVER be able to nag your family to a deeper walk in Christ. In fact, I have seen it push children and spouses away from Christ. May I suggest that you commit your concern to prayer? I believe entertainment choices are often an expression of a spiritual need that should have a spiritual response. Ask God for wisdom to respond properly.
You said that your son is an awesome, Godly kid; so reinforce that commitment. How have your shown him recently that you love, enjoy, and accept him? Telling him is not enough. That old hippie saying is true; “they don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Research the groups that you are concerned about on www.lyrics.com and then ask him if you can have a few minutes to explain why you are concerned. (www.pluggedinonline.org does excellent reviews of popular entertainment.) Make certain that he knows that you love and accept him NO MATTER what he chooses to do or listen to. Fourteen is a common age for a child to push his limits and express his independence – allow him freedom to make choices within your family guidelines. If you don’t have clear and reasonable guidelines that allow some independent thought, now would be a good time to discuss appropriate limits with your husband.
If you and your husband are unable to agree completely, make certain that you find a common ground that you can present to your son and your other children. It is important that you present a unified front, even if you don’t agree on everything. It is never right to have two sets of guidelines as your children will be unsure of their position which will create confusion and frustration. Confusion and frustration always lead to anger. And anger leads to rebellion. While your children are going through this time of “finding their expression” it is crucial that they know your position but more importantly it is crucial that they know they are loved and accepted unconditionally.
I suggest that you commit to 30 days of prayer and discussion with your husband to find out what limits you both are willing to accept and then present your guidelines to your children. A more thorough explanation of this can be found in my article “10 Steps to Talk to Your Children About Values” at this link from the parenting section of our website:
http://www.almenconi.com/articles.php?art_id=106.
Another suggestion is to read our book, “But It Doesn’t Affect Me…” and then give it to your husband and son to read. This simple, easy to understand book may help your family understand your concern. It can be read by anyone who can read in less than one hour. I know that it will help you and your family discuss your issues of concern. You can order it on our website at this link:
http://www.almenconi.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=28&osCsid=d8243efe6ac157ceab2722e4789d4d24
I hope these suggestions help as you approach this crucial time in your child’s life. While I believe that it is important to encourage your children to listen to Christian music, it is more important that they see their parents glorify God in their relationship and communication. Please let me know what you think and how we serve you in the future.
In His service and yours,
Al Menconi
Response from Concerned Mom
Al thank you so much for your quick reply and sound advice, you are right to know that this issue is causing problems between my husband and I. It has now become a battle of the wills. I am taking your Godly wisdom to heart and dropping the issue, they both know how I feel about it. I knew I had your book But It Doesn’t Affect Me, it was buried in my son’s room. We all will re-read it! Thank you again. Blessings to you and your ministry.
Concerned Mom
We are giving away 10 FREE DVDs of The classic 1956 version of The 10 Commandments newly released on DVD. Read the press release below. — Al Menconi
We are giving away 10 DVDs of the original and classic 1956 version of The 10 Commandments to the first 10 people who send us a list of all 10 commandments and a comment of which one is the most important to them. If you have seen this classic movie, we would like to hear about your memories and impressions of the first time you saw it. Send comments to info@AlMenconi.com.
ON MARCH 21, PARAMOUNT HOME ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRATES
THE GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY OF AN UNPRECEDENTED CINEMATIC ACHIEVEMENT
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION
Gaze Upon The Glory Of A Timeless Classic Pristinely Restored And Remastered In A Collectible Three-Disc Set
Showcasing The 1956 Epic And Celebrating 50 Years Since Its Landmark Premiere,
The Must-Own DVD Also Features The Original 1923 Silent-Film Version, An In-Depth Six-Part Documentary And More!
HOLLYWOOD, CALIF – So let it be written, So let it be done… and so it was. For sheer pageantry and spectacle, few motion pictures can claim to equal the splendor of Oscar®-nominated director Cecil B. DeMille’s (Ben Hur) 1956 epic THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. Commemorating the enduring saga’s 50th Anniversary, on March 21 Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment heralds the triumphant return of a masterpiece with the debut of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION. Showcasing the stunning 1956 version of the landmark film resplendent in all its original glory with new bonus features, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION DVD also offers a third bonus disc featuring DeMille’s 1923 adaptation, restored and remastered for the first time on DVD, with performances from prolific silent-film stars Theodore Roberts (“Moses”) and Charles de Rochefort (“Ramses”) and a featurette of hand-tinted footage from the film’s Exodus and Parting of the Red Sea Sequence. Go behind the scenes to the blood, sweat and tears that made THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) such a magnificent and lasting legacy with a six-part making-of documentary, commentary by Katherine Orrison, author of “Written In Stone:
Making Cecil B. DeMille’s Epic, The Ten Commandments,” newsreel footage and more. With all the majesty and hell-fire of the Old Testament, the six-time Academy Award® nominated film, including Best Picture, is the larger-than-life story of Moses (Charlton Heston), once favored in the Pharaoh’s (Yul Brenner) household, who uncovers the truth about his heritage and turns his back on a privileged life to lead his people to freedom. With two of Hollywood’s most commanding leading men at the helm, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS co-stars such silver screen luminaries as Anne Baxter (All About Eve), Edward G. Robinson (Double Indemnity), Vincent Price (Laura), John Derek (All The Kings Men), John Carradine (Drums Along The Mohawk) and a supporting cast of thousands. This monumental motion picture collection is priced to own at the suggested retail price of $24.99 U.S./$26.99 Canada.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) is presented in Widescreen format featuring Dobly Digital English 5.1/2.0 Surround with French Mono and English subtitles. The 1923 version is presented in Fullscreen format featuring Dolby Digital English Stereo with French subtitles.
About Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment
Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment is part of Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom Inc., and is responsible for the worldwide sales, marketing, and distribution of home entertainment for Viacom including: Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and CBS. Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment is part of the entertainment operations of the new Viacom Inc., which also owns MTV Networks (MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Comedy Central, CMT: Country Music Television, Spike TV, TV Land and many other networks around the world), BET, Paramount Pictures and Famous Music.
# # #
For artwork please visit: phepromo.com
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ANNIVERSARY EDITION DVD
Street date: March 21, 2006
Price: $24.99 U.S./$26.99 Canada
Runtime: 356 minutes
1956 version – 220 minutes
1923 version – 136 minutes
U.S. Rating: Not rated
Canadian Rating: G
Eariler this week I received the message “Please read and respond ITS REALLY IMPORTANT” from a young man who spends a lot of time playing role playing games. It is more evidence that many young people who spend a lot of time in the digital world have a difficult time telling the difference between the digital world and reality. I took it very seriously and hope that you do as well. I changed his name and helped with grammar and spelling, but otherwise this is exactly what he said and my response. Let me know what you think.
Dear Al,
I’m worried about sometihng. You seem to know alot about Spiritual Warfare. Ok here’s the thing. A few nights ago a thought entered my head that said I should send demons to kill one of my unsaved friends (who I met online). I’m really worried that I may have sent demons to kill my friend. I havn’t seen him online in nearly two weeks. Is it possible that I may have killed him?
Name withheld
Dear (young man),
No, your thoughts didn’t kill your friend. They probably weren’t even your thoughts. Satan IS able to put weird thoughts in your head, but because of the shed blood of Jesus you have the right to tell Satan to “go to Hell.” And the Bible says that he must flee. It doesn’t mean that he will quit trying to trip you up and think his thoughts but it does mean that YOU HAVE MORE POWER THAN HE DOES. He is a defeated foe who was defeated at the empty tomb of Christ.
The next time that you have a negative thought run through your mind, stop it by telling Satan he doesn’t have the right to mess with your mind and then tell him to get away from you. Because he isn’t all powerful (he is unable to hear your thoughts) verbally (out loud) tell him to go to Hell and to quit bothering you.
This is one of the reasons why I encourage Christians to listen to Christian music. It helps us to “focus on things above instead of things below” and it will help us “take every thought captive.”
You don’t have to worry about Satan messing with your mind if you verbally tell him to leave you alone. Make certain that you don’t give him a “foothold” in your life by willfully putting negative thoughts, philosophies, and actions in your mind that are against biblical values. Have you ever considered that your video games could be causing negative thoughts? Just something for you to consider. Write me anytime.
In His service and yours,
Al Menconi
Al Menconi Ministries
www.AlMenconi.com
How can we set entertainment guidelines for our son.
QUESTION:
Dear Sir,
We would like to ask your advice on an issue that we have with our 16-year-old son. Last summer, when he was 15, we gave our son blanket permission to view any PG movie he wished and to exercise discernment in that area. (We often give permission to see PG-13 or R rated movies on a case-by-case basis.)
At 16 ¼, our son would like blanket permission to view any PG-13 movie, and feels we are treating him like a child since he doesn’t have this privilege that is supposed to be appropriate for 13-year-olds. We are concerned about the sensuality and even partial nudity in some of these movies.
Would you be willing to share your biblical perspective on this issue? We would appreciate your thoughts on this.
Thanks,
Concerned Mom and Dad
ANSWER:
Dear Mom and Dad,
Your questions are ones that many parents struggle with regularly. How much is too much? And at what point should my child make his own decisions? I don’t have a specific “biblical” answer for your specific question; however I have a few suggestions for setting guidelines from years of experience.
First, I believe that it is dangerous to give a teen “blanket” permission for anything unless he has first earned it. This can have serious consequences and once the “blanket” is out off the shelf, it is impossible to fold it up and put it back. But let’s deal with the situation at hand. He presently has permission to watch ALL PG movies and wants permission to watch ALL PG-13 movies on his own. You never told me if he is making wise choices with his present guideline. Why expand his choices if he hasn’t been making wise decisions within his present boundaries?
Next, you should understand that PG-13 is simply the movie industry’s opinion of what is appropriate for a teenager – not what is moral, valuable, pure, or holy. This is the value system for a corrupt and fallen world. Your goal as a concerned parent is to teach your child to have a biblical world view, not learn how to adapt to the world’s value system. And you can begin teaching your child to think by discussing his entertainment choices on an item by item basis.
You didn’t say anything about video games, website activity, or music. How is he making those entertainment choices right now? I believe that you should look at all his entertainment choices with him simply to find out what has been influencing him recently. Then I believe you and your spouse should commit this issue to prayer for 30 days. Tell your son that you will have reasonable guidelines in a month. Ask him to pray for wisdom as well. During this 30 day period, you and your spouse should discuss what is appropriate for your home and what isn’t. Try to spend at least 10 minutes a day discussing, researching, and evaluating. You are in the middle of a spiritual war for the heart and mind of your son so you need to take this seriously.
After 15 days have a “meeting” with your son and get his opinions in your search for appropriate family entertainment guidelines. Tell him that you will consider his opinion as you set guidelines. Continue to pray and discuss potential guidelines for the full 30 day period. At the end of 30 days have another meeting with your son about what you have decided. Remember it is always dangerous to make “blanket” and sweeping statements. Ie, ”Only Christian music in the home!!” “No FPS (first person shooter) video games in the home!” Etc, etc. Also, remember to include yourself in the guidelines. If it is wrong for your son, should it be appropriate for Mom and Dad? Morals don’t change after your kids go to bed.
I suggest that you write down specific biblical principles and be willing to discuss how each form of entertainment matches up. Just because the values are in digital form doesn’t mean they aren’t an influence. In fact, they are probably a greater influence if they come at you as entertainment rather than as a lecture.
When my family set entertainment guidelines, we had three main rules. 1) We decided that we weren’t going to allow anyone into our home who was going to have sex on our living room floor. That made our decision easier when we chose appropriate videos and movies. 2) We decided that we weren’t going to allow anyone into our home who was going to curse our God or mock His Values. That made it easier on which music we were going to choose. 3) We decided that we weren’t going to allow anyone into our home who was going to teach our children how to kill or maim others. That helped us with our video game choices.
Think about it. If you won’t accept immoral behavior in your home from your friends and neighbors, just because it has become digitized, why would you allow it in your home from a stranger ?
Hope this helps as you decide what is appropriate for your home.
In His service and yours,
Al Menconi
Sir,
We have an 8 year old son who is interested in Star Wars…consequently we are also very interested in
Star Wars. He has asked us if he can play Star Wars Battle Front I or II at his friend’s house. A little background…we do not have a gaming system in our home, all his friends do. Playing games on the Playstation is a big draw when he is at their homes. His friends have told him there are some
bad words in the game. Have you reviewed this game or know of another reputable source that may have reviewed this and other Star Wars games. As of now I have told him the game is off limits until I can get more information about language, violence etc. Thank you for the work you are doing in helping to protect my son!
A worried Mom
MY ANSWER
Dear Worried Mom,
We have 100s of game reviews and articles on our site including reviews for five different Star Wars games. Battle Front should be similar to the other Star Wars reviews. After reading one or two of them you should have a good idea if Battle Front is suitable for your son.
You didn’t ask, but I believe that you are correct in NOT having a game console in your home. An eight year-old should be encouraged to play outside and to learn how to communicate with children his own age IN PERSON – not setting at a table learning how to kill digital aliens. We find that a large percentage of today’s children communicate better in a digital world than they do in the REAL world.
Do your best to keep a game console out of your home for as long as you are able. If you are able to, research has shown that you will have more communication with your son, more likely to have a well-rounded child, and more likely to have a child who understands Bible principles.
If he just MUST have a video gaming system, I suggest getting games geared for his age that work on your home PC system. Having a separate game system in the home is like having an eight hundred pound gorilla – you always have to “feed” it. But you don’t feel the same pressure if your games are limited to the PC.
Also, remember a T-rated game such as the Star Wars series is the equivalent of a PG-13 or R rated movie. If you allow him to play a T rated game as an 8-year-old what will he want to play when he is a teen? The decisions you make today will affect future decisions. Life is a series of choices and choices have consequences.
Being a parent isn’t for wimps – and the questions will get deeper as he gets older. Don’t forget to spend quality time in prayer for your son. Also, we have 100s of articles on our site (www.AlMenconi.com) that could help you set proper guidelines and to help you teach your child to think biblically.
Hope this has been an encouragement.
In His,
Al Menconi