Violence As Entertainment

What can you tell about a person by what he/she calls entertainment? I had this thought again as I finished watching the epic, The North and South. I had seen some of it many years ago and remembered it as I watched. By the time we reached the end of the second book of the DVD series, I thought the next portion would not have as much violence since the Civil War was over.

I did remember from my study of history that it was an unsettling time for our whole country. I expected to see the Klu Klux Klan and the difficult times the South would have and the North too. What I did not expect was the fact the chief villain was still alive in the third book, having survived an explosion of gunpowder ignited by a fire. What I also did not expect was how much I wanted that man dead! Now, this is only a movie, I know that, but I hated the way it made me feel. Although these emotions were brought on by manufactured visual effects, they were feeling real to me, nevertheless.

I decided I had seen enough violence and went to read a book. About 45 minutes later, I glanced at the TV once, just in time to see that cruel villain stab a woman to death. That image is still in my mind. I cannot believe what I gave my time and attention to. I was entertained by watching horrific battles and senseless abuse. And I had criticized a grandson who watches chainsaw massacres!

If people are entertained by watching violence and abuse, I would ask how can we not expect it to spill over into our culture? I know it was an old series and the violence was mild by today's standards. I also know that this method by which we seek to entertain ourselves has escalated to new lows of filth and terrifying cruelty, but what does that say about us? I understand violence is sung about as though it is praiseworthy. It is in video games all the time. But, how can we guard our thought life, from which our actions come, if we are being entertained by such violence? It makes me remember the scripture. "As a man thinks, so is he." Indeed! Doma