Who loves watching movies?
A lot of people wonder about how to tell if a movie is appropriate. Why does it even matter? For the Strength of Youth says, “Whatever you read, listen to, or look at has an effect on you. Therefore, choose only entertainment and media that uplift you. Good entertainment will help you to have good thoughts and make righteous choices. It will allow you to enjoy yourself without losing the Spirit of the Lord” (17).
Just because it is historical doesn’t mean it is good. Seeing any kind of violence—whether the violence is historically accurate or not—can dull our spiritual senses and affect our actions. The Church has produced some excellent historical films that, of necessity, contain images of war or bloodshed. But they do it in such a way that the images are not graphic or gruesome and the movies do not glorify the violence taking place. For the Strength of Youth says, “Do not attend, view, or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in entertainment that in any way presents immorality or violent behavior as acceptable.” Historical accuracy does not trump spiritual appropriateness, no matter what story is being told.
In August of 2001, President Henry B. Eyring gave a remarkable prophecy. He said that LDS youth cannot just “go with the flow” anymore and expect to remain righteous. He then prophesied of what is to come in the future: “The flow has become a flood and soon will be a torrent. It will become a torrent of sounds and sights and sensations that invite temptation and offend the Spirit of God.”
Just a few short months after President Eyring prophesied of the torrent of sounds, sights, and sensations about to hit our youth, the first iPod was introduced to the general public. Two years later, the first video iPod came out. The youth of today are the first generation to be able to carry thousands of songs, images, and videos in the palm of their hand, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
