I will also admit, I LOVE SATC. It's funny, the actors are great, and the clothes are nice to look at. Like most people out there, my life is nothing like the lives of the four main women. I do not go out to clubs every weekend, have one-night stands, or buy myself Monolos and Choos all the time. I think it is okay to watch shows that disagree with your values if you believe that they will not corrupt yours. We should be exposed to diversity and make our own decisions. Television and movies are nothing like the real world, but can still have a big influence. You have to decide if you and/or your children will not be influenced by it.

I think it's a personal decision based on personal convictions, but I've been thinking about this a lot lately.

I believe everything I do should be bringing me closer to God. I don't think that means everything has to be Christian, but I do think hard about some of the things I'm choosing to watch. Even "mindless" things are feeding into my brain, and they become a part of my mind. I don't believe God expects us to read the Bible or watch only Christian tv, but I do believe I should be communing with Him every minute. I don't want to watch things that interrupt that communion.

I know that there will always be people more conservative than me and less conservative than me. What I do is try to remember to pray and ask God before I watch things..

I watch things that I know offend some people, and I certainly haven't solved this issue. I think I'm getting more concerned about this as I get older; I'm no Puritan, but I find it harder and harder to justify watching things just because they're enjoyable. I want my mind to be pure so that I can be as full of Christ as possible, even though I still fail often in this area. The Bible says I have the mind of Christ. I don't want to pollute that gift.

I watch shows and listen to music that isn't Christian.  In fact, some of it promotes un-Christian ideals.  I draw the line when I see it affecting me in a negative way, or it making me uncomfortable because a little voice in my head is saying, "I shouldn't be around this."  A friend introduced me to some songs by Eminem.  I loved the music.  The lyrics, however, were horrendous  They were completely debased and so after a while, I decided that I had to stop listening to it, and I did.  I never regretted that decision either.  But as long as something isn't noticeably affecting you in a negative way and your gut isn't telling you its wrong, I think you're fine.

@TiRocKiinPiinK@xanga - I remember talking to a friend one time at a church event and the subject of reading came up. I mentioned I was reading Harry Potter. She didn't say anything to bad to me, but the look on her face said it all. I was honestly shocked to receive that kind of reaction.

I just think back to my childhood and I don't recall large protests related to Cinderlla or Sleeping Beauty. Those stories have "magic" in them, too. *sigh* oh well.

..I think it's a bit silly to not watch a show over how Christian it is or isn't.
Isn't that a little discriminatory?

Nevertheless, just because you like to watch something, does not mean you totally agree with the happenings of the show. Tv shows are for entertainment for the most part - there's no ppoint in over analysing them.

Furthermore, SATC is known to be a show aimed at a more mature demographic. I'm sure it's viewers know well enough what their beliefs are and that they shouldn't always behave the way made up characters on tv do.

Your "ear and eyegate"?!  Omg.  Get the vomit bucket. Come on.  Seriously.  I hate it when people idealize life.  That says one of two things to me: either they've never had anything eventful or difficult happen to them (in which case they should realize that they have it SO easy), or they're living in a fabricated delusion of massive amounts of denial, in which case I feel sorry for them. I would never be so holier-than-though as to preach to people about the kinds of entertainment they indulge in!  What these people don't realize or won't accept is that life is MESSY, life is dirty and unorganized and imperfect in every way.  What's important is not that we pretend we're so righteous and lecture other Christians about it (remember the verse--"There is none righteous, no not one"?) but that we show compassion, honesty, loyalty for our fellow people.  Yes, we are called upon to make an example. No, I do not think people should watch porn.  But there's a very human medium.  We all fall short of the glory of God, so why bother pretending you're purer than someone else?  Be true to yourself, but don't overdo the "rules."  That isn't what being a Christian is about.  It's about being fallen, and still having faith.  All the stories in the Bible--the people we remember are the ones who had fallen so badly that all they could do was plead for Christ to take mercy on their souls.  And what happened?  The lowliest tax collector, the adulteress, the hurt, the sick, the dead girl--all of these people who were the dregs of society became His champions.  Remember the "poor in spirit"?  And how "theirs is the kingdon of Heaven"?  Need I remind people that God Himself came to earth in human form, because He cared so much about us lowly humans?  He calls us in the same way, to go to those who need us.  Not to waste our time worrying about ourselves and keeping ourselves on moral high ground.  Souls are for sharing. 

And miss marigold--  way to go!

Am I the only one who believes that what we watch can affect our relationship with God? I wouldn't tell anyone where the line is, but I believe there is a line.

Isaiah 33:15 instructs us to shut our eyes against contemplating evil. Maybe I'm the only one, but there are some things that interrupt my communion with God when I watch them, and I'm not talking about porn. Even just watching too much of a good thing can take my mind away from being centered on God. Isaiah 26:3 says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." That's where I want to stay.

I don't think I'm horribly conservative. I watch popular shows. But I do believe that what we watch affects our minds. I'm not going to go out and commit adultery because I saw someone do it on tv; that doesn't mean my mind isn't affected by seeing things that dishonor God.

I don't expect people to have the exact standards I have, but I am surprised that people would argue for not having any standards short of not viewing porn.

Please don't think I am setting myself up as more holy than anyone else; I am trying to work this issue out in my life currently. I do believe that I am called to have a pure mind and that if I watch impure things, those things enter my mind and after a while, they will have an effect. I just don't want to interrupt the flow of the Holy Spirit in my life.

Edited to add: I love Harry Potter

I am a Jesus follower 24 hours a day, 7 days a week....not just when it is convenient for me or if I want to watch something that does my soul absolutely no good at all.
What if Jesus did not die on the cross for your sin....it was really not what He wanted to do at the time......where would you be???
Call me a freak if you want but if I cannot read something or watch something on TV or in the movies, that I could not share with my Lord....I would rather not.....I would rather error on the side of caution.....as they say "garbage in, garbage out.

@SunnySusan@xanga - I totally agree. Thanks for this.

@Nikolais_apprentice@xanga - I am sorry souls are for saving and Jesus did this.....He came as a "lowly human" without sin because we could not save ourselves.....

Read your Bible......He called us to be perfect as He is perfect......we can only do that if we plead the blood of Jesus.....we cannot do that if we are filling our heads and souls with mindless junk of the world....we need to share Jesus with the world yes....Jesus did eat with tax collectors and thieves and prostitutes but He did NOT become one.....you are becoming one with your TV......that is not how to "share your soul"

I don't watch SATC because I can't stand ditzy, shallow women. It has nothing to do with the content, and I've been known to watch Family Guy, The Simpsons, and South Park. Although those 3 shows all have had some very interesting religious commentary on them at times.

@SunnySusan@xanga - Didn't I just prove that I've read my Bible?  I never said He became a theif/tax collector/prostitute.  But He ate with them and related with them.  I also never argued that we should fill our heads with mindless junk, but what I DID argue was against people who put themselves in a bubble to avoid contaminating what they believe is their perfect Godlike life.  Newsflash--you are not perfect like Jesus, and you won't be.  He calls upon you to try to be like Him, not to think you already are.  In your line of thinking, I shouldn't make friends with gay people or smokers, alcoholics, drug addicts, people who have premarital sex, people who have been convicted of crimes... right?  Because that would be exposing myself to the "junk of the world," wouldn't it?