How the Media Effects Youth

 A recent article on CNN.com comes as no surprise-- at least not to me! The article (linked below), titled "Study links sexual content on TV to teen pregnancy" said:

"Researchers... found that adolescents with a high level of exposure to television shows with sexual content are twice as likely to get pregnant or impregnate someone as those who saw fewer programs of this kind over a period of three years."http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/11/03/teen.pregnancy/index.html

Young people are being morally attacked on all sides. Television shows, movies, and social networking sites like "MySpace" and "Facebook" portray lewd behavior and loose morals as "normal," "desirable," and "no big deal." How much heartache and regret could be spared if only we encourage our youth to abandon the world's ideals, and look inside themselves for their God-given talents and gifts?Some hard questions I've been asking myself include:

• Do our youth spend so much time being "busy" with extra curricular activities, that they have no personal, quiet time to commune with God, and ponder on their personal beliefs and testimonies?
• Do we allow things in our home that teach our children ideas that are contrary to what my husband and I have taught them?
• Are we letting the morals of the world creep little by little into our home and family culture?
• What can we eliminate TODAY that will allow more peace, harmony, and light to fill our home?

I've come to the conclusion that most movies, even if they're "fun" or "cute" or "funny", do not need to be seen by our family. Our Youth will still have lots of interesting things to talk about, even if they're not "caught up" on the latest television programs. My children do not need to be active on social networking sites in order to have friends. And each child only participates in activities away from our home and hearth that will lift them and bring them closer to God and the fulfillment of their life's missions. They do not require all kinds of lessons and activities in order to become "well-rounded" or educated.

Our children will not be deprived if we close our doors on the world. In fact, we will be doing our families a huge favor if we "abandon our cottages in Babylon" and turn our backs on the "Great and Spacious Building."

With the Lord's help we can do it-- and the futures of our children will be even brighter.