Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 8/1/2009

Question
I'm 16 and I am a fan of rock and rap music, some of it's Christian rock and rap but I also like lots of secular music. Then I have a few favorite TV shows (Family Guy, The Simpsons, Robot Chicken) movies (Horror and Comedy) and video games (first person shooter). I know not all of these are Christian but my Dad says I should enjoy being a teenager and not worry about trying to clean up what I do for entertainment and my Mom wants me to throw out every secular thing I own.

I have done that before, I threw out a collection of DVD's and erased about 50 songs from my IPOD. The thing is that I had collected everything again within a few weeks. I really don't want to throw anything out. I'm a good Christian, I pray, I go to Bible Study every week, I help people and I enjoy going to church. I just can't see myself throwing out all of my entertainment and my father agrees with me. What is your opinion?

Answer
Hi Gerrick,

Thank you for this great question.  It always gets interesting when we try to find personal standards for things not mentioned specifically in the Bible.... everyone has an opinion... which way should we go?  You know what you listen to, what they say, what they stand for, what you fill your mind with... now you need to figure out if it is OK with God or not... you don't have to get it past me, or your dad or your mom... Jesus needs to be OK with it.  He is the one that died for you and He is the one that owns you.

1 Corinthians 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

With that in mind there are some things that are fine to do, but you need to KNOW that they are OK... if you have any doubt that it is OK, then in is not OK for you.

Romans 14:23  And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Would you listen to these things if Jesus were in the room... would you watch these things?  If so, then have at it... if not.... you know what you must do.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don