Entertainment Choices

Like any decision, our entertainment choices should be based on Biblical principles.  We examine what the Bible says, then we ask the right questions, then we make a choice.  

Why is this important?  Culture is inherently derived from religious systems in some way. So our response to and participation in culture has to be done with an awareness of this fact.  It's not just a matter of "I like this" or "This is fun", but we are to be pleasing to God in all that we do (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Let's take the scenario of deciding whether or not to go see a given movie, or even rent that movie.

Biblical Principles

This list is by no means exhaustive, but a few principles to consider would include:

• Ephesians 6:1ff - Children should obey their parents
• Phil 4:8 - The content of what we choose to watch, listen to, and surround ourselves with should be right.  Remember we're talking about voluntary choices for entertainment, not leaving the world entirely or failing to witness, which we ought not do (per 1 Corinthians 5:9-13).  Also, objectionable elements are present in the Bible, so this principle has more to do with how objectionable elements are presented vs. whether they are present.  A helpful starting place is here.
• Romans 14:13, 23 - As a Christian, I should not cause another Christian to sin or to violate his conscience, whether correctly informed or not.  My Christian brother's sanctification is more important than my enjoyment of a legitimate activity.

Questions to Ask

These questions are derived from the principles listed above.  You may come up with better questions, but these are a starting point.

1. What guidelines have my authorities established?  
   In the case of Ephesians 6:1, children (who live at home and are dependents) must obey parental guidelines (unless the guideline is something like "Don't read your Bible" or "Don't go to church ever", which God has explicitly commanded).
2. Is this activity right?  This question is derived from Philippians 4:8 and similar passages. 
3. Will this activity cause me to violate my convictions (Romans 14:23)?
   We should realize that sometimes our convictions are derived from habit rather than clear biblical principles. Still, we should consider carefully, rather than quickly throwing out the red flags our consciences raise for us. 
4. Will it cause a fellow Christian to sin if I participate in this activity (Romans 14:13)?  Or, will my actions bring dishonor to Christ, since I profess to be His follower? 
   Part of this question deals with the fact that things which bother us as conservative Christians may not bother Christians from a different background, or our typical lost coworker, for example.  Behavior and belief are connected, but sometimes we tend to emphasize behavior above belief, and become known for "Christians don't do ___" rather than "Christians believe ___."  There are things we shouldn't do, but if we don't also have a clear verbal witness of our biblical basis for how we live, people will miss what's most important: salvation through Christ.  They cannot live right until they have experienced that new life.  Also, we have to get to know fellow Christians in order to recognize what will or will not create a temptation for them to sin. 
5. Am I being a wise steward of resources by participating in this activity? 
   Entertainment is big business and much time or money can be wasted if we're not careful.  Also, we should not make entertainment a higher priority than church or other Christian duties. 

These principles and questions are a helpful approach for future situations.  Once you make a habit of following this process, decisions about specific entertainment choices in the future should take less time and thought to evaluate.