Pastors, Christians & "Rated-R" Movies

Posted by Scott Williams
12 Comments
February 4, 2009
Controversy | Got Questions | Hmmmmm | Prison

rated-r1According to the blog rating system this blog is Rated “R” and this rating was determined based on the presence of the following words: sex (16x) dangerous (6x)  and abortion (1x).  I thought this was a family friendly blog… well not according to this unscientific rating system; which poses another question in itself, is there a scientific rating system.

This got me thinking about the whole “Rated-R” thing and whether or not it is appropriate for Christians and Pastors to watch “Rated-R” movies.  I know plenty of people who will not touch “Rated-R” movies with a ten foot pole and that is definitely their prerogative.   Personally,  I used to be a Warden and worked in the Corrections System for over 13 years.  According to the rating standards, my job would have definitely been considered ”Rated-R,” as I witnessed, experienced and heard things that would surpass any “R” rating.   I have friends who have been in the military and law enforcement who will attest to similar accounts in their jobs.  Since I have been in ministry I have to counsel couples and individuals on a regular basis that share some “Rated-R” stories and “Rated-R” experiences.

Although they’re not necessarily  my first choice, I personally will watch a “Rated-R” movie and I believe that as we grow in our relationship with Christ some things will be more convicting than others.  We are all affected in different ways by different things and I believe we have to use discernment and good personal judgement.  Ratings, Ratings, Ratings… I had someone ask me before, what I thought the Bible was Rated?  Hmm

Should Pastors, Christians… watch “Rated-R” Movies?  Do You… Share your thoughts!

  • http://cindybeall.com Cindy Beall

    I think there are some PG-13 movies that we shouldn’t be watching! Seriously, I’ve found myself blushing with my mother in the room while watching one.

    I think you have to decide what you can handle. For me, there are some rated R movies that I can handle better than a PG-13 movie.

    But that’s just me.

  • http://www.theoaksonline.org Mark Brewer

    Hmmm… Personally, it’s been a lot easier on me for the last 15 years to just have a moratorium on Rated R movies. We all have to draw the line somewhere. Being around the lost is probably a lot more R-rated than most of the movies (sans the sex scenes… never have had to witness that while hanging out with the lost), but there’s purpose in “being with the lost” as compared to just “watching what the lost do”.

    Some say things like, “well, it’s rated R because of violence.” I’m not sure if watching the killing of people is any less egregious than having sex outside of marriage. But as with many things, we find a way to justify our personal desires.

    I’m cool with my friends who see all sorts of movies, just have chosen a different bar for myself. It may not always be there. Sure have wanted to drop in a notch or two when watching the trailers…

  • http://cyndiakadisneyqueen.blogspot.com/ Cyndi

    I think it depends on the movie. My huband is not a big go to the movies type person so a lot of the times I am out with girlfriends or my daughters. There are definetely some R-rated movies I would not be able to sit through with my kids, and many I wouldn’t want to sit through with my husband.

  • http://jeffbrame.blogspot.com jbrame

    For me I don’t think its the rating that so much controls my viewing but the content. Sometimes rated R is just for violence and well sadly there are things on news channels that are far worse. Usually sexual content, morbid acts of violence and F-bomb every three seconds keeps me from watching. Recent movie I just was disgusted by was Tropic Thunder, some of the scenes in that movie including a not so funny beheading scene and sexual explicits really kept me thinking this is whats entertaining, wishing the whole time I didn’t rent this? But really the R-rating doesn’t keep me from watching, just content.

  • Mike

    I don’t think this should be a matter of whether or not a movie is rated R. It’s not that simple. There are R, PG-13, and even PG movies worth avoiding.

    What message is the movie intending to send its viewers?

    Would what you’re watching grieve the Spirit of God?

    Generally speaking, we try to avoid movies with sex/nudity, profanity, blasphemy, or anything with a bad message. Over the past months we’ve been “weeding out” such movies in our DVD collection.

    IMDB.com has a link for all listed movies called “view content advisory for parents”. It’s a very useful resource.

    Never forget the weakness of your flesh.

  • kevtherev

    I don’t personally watch R-rated movies anymore. That has cause a few but not many problems. One problem was the Passion of the Christ. It was rated R and didn’t watch it. My wife and I made a commitment that we would not watch any rated r movies and didn’t want to make an exception for what I hear was a very good movie. As a student pastor, we made the commitment to try and challenge our students to living lives of integrity and not try and justify the movies that they watch. I do agree with Mrs. Beall at the top that several pg 13 movies shouldn’t be watched either.

  • http://www.TheOldBlackChurch.blogspot.com Ann Brock

    Scott, I don’t have a problem watching R-Rated movies.

  • http://www.capturedbycheryl.com mearescheryl

    My two cents……for me…..if it feels wrong then I try to follow that feeling…..my choices in movies has changed quite a bit since i became a Christian…….I’m no long attracted to scary movies……just have no desire at all to watch them ………..so it really depends on the content…..what the story line is and if it’s worth having bad dreams over….LOL…..

  • http://www.publishinganswers.com Cheryl Pickett

    Good series!

    I personally rarely watch R stuff. There are a few movies I’m considering renting which are R where I feel the overall story has value if the rating worthy stuff is minimal. Still haven’t decided.

    First, I can’t stand to watch violence against people, even though I know they’re acting and it’s not real. That is not entertaining to me and, has been mentioned, there’s more than enough on the news (I often close my eyes to some video there too).

    With regard to adult content, I have no desire to watch what God clearly wanted to be private between a man and woman. It’s not that the topic can’t be expressed/story can’t be told, but there are ways to suggest what’s happening that get the point across. Intimate nudity is not the same as that in science or even some art. Most of the time in movies now it is used for shock value and the line between R and porn blurs more and more every day. I can’t imagine that’s God’s idea of entertainment.

    It really is too bad that filmmakers think they can’t tell a riveting, edge of your seat or sensual story without constant foul language, violence, offensive jokes or sex. But I also think that if Christians don’t demand otherwise, just watch what’s offered, who else is going to ask things to be different or better? Certainly not the general public. In addition, I think it sends mixed messages to our kids. We say don’t have sex outside marriage, racism is unacceptable, violence against women is a crime etc. but if what we watch for “entertainment” glorifies all of that, how does that support what we’re trying to teach them?

    It’s definitely not an easy issue and one that will likely only get worse. Thanks for starting the conversation.

    Cheryl P.

  • http://paravane.wordpress.com jimmy paravane

    Jesus had good PR men. I can see Judas meeting with the owners of the establishment where he was dining with the whores, pimps, drug dealers and tax collectors to make sure that only PG ones were there that day. It wouldn’t be good if Jesus was seen sharing wine in an R-rated environment with the wrong sorts. It might be judged as enabling…

  • Woody G

    Knowing the line between reality and Hollywood is, in my humble opinion, a lot more important than putting a blindfold on yourself. I think a better topic would be “Should Christians Shop at Wal-Mart” considering that Wal-Mart is notorious for abusing employee rights.

    Bottom line: if you fell uncomfortable watching an R movie, don’t watch it. What someone does in their own home concerns me much less than if they support sustainable and humane business.

  • Allen

    There is a difference between working in an “R” rated environment and sitting down to watch an “R” rated movie that promotes behavior that the bible condemns. If something is not appropriate for your children to watch, certainly, it is not appropriate for you to watch. Read this passage taken from Romans 1 and let me know if you think this passage encourages believers to support an industry to blasphemes the name of the Lord.

    28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

    This passage sounds like what you normally find in an “R” rated move. By watching such movies, according to this passage, you approve of such things.

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