By Dr. Ted Baehr, Publisher, and Dr. Tom Snyder, Editor
Another disturbing survey crossed our desks this week about the faith of America’s young people.
A new poll from the Pew Research Center shows that the number of young Americans born since 1981 who never doubt the existence of God has declined from 83 percent in 2007 to 68 percent in 2012.
In contrast to this, the religious beliefs of people born from 1928 to 1945, 1946 to 1964, and from 1965 to 1980 have stayed relatively the same, with at least 75% or more never doubting God’s existence.
This new poll reflects the findings of other surveys that up to 75 percent of Christian youths are leaving the church and leaving the faith of their parents. In fact, according to a recent survey of these young “Millennials” by the Public Religion Research Institute and Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, more than half of non-religious American youths born since 1981 have abandoned their childhood faith.
The problem also applies to conservative ideals.
In 2007, 46 percent of Millennials agreed that books with “dangerous” ideas should not be permitted in public school libraries, but only 28 percent agree with that idea in 2012.
Similar declines can be found in other social conservative values measured by Pew, such as identification with “old-fashioned” values about family and marriage, school boards should be able to fire openly homosexual teachers, women should return to their “traditional” roles, and opposition to same-sex marriage.
Some of the Pew questions are a little too vague to be truly reliable. For example, books with “dangerous” ideas may include a really wide range of definitions. But, if you ask people whether public school libraries should carry books with pornographic ideas and pictures or promoting Nazi Party ideals, most people might agree.
That said, this new survey clearly shows the impact that the mass media has had since the 1980s in corrupting and subvert the family values of America.
Even Vice President Joe Biden, who’s defiantly turned his back on his family’s Catholic Christian roots, recognized the impact of the mass media recently when he vociferously praised the 1990s TV show WILL & GRACE for making homosexual perversion not only acceptable but highly desirable to a large portion of America’s citizens.
Of course, WILL & GRACE was just the latest, though perhaps most successful, cultural artifact to corrupt America’s Christian, biblical, and conservative or traditional roots. The promotion of homosexual acts, and other hedonistic pagan values, on TV actually began as far back as 1968 with some episodes of ALL IN THE FAMILY, followed by the comedy SOAP in the late 1970s.
Also, as we’ve noted before, the corruption of American society received a huge boost when the Church totally abandoned Hollywood in 1966, and Hollywood adopted new motion picture ratings in November 1968.
Within three years of the Church abandoning Hollywood, the movie industry went from THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD to the first sex and satanism movie, from THE SOUND OF MUSIC to the first X-rated movie, and from THE LONGEST DAY and THE ALAMO to the R-rated M*A*S*H, which mocked Christian faith and ridiculed American patriotism. In the wake of this villainy, Mr. Smith left Washington, the Bells of St. Mary stopped ringing across the land, and the quality of life diminished in the United States – especially for families, women, and children.
Things began to turn around in the 1980s when this ministry was founded, and Jerry Falwell formed the Moral Majority. The Moral Majority is long gone, but this ministry is still here, and we are having more success than ever!
For example, since we began MOVIEGUIDE® in 1985, the number of movies with strong Christian content has increased from one or two to more than 60! Also, since we began the Annual MOVIEGUIDE® Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry in 1993, the number of major movies with at least some Christian content has increased from 10.38% to 56.62%! Finally, nearly every day we are being asked to consult with screenwriters, producers, and other filmmakers in Hollywood about their family-friendly and Christian-friendly projects.
Despite many positive changes (especially in the movie industry) like these numbers, the culture still has many toxic influences tearing apart the biblical, moral, and spiritual foundations undergirding Faith and Family. These foundations are vital to even a minimal level of decency in any “civilized” society.
What’s the solution to this ongoing onslaught or jihad against the Good, the True, and the Beautiful? What’s the solution to toxic culture like SOAP, WILL & GRACE, and MODERN FAMILY?
First of all, please make sure your children and grandchildren know Jesus. Please make sure they get the biblical education they need in order to navigate the torturous waters of mass media terrorism. Also, please turn to the Christian Film & Television Commission®, www.movieguide.org, and www.theculturewatch.com for biblical wisdom, media wisdom, and cultural wisdom.
The mass media creates the culture that shapes the minds, hearts, and souls of future generations – our children and grandchildren.
To paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt, if you educate a man’s mind but not his heart and soul, all you will get is an educated barbarian.
So, please stand with Movieguide®, the Culture Watch, and the Christian Film & Television Commission® against the mass media seduction that’s infecting and corrupting America’s newest generation. Help us inoculate you and your family!
We are here to serve your needs and aid your walk with Jesus – to expose “the fruitless deeds of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11); to reward and commend the Good, the True, and the Beautiful; and to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the best solution to mass media seduction, mass media hysteria, mass media sexual terrorism, mass media child abuse, mass media propaganda, mass media ignorance, and mass media foolishness.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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