September 2004
WUGGIE'S MUSIC, MEDIA AND MORE!
Ratings System:
++ Christian - made specifically by Christians for Christians
+ Secular - but contains nothing offensive to most Christians, probably made by Christians trying to exert influence in secular media.
M Mature content. Not necessarily offensive, but parents should be careful before allowing exposure to children and pre-teens.
X Mature content. For mature teens, firm in their convictions and morals, who have received much parental guidance.
XX Contains very mature, problematic content. Parents should seriously consider restricting exposure to teens.
XXX Completely offensive. Not only should teens be restricted, but adults may want to question their own exposure.
Remember, my reviews are strictly my opinion, and no substitute for your good judgment
Wife Swap / TV Show / XX
Even though the show won't hit the airwaves until the Fall season in September, and I haven't seen anything but the commercials for it, I am writing a review. The review therefore, is of the commercials for the program, as I can't actually review the show before I see it. The commercials say things such as, "Want a new life? Get a new wife!" and "Take my wife please".
The institution of marriage in our society is crumbling. Laws from Massachusetts to California are being rewritten to redefine what marriage is. The permanent nature of a marriage between a man and a woman, the God given model for marriage, was enshrined in our nations laws from the outset. These laws are falling fast, and the understanding of what marriage is, is crumbling away in our secular society. Make no mistake. Wife Swap is capitalizing on this hot trend in our society.
You may be tempted to think, "As a Christian, I have a Biblical perception of marriage. I understand that God meant marriage to be a lifelong commitment between one woman and one man. No TV show is going to change that. I'll watch it because it's being advertised so heavily and I want to see what it is about." Fair. Here is some more food for thought. ABC executives are very smart cookies. They began running the ads for Wife Swap during the NBA Finals in June. They are counting on you thinking the above thoughts. They are counting on you watching the show. They are 'pushing the envelope' to make money and power. By falling into their trap, we not only encourage them to continue to push the envelope, but we enable them. That's how it works. There is no disputing the mechanics of 21st century entertainment media.
Still, one may wonder what the harm is to someone with good steady morals. Please, think for a minute, when have you seen commercials for Wife Swap? I saw them first during the NBA Finals. Did you? Did you see them with your kids? They aren't running these commercials in the middle of the night. They are running them during family viewing times. So, kids are seeing them. Kids are going to see the show. Your adult Christian Biblical view of marriage may be safe, but is your kids'? Without a strong statement on your part of what is God's definition of marriage, without a purposeful effort on your part to shape the values and views of marriage of your kids, your kids will be taught instead by the ABC executives and a secular society. There is no stronger statement than not allowing the show in your house. There is no more purposeful effort than turning to your kids on the couch after watching a commercial for Wife Swap and telling them what you think.
What you do is up to you, I submit the above as food for thought. The realities of our society and 21st century media, however, are undeniable; and it is my job to bring them to light.
Note: I know someone is going to point out that the series' premise is two married women switching families for 10 days and assume each other's housework. That premise is absent in the commercials which are doing everything to play up the connotation of the swapping of wives for other purposes. There is no excuse for a premise that erodes the concept of the family united under God.
Another note: Divorce is a reality in Christian families as well as non. A divorced parent is in no less of a position to teach their children about God's plan for marriage than is a married parent. A Christian is a fallen and repentant sinner who recognizes God's perfect plan - A Christian is not a perfect person. Neither is a Christian someone who excuses sin because of the realities of society or someone else's sin. Sin is sin. Grace is grace. Praise be to God!
Various Artists / Now That's What I Call Music 16 / XX
The latest installment in the increasingly popular NOW collection is no different from the others. Packed with hits, it really satisfies for just a few bucks. Some of the hits are benign morally, like Hoobastank's "The Reason". Others, like Outkast's "Hey Ya!" I appreciate being separated from their 'mother' disc. "Hey Ya!" is a great song and clean as a whistle, but the band's "Speakerbox / The Love Below" disc (where the song comes from) doesn't squeak quite as much. The problem is songs such as Beyonce's "Naughty Girl", which venerate sexual promiscuity and activity; and Black Eyed Peas' "Hey Mama" which are absolutely disgusting.
Sorry, but if you want a disc full of good music for a cheap price, get a subscription to iTunes and make your own. ITunes is Apple's legal music downloading website: www.iTunes.com. They have thousands of song titles and all the latest hits. You can download each song for 99 cents a song. Check the lyrics first by typing the name of the song and artist into your favorite search engine, or read my review at www.Redeemer Birmingham.org. If you approve, download the song from iTues, and burn it to CD, or transfer it to an iPod.
Another really great idea is to check out the WOW collection. NOW is just a secular rip-off of the Christian WOW series. Each 2-disc WOW issue is packed with the most popular Christian music artists of the last year. It's a great entry into or survey of the Contemporary Christian music scene.
Taking Back Sunday / Where You Want To Be / X
While there are no four letter words and no in-your-face envelope pushing, the songs on this disc still contain some pretty mature subjects. Topics include: advanced pain from broken relationships, suicide, even a few references to drug use. Still the lyrics are pretty cryptic and not all songs include such mature themes. This is one for which I'd really advise you to read the lyrics yourself if it comes into your house.
Kevin Lyttle / Kevin Lyttle / XXX
The latest Jamaican dancehall breakout is just like the rest. Reggae influenced, great beat, smooth catchy melody, and lyrics that use innuendo to be extremely dirty.
Harvard Media Study
Violence, sex, and profanity in movies increased significantly between 1992 and 2003, while ratings became more lenient, according to a new Harvard study. Research by the Kids Risk Project at the Harvard School of Public Health found a "ratings creep" for movies, and suggested that the Motion Picture Association of America was relaxing standards in rating films.
The study, released Tuesday, suggested that films rated PG and PG-13 had become more violent; that there was more sexual content in PG, PG-13, and R films; and more profanity was used in films rated PG-13 and R.
The researchers said the current rating system does not adequately describe the contents of movies.
"It's time for a significant research effort to explore the development and creation of a universal media rating system," Kimberly Thompson, the associate professor who directs the Kids Risk Project, said in a statement.
The study also found more violence in animated G-rated films than in non-animated films with the same rating and emphasized that animation doesn't guarantee appropriate content.
"Parents must recognize their responsibility in choosing appropriate films with and for their children, and in discussing the messages in films with children to mediate any potential adverse effects and reinforce any potential beneficial effects," the study said.
Associated Press July 14, 2004