I recently came across a quote from Elder M. Russell Ballard that stopped me in my tracks: “The choices we make in media can be symbolic of the choices we make in life. Choosing the trendy, the titillating, the tawdry in the TV programs or movies we watch can cause us to end up, if we’re not careful, choosing the same things in the lives we live.” 1
That quote made me pause and consider how the media I consume affects me—and how intentional I am about what I choose to watch, listen to, and read.
Growing up in the 80s and 90s, many youth heard a simple standard in Church culture: “Don’t watch R-rated movies.” It was clear and easy to follow.
Other media wasn’t as regulated. TV shows and video games had no ratings, and parental advisory labels on music didn’t appear until 1990. If an album had that sticker, you knew to avoid it.
Today, everything has a rating—but that doesn’t mean those ratings can always be trusted.
Elder Ballard warned: “Each year the new shows seem to get worse, pushing the envelope of what the public will accept.” 2
Rather than relying solely on ratings, For the Strength of Youth offers simple and powerful guidance:
- Seek that which uplifts, inspires, and invites the Spirit.
- As you make choices about what to watch, read, listen to, or participate in, think about how it makes you feel. Does it invite good thoughts? Stay away from anything that mocks sacred things or that is immoral.
- Be careful that your use of technology and media does not replace spending in-person time with family and friends.
A gauge we can always use is what we’re participating in makes us feel. The Holy Ghost is a critical in the process of making decisions about the media we in which we participate. You make better choices when you can see things clearly. That’s why light is so important: light makes it easier to see the right path. Heavenly Father has given you access to heavenly light—the gift of the Holy Ghost—to help you see clearly what is good and bad, right and wrong.
In Moroni chapter 10, Moroni taught: “By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”
The Spirit can guide our media choices—but only if we are willing to listen and act. If something feels wrong, that’s a signal to stop. We can’t assume harmful content won’t affect us simply because we attend Church or read our scriptures.
Consuming damaging media while trying to live the gospel is like eating junk food while exercising—it may reduce the effects, but it doesn’t eliminate them. What we consume matters. In a world full of noise, the companionship of the Holy Ghost isn’t optional—it’s essential to our spiritual survival.
- M. Russell Ballard, Let Our Voices Be Heard, General Conference, Oct. 2003, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2003/10/let-our-voices-be-heard?lang=eng ↩︎
- M. Russell Ballard, Let Our Voices Be Heard, General Conference, Oct. 2003, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2003/10/let-our-voices-be-heard?lang=eng ↩︎
