Modern Media—Are They Clean?

We live with our children in a time in which sin is committed in an increasingly open and shameless manner. Immorality is becoming more and more acceptable to our society and is even protected by the laws of our lands. This is evident in what is permitted to be shown in movie theaters, sold in video stores, and even broadcast over radio, television, and the Internet, all in the name of freedom of expression. Filthy language, violence, and pornography have become commonplace and acceptable to an alarmingly large part of our society. It is to be feared that the constant exposure to these extreme forms of immorality also affects the limits of acceptability among the people of our own congregations. What was offensive to our fathers has in many cases become tolerated in light of the evil of our times. It is necessary to be reminded time and again that God’s Word is the standard by which we will be judged. There is no change in the holiness of God, nor of His command to holiness, in light of the wickedness of our day. What we may become accustomed to, the Lord does not become accustomed to. His holiness is unchangeable, and His command is, “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).

How far from this holiness has man gone in his deep fall! Our hearts are naturally inclined to love and desire all that is unholy. In the United States alone this inclination is evident from the prosperity of the pornography industry, which has increased dramatically since the devil has lately been permitted to remove many of the restraints present in our recent past. The most wicked scenes have become available to us by the click of a mouse, in complete confidence. The capability of drinking in all that our evil hearts lust after has become available to us and our children without the fear of embarrassment and rebuke by our fellow-man. These temptations are extremely powerful, especially considering the wicked bent of our natural hearts and the general lack of the fear of the Lord or of an impression of His omniscience. The truth concerning us was declared by Jeremiah, saying, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

With several forms of media, it is not difficult to shield ourselves and our children by way of complete separation. For this reason our synods for many years already have taken their stand against television. For this reason we also warn our children against the movie theater. These forms of entertainment are completely unnecessary and can easily be excluded from our daily lives if there is a little desire to walk in a right way.

As soon, however, as we come across types of media that also have more “legitimate” uses, in the workplace, for example, things become more difficult. Video is such a medium; however, it has been introduced into many homes of our families in the name of “educational entertainment.” This step, however, ought to be taken very seriously and should be resisted, since it immediately opens the door to powerful temptations, especially for our youth. So many videos are readily available to our children for very little cost. The same is true concerning DVDs, which look similar to CDs, but are often used for motion pictures. Do we know, parents, what is being viewed in our own homes in our absence?

“Ah,” you say, “my children would never....” No, parents, do not be so quick to assume the best. If we know a little bit of our own hearts, then we know that we cannot trust ourselves. What, then, about our offspring? “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one” (Job 14:4). Do we truly acknowledge our deep fall and the evil tendency of our hearts? Then we know that we cannot trust ourselves or our children. If we are not kept, we will fall under the slightest temptation; how much more under those which are so powerful? If we truly acknowledge this fact of our utter depravity, then it is clear that our responsibility lies in building walls and fences for the purpose of shielding our loved ones and ourselves from the temptations which surround us daily.

For this reason our synod has taken the stand it has concerning the Internet, namely, disapproval except in cases of necessity. The purpose is to help shield our members from temptations which are too great for our evil flesh to counter. Unfortunately, the “necessity” for many seems to increase continually, whether we like it or not.

The question now becomes what must be done in those increasing number of cases wherein the Internet has become a necessity. It ought to be clear that, as parents, we have a tremendous responsibility. This is no matter to be lightly shrugged off. It concerns the well-being of our children, our families, and congregations. When we bring the Internet into our homes, we bring in a very, very dangerous tool. It has the capability not merely of cutting off fingers or burning flesh, but of destroying souls. When you bring in the Internet, you bring the devil very close. This tool, as useful as it is in itself, he has taken into his wily hands. He is called “the prince of this world,” and to bring the “World Wide Web” (“WWW”) into our homes without great caution and strongly fortified walls of protection is evidence of extreme irresponsibility.

For many parents, this presents a major problem, namely, of ignorance. Technology increases so quickly that we are not able to keep up with its pace. This fact, however, does not take away your responsibility. If you did not know how to protect your family from the threat of electrocution or similar dangers within your home, you would hire a professional to help you with this most important matter of protection. Why should we view the very real threat of the Internet in any other way? If you personally do not know how to protect your family, hire someone who does. This is not a matter to be left in the hands of your children who are more knowledgeable than you in these things. They are the very ones we are trying to protect, along with ourselves. To leave it, then, in their power, is to afford them no protection at all. Remember, we cannot be trusted, and neither can they. As much as this hurts, let us acknowledge this fact and act accordingly.

The matter of filtering the Internet is difficult, complex, and constantly changing. It is beyond the scope of this article and beyond my responsibility to educate concerning the technical matters involved. This, again, ought to be left to those professionals who know what they are doing and who are acquainted with the ever-changing nature of the problem. In general, however, the majority of our families would be better protected by subscribing to a filter service, than by purchasing Internet-filtering software for their individual computers and attempting to do it on their own. Filter-service companies generally filter the Internet content before it even gets to your home. They are continually busy watching and updating their filters to guard against the ever-changing and increasing threats. This kind of protection is available for a very small monthly fee and is generally more effective, especially for those with a limited knowledge of computers, than static software programs which need to be set and updated by the end user. Some software programs now update themselves automatically, which is indeed better, but whether they are as effective as filter services needs to be analyzed by professionals. An additional benefit to using a service, however, is that it is now possible for the filter to function without anyone in the household knowing any password capable of either bypassing or removing the filter. This affords maximum protection for everyone, acknowledging the depravity of our hearts.

Even subscribing to such a service, however, does not mean that we ought to be comfortable simply leaving this whole matter of protecting ourselves and our children in the hands of others. Especially as parents, we remain responsible and ought to be continually involved and watching. Lately it has become possible to use “accountability” along with filtering, which is acknowledged even by the world as very powerful in protecting ourselves and others accessing the Internet. It works like this. Every single person in a household makes himself “accountable” to another person. Children, of course, would be accountable to parents. Husbands and wives may choose to be accountable to each other. Businesses may appoint or hire a special person to whom everyone in their offices is accountable. Once these persons are chosen, the Internet software or filtering service is set up to send an e-mail of every site visited on the Internet, at specified intervals, to the person to whom they are accountable. By a very quick glance it is possible to observe one another’s behavior. In this way, all our work on the Internet becomes transparent. Just this simple knowledge is a powerful restraint. When a person knows that someone else is watching everything they do, they tend to behave. It is sad that we do not believe that the Lord is always watching, and that His omniscience is not a sufficient restraint, but it remains a fact of our deep fall and an evidence of our unbelief. Watching over one another, therefore, is both necessary and at the same time a great blessing. In the case of parents who are not conversant enough with computers to be able to receive or interpret such e-mails, it would be possible, again, to have the messages sent to someone who is able and willing to do this for them, even if for a small fee.

It is impossible for me to name all the dangers which ought to be addressed. Do you realize, parents, for example, that many computers today come with a built-in TV? Is this true of your computer also? Do you realize how easily your children can download movies from the Internet? Many of them are free, and others cost a small fee, but without your knowing it, the theater could be within your own home. And are your children visiting chat-rooms or newsgroups?

Readers, the list of dangers becomes longer every day. Satan is busy. It becomes ever more complex. Are we watching? And if we are incapable of watching, do we have a capable and trustworthy person to watch for us? Do we also have someone to watch us? May the Lord bind our responsibility in these very important matters to our hearts. Let us acknowledge our deep fall and the corruption of our hearts, not only by a confession of doctrine, but also in the practice of our lives, and may the Lord Himself watch over and keep us and our children as we live in this evil time, with an evil heart. “By the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil” (Proverbs 16:6).

— Rev. H. D. den Hollander
(Clifton, NJ)

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