Christianity And Explicit Content: Do we have the freedom in Christ to enjoy immorally motivated fiction?

In an article I wrote recently, located here, I wrote about the moral quandary that a character that I made-up had about his Christian responsibilities to represent Jesus and what he stood for and the legal permission to enjoy entertainment that utilizes immorality like murder and theft to tell a story. My fictional character, knew that him being a legal adult he had access to forms of entertainment that he would discourage children and youth from partaking of, such as violent video games. I suggested that a Christian should feel free to enjoy non-Christian forms of entertainment which includes those with a M (for mature) rating.

I however also, but merely, alluded to a school-of-thought that a form of entertainment that promotes evil, e.g. violence, crime, sexual immorality, etc. should not be a part of a Christian's entertainment library because the nature of those actions is evil; and thus the act of entertaining evil so to be entertained is ontologically evil; it doesn't represent what Jesus would promote and so the Christian should likewise not promote it. What might encourage such legalism? Philippians 4:4-5 & 8 clearly encourages us Christians to

Rejoice in the Lord always. ... Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  ... Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Paul encourages the Philippian church to 'rejoice' on the "...grounds and occasions..."[i] that warrant rejoicing; and examples that fall into any of the above categories: true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable would be grounds for rejoicing. As such then murder, theft, physical assault, foul language, sexual immorality - all facets that are not noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable - should not be a part of one's life, even fictionally. Moreover, Paul encourages us to 'dwell' (λογίζομαι [logizomai][ii]) (cf. Phil. 4:8 - NASB) or reflect[iii] on such things. One could argue then that engaging into entertainment that has an immoral content, especially if it is the type of genre one likes, is dwelling or reflecting on the opposite of what Jesus would have us do.

Furthermore Paul informs the Corinthian church that an aspect of the nature of love is that it "...does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." - 1 Corinthians 13:6. The phrase 'but rejoices' (sygchairō [συγχαίρω])[iv]) connotes celebration[v] - thus 'but celebrates', - with the truth. This begs the question then: what is the truth? Paul tells the Galatians that

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. - Galatians 5: 19-21

In vs. 21, rendered in the NASB as, "those who practise"  (prassō [πράσσω][vi]) Paul warns us that those who practice such deeds will not inherit the kingdom of God.

So we are called to not delight (NASB / chairō [χαίρω][vii]) in or rejoice in or be 'glad'[viii]) in evil, but celebrate the truth namely the desires of the flesh are to be steered clear of because they are condemning.

USA Today journalist, Julia Savacool points out that thousands of people play "...violent games and not [go] on to steal motor vehicles, join organized crime gangs or physically assault other people.[ix] In the same way, thousands of Christians enjoy non-child-safe games and watch television shows and movies that are geared for adults, but still live their life as Christ would have them do; but are they? Is it not hypocritical for a Christian to speak out against the immorality of the maltreatment of people yet condone it for adults via video games such as Grand Theft Auto, but restrict such entertainment from children? When the Christian enjoys a murder mystery or an episode of CSI aren't they being 'glad' with 'the world's den of violence and debauchery in its fictional form? Arm't Christians called to a higher standard and demonstrate Godliness in virtually everything they do (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:31), which would logically include entertainment? Thus doesn't the Bible restrict Christian to exclusively God glorifying content?

It is not hypocrisy for a Christian to speak out against the mistreatment of people but enjoy without apology entertainment that involves moral crimes; and when a Christian enjoys a murder mystery or some crime drama, or even a story about bad-guys doing bad things such as the blockbuster movie Ocean's Eleven they aren't by necessity being 'glad' with such worldly values. 

One can easily enjoy a story and still be hotly against the morals that it may portray to move the story forward.

Christians are called to a higher standard in how we live our lives in both word, deed and thought; and the Bible does not restrict Christian to exclusively Christian propaganda.

Paul commands his readers in 1 Corinthians 8 to refrain from eating meat that was sacrificed to idols; but it wasn't because the meat was prepared for a fake god that taints the meat, but rather it is for the sake of new the believers whose faith may be negatively effected if they see mature Christians eat such meat. Even though for the Christian the meat is just that 'meat' i.e. food, its preparation for idols may give the message that eating of food with such preparation is parallel to endorsing service to idols.

In the same way then forms of entertainment are perks, not priorities; ones faith and representation of Christ comes first and as such a Christian may feel the necessity to discontinue fictionally violent  entertainment for the sake of those younger Christians in their life who may be turn off or understand the wrong message; and to also be witness for those who are yet still dead in their sins, (cf. Ephesians 2:1).

However Paul makes it clear not to force that sort of practice onto other Christians. To the Romans he states:

One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. - Romans 14:1-3

In the same way then, the one who chooses to activate his freedom in Christ to partake of certain kinds of appropriate but morally questionable content in entertainment "must not treat with contempt the one who does [not.]" But the one who chooses not to "must not judge the one who [does.]" Of course each person should be given the chance to explain why they hold to their view and let the hearer make the choice for themselves.

However do we really have the freedom in Christ to partake of fictional entertainment with immoral values? To put it simply evil is a part of this world; even the most God glorifying, Gospel focused movie or book will have, perhaps even 'must have' a villain with a level of immorality - in fact the Gospel message only makes sense in light of evil. So if one is going to forego immorally motivated entertainment then they will have to be prepared to be limited to a very small array of novels, movies or television shows. Christians have the responsibility to represent Christ and thus just as a parent does with a child the Christian is commissioned to teach Christlikeness and show it in their life; however playing a fictional thief or reading about a murder in a novel is not killing (cf. Exodus 20:13) or stealing (cf. Exodus 20:15). As pointed out in the previous article one has to ensure that they effectively separate their two worlds - fiction and factual.

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[i] - http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/Dictionary/viewTopic.cfm?topic=VT0002348 - accessed April 12, 2014
[ii]  - http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Phl&c=4&t=NIV#s=t_conc_1107008 - accessed April 12, 2014 
[iii] - http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/Dictionary/viewTopic.cfm?topic=VT0002977 - accessed April 12, 2014
[iv] - http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=1Co&c=13&t=NIV&p=0#s=t_conc_1075006 - accessed April 12, 2014
[v] - http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/Dictionary/viewTopic.cfm?topic=VT0002348 - accessed April 12, 2014
[vi] - http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Gal&c=5&t=NIV#s=t_conc_1096021 - accessed April 12, 2014
[vii] - http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=1Co&c=13&t=NIV#s=t_conc_1075006 - accessed April 12, 2014
[viii] - http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G5463&t=NIV - accessed April 12, 2014
[ix] - http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2014/03/30/video-games-violence/6437253/ - accessed April 12, 2014