Media

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

"Because of its sheer size, media today presents vast and sharply contrasting options. Opposite from its harmful and permissive side, media offers much that is positive and productive. Television offers history channels, discovery channels, education channels. One can still find movies and TV comedies and dramas that entertain and uplift and accurately depict the consequences of right and wrong. The Internet can be a fabulous tool of information and communication, and there is an unlimited supply of good music in the world. Thus our biggest challenge is to choose wisely what we listen to and what we watch.

"As the prophet Lehi said, because of Christ and His Atonement, we are 'free forever, knowing good from evil,' able to act for ourselves rather than be acted upon, 'free to choose liberty and eternal life . . . or to choose captivity and death' (2 Nephi 2:26–27).

"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.

"If we do not make good choices, the media can devastate our families and pull our children away from the narrow gospel path. In the virtual reality and the perceived reality of large and small screens, family-destructive viewpoints and behavior are regularly portrayed as pleasurable, as stylish, as exciting, and as normal. Often media's most devastating attacks on family are not direct or frontal or openly immoral. Intelligent evil is too cunning for that, knowing that most people still profess belief in family and in traditional values. Rather the attacks are subtle and amoral—issues of right and wrong don't even come up. Immorality and sexual innuendo are everywhere, causing some to believe that because everyone is doing it, it must be all right. This pernicious evil is not out in the street somewhere; it is coming right into our homes, right into the heart of our families" ("Let Our Voices Be Heard," Ensign, Nov. 2003, 16–17).

• "An Ensign to the Nations, a Light to the World"

  Gordon B. Hinckley, Liahona, Nov. 2003, 82–85; or Ensign, Nov. 2003, 82–85
  You face tremendous temptation. It comes at you in the halls of popular entertainment, on the Internet, in the movies, on television, in cheap literature, and in other ways.

• "Leave It Alone"

  H. Burke Peterson, Liahona, Sept. 1995, 42–45; or New Era, Jan. 1995, 44–47
  Stay away from any movie, video, publication, or music—regardless of its rating—where illicit behavior and expressions are part of the action.

• "Q&A: Questions and Answers"

  New Era, Sept. 1993, 16–18
  We know we should always be learning from good books. The problem is how to know which books are good.

• "The Message: Mushrooms, Music, Movies, and Magazines"

  Spencer J. Condie, New Era, Feb. 1990, 4–6
  Just as there are different kinds of poisonous mushrooms, so are there different kinds of music, movies, and magazines that poison the spirits of men and women.

• "Rated A"

  Marvin J. Ashton, Ensign, Nov. 1977, 71–73
  As each of us uses our free agency to choose the material that enters our lives, we ought to recognize that the battle between "Rated A" and "Rated X" is part of the war that began in heaven.

• "Opposing Evil"

  Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Nov. 1975, 38–40
  I am satisfied that there is no need to stand still and let the filth and violence overwhelm us, or to run in despair. The tide, high and menacing as it is, can be turned back.

• "Let Our Voices Be Heard"

  M. Russell Ballard, Liahona, Nov. 2003, 16–19; or Ensign, Nov. 2003, 16–19
  Let us speak out and encourage a more uplifting, inspiring, and acceptable media.

• " 'The Standard of Truth Has Been Erected' "

  Boyd K. Packer, Liahona, Nov. 2003, 24–27; or Ensign, Nov. 2003, 24–27
  In a world awash with iniquity, you must be on guard.

• "It's 'Only' Violence"

  Brad J. Bushman, Ensign, June 2003, 62–67
  Does the media really reflect the level of violence in society? Does it have any effect on aggression? The answers may surprise you.

• "Setting Family Standards for Entertainment"

  Carla Dalton, Ensign, June 2001, 26–29
  While the world continues to offer entertainment that disregards spiritual values, we can teach our families to choose what's best and ignore the rest.

• "Focus and Priorities"

  Dallin H. Oaks, Liahona, July 2001, 99–102; or Ensign, May 2001, 82–84
  Faced with an excess of information in the marvelous resources we have been given, we must begin with focus.

• "Sanctify Yourselves"

  Jeffrey R. Holland, Liahona, Jan. 2001, 46–49; or Ensign, Nov. 2000, 38–40
  In the moral realm the only real control you have is self-control.

• "The Savior Is Counting on You"

  Joe J. Christensen, Ensign, Nov. 1996, 39–41
  The Savior is counting on you to avoid the immoral trash that surrounds you in the media.

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• "Entertainment and the Media"

  For the Strength of Youth, 17–19

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