Caution in Reading: Part One
See the Introduction to the Caution in Reading series if you have not already.
Welcome to part one of the Caution in Reading series! Today, we'll be looking at how reading sin-glorifying fiction affects your thoughts.
I’m sure that you’ve experienced something pricking your conscience before. Something that struck you wrong and went against what you knew to be true and honorable. But did you continue to read, listen to, watch, or partake in it? I hope you didn’t. But if you have, you may have noticed that the more you continued in it, the more that your mind invented excuses for it, and the wrong of it lightened in your eyes. Letting sinful things continue in your mind is exceedingly dangerous, as it can dull your conscience and affect your judgment.
2 Corinthians 10:5, “We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
This is a very important verse to remember when reading.
Putting these things into your mind can also affect your worldview, changing your attitude towards things that the world seeks to justify. When a book is being written, it comes from the thoughts of the author, and any thought of a person is affected by their worldview. Thus, by reading these things, you are putting this way of thinking into your head because you are being taught to look at the subjects of the book through the writer’s worldview. That may cause you to think the same way in the things pertaining to real life. As a side note, whenever becoming involved in reading a book or series, you may find it helpful to research the author and their worldview to find what it is you that are filling your mind with. Always be attentive to what is being taught in the fiction that you spend your time absorbing yourself in.
Another way it can affect our thoughts is by showing no negative outcome for sin. We learn from what we read, from the little fun facts that pop up to the very morals and principles of the story. But what do we learn when no consequences are shown for sinful actions? What do you learn when the characters lie to get out of trouble and laugh at it later? We are being told that sin is a light matter with no consequences and can be easily laughed at. This goes against scripture. As it says in Proverbs 10: 23, “Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool.”
Thank you for reading, comment below if you have any questions or remarks. Make sure to come back next week for the second part in the Caution in Reading series: how what you read affects your speech. Hope to see you soon!
~Madelyn
I’m sure that you’ve experienced something pricking your conscience before. Something that struck you wrong and went against what you knew to be true and honorable. But did you continue to read, listen to, watch, or partake in it? I hope you didn’t. But if you have, you may have noticed that the more you continued in it, the more that your mind invented excuses for it, and the wrong of it lightened in your eyes. Letting sinful things continue in your mind is exceedingly dangerous, as it can dull your conscience and affect your judgment.
2 Corinthians 10:5, “We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
This is a very important verse to remember when reading.
Putting these things into your mind can also affect your worldview, changing your attitude towards things that the world seeks to justify. When a book is being written, it comes from the thoughts of the author, and any thought of a person is affected by their worldview. Thus, by reading these things, you are putting this way of thinking into your head because you are being taught to look at the subjects of the book through the writer’s worldview. That may cause you to think the same way in the things pertaining to real life. As a side note, whenever becoming involved in reading a book or series, you may find it helpful to research the author and their worldview to find what it is you that are filling your mind with. Always be attentive to what is being taught in the fiction that you spend your time absorbing yourself in.
Another way it can affect our thoughts is by showing no negative outcome for sin. We learn from what we read, from the little fun facts that pop up to the very morals and principles of the story. But what do we learn when no consequences are shown for sinful actions? What do you learn when the characters lie to get out of trouble and laugh at it later? We are being told that sin is a light matter with no consequences and can be easily laughed at. This goes against scripture. As it says in Proverbs 10: 23, “Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool.”
Thank you for reading, comment below if you have any questions or remarks. Make sure to come back next week for the second part in the Caution in Reading series: how what you read affects your speech. Hope to see you soon!
~Madelyn
To continue reading the Caution in Reading series, see Part Two and Part Three & Conclusion.
That was a really good article, I’m excited to read more!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Luna! I'm glad!
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