A Writer's Pen

      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.”       T...

      For the earlier article in the Caution in Reading series, see the Introduction , Part One , and Part Two .       Hello, and welcome to the very last post in the Caution in Reading series! I hope that you have enjoyed our journey through this topic and that the next time you pick a book, you will pause and think about the points that I have discussed. Now, let us delve into this final point: t he things that you read can affect your actions.       Just as when your thoughts that are affected by sinful fiction begin to seep into your speech, they will also influence your actions. When you dwell on the things that you read, your mood will be influenced. When these things are not uplifting, you may become cross and discouraged. Always be alert to your actions towards others, and if you are ever are confronted by another person about your attitude, heed them and take note of what you have been filling your mind with lately. Be car...

    Good evening! I recently wrote an argumentative essay for a college course on why this generation should be reading older literature. Due to its relation to fiction, I will be sharing it on this blog today.      Enjoy!      Literature today is not what it was a hundred years ago. The purpose, the values, and the overall depth have dramatically transformed it into a nearly different craft. Fiction nowadays often seeks to merely provide a false escape from the world. It draws readers into a fantasy and leaves them discontent with reality. In contrast, older literature that stood the test of time strives to teach its reader correct values and displays the beauty and power of words. Teens spend hours upon hours engrossed in the latest fantasy series while brushing off the classics because they are “boring.” Yet they should be reading older literature because of the skills that it can offer and the strong values that it contains. If they...

     Do you read unwholesome fiction? A few years ago, that question never would have crossed my mind. I was an avid reader; I read anything that I could get my hands on. Though I did ended up quitting a few books, I read through many books that didn't quite bode well with my conscience.      I will forever regret that!      Through several difficult experiences, I learned that fiction can be dangerous. It can affect you, seriously affect you, in ways you don't see.       For clarification, I'm all for fiction! It's a great way to unwind. My purpose in this series of articles is to magnify the importance of discretion, not to discourage reading fiction.      I took a speech class this past school year. It was an amazing experience! We had a speech called a "platform speech". This speech could be informational, persuasive, etc. By this time I had already learned the extreme importance of caution in readin...

    For the previous articles in this series, see the Introduction and Part One .       Good afternoon! Today I'll be presenting how what you read affects how you speak.       Matthew 12:34, " The mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart."  When what you read fills your heart and affects your thoughts, it won’t be long before it creeps into your speech.      I said in my last post that your conscience may become dulled when reading stories containing sinful behavior. When this happens, you may not acknowledge the evil of some language to the point that you begin to pick up words and phrases that are not glorifying to God. When a book contains foul language, always be alert to how it affects your mind and speech and never be hesitant to put the book down if you find you begin to speak in that way or become calloused to the wrong of sinful language.      Foul words aren’t the only thing that can cree...