Ben-10 is Canned!

The word "amusement" comes from the root word "muse" i.e. to think, to reflect. By putting the "a" as a prefix, "amuse" then becomes the opposite i.e. without thinking and reflection. As the "values-keeper" of my family, I have the responsibility to safeguard what goes into the soul of my home.

The media (music and TV) is highly potent because it has a way of bypassing our will and emotions and heading straight into the realm of imagination. What is imagined often enough will then finds its expression (in some form or other) through attitudes and behavior. This morning, together with my wife and daughters, we threw away a Ben-10 DVD. Why did we do that (especially to such a hot and popular figure)?

1. It glorifies evolution. We believe in God who created us just as we are (designed for a specific purpose). Ben-10 advocates we need to evolve into other alien forms to find fulfillment.
   
2. It glorifies violence.
   
3. It glorifies witchcraft. The cousin Gwen invokes spells from a certain book in order to display her powers. Evil must be labeled for what it is.
   

Just because something is "cool", "fun" and "cute" does not warrant blind acceptance. We spend about 1.5 hours this morning going through the principles of what is acceptable and helpful when it comes to toys and entertainment. I find it to so rewarding when my two daughters, from their own free will, decided that Ben-10 has to go.

Of course, not all media stuff is bad. Go to http://www.pluggedinonline.com/ for a helpful resource on what's hot and what's not and how we as responsible parents should filter the media around us so that values contrary to us are not blindly absorbed by our kids. MTV proudly says, "We own this generation!". Am I as a father going to let them steal my kids from right under my nose, right in my own living room? No way!