Media Standards
by Nate Richardson
editor@richardsonstudies.com

-One of the reasons the Church is commanded to obey a strict health law “The Word of Wisdom” is to enable their spirits to be at peak of intellect, so they can discern better between good and evil.

-You can set a good example by not some of the words that are not polite in the books you must read. Thomas S. Monson encourages the Saints to please not swear (Gen. Conf.).

-We have to be aware of things, reading even Osama Bin Ladin and Scarlet Letter and other things that are very controversial.

-Stay away from “anti-Mormon” books, rather learn what LDS believe by asking LDS.

-Some men are called to review anti-Mormon books, but they are set apart for that, and given a special blessing to be able to discern between truth and error as they do that mission for the church, seeing as it’s easy to get deceived in cunning and crafty words, and even blatant lies.

-One example is the Apocrypha, the LDS Bible Dictionary speaks how these documents are not entirely true, but if the reader reads them with the Holy Ghost, he can find much to benefit from them.

-Things like Les Mesrables teach how little people had morals and how conditions were, and that there are take aways from such, for the message is that such is bad;

-When we read something the Holy Ghost can teach us of weather it’s something we need to put down.

-The Apostles of The Church are not ignorant of what happens in the world but are very aware. They travel all over the world, and are very involved, not out of date (Elder Ballard Gen. Conf. Oct. 2014).

-To a certain degree, what we entertain is up to the interpretation and judgment of the individual.

-We can look for the best versions of things, learn from the best books.

-Greeks in plays did the graphic parts off stage, that respect is gone now.

-Prophet of the LDS Church President Hinckley said no “R” rated movies a long time ago. Since then, now what then would have been x rated is R, and much of what was R then is PG-13 now. There is a lot of politics in film ratings, and there is a lot of compromise and finding ways for something to barely make the cut off for a certain rating.

-The Phantom of the Opera is one of Thomas S Monson’s favorite plays (see “To The Rescue”).

-Victor Hugo’s book Les Mesrables is often quoted in General Conference.

-He that hath clean hands and a pure heart shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord:Ps. 24:3–5;
-Do not call any man common or unclean:Acts 10:11–28;
-Can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?:Alma 5:19;
-The Lord will chasten Zion until she is clean:D&C 90:36;
-Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord:D&C 133:4–5, 14; ( Isa. 52:11; )
– “Whatever you read, listen to, or look at has an effect on you. Therefore, choose only entertainment and media that uplift you. Good entertainment will help you to have good thoughts and make righteous choices. It will allow you to enjoy yourself without losing the Spirit of the Lord.”

“While much entertainment is good, some of it can lead you away from righteous living. Offensive material is often found in web sites, concerts, movies, music, videocassettes, DVDs, books, magazines, pictures, and other media. Satan uses such entertainment to deceive you by making what is wrong and evil look normal and exciting. It can mislead you into thinking that everyone is doing things that are wrong.

“Do not attend, view, or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in entertainment that in any way presents immorality or violent behavior as acceptable.”

from “For the Strength of Youth” at https://www.lds.org/manual/for-the-strength-of-youth-fulfilling-our-duty-to-god/entertainment-and-the-media?lang=eng&query=clean+entertainment

-note: many of the adult leaders of the Church carry this manual with them seeing as these standards apply to all ages.

– Excerpt from LDS Guide to the scriptures on cleanliness:

-He that hath clean hands and a pure heart shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord:Ps. 24:3–5;
-Do not call any man common or unclean:Acts 10:11–28;
-Can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?:Alma 5:19;
-The Lord will chasten Zion until she is clean:D&C 90:36;
-Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord:D&C 133:4–5, 14; ( Isa. 52:11; )

-One of the reasons the Church is commanded to obey a strict health law “The Word of Wisdom” is to enable their spirits to be at peak of intellect, so they can discern better between good and evil.

-You can set a good example by not some of the words that are not polite in the books you must read. Thomas S. Monson encourages the Saints to please not swear (Gen. Conf.).

-We have to be aware of things, reading even Osama Bin Ladin and Scarlet Letter and other things that are very controversial.

-Stay away from “anti-Mormon” books, rather learn what LDS believe by asking LDS.

-Some men are called to review anti-Mormon books, but they are set apart for that, and given a special blessing to be able to discern between truth and error as they do that mission for the church, seeing as it’s easy to get deceived in cunning and crafty words, and even blatant lies.

-One example is the Apocrypha, the LDS Bible Dictionary speaks how these documents are not entirely true, but if the reader reads them with the Holy Ghost, he can find much to benefit from them.

-Things like Les Mesrables teach how little people had morals and how conditions were, and that there are take aways from such, for the message is that such is bad;

-When we read something the Holy Ghost can teach us of weather it’s something we need to put down.

-The Apostles of The Church are not ignorant of what happens in the world but are very aware. They travel all over the world, and are very involved, not out of date (Elder Ballard Gen. Conf. Oct. 2014).

-To a certain degree, what we entertain is up to the interpretation and judgment of the individual.

-We can look for the best versions of things, learn from the best books.

-Greeks in plays did the graphic parts off stage, that respect is gone now.

-Prophet of the LDS Church President Hinckley said no “R” rated movies a long time ago. Since then, now what then would have been x rated is R, and much of what was R then is PG-13 now. There is a lot of politics in film ratings, and there is a lot of compromise and finding ways for something to barely make the cut off for a certain rating.

-The Phantom of the Opera is one of Thomas S Monson’s favorite plays (see “To The Rescue”).

-Victor Hugo’s book Les Mesrables is often quoted in General Conference.

-He that hath clean hands and a pure heart shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord:Ps. 24:3–5;
-Do not call any man common or unclean:Acts 10:11–28;
-Can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?:Alma 5:19;
-The Lord will chasten Zion until she is clean:D&C 90:36;
-Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord:D&C 133:4–5, 14; ( Isa. 52:11; )
– “Whatever you read, listen to, or look at has an effect on you. Therefore, choose only entertainment and media that uplift you. Good entertainment will help you to have good thoughts and make righteous choices. It will allow you to enjoy yourself without losing the Spirit of the Lord.”

“While much entertainment is good, some of it can lead you away from righteous living. Offensive material is often found in web sites, concerts, movies, music, videocassettes, DVDs, books, magazines, pictures, and other media. Satan uses such entertainment to deceive you by making what is wrong and evil look normal and exciting. It can mislead you into thinking that everyone is doing things that are wrong.

“Do not attend, view, or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in entertainment that in any way presents immorality or violent behavior as acceptable.”

from “For the Strength of Youth” at https://www.lds.org/manual/for-the-strength-of-youth-fulfilling-our-duty-to-god/entertainment-and-the-media?lang=eng&query=clean+entertainment

-note: many of the adult leaders of the Church carry this manual with them seeing as these standards apply to all ages.

– Excerpt from LDS Guide to the scriptures on cleanliness:

-He that hath clean hands and a pure heart shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord:Ps. 24:3–5;
-Do not call any man common or unclean:Acts 10:11–28;
-Can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?:Alma 5:19;
-The Lord will chasten Zion until she is clean:D&C 90:36;
-Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord:D&C 133:4–5, 14; ( Isa. 52:11; )