Plugged In?

[MorwenLaicoriel]

I was just talking to a friend of mine, and he was complaining about the magizine and website done by Focus on the Family, Plugged In. (I think the website is pluggedinonline.com) He feels that the way they review things is as if they're the authorities on what's 'sinful' and 'unsinful'.

I'm kinda undecided on it...what do you guys think? I'm curious to know.

[Mangafanatic]

Well, I consider myself relatively familiar with Focus on the Family, and I'm well aquainted with Plugged In's style of review (they do a movie review time on our local chrisitian radio) so I guess I can give you my two cents on the matter.

I really have never come away from Plugged In (which will now be referred to as PI)reviews feeling they were beating us over the head with hollow "Thou shall not" statutes or condemning actions or themes in movies when the Bible doesn't condemn the same theme. So, I guess I'd have to disagree with yout friend on that score. I don't really feel that Focus on the Family runs around brandishing torches and Pitch forks, prepared to declare that they know exactly what movies or themes in movies are unforgiveable.

On the other hand, if there's a clearly unbiblical theme in a movie, PI doesn't shy away from giving the reader the heads up. Sin is sin, and Focus on the Family supports that message. If that is perhaps what your friend might be thinking of, then I can't say it's not ever there. I guess I'd just say that I haven't seen Focus on the Family declare anything sin that the Bible didn't declare sin first.

As a bit of a disclaimer, I obviously haven't read EVERY review ever published in PI, but I've never been struck by them as overtly harsh or dogmatic. Just my thoughts though. (If you have an article or something that made your friend feel this way, I'd be very interested to see it. As I said, my position isn't concrete, and, if you think you have the means to persuade me, I'll look them over happily.)

[bakura_fan]

I find it helpful I just keep in mind that some of the things I will not agree with. I use it more as a quick guide to finding out if whatever I'm looking at is worth my time.

[LightUpTheDark]

Well, everyone is bound to have their own personal opinion on things. When your opinion about something clashes with someone else's, most of us look at things like I'm right, they're wrong. No matter what the issue is. But like Mangafanatic pointed out, sin is sin. calling it by any other name is not going to solve anything. it won't make it go away, and since we're called to live Holy lives, we can't just blantantly excuse it either. Personal opinion shouldn't necessarily enter into a review. It's biased then, but we're human. It's going to happen. We don't have to like what they say, but they are still entitled to their opinion, even if it's wrong. I'm neither pointing the finger at Plugged in, but I'm not necessarily defending it either. I've never read it enough to do one or the other. But this is just what I think. And what I think at times doesn't even amount to a hill of beans. All I know is that whatever's lovely, whatever's pure...think on those things...

[MorwenLaicoriel]

He said one thing was the "Confusing Love and Tolerance" article. He said "possibly a good lesson, if not for the fact they, in not so many words, called their teen readers who objected misguided. I couldn't stand it."

*shrugs* I really can't say much on this subject. I use it sometimes, but I often tend to go more by what my friends say.

[Ducky]

I really like PluggedIn Magazine... I go there to read movie reviews when I'm bored. I can see where someone might see them as preachy. To me they are extremly objective (for a movie review) and comprehensive. I appreciate the fact that they breakdown everything that could be found to be remotely objectionable (very nice with little siblings who don't really need to expand their vocabulary in certain directions).

I can see where pointing out the tiniest and most trivial things (for instance under the violence caption for The Veggietales Movie: Jonah they listed the mailman being smacked into a cart) could seem rather preachy, but I take it more as a heads up for those who are intending to take young impressionable kids to said movie. Then again I would just as soon hear someone describe a movie as actually watch it (takes less time, tho I do love movies) so I guess to me plugged in mag is like a free non-illegal movie rental lol

[Azier the Swordsman]

I'm always attempting to be selective in my personal movie choices. I like to watch a good movie every once in a while, but not with loads of language and sex mixed in. Those kind of movies always end up leaving a bad taste in my mouth. So Plugged In has been a valuable asset for me. The only reason they are being "harsh" is because they're trying to warn those who would not feel comfortable viewing a certain type of content.

[Kisa]

I like plugged in cause it gives you yet another Christian perspective on music and movies and such. Its good to see what things have in them before you spend money on it and if you don't like it just find another source to get your reviews from I guess.
Focous on the Family is very good though. ^^

[Hitokiri]

It's thier job to tell you whats in a movie. I mean if they make it sugar-coated in explaining a certain part in a movie and don't make it as bad as it really is, then they are not doing there job.

Granted, I'm not that biggest fan of Focus on the Family but I respect thier reasoning to alert teenagers,parents, and children alike to waht's in movies and such. They do a good job at it.

And sometimes it may seem to go overboard (LOTR - Two Towrs for the Sexual Content - they put Aragron and Arwen share a passionate kiss for example) but they're not conemening it nor saying "Oh that's sinful!". They're just informing you.

One of my friends friend saw Two Towers and when it came to that kissing part he closed his eyes and told my friend "What is this a porn movie?" and demanded to leave. He's 18. Just goes to show that people have different opnions on things and sometimes these reviews help. Even though one may view that it's skewed to a Christian perspective to the level of ignorance.

[SManBeyond]

I do read their reviews, although I actually prefer those found at http://www.screenit.com. Although they're secular, their reviews are far more informative as to all the instances of negative / worrysome content in a movie.

I also disagree sometimes with their take on a film. For instance, in their initial review on The Fellowship of the Ring, they pretty much blasted it, saying that the visuals replaced the major Christian themes of the story. I went and saw the film and couldn't disagree more (in my humble opinion). I couldn't help but laugh later though when their reviews of The Two Towers and Return of the King were amazingly positive, causing them to go back rewrite a more positive review on FOTR.

I do like their music reviews a lot, though. I'd say more, but Mangafanatic pretty much summed up the rest of my feelings.

[Kristal*Klear]

I feel that we just need to remember that the Bible is the final authority, and some people may have different interpritations of some 'thou shalt not' and 'thou shalt always' things that are in Gods Word.


I have a hard time not getting upset about somthings about things that other people have stated that I do not agree with, I struggel with that, because then I realize that I haev shut out teachers, people God has put here for me to learn from, and even though I may not agree with what some people state as their beliefs, they may have other things that I feel they are correct in, or things I do not know about, and so I can learn from.

(I've never been to plugged in, but I am very fammiliar with Focus on the Family)

[blue whisper]

I like plugged in cause it gives you yet another Christian perspective on music and movies and such. Its good to see what things have in them before you spend money on it and if you don't like it just find another source to get your reviews from I guess.
Focous on the Family is very good though. ^^

I concur.

Romans 12:2 (NIV) clearly states: "Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."

This means, as Christians, we must only put good things into our minds. What comes in, goes out. Profanity, nudity, sexuality, violence, and other bad worldy things are not good in God's eyes, nor do they positively renew our minds. PluggedIn helps me to find CDs and movies that will renew my mind with good things and Christian values.

[Gypsy]

I've grown up with the Focus on the Family presence in my household. My parents read some of Dr. Dobson's books and I was (ahem ... still am) an Adventures in Odyssey junkie. They have some really awesome ministries and a load of talent working for them.

Plugged In does sometimes tend to go overboard on reviews. However, I understand the idea that you have to list everything and anything that could possibly be seen as offensive when you are writing a review to be used as a potential parental tool. It's better to be too cautious than not cautious enough. Once you understand that, you can glean what you need to from the detailed reviews, and then leave the rest.

[Kkun]

Yeah, what Gypsy said is right. I too have had Focus on the Family's presence in my life, ever since I was a small boy (the "Dobson Pinch" for discreet discipline of children was my favorite....not...it's really just a Vulcan nerve pinch from Star Trek in disguise...). They are a very good ministry, though in this entertainment steeped culture in which we live. I've felt like Plugged In is way too strict about some stuff, but the truth is they just lay out the facts. I've consulted their opinion on many a secular CD in the past.