ChildCare Action Project (CAP): Christian Analysis of American Culture

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

1. What Is The CAP Ministry?

2. What Can the CAP Do for Me?

3. So You Claim Findings from Your Research. Show Me!

4. For What Will You Use My Donations?

5. Why Do You Bother Analyzing R-rated Movies?

6. Why Do You Reveal Only the Bad Stuff? You Should Point Out the Good Stuff, Too.

7. How Can the CAP Analysis Model Help Me Compare Movies?

8. Who Says Invasive Programming Can Affect Me?

9. Ju-udge Not Lest Ye Be Ju-udged!

10. You Make all Christians Look Bad! You Should Be More Tolerant.



  1. What is the CAP Ministry?

     Many have asked so many questions in argument with this ministry that the nutshell response to the arguments makes an excellent read to help you learn about the CAP ministry.

    Following is the addendum to our analysis of     Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring which will hopefully provide additional perspective of the CAP Ministry

    ADDENDUM

    SUBJECT: CAP Analysis of     The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
    TO: Those who have expressed animosity toward the subject and/or the CAP ministry and its services.
    FROM: President, ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry

    PRELUDE
    After nearly 300,000 visits and hundreds of emails attributed directly to our analysis of     The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (and, to a lesser degree, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone), it has become clear that many readers are not understanding the purpose of the CAP ministry and/or are not bothering to read all that is necessary to understand.

    This addendum speaks directly to our adversarial readers and the issues raised by them. If you are one of our 'family' who supports and understands the CAP ministry and its services, feel free to disregard this addendum but it may be beneficial to go ahead and read it in full just to fortify your understanding of what we do for you as your servants in His name. When finished with this addendum,     please visit our flyer at CAP Flyer for Distribution from our Home Page. [Note that though the flyer is now a little dated in that we are now up to more than 650 movie analyses and have been in operation for more than eight years, its merit is not lost.] Though much of the information in this addendum is available elsewhere on our website, an exception will be made in this case and this case only to take the time to give you here a nutshell of our services and doctrines.

    Each paragraph after the background speaks to one or more issues, incorporating as many total issues as is practicable. To avoid sounding defensive the paragraphs do not repeat the issue(s). This addendum is instructive and informative, not defensive. Our readers are of the caliber and intellect to be quite capable of constructing the issue(s) on their own.

    BACKGROUND
    First, this is a Christian ministry in service to His little ones (which includes at-home teens)     through their parents and grandparents in His name by His Word. We believe Christ defines "Christian", not man. Our publications are for Christians with focus on Christian parents and grandparents. We are Bible-believing, Jesus-loving Christians who will not situationally redefine, conditionally apply or counterfeit His Word to suit other religions or even to avoid invading the comfort zone of Christians. His Word will not be set aside for the sake of religion, entertainment pleasure(s) or artistic "license."

    CAP investigation standards are Rock-solid, never changing with the tides of modern morality since the foundation of our investigation standards is the teachings and expectations of the Rock of Ages - Jesus Christ. An analysis in 1995 is as reliable and consistent as an analysis in 2025 and beyond. We are NOT "politically correct." The CAP ministry is not for the situational or conditional Christians who set His Word aside when it gets in their way. His Word is not "interpreted", polished or diluted by this ministry. We quote it. The bottom line: His Word rules. We love each of you too much to feed you less than the Truth.

    Our service is not "reviews." The CAP Ministry provides analyses to moms and dads to reveal the truth about the content of popular entertainment using God's Word to discern what to tell them so     they can make an informed decision on their own whether a vehicle of entertainment is fit for their kids or themselves without having to sit through it to know.

    ISSUES
    Being Christian means being saved. Period. Salvation does not require being nice-nice. Our behavior, good or bad, our "works", will not get Salvation for us nor will it keep it away [Eph. 2:8-9]. Salvation is a free gift of Grace. Granted, Jesus desires that we be humble, loving and compassionate as is He, but being so will NOT save us ... will NOT make us Christian. And being less than humble, loving and compassionate will not keep Salvation from us. Only believing deeply in our hearts by faith and confessing with our mouths that Jesus Christ is Lord who died and was resurrected to pay the price of our sins will make us Christian.

    Jesus indeed TELLS us to be judging of the behavior of others [e.g., 1Cor. 6:2-3], just not their Salvation. Only God can judge whether someone is saved since only He can give Salvation. If we do not judge the behavior of others, how could we discern the "swine" and the "dogs" [Matt. 7:6] from the righteous? Using only a small piece or part of what Jesus said such as using only Matt. 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged", ignoring the rest of Matthew 7:1-6 is entirely incomplete and serves only the one who uses it to fill his own belly. Matt 7:1 does NOT tell us not to judge at all. It tells us not to judge unfairly or selfishly AND, later in Matthew, tells us to do so in accordance with His Word.

    For so long, well-meaning folks have pabulum-fed people with watered-down Scriptures to avoid upsetting folks, reluctantly but yet consciously leaving out the "harsh" side of His Word that tells of the gravity of the unbearable consequences of sin and rejection of Jesus: the side of His Word that gives no situation or condition, even in entertainment OR "art", when sin is acceptable or when sin may be displayed, practiced, embraced or demonstrated without consequences. We will not pabulum feed you with watered-down Scripture to suit modern morality OR to avoid invading the comfort zone. You are too precious to Jesus to do that to you. And time is too short. Consider also that Jesus spent three days in Hell so you and I would not have to spend one moment there. You and I did not. We will NOT cheat you by cheapening His Word with feel-good counterfeitings of it.

    The Summary/Commentary section of an analysis report may seem and might even be somewhat subjective at times. That is what it is. A summary in commentary format. But the CAP Analysis Model itself -- the Findings/Scoring section -- is completely objective to His Word. That which was sinful 2000 years ago is still sinful today. We make no attempt to "adjust" His Word for the sake of modern morality or to try to justify any "artistic" or "redeeming" values in entertainment.

    Many films do indeed present fine quality entertainment with positive values and wholesome ethics,     The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone included. But these matters are for your discovery should you decide the ignominious content we reveal is acceptable.

    What is and is not acceptable for yourself and your family is not our decision. That is your business for which you and you alone are accountable. We simply apply His Word to entertainment and give you Rock-solid tools to help you make an informed decision and comparison on your own. Makers of filth in film are morally culpable for planting aberrant behavioral templates by example, but YOU are accountable for your family.

    The CAP Analysis Model makes no scoring allowances for trumped-up "messages" to excuse or manufacturing of justification for aberrant behavior or imagery, or for camouflaging such ignominy with "redeeming" programming. Disguising sinful behavior in a theme or plot does not excuse the sinful behavior of either the one who is drawing pleasure or example in deed or thought from the sinful display or of the practitioners demonstrating the sinful behavior.

    The CAP analysis model is the only known set of tools available to parents and grandparents which give     them the control they need, bypassing the opinion-based assessment of movies by others and defeating the deceit of those who would say anything to convince their parents otherwise. If a sinful behavior is portrayed/demonstrated, it is called sinful whether Hollywood tries to make it otherwise. That a sinful behavior is "justified" by some manufactured conditions does not soften nor erase the price of sin.

    Movie advertisements and trailers/previews give you the bright-n-shiny of a movie. We give you the dark-n-dirty     revealed by the teachings and expectations of Jesus Christ so you will have a more complete "picture" of what you are getting. And we give you Scriptural applications to help you decide. On top of these features, we give you Rock-solid measurements to help you compare an unseen film to one which is acceptable to you without having to watch the movie to know. Except in extreme cases, we do NOT try to advise you whether or not to watch a movie.

    Though     The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring is fantasy, an influence does not have to be real to influence. Did you get misty-eyed the first time you watched Bambi or Old Yeller or have you gotten mad or happy or sad or "energized" at anything you saw and heard on the big screen -- ever?

    Tolkien himself denied any allegations of     The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring to the Bible: "As for any inner meaning or 'message', it has in the intention of the author none. It is neither allegorical nor topical."[a] However, parallels between performances in The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring and character traits Jesus wants us to practice cannot be denied: traits such as courage under extreme opposition, self-sacrifice, friendship, loyalty, compassion. These matters are for you to discover. Ignominious content is what is revealed by the CAP Ministry to help arm Christian parents and grandparents with the facts to discern whether a film is or is not fit for their kids and/or themselves. Scriptures are applied to the findings rather than just stating something is sinful.

    Sin is no respecter of age. That which is sinful for a child is also sinful for an adult.

    God defines what is sinful. We just repeat Him. Anger at being shown in His Word though our service that a chosen behavior is a sin is a matter that needs to be taken to the Cross.

    God says sorcery and wizardry are evil. There is no debate. He does not give any conditions or situations in which these evils are not evil. In applying His Truth to     The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, for the "good" to use evil to fight evil is serving the evil: to use sorcery/wizardry to fight sorcery/wizardry for whatever reason is serving sorcery/wizardry.

    The "magic" in     Mary Poppins presented nothing evil or sinister as did The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. Indeed, the Mary Poppins character could have been of an angel for what she did. She was not hailed as a witch/sorcerer(ess) nor advertised as such. If Jesus had thrown Himself off the pinnacle at Satan's tease would the angels in Matt. 4:5-6, who would have lifted Him up from being dashed on the rocks, have sinned with their "magic?" Did Jesus sin as He used His "magic" to cast out demons? Heal the sick? Make the blind see and the lame walk? Re-attach a sliced off ear? There is a great deal of difference between the witchcraft/sorcery/wizardry in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and the "magic" in Mary Poppins. The source of the power determines the holiness of it, not the use of it nor the user. And this very issue is yet another corruptive influence of The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: to get people to think about P*O*W*E*R over others through sorcery/witchcraft; emboldening the viewer to be desirous of such power; emboldening the viewer to experiment or dabble ... just to see or find out for themselves. If you think movies and other forms of entertainment do not or cannot influence even our basic thought patterns, behavior management and coping skills, the American Medical Association disagrees with you. The American Psychological Association disagrees with you. The American Academy of Pediatrics disagrees with you. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry disagrees with you. God disagrees with you [1Cor. 15:33]. And I disagree with you.

    Comparisons are being drawn of Frodo to Jesus because of the portrayal of self-sacrifice. Both Jesus and Frodo gave up "everything" for their quests; Frodo his home and Jesus His Life. And both Frodo and Jesus focused on saving mankind, on defeating sinful influence (which is what the CAP Ministry is doing); Frodo by trying to defeat Melkor (which may be viewed as Satan, the father of sin) and Sauron (as the antiChrist) by destroying The One Ring (the symbol of sin and lust) and Jesus by defeating Satan and death because of our sin. Frodo taking the ring but not submitting to it and being skewered by the evil sword making him turn into evil can very loosely be compared to Jesus taking on all our sins without ever submitting to sin and being wounded by the whip, club, nails and spear, Yes, both Frodo and Jesus were wounded for their efforts to save mankind, but Jesus was not healed. He was killed by His wounds because of our sins. No sorcery or incantation healed Jesus as they "healed" Frodo. And Jesus never sinned. Not once did Jesus e-v-e-r sin. No sorcery raised Jesus from the dead, no man or woman, no incantation, no magic wand, no amulet, broach or medallion and no Tolkien story. God raised Jesus from the Dead. Period. It is fine that there are symbolisms of the Gospel and behaviors expected of Christians in     The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, however "adapted" or "adjusted" they may be. More power to it. But my original point still stands firm: the "good" used evil (sorcery/witchcraft) to fight evil.

    Gandlaf dying in sacrifice of himself for the lives of others and later being resurrected does not fit the picture of the Crucifixion and Resurrection but is a counterfeiting of them.

    Regarding the powers possessed by the "nonhuman" characters being hardly wizardry or sorcery since the users were not human, Satan is not human either. The source of the power determines the holiness of it, not the use of it.

    In essence, maybe     The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring is in itself a "One Ring."

    [a] Foreword to The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.Copyright 1954, 1965, 1966 by J.R.R. Tolkien. 1954 edition copyright renewed 1982 by Christopher R. Tolkien, Michael H.R. Tolkien, John F.R. Tolkien, and Priscilla M.A.R. Tolkien. 1965/66 editions Copyright renewed 1993, 1994 by Christopher R. Tolkien, John F.R. Tolkien, and Priscilla M.A.R. Tolkien. Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

    ___________________

    The CAP Ministry is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) Christian ministry, TIN: 75-2607488. All donations are tax-deductible in accordance with IRS rules. If you wish to make a donation or provide funding or sponsorship, please visit our     donations page or email me.

    Now and forever in His name.
    Tom Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry



  2. What Can the CAP Do for Me??

    The CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model is the only one like it on the planet that I can find. None other is as objective as the CAP model. None other uses Rock-solid, never changing investigation standards. The CAP Ministry service is indeed a technical service and this presentation is rather long and somewhat technical. Condensing so much depth and breadth of information handling and the extent of calculations as the CAP service into a tight display package is not an easy task and neither is it explaining to they who were not involved in its development. Confidence is high that the caliber of our readers is quite adequate to understand this presentation, but be patient and read deliberately. Since it is truly a complex statistical analysis model, I will discuss it in some detail as we reveal to you what the CAP model can do for you.

    In his book,     Worldly Amusements Pastor Wayne Wilson had this to say about the CAP Model:

    "There are several Christian Internet sites devoted to informing believers about content in current films. Unfortunately, I have found only one that comes close to upholding the [Biblical] standards in this book. 'The 'ChildCare Action Project' ... Other Christian web sites suffer from one fatal problem: a lack of definite standards. The mood and opinion of the reviewers, rather than the Word of God, determine recommendations. They operate as if moral principles in entertainment are all gray. The result is that these web sites routinely endorse movies that are truly worldly, even shamefully evil. They cannot find the strength to say that popular films are unworthy of Christian patronage. Their standards shift with the culture."

    Doctor Marcus Banks, Socio-cultural Anthropologist at the University of Oxford in the UK features the CAP methodology in his textbook, Visual Methods in Social Research and had this to say:

    "I am a social scientist, not a film critic, and I am not a Christian, but what impressed me was that CAP had set itself a clear objective and a clear set of criteria to attain that objective. In that way it provides a good model for someone trying to think about whether other films 'fit the bill' for particular purposes."

    We prepare from two to four and sometimes more Entertainment Media Analysis Reports per week. In one of our eight years of service we provided more than 150 analysis reports. Each analysis report is formatted into two sections: the Summary/Commentary section and the Findings/Scoring section. Each section is discussed below plus a weakness of the CAP model and the applicability of the model.

    A.     The Summary Commentary Section
    The Summary/Commentary section is precisely that, a summary in commentary format. It can be and sometimes is somewhat subjective. It is where I provide you with a brief summary of the plot and storyline. It is also where I apply the Scriptures to noted behaviors. This is the section in which you can find Scriptural basis for identifying a behavior as aberrant and/or sinful. Though the Summary/Commentary section appears to be the most popular, it is the least useful in making comparisons to determine acceptability.

    B.     The Findings/Scoring Section
    The Findings/Scoring section, the heart of the CAP analysis model, is 100% objective to His Word. An entertainment medium is observed for examples of violations of 80 investigation standards taken from the teachings and expectations of Jesus Christ. Since the investigation standards are taken from His Word, the investigation standards are Rock-solid and will not change with the tides of modern morality, thus a 1950 analysis will be as accurate and reliable as an analysis of a 2003 movie and a 2050 movie and beyond. Also since they are taken from His Word, the results are insulated form personal preferences of the investigator. Then the results found are input into a computer program which generates the scoring distribution. The Findings/Scoring section also provides a listing of the findings of offensive or aberrant behavior programming noted.

    Using the same 80 investigation standards and more than 30 mathematical operations in each analysis report, a consistent and reliable method of comparing the morality content one film to another is established. This information is communicated by

    1. The CAP Thermometers. Six of them. One for each of six investigation areas: Wanton Violence/Crime (W), Impudence/Hate (I), Sex/Homosexuality (S), Drugs/Alcohol (D), Offense to God (O) and Murder/Suicide (M). The thermometers are excellent for at-a-glance determination of the distribution of immoral programming and even any concentration of it. The higher the "mercury" in a thermometer the higher the acceptability. The thermometers display:
      • the scores earned in each investigation area
      • the number of examples of aberrant behavior noted per hour in each investigation area
      • the final score earned
      • an Influence Density figure, the smaller the number the less density of ignominy
      • a MinMax score (the minimum area score minus the maximum area score) to numerically reveal visual evidence of the extent of the extreme across the scoring distribution, the Δ (Delta) score, and for additional trending in this 20-year research ministry project

    2. The listing of findings. An itemization of the examples of aberrant behavior found.
    3. The CAPCon Alert Light. This is to indicate the measure of urgency and attention to detail you should give to inspecting the CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Report for the movie BEFORE seeing the movie. Though the CAPCon Alerts are inherently an indication of the relative amount of ignominy in a film, they are not intended to indicate a threshold of acceptability or the suitability of a film for your child(ren).
      • "RED" means you should give somber and earnest inspection to the report: to review it very thoroughly and with much attention to detail. If any one of the six CAP Thermometer indicates 54 or less the RED CAPCon Alert is attached to the analysis report. Fifty-four is the threshold for R-rated programming in the CAP comparative baseline database.

      • "YELLOW" means a lesser urgency than indicated by the red CAPCon Alert but the need for your attention to the findings in the report is still urgent: that you should give serious consideration to the findings. If any one of the six CAP Thermometer indicates 86 or less the YELLOW CAPCon Alert is attached to the analysis report. Eighty-six is the threshold for PG-rated programming. This encompasses PG-13 which has a threshold of 67.

      • "GREEN" indicates routine but mature attention should be given to the findings in the report. If all CAP Thermometers indicate greater than 86 the GREEN CAPCon Alert is attached to the analysis report. Eighty-seven and above are the scores representing G-rated programming.

      These tools are the best and most complete objective tools available to you so you can make an informed decision on your own whether an entertainment medium it is fit for your kids and/or yourself without having to sit through it to know and without having to rely on word-of-mouth, advertisements, trailers/previews, or the apparently morally dead Motion Picture Association of America.

    B. WEAKNESS
    A weakness in the CAP model is revealed by the following scenario. Movie X presented     only one example of aberrant behavior. And it was very graphic and extreme. That movie would lose points in only one of the six scoring area. The thermometers and scoring distribution figures for that very rare movie would appear to be quite acceptable. This is where the listing in the Findings/Scoring section takes over. Always read the listing in the Findings/Scoring section if you do as many have done and decide to trust the CAP model as your Word-based tool to help you guide your family's entertainment diet.

    C.     APPLICABILITY
    The CAP Model is applicable to any system or vehicle which imparts information to an observer which requires the observer to learn, to form an opinion, or which elicits emotion(s) or value judgment(s) in the observer.

    Indeed, such a broad applicability will enable us to incorporate many vehicles of entertainment into the project as funding permits: music, television, games, books and more.


    Please remember, we make no attempt to quantify the "artistic" or "redeeming" values of entertainment. These matters are up to you. The CAP Analysis Model makes no scoring allowances for trumped-up "messages" to excuse or manufacturing of justification for aberrant behavior or imagery, or for camouflaging such ignominy with "redeeming" programming. Disguising sinful behavior in a theme plot does not excuse the sinful behavior of either the one who is drawing pleasure or example in deed or thought from the sinful display or the practitioners demonstrating the sinful behavior. We will not situationally redefine or conditionally apply His Word to suit modern morality, lifestyles, other faiths or even to avoid invading the comfort zone of Christians. His Word will not be set aside for the sake of religion, political correctness, entertainment pleasure(s) or artistic "license." We will not cheat you by cheapening His Word with feel-good counterdeitings of it.

    ___________________

    The CAP Ministry is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) Christian ministry, TIN: 75-2607488. All donations are tax-deductible in accordance with IRS rules. If you wish to make a donation or provide funding or sponsorship, please visit our     donations page or email me.

    Now and forever in His name.
    Tom Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry



  3. So You Claim Findings from Your Reserch. Show Me!

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    R-13: Do you see a trend forming here? Stealing childhood from children
    Source: http://www.capalert.com/r-13.htm

    GRANBURY (DALLAS/FORT WORTH), TX, USA - OCTOBER 2002
    ---
    "The strangest thing happened in August 2000 as I was updating the ChildCare Action Project (CAP) movie analysis records. I noticed a significant increase in the percentage of R-13 movies. "R-13" is a term I coined to make a point which I will explain."
    ---
    September 5, 2000
    Updated January 3, 2001
    Revived October 2002

    In four of eight years of an on-going study, the ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP) Ministry has revealed objective mathematical evidence of the moral decay of popular movies, evidence not available by subjective assessment models.

    The CAP Ministry built a special analysis model using more than 30 equations and 80 investigation standards in six investigation areas to measure the relative moral value of a communication medium. Verification and validation of the comparative baseline database of the CAP analysis model was performed by actual use of it on 39 generally available non-cartoon feature length movies. With 100 being the highest possible score, movies earned the following CAP Final Scores consistently and reliably:

    •  G: 100 to 87
    •  PG: 86 to 68
    •  PG-13: 67 to 55
    •  R: 54 and below

    "R-13" is a term coined by the CAP Ministry to describe a PG-13 movie which earns a CAP Final Score equivalent to scores earned by R-rated movies, scores of 54 and below. Of the movies analyzed, the following percentages of PG-13 movies were "R-13":

    1997: 14.8%
    1998: 26.3%
    1999: 46.0%
    2000: 67.9%

    Do you see a trend forming here?

    A way of thinking of "R-13" is a movie containing R-rated programming targeted at your 13-year old (and younger) kids. More could be offered to further describe "R-13" but confidence is high that you are quite capable of gathering the meaning.

    In those four years the percentage of R-13 movies more than quadrupled (an increase of 459%) which says in the year 2000 that 450% more of our 13 year old kids (and younger) were fed R-rated programming than in 1997. Did you ever wonder why more and more kids younger and younger each year are becoming so worldly? Does the expression "stealing childhood from children" now have more definition for you?

    By cursory review of the massive data we have accumulated since 2000, from more than 600 movie analyses so far, I see no evidence of a lessening of the slope of R-13 movies in 2001 and 2002. What if the same has happened to PG movies over the same period? To G-rated movies? What about the coming years? As yet unqualified evidence is that even PG movies have crept or will creep more and more toward the R stratum. In some cases, PG movies have already been revealed to contain programming mathematically equivalent to R-rated programming in one or more of our six investigation areas. And G likewise shows [as yet unqualified] evidence of sliding away from G toward R, away from wholesome.

    The CAP ministry is an on-going research ministry and we will have the unprecedented data available as funding permits. In addition to movies, we will incorporate TV, popular music, video games, comic books, magazines, anything related to or part of entertainment. Indeed, the CAP analysis model is applicable to any system or vehicle which imparts information to an observer which requires the observer to learn, to form an opinion, or which elicits emotion(s) or value judgment(s) in the observer.

    This R-13 discovery was made with absolutely no selectivity. On each of the movies analyzed the same analysis model was used using the same equations, the same data gathering methodology, the same investigation standards, even the same computer program in the same computer, all setting on the same desk performed by the same investigator.

    This is just one of the findings of the CAP Ministry regarding the influence of popular entertainment. Another finding is that sex, drugs and violence are not the most corruptive of the presences in entertainment. They take their toll, to be sure, but are not the real problem. They are but spinoffs or by-products of the real problem. More on this and other findings later.

    With a worldwide readership of more than 1,000,000 per year (already over one million as of July this year) and trust enough in the CAP model for it to be incorporated in a textbook for the University of Oxford (London), in periodicals and professional newsletters, and enough trust in it to be endorsed by mainstream ministries plus uncountable parents and grandparents, CAP findings should be taken seriously. We give you, the parent, the information you need to help you make your own informed decision whether a vehicle of entertainment is fit for your kids.


    ATTITUDE: In Perspective

    Investigation Area Scoring and Trend in CAP Entertainment Industry Investigations,     Special Report-001

    Preface
    Familiarizing yourself with CAP operations by reviewing the material suggested by the     CAP Site Map (Table of Contents) might help you understand this report better.

    There are several extremely strong influences of the entertainment industry on the character (integrity, self respect, coping skills) of an observer, especially the impressionable. Influences which reach deep into human VALUES, quite possibly into human BELIEFS, especially in those with undeveloped or underdeveloped values and beliefs. The extremely strong influences of the entertainment industry include:

    WHICH ARE PRESENTED AS PROPER, ACCEPTABLE, DESIRABLE, AND INDEED SATISFYING AND EACH IS A MATTER OF IMPUDENCE/HATE.

    Analysis Model Summary

    During the development of the CAP Numeric Analysis Model (the CAP Model), the entertainment industry and other entities were observed for examples of unacceptable activities and behavior -- unacceptable in accordance with the teachings of Jesus. At development's end, 80 examples of unacceptable behavior were selected. The 80 examples of unacceptable activities and behavior became the CAP Investigation Standards. The partitioning of the Investigation Standards led to the designation of the partitions as the six CAP Investigation Areas (W-I-S-D-O-M):

    Wanton Violence/Crime
    Impunity/Hate
    Sex/Homosexuality
    Drugs/Alcohol
    Offense to God
    Murder/Suicide

    Basic Methodology

    Using the CAP Model, 39 randomly selected feature-length, non-cartoon movies were investigated for relative morality content: twelve each from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ratings of R*, PG-13, and PG, and three from the G rating. The high and low CAP score movie in each of the R, PG-13, and PG rating sets were discarded, leaving ten movies in each of R, PG-13, and PG. Only three G-rated movies were incorporated into the model because G-rated feature-length non-cartoon movies were very difficult to find (See CAP     Special Report-003, Where's the G!?) and the three scores for the G-rated movies completely confirmed the scoring range forecast for G movies. Discarding of high and low extremes in a statistical distribution set is typical to compensate for inherent Gaussian skewness (extremes) in both the diversity of the investigated population and in the investigator.

    This action left 33 movies for the comparative baseline database. Upon completion of the baseline investigations, the average of the scores of all 33 movies was compiled to reveal the trending of movie content relative to the six CAP Investigation Areas. This Special Report provides that finding.

    * G, PG, PG-13, and R (plus X and NC-17) are registered trademarks of the MPAA.

    Findings

    Following are graph displays of the averages of the scoring earned. Note the revelation regarding the Impudence/Hate scoring distribution:

    The following graph provides the average of averages (the X-bar) for the scoring distribution:

    Please note the severe drop in the Impudence/Hate average: the greatest drop in averages of all six Investigation Areas!

    Conclusion

    An overwhelming and indefensible presence of Impudence/Hate exists within the observed material, significantly more so than other presences of unacceptable material. An overwhelming presence of Impudence/Hate in entertainment media implies targeting during media production.

    Significant Discovery

    Impudence is arrogance: a proud look (KJV Proverb 6:16). The NIV Bible calls it haughty eyes. Impudence is the first in the list of seven things our Lord hates. Impudence is the strongest presence in the movies analyzed.

    The discovery by the CAP of the overwhelming presence of impudence in entertainment media is quite possibly a discovery of the subliminal, insidious, and sometimes invisible tactics of Satan: a discovery that in these final days the father of lies and deception is accelerating his battles with Jesus using exponentially more deceptive attacks using the most vulnerable target, our youth, through the single avenue God hates the most -- impudence. And all this during the most impressionable period of their lives with the lures most typically sought by youth: unearned and unmerited independence and autonomy; freedom from accountability; freedom from authority; freedom from consequences; each being an offspring of impudence. All of which, together, feed the foolishness bound in the hearts of youth (Prov. 22:15) and steal the childhood from children!

    Comment

    The thread of impudence runs throughout all four movie classifications -- it is no respecter of age! Impudence/hate is everywhere. We are inundated by it every day. The big-screen media have no monopoly on the promotion of arrogance as acceptable, desired, justifiable, gratifying and satisfying. And what should be most alarming to the Christian, the main doctrine of the church of Satan is "Do what thou wilt is the whole of the law." Sounds to me as though that is precisely what the entertainment media and their sponsors/writers are promoting whether intentional or not!

    ___________________

    The CAP Ministry is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) Christian ministry, TIN: 75-2607488. All donations are tax-deductible in accordance with IRS rules. If you wish to make a donation or provide funding or sponsorship, please visit our     donations page or email me.

    Now and forever in His name.
    Tom Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry



  4. For What Will You Use My Donations?

    Many have asked what are the intended uses of the funds? First, please understand that the CAP ministry is not just a website. There is a     great deal that goes on to provide what you see in our media analysis reports and a great deal that goes on besides the media analysis reports. In a nutshell, the answer is anything your pastor needs to conduct a ministry plus coordination and interface with scientific/public health/medical/counseling communities.

    Financial monitoring/accountability fees (accountant and Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability)

    $2,000

    Insurance (ministry fire, theft, liability; family health, dental, prescription)

    18,000

    Local travel, transportation

    7,000

    Printing/copying services

    1,200

    Office consumables, equipment

    1,500

    Maintenance/repair services

    1,000

    Phone charges

    1,800

    Salary (2005 Poverty Guideline for a family of eight)

    32,390

    Postage/shipping

    600

    Outsourcing when feasible

    750

    Professional services

    1,500

    Furthering/expanding the CAP ministry through interface with other ministries and churches

    1,500

    Increasing exposure and more focused exposure, promotional campaigns

    2,500

    Speaking services, seminars

    from donations
    or further funding

    Expanding CAP objectives to include analysis of TV, games, books, more

    from donations
    or further funding

    Building an evangelical service

    from donations
    or further funding

    Reviving and expanding the prayer support service

    from donations
    or further funding

    Compiling massive data gathered from ten years of study

    from donations
    or further funding

    Retrofitting over 1000 HTML report files into user searchable, sortable database operation

    from donations
    or further funding

    Securing and training staff to assist with analyses, administrative support

    from donations
    or further funding

    Expanding/upgrading office space and equipment

    from donations
    or further funding

    Preparing professional packages from findings for scientific/public health/medical/counseling communities

    from donations
    or further funding

    Ministry Tithes (support to other ministries/charities - 10% of budget total, independent of salary tithes)

    $7,174.00

    TOTAL

    78,914.00

    Just ask your pastor what are the day-to-day needs for money. Except for the church building itself, you can probably add it/them to the above list.

    ___________________

    The CAP Ministry is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) Christian ministry, TIN: 75-2607488. All donations are tax-deductible in accordance with IRS rules. If you wish to make a donation or provide funding or sponsorship, please visit our     donations page or email me.

    Now and forever in His name.
    Tom Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry



  5. Why Do You Bother Analyzing R-rated Movies?

    When I stop seeing underage kids in R-rated movies, I will consider stopping our analysis of R-rated movies.

    ___________________

    The CAP Ministry is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) Christian ministry, TIN: 75-2607488. All donations are tax-deductible in accordance with IRS rules. If you wish to make a donation or provide funding or sponsorship, please visit our     donations page or email me.

    Now and forever in His name.
    Tom Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry



  6. Why Do You Reveal Only the Bad Stuff? You Should Point Out the Good Stuff, Too.

    The "good stuff" is not generally a problem. But what is "good stuff" for your kids is not up to me, it is up to you, mom/dad. The CAP is a Word-based ministry providing a service to parents and grandparents, telling them of the moral and ethical assaults we find in popular entertainment in accordance with His Word. We serve His little ones through their parents and grandparents in His name by His Word.

    If there is any positive application of the programming in movies, it is up to mom/dad to decide that. This is not a movie review service. We tell parents the truth about the content of movies the advertisers and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) won't or can't tell. We do this so parents can make an informed decision on their own by their own standards whether a film is or is not fit for their kids (or themselves) without having to see a film first to know.

    The CAP Analysis Model (the Findings/Scoring section) makes no scoring allowances for trumped-up "messages" to excuse, for manufacture of justification for, or for camouflaging of caustic content or aberrant behavior or imagery with "redeeming" programming. Disguising sinful behavior in a theme/plot of warmth or nobility does not excuse the sinful behavior of either the one who is drawing pleasure or example of behavior or thought from the sinful display or of the practitioners demonstrating the sinful behavior. We make no attempt to quantify the "artistic" or "entertainment" value of a movie -- whether a movie has any positive value or "entertainment" value is up to mom/dad. The CAP analysis model is the only known set of assessment tools available to parents and grandparents which give     them the control they need, bypassing the opinion-based assessment of movies by others and defeating the deceit of those who would say anything to convince their parents otherwise. The model is completely objective to His Word. Our investigation standards are founded in the teachings and expectations of Jesus Christ. If a sinful behavior is portrayed, it is called sinful whether Hollywood tries to make it otherwise. That the sinful behavior is "justified" by some manufactured conditions does not soften nor erase the price of sin. Whether there is application of fantasy "justification" or "redemption" is up to mom/dad.

    In our Summary/Commentary section of the analysis reports we have on occasion, and will continue to do so when warranted, noted what we feel might be some positive features in entertainment programming since the Summary/Commentary is precisely that -- a summary in commentary format. But the positive features cannot alter the scoring distribution in the Findings/Scoring section which is the heart of the CAP analysis model.

    Let Hollywood make whatever they want to make. God said sin would be rampant in the end times. But as long as what Hollywood makes teaches and/or causes our kids to sin, I will have something to say about it. Boldly. Unashamedly.

    Finally, if I were to tell you of the attractive and pleasant features of a movie (and many movies do indeed present wholesome programming), you might be tempted to see the film even if it is saturated with sinful behaviors. And to be the cause of you subjecting your kids (or yourself) to sin in and as entertainment and it become incorporated into their (or your) decision-making and coping skills would be hypocritical and would be a sin on me. And all those "moral" movies that try to show our kids that a sinful behavior is morally wrong are teaching our kids how to be morally wrong in spite of any "good messages" or "wholesome morals." It is not posible to watch sin demonstrated by live actors (and to some extent, by animated characters) without being shown how to sin; without learning it. Jesus severely warns us about teaching and/or causing our youth to sin: Luke 17:2 "It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."

    ___________________

    The CAP Ministry is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) Christian ministry, TIN: 75-2607488. All donations are tax-deductible in accordance with IRS rules. If you wish to make a donation or provide funding or sponsorship, please visit our     donations page or email me.

    Now and forever in His name.
    Tom Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry



  7. How Can the CAP Analysis Model Help Me Compare Movies?

    It is not our intent to suggest to you which movies are "safe." That is     your decision. Our intent is to provide you with tools to help you make that decision on your own. One of the greatest features of the CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model to help you in your decision-making is that it provides you with Rock-solid tools for comparing one movie to another. The core of the tools the CAP Model provides is the CAP Thermometers and the associated data.

    The CAP Thermometers provide an at-a-glance assessment of the distribution of assaults on morality and ethics. Inspecting a set of CAP Thermometers can tell you at-a-glance where, if any, the concentration of ignominy lies in any one or any combination of six investigation areas: Wanton Violence/Crime (W), Impudence/Hate (I), Sex/Homosexuality (S), Drugs/Alcohol (D), Offense to God (O) and Murder/Suicide (M). The taller the "mercury" in the thermometer the more wholesome the content of the particular investigation area. A set of CAP Thermometers is the perfect means to help you decide for yourself whether a movie is likely to be acceptable to you without having to watch it to know. Examples of CAP Thermometers follow (the set of thermometers on the left are of an earlier style):

    For example, by experience you have found a movie you and your family agree is acceptable, whether it be Who Gets the House or X-Men. All the content of it meets your standards. Let's call it Movie A. Note the CAP Thermometers for Movie A.

    Next, you hear of Movie B which you might like to see but are not sure of its content. All the advertisements and trailers for Movie B seem to imply it is acceptable. But you have been fooled by advertisements and trailers before and have learned that one cannot trust any longer the ratings of the Motion Picture Association of America (which tell you almost nothing anyway). Even the opinions of your friends have not always been in keeping with your standards. You are not about to take another chance with your family's entertainment diet. Use the CAP Thermometers to help you with your decision.

    Locate the CAP Thermometers for Movie B and compare them to the thermometers of Movie A. If the thermometers for Movie B compare favorably with the thermometers of Movie A, you can trust the relative morality content to be similar or the same. The point is, YOU decide. Not the MPAA and not your friends.

    Now, in our little scenario you have found that Movie B has earned a set of CAP Thermometers similar to the thermometers of Movie A but not similar enough to make you feel comfortable with a decision to take your kids to see Movie B. Check the listing in the Findings/Scoring section. It provides an itemization of the ignominy and assaults on morality found in the movie.

    How can the CAP model be Rock-solid since modern morality slides with every new fad and fancy? It is because our investigation standards are the teachings and expectations of Jesus Christ as related to us in the Holy Bible. His standards do NOT change. Thus, our standards do not change either. You can trust the results of a 1995 CAP analysis to be as revealing as an analysis of a 2002 movie and of 1950 or a 2025 movie. And since all numbers generated by the CAP analysis model are generated by computer, you can trust the results of a 1995 CAP analysis to be as reliable as an analysis of a 2002 movie and of 1950 or a 2025 movie.

    A set of CAP Thermometers for a movie also provides numeric display of the Final Score earned by a movie, the scores earned in each of the six investigation areas (W, I, S, D, O, M), the frequency of examples of assaults on morality per hour in each investigation area PLUS the CAP Influence Density which brings up another great feature of the CAP analysis model.

    The length of time of exposure to aberrant behavior examples can have as much of an impact on the behavioral mechanics of the observer as the amount of ignominy to which the observer is exposed. Some movies are short but present tons of ignominy. Other movies present the same amount of ignominy but in a longer duration. Movies which present much ignominy in a shorter duration possess a stronger opportunity for the observer to be influenced by the ignominy in it by the sheer saturation with it over a shorter period of time - the "over and over and over" principle. The CAP Influence Density figure is a measure of this manner of influence. The higher the Influence Density figure, the greater the density of assaults on morality.

    Another technique of filmmakers (whether intentional) is revealed by the CAP analysis model but not by opinion-based, subjective methods. The technique is the loading of a film with tons of lesser issues of ignominy to get the same "effect" as a movie with just a few bold and vile issues of ignominy. Some movies present programming with a greater number of examples of assault on morality and decency of lesser severity to achieve the same "effect" as others which present fewer issues but of greater severity of assault. For example, Movie X presents 100 examples of "lesser" issues of assault on morality and decency, each worth 10 "bads." Movie Y presents 10 examples of greater assault on morality and decency, each worth 100 "bads." The impact or influence on the observer is the same -- 1000 bads. Such a subtle technique may be invisible to the conditioned, desensitized mind but it is not invisible to the developing character. Nor is it invisible to the CAP analysis model. PG and PG-13 movies, especially PG-13, are typically Movie X. R-rated movies are typically Movie Y. This technique is what is responsible for a 450% increase in     R-13 movies between 1997 and 2000.

    Another figure provided by the CAP analysis model is the "MinMax" figure (the minimum score of the six investigation areas minus the maximum score). This number represents yet another parameter provided by the CAP Analysis model and will be used in future trending. It is not discussed herein.

    Note that as with any human assessment model which objectively uses raw mathematics to measure morality, there may be presences of behaviors completely unacceptable to your     personal tastes. Also, a movie may earn a relatively good scoring distribution but still contain a single example of extremely vile behavior. Though such a movie is unprecedented and would be extremely atypical, it may happen someday. That is where the listing in the Findings/Scoring section is most useful. To put this into perspective, let us assume you have a very serious problem with letting your kids see movies that contain teenagers screaming obscenities at their parents. A movie titled Tuff Stuff is a great movie but contains an episode of teens screaming obscenities at their parents which is the only example of programming in violation of the teachings and expectations of Jesus. Such a movie will earn a relative high Final Score but the listing in the Findings/Scoring section will clearly reveal the episode of Impudence/Hate.

    Quite a bit if information available in a small block of data display, isn't it? All the "bases" are covered with the CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model and in a compact at-a-glance package. It is the only set of tools available to parents and grandparents which gives     them the control they need, bypassing the opinion-based assessment of movies by others and defeating the deceit of those who would say anything to convince you otherwise.

    ___________________

    The CAP Ministry is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) Christian ministry, TIN: 75-2607488. All donations are tax-deductible in accordance with IRS rules. If you wish to make a donation or provide funding or sponsorship, please visit our     donations page or email me.

    Now and forever in His name.
    Tom Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry



  8. Who Says Invasive Programming Can Affect Me?

    Many, many of our younger readers and quite a few of our adult readers claim that viewing moral and ethical assaults in and as entertainment will not affect them at all. That movies are just fantasy and they know that. My typical canned reply is "An influence does not have to be real to influence. Did you *ever* get misty-eyed at anything you saw/heard in the movies? Have you *ever* gotten mad or happy or sad or "energized" at *anything* you saw and heard on the big screen -- ever?

    Indeed, by our experience with more than 40,000 emails, the greatest portion of people who deny the power of the entertainment industry to influence appears to be teens, the precise target of the entertainment industry. Which makes sense since more than twice as many non-adults see movies every week than adults. A rather elegant symbiosis, eh? The movies give teens what they want. Teens feed the movie machine with dollars. The movie machine makes more. The kids pay more. Then the kids who get to see "it" convince many others they need to see "it" or be a baby. And so on. And to fuel this symbiosis is the typical denial of lack of the experiential maturity necessary to fully separate fantasy from reality or to fully anticipate the consequences of actions/behavior: to fully grasp the behavior template planting power of modern entertainment. Following are several excerpts from our files which provide an accurate picture of just how "that stuff doesn't affect me."

    **********************************
    Harvard educated child developmental expert Dr. Karen Nelson, Developmental Psychologist and Professor of Psychology agrees with me that entertainment can plant aberrant behavioral templates. The American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry have agreed that violence in movies can and does beget aggression in youth. Professor Nelson also agrees with me that other negative behavioral expressions such as arrogance, rebellion, hatred in entertainment can plant behavioral templates as well. Further, Dr. Nelson agrees with me that *any* behavioral expression can be shaped by observation of behavior in entertainment, good or bad, and that aberrant behavior or change in attitude or coping skills caused or catalyzed by the influence of entertainment may manifest as an entirely different expression than that observed. Want more? Professional counselor Doctor Larry Gilliam *and* Dr. Nelson agree with me that it would be unusual for even a 16 year old to be able to fully comprehend the consequences of his/her actions or to be able to fully separate fantasy from reality: that such capabilities do not typically plateau until the early 20s.

    **********************************
    A recent study revealed that adolescent exposure to drinking and smoking in entertainment leads to an undeniable increase in alcohol and tobacco abuse. The finding entitled Relation Between Parental Restrictions on Movies and Adolescent Use of Tobacco and Alcohol reports that of 4544 youths from grades 5 through 8 of fifteen Vermont and New Hampshire middle schools (90% were under fourteen years old) only 16% were completely restricted from viewing R-rated movies. The report further states the prevalence of having tried smoking without parental knowledge was 35% for those with no restrictions on viewing R-rated movies, 12% for those with partial restrictions, and two percent for those with complete restrictions. The prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was 46% for those with no restrictions, 16% for those with partial restrictions and four percent for those with complete restrictions. Rather revealing of the influences of the entertainment industry wouldn't you say? I wonder what a study of the same age stratum would reveal regarding PG-13 movies with drinking and smoking in them with their "officially approved" content for 13 year olds.

    **********************************
    In a study reported to the 1986 Attorney General's Commission on Pornography by Dr. Jennings Bryant, 600 American males and females of high school age and above were interviewed about their "out in real life involvement with pornography." He found that 91% of the males and 82% of the females admitted having been exposed to X-rated, hard-core pornography. Two-thirds of the males and 40% of the females reported wanting to try out some of the behaviors they had witnessed. And, among high school students, 31% of males and 18% of the females admitted doing some of the things sexually they had seen in the pornography within a few days after exposure. This clearly suggests the modeling-effect or imitative-learning effect, as well as "triggering effect," [I call it emboldenment and desensitization - TC] that even non-violent pornography has on human sexual behavior in some individuals."

    Well, now. Sort of says something about mimicking that which is seen in and as entertainment, doesn't it? Sexual frenzies in R and PG-13 movies may not be X-rated, hard-core pornography in the strictest sense, but what difference does it make to an 18 year, 9 month commitment resulting from "doing some of the things sexually they had seen." Focus! Even the ones who see such entertainment but can't even spell "sexual" yet certainly have been given an idea on what to do when they can.

    **********************************
    All these movies that try to show our kids that a behavior is morally wrong are teaching our kids is how to be morally wrong.

    **********************************
    Satan has been very successful at tricking us. His first trick was mixing the Truth with lies in fine-sounding argument and smooth talk. One of his greatest tricks is to convince many that God does not exist, keenly mixing that trick with the trick of convincing people think they don't need God: that we can deal with life and death all by ourselves. Sweet frosting for that trick is Satan convincing many of us that *he* does not exist. Yet another great Satanic trick on mankind is to convince others that there are more than one god ... and goddess. Yet another is to convince many that sin is not really sinful or that sin is relative. Yet another of Satan's great tricks is convincing us that the Bible is no more than mortal man's interpretation of God's word subject to personal and social preferences of the time of first putting pen to paper. Satan has even convinced many of they who will not reject God that God can be measured by their own standards. The greatest of all of his tricks is to convince us we are immune to his tricks. And Satan's greatest tool to work his tricks is the entertainment industry.

    **********************************
    From one of our antagonistic emailers about the influence of entertainment: "Sure, it was only a movie, but feelings like those don't get tossed with the popcorn box."

    **********************************
    "We have been so drugged by vulgar extremes that what once was morally unacceptable has become morally invisible." [-TC-] If there ever was any doubt about that, there remains no doubt with *Unbreakable* when a 13 year old boy in a movie can aim a gun he loaded and cocked at his father [Prov. 17:25] and the audience find acceptability in it let alone humor in it. The boy's intent was to prove his father was a super hero who could not die. Remember what God has told us in 1 Cor. 15:33 "Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character." The "bad company" imagery in that scene may be captured by embittered youth as power by holding dad ("unfair control") hostage rather than what the scene is supposed to be saying, not to mention being captured as the lowering of inhibitions of the viewer against using a firearm as a power tool; power which all adolescents crave. There may be many emotional and social filters and barriers in the observer in the path of such imagery on its way to the brain that by the time the imagery gets to the brain all that remains of the original imagery is a picture of the power in holding dad hostage ... with a gun.

    **********************************
    Art is not sin. Sin is not art. Art *becomes* sin when art *uses* sin. And whether art is sin or not is not mine OR yours to define. God has already defined sin...very well. And if art uses sin, it is the artist's fault, not the art. And it is the artist's fault if the sin s/he puts in his/her work teaches or causes others to sin. Filmmakers who put sin in their art ARE culpable, at least morally. Sure, movies can be a form of art and artistic expression. But that does not excuse sin. And the only exofamilial entity on this planet that more deeply and intimately saturates our kids than the entertainment industry is air. And if such a vehicle with such vast power is saturated with sin ... you do the math.

    **********************************
    Some movies present programming with a greater number of examples assault on morality and decency of lesser severity to achieve the same "effect" as others which present fewer issues but of greater severity of assault. For example, Movie A (typically PG-13) presents 100 examples of "lesser" issues of assault on morality and decency, each worth 10 "bads." Movie B (typically R) presents only 10 examples of assault on morality and decency but each of greater severity, each worth 100 "bads." The impact or influence on the observer is the same -- 1000 "bads." Such a subtle technique may be invisible to the conscious mind but it is not invisible to the developing character. Nor is it invisible to the CAP analysis model.

    **********************************
    LITTLE STRAIGHT PINS
    Tom Carder
    ChildCare Action Project:
    Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)

    Billy (a high school freshman): "Dad, I want to go with the guys to see "Caustic Powers: The Guy Who Slagged Me." It is only PG-13! All my friends have seen it. And it is getting real hard to talk with the guys since they've all seen most of the latest movies and I haven't. They think I am a baby. My ethics class is making a project out of the movie and if I don't go I cannot contribute to the project. Yeah, there's a little sex, but you can't see anything. Phillip said a couple times two guys get a little close but all in fun. David told me some minor foul language is there, but only once or twice. I hear worse at school every day. Cisco said a few guys were chopped up but nothing that isn't shown on regular TV. Jonathan says God's name in vain is used a couple times but I can ignore that just as I can ignore all the other bad stuff. Darren said Powers' son cusses him out a couple times but you know I'd never talk to you that way. Besides, the guys tell me the real message of the movie is rescue through love and compassion. Movies just show things the way they really are, don't they? Why shelter me from them? And the special effects are awesome! Besides, I am much to intelligent for that stuff to change me."

    Dad: "No."

    Billy: " But Dad, how am I gonna face my friends? You GOTTA let me go."

    Dad: "No." And in respect to you, let me explain why not."

    "Recall that last new shirt Mom got you. Remember the little straight pins that hold the collar and sleeves in place? [Yes] Do you also remember our discussion of how a man's character (or a woman's character) is formed by *everything* s/he is exposed to every day, little by little, step by step, especially at your age? [Yes] Do you agree? [Yes] Now consider this."

    "If you are careless with those little straight pins and lose them, they may be found later ....... painfully. Imagine them getting lost in the couch. They seem to develop a mind of their own: an attitude with only one focus, to make their point. Some work their way deep into the cushion and some just under or in the seat cushion cover. Wherever the pins end up in the couch, each time you sit you risk a stab on the backside ....... just because those little straight pins were treated carelessly."

    "The pins buried just under or in the cushion cover will be the first to make their point with your glutei maximi. And after repeated uses of the couch, the deeper ones may eventually resurface and make their point. Some seem to stay buried until they get pushed around once too often. Even some won't resurface unless you sit down with an attitude. Then you may even find several pins at once! This is all assuming that you only use the couch to sit. How 'bout if you stretch out for a snooze and toss n' turn a time or two?"

    "Each of the times you see or hear bad behavior in the movies can be thought of as a behavior template becoming buried in the couch of your mind -- your memory -- just like those little straight pins buried in the couch. There they serve as spontaneous and even contemplated choices of behavior, always poised ready and eager to make a point. Some of these behavior template pins are buried very shallow in your mind and resurface with very little provocation. Some are buried very, very deep and will only resurface if they (you) are pushed around once too often. Whatever provokes those behavior template pins to resurface -- whether one or many -- it is likely a painful experience."

    copyright 1997, CAP Ministry

    **********************************
    "I hear worse at school every day." A typical comment to excuse attendance to movies with vulgar language. The same comment is also used from time to time about sexual matters. All in vain. The first time of a sin does not excuse the second. Nor does the second excuse the third, the fourth ... the thousandth. Nor does the thousandth excuse the first.

    **********************************

    How much more evidence and proof do we need to know that the content of modern entertainment, whether intentional, is culpable, at least morally culpable, for aberrant behaviors in our youth? The entertainment industry, whether intentional, is changing our standards by chipping away at our innocence. All it takes for evil to prosper is for good people to do nothing -- or to like it.

    I will repeat the attention to God's Word in 1 Cor. 15:33 "Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character." The "bad company" in the form of aberrant and vulgar behavior and speech in and as entertainment in the comfy, popcorn-flavored environment is quite likely the most powerful influence on the planet. Even more powerful at certain stages of character development than familial influences.

    ___________________

    The CAP Ministry is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) Christian ministry, TIN: 75-2607488. All donations are tax-deductible in accordance with IRS rules. If you wish to make a donation or provide funding or sponsorship, please visit our     donations page or email me.

    Now and forever in His name.
    Tom Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry



  9. Ju-udge Not Lest Ye Be Ju-udged!

    So many have tried to get me to stop our analyses of popular entertainment by saying many things against us. One of the most popular is "How are you to judge?" Following is my canned reply to that grasp for argumentative superiority through counterfeiting of His Word.

    Matt. 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged."

    This is the verse so many use to try to shame Christians for discerning poor behavior, ethics, morals, and values: the "ju-udge not lest ye be ju-udged" verse. Using ONLY Matt 7:1 is entirely incomplete. This verse is NOT speaking to not judging -- it is speaking to not judging harshly, unfairly, or any other cheap and selfish way. Read the REST OF THE STORY ...

    Matt 7:2-5 "For in the same way you judge others [there is the authority to judge], you will be judged [if we judge poorly, we will be judged poorly; if we judge well, we will be judged well], and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you [if we use extremes to manipulate the outcome, extremes will be used on us]. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye [point out his sins, "minor" in Jesus' example here] and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye [our own sins, even and especially those we will not see, magnified by our selective blindness]? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' [tell him of his "minor" sins] when all the time there is a plank in your own eye [that there are greater or the same sins in our own lives which we do nothing about]? You hypocrite [speaking/accusing others of sins thinking one is above sin], first take the plank out of your own eye [*sincerely* ask the Lord for forgiveness and learn AND live the Truth and Light by His Word], and then you will see clearly [be in a righteous position] to remove the speck from your brother's eye [to judge and to help him out of his bondage to sin]." At Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan, Jesus was talking to the multitudes gathered there after hearing of His message and of His healings to beseech them to not become like the pharisees and hypocrites who think they are above sin.

    And, as a FEW examples of His desire for us to judge,

    •  1Cor. 6:2-3 Do you not know that the saints [the saved; Christians] will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!
    •  Prov. 3:21 My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;
    •  John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
    •  Jer. 22:3 Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness...
    •  Phil. 1:10 so that you may be able to discern [judge] what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ...
    •  Phil. 1:7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you [judge you]...

    Matt 7:1 seems to support the allusion that we are not to judge at all IF we use small-vision tactics by narrow-mindedly selecting only that SMALL piece of the total of what Jesus was saying. Matt 7:1 DOES NOT tell us not to judge at all -- it tells us not to judge with unfairness or superficiality: to not use our own understanding to judge. Look at John 7:24. There, Jesus TELLS us to judge, but to do so righteously. Righteously means to use the Truth of the Word and NOT by appearances only. Judge we must else we could never tell good from bad, proper from improper, righteousness from evil.

    And to continue, Matt 7:6 says. "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces." How are we going to know who are the "dogs" and the "pigs" if we do not judge?

    Yes, we do have the right and the authority to judge the behavior of others as long as we honor and obey His Word doing it. That Jesus is the only one who can judge is speaking to judging whether someone is or is not saved. Neither you or I nor anyone else who has ever drawn a breath (except Jesus) or ever will draw a breath has the authority to say whether another has or has not been saved. Only Jesus can make that judgment since only He can give Salvation. The Bible provides quite enough knowledge and understanding to make each of us a righteous judge of behavior IF we r-e-a-d it and not just look at the words AND use the TOTAL of what He says, not just the pieces that seem to fit an agenda; that seem to fill our own bellies.

  10. You Make All Christians Look Bad! You Should Be More Tolerant.

    It is not people like me who are driving people away from Jesus. It is people who situationally redefine, counterfeit and conditionally apply His Word to suit cultural tolerances who PULL people away from Christ: people who think they are wiser than God; people who so pitifully soften, cheapen, distort and weaken His Word and change it into lies or into convenience "interpretations"; people who cause the ones who walk away to expect practicing the Christian faith to be something it is NOT. Then, when the seekers are confronted with the Truth BY HIS WORD, they can't handle it because of people who have for so long made the Truth seem what it isn't by pabulum feeding the people with feel-good counterfeitings of the Christianity of Christ to suit man with any adherence to His true Word being coincidental.

    We will NOT situationally redefine or conditionally apply His Word to suit modern ethics and false religions or even to avoid invading the comfort zone of Christians. For too long, well-meaning clergy have pabulum fed the people with watered down Scriptures to avoid invading the comfort zone. We will not do that. We love you too much to feed you lies and less-than-truths. It is people who do who pull people away from the CHRIST of Christianity. Practicing the Christian faith and what is expected of it is being very intolerant ... of sin ... even our own by HIS Word, not yours or mine, by embracing the sinner but NOT embracing the sin; by helping the sinner, even ourselves, out of bondage to the sin by loving him/her enough to TELL THE TRUTH. On Judgment Day, Jesus will send the unforgiven sinner into the fiery pits of Hell in a heartbeat. Now THAT is intolerance. Of sin. And Righteously so. He further will NOT excuse any sin. For example, Jesus forgave the sin of the prostitute but did NOT excuse it. Jesus did not argue the judgment nor did He argue the law. He argued our right to execute the woman. Prostitution is just as sinful now, after Jesus forgave the prostitute of it, as it was before He forgave her. He even reminded her of the sin by telling her to go and sin no more. He will forgive us all our sins if we are humble enough to ask, but He WILL NOT excuse ANY sin. All that is sinful before forgiveness is still sinful after forgiveness. More intolerance. And righteously so.

    It is not people like me who tell His Truth undiluted and unmasked by modern man's alterations and distillations of it who drive people away from Jesus. It is people who offer self-serving counterfeitings of His Word to suit themselves or political correctness or modern morality who DRAW some people away from Jesus when they are confronted with the complete Truth [Acts 20:30 "Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them"]. It is people who conveniently modify His Word, people who set His Word aside when it gets in their way who PULL people away from Christianity. The victims of such deceit are so conditioned by the narcotic effect of a "mamma's milk" Spiritual diet that when they get a Spiritual "solid food" meal by His Word they can't handle it. People can Spiritually survive on a "cake-n-ice cream" diet only so long. Sooner or later they must have "meat-n-veggies." That is what we serve.

    Our gentle and loving and compassionate Jesus is One of finality who will say "I never knew you" without batting an eye on the Judgment Day if we have not accepted Him as Lord and Savior. THAT is certainly intolerance, of sin, to which He is righteously entitled. The point here is that while Jesus provided teachings of gentleness and compassion and indeed wants us to be gentle and compassionate as was He, Jesus also provided teachings of supreme finality and harshness for the arrogant. Righteously so. He taught of Hell which so many well-meaning men of the pulpit seem to avoid. All must know this because to say to Him on Judgment Day "But I thought...." or "So-n-so said..." or "Interpreted, that means......." or "I didn't believe..." will not buy another chance.

    "Tolerance" has probably become the most abused word in the English language. There is nothing wrong with being tolerant if tolerance is being shown righteously. We must not be tolerant of sin. We must not embrace the sin as we embrace the sinner. We do not have to "accept" the sin to accept the sinner. We do not have to participate in or encourage the sin to "reach" the sinner. To do so is to cause the sinner to sin. Which is a sin on ourselves. Not in one single case did Jesus ever participate in or even encourage our participation in a sin to teach us of it and its consequences.

    So, it is not people like us who tell His Word unbridled and unabridged who are driving people away from Christianity or Christ. It is the people who say we do who are.

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    Now and forever in His name.
    Tom Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry



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    Since December 5, 2000