A searchable, downloadable PDF of the original article appears below. Jim Walton is the Coordinator of Youth and Lay Ministries at St. Andrew’s Church, Parry Sound, Ontario.
Learn to Discern. Robert G. De Moss, Jr. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1992.179 pp.
Learn to Discern is written to a more specific audience (parents) and addresses a more specific issue (entertainment media) than those of Teen Trends. Bob De Moss Jr., Youth Culture Specialist of Focus on the Family, had taken these same issues to national television, including programs like “Geraldo,” “Good Morning America” and the “Phil Donahue” show.
In this book, De Moss takes a rational and realistic look at the seductive and influential power of the television, movie, advertising, and music industries on the minds of today’s youth. His goal is to teach parents how they may help their children develop a critical, Christian mind that is able to sift through the mixed messages given by these entertainment media. As he confronts the influence of secular media, De Moss considers the biblical themes of separation and transformation (i.e., the critical thinker sees the bad and not only “separates” from bad but seeks to transform it in their life and in society) and of conservation (i.e., the critical thinker sees and affirms the good… see Romans 12:2). So the reader is able to avoid the pitfail of the attitude of “let’s censor everything” (i.e., let’s completely separate) as well as the other extreme of the attitude of “let’s do nothing” (i.e., let’s not transform society but blend in).
In making his case, De Moss deals quite explicitly, but tastefully, with some of his subject matter. Admittedly, this may shock, even offend some, hence the book has a warning label on the front cover. But I wholeheartedly endorse his conviction “ that every parent needs to see at least once what eight and ten- year-old children are viewing and hearing virtually every day… after all, since nobody is sanitizing the entertainment culture for our children, I didn’t think that I should sanitize it for adult readers… you and I can’t fully appreciate the problem without exposure to some small part of it, as difficult as that process might be” (p. 17). De Moss’s approach is tasteful not only because of the way in which he presents objectionable material but more so because of his goal… to help parents dialogue with teens so they can effectively teach their children to be discerning. Learn to Discern is not only a wake-up call to Christians who have fallen asleep when it comes to helping their children deal with the powerful influence of the entertainment media but its creative, practical suggestions offer real hope in neutralizing this area of influence of secular society.
But that’s not all. Learn to Discern is also available on video at the very reasonable cost of $25 from Focus on the Family (P.O. Box 9800, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4G3). De Moss’s clear, creative, candid and humorous style of communicating makes this resource an excellent tool for outreach into the community. You do not have to be a Christian to appreciate the issues raised by Learn to Discern.
Finally, if you find that you appreciate De Moss’s ministry then you will enjoy the monthly publication, Parental Guidance, that he writes for Focus on the Family. In it, De Moss keeps adults on top of the good and the bad of today’s entertainment media. He also includes a very helpful section on the creative alternative of Christian music.