Browning with a Difference

Many parents are hard pressed to explain to their youth why some music,
movies, books, and magazines are not acceptable material for them to bring
into the home or to listen to or see.

One parent came up with an original idea that is hard to refute. The father
listened to all the reasons his children gave for wanting to see a
particular PG-13 movie. It had their favorite actors. Everyone else was
seeing it. Even church members said it was great. It was only rated PG-13
because of the suggestion of sex--they never really showed it. The language
was pretty good--the Lord's name was only used in vain three times in the
whole movie. The teens did admit there was a scene where a building and a
bunch of people were blown up, but the violence was just the normal stuff.
It wasn't too bad. And, even if there were a few minor things, the special
effects were fabulous and the plot was action packed. However, even with
all the justifications the teens made for the 13' rating, the father still
wouldn't give in. He didn't even give his children a satisfactory
explanation for saying, "No." He just said, "No!"

A little later on that evening the father asked his teens if they would like
some brownies he had baked. He explained that he'd taken the family's
favorite recipe and added a little something new. The children asked what it
was. The father calmly replied that he had added dog poop. However, he
quickly assured them, it was only a little bit. All other ingredients were
gourmet quality and he had taken great care to bake the brownies at the
precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the brownies would be
superb. Even with their father's promise that the brownies were of almost
perfect quality, the teens would not take any. The father acted surprised.
After all, it was only one small part that was causing them to be so
stubborn. He was certain they would hardly notice it. Still the teens held
firm and would not try the brownies.

The father then told his children how the movie they wanted to see was just
like the brownies. Our minds are tricking us into believing that just a
little bit of evil won't matter. But, the truth is even a little bit of poop
makes the difference between a great treat and something disgusting and
totally unacceptable. The father went on to explain that even though the
movie industry would have us believe that most of today's movies are
acceptable fare for adults and youth, they are not.

Now, when this father's children want to see something that is of
questionable material, the father merely asks them if they would like some
of his special dog brownies. That always closes the subject.