Brownies with a Difference
After the tragedy of "non-parenting" evidenced in Littleton,
many parents are working hard to explain to their children
and teens why some video games, music, movies, books, and
magazines are not acceptable material for them to bring into
the home, for their youth to see, or hear.
One parent came up with an original idea that was hard to
refute. He 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. They only used the Lord's name
in vain three times in the whole movie. The video effects were
fabulous and the plot was action packed. Yes, there was the scene
where a building and a bunch of people got blown up, but the
violence was just the normal stuff. It wasn't very bad. Even with
all these explanations for the rating, the father wouldn't give
in. He didn't even give them a satisfying explanation for saying,
"No." He just said, "No."
It was a little bit later that evening, that this same father
asked his teens if they would like some brownies he had prepared.
He explained that he had taken the families favorite recipe and
added something new.
They asked what it was. He calmly replied that he had added a
special ingredient - "dog poop".
He stated that it was only a little bit. All the ingredients
were gourmet quality. He had taken great care to bake it at the
precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the brownies
would be superb. Even with all the explanations of the perfect
attributes of the brownies, the teens would not take one. The
father acted surprised. There was only one little element that
would have caused them to act so stubbornly. He assured them that
they would hardly notice it if at all. They all held firm and
would not try the brownies.
He then explained that the movie they wanted to see was just like
the brownies. Sin enters our minds and our homes by deceiving us
into believing that just a little bit of evil won't matter. With
the brownies, just a little bit makes all the difference between
a great brownie and a totally unacceptable product. He explained
that even though the movie people would have us believe the movies
which are coming out are acceptable for adults and youth's to
see they are not.
Now when this father's youth want to do something or see
something they should not, the father merely asks them if they
would like some of his special brownies . . . and they never ask
about that activity again.
