TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board - A "secretive" organization creating public policy

 What is one of the most secretive organizations in the United States?  That would be the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board.  The Board consist of 18 appointed members of the entertainment industry and 5 "public interest" members.  Representatives from Hulu, NBC, CBS, and the Boys and Girls Club of America are some of the group members  The group meets in private and the names of the members are kept hidden from the general public.  This private group is responsible for creation of ratings and descriptors for the TV shows and movies the general public watches.  You will never see this group interviewed on television.  The group interacts with the public via a one way communication of survey results that they proudly say always supports the rating system.  The rating system they oversee is supposed to serve as a guideline to parents and others who want to be aware of the content of the material they or their children, nephews, nieces, and grandchildren are about to view.

The Board stated that recent survey results indicated that 95% of parents feel it is important to know about sexual situations in the program they are about to watch.  One issue that has come up is to understand how the Board defines "sexual situations"?  Are scenes featuring two women kissing, or two males kissing in a bed defined as "sexual situations"?  Currently such scenes are not labeled as sexual situations and have been pushed out as viewers in TV shows and movies without a warning that the program contains such scenes.

Do you as a viewer want to be forewarned about the presence of scenes that involve homosexual behavior or non binary gender behaviors?  "Sexual situations" is a descriptor that needs to be defined by the Board.  If sexual situations does not involve homosexual behavior or non binary gender issues, then separate descriptors need to be created for homosexual and non binary gender content.  In addition the ratings and descriptors need to remain on the screen for at least a full minute.  Please contact the Board via the below methods to express your views on the adequacy of current ratings and descriptors related to homosexual behavior and non binary gender content.

TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board
PO BOX 771
Washington, DC 20044
TVOMB@tvguidelines.org
(202) 570-7776

The Good News

We are in a world destined for destruction in a horrific chaotic manner.  God created a system and method for human beings, as broken as we are, to have eternal life beyond this world.  God's system was to place His son in a human form on Earth.  He then allowed for that son to suffer and die for OUR sins.  That system opened a new door for all people to achieve eternal life.

This system/method is in place.  The rules for humans to follow have been established in those words given in the bible.  Now it is up to each of us to overcome the human ways of the world and to adhere to God's rules if we want what God has offered.  The path to the offer is through the narrowest of gates.

What is your choice?  What is your chosen destination?  Begin/continue your journey.  The path is full of obstacles.  Tread carefully and in constant prayer.

Mr. Hamlin and StandAndPray

 No longer being a fan of football, I was unaware of the tragic event that occurred to Mr. Hamlin prior to posting my prior blog on StandAndPray 2023. What really caught my attention was how many football fans were suddenly motivated to pray in response to the tragedy. Would it not have been better to Stand And Pray during the playing of the national anthem to include a prayer for the safety and well being of all the players?  No, what we as humans do is pray after a negative event has happened.

Next Sunday football fans across the world will be likely asked to stand for a moment of silence in honor of Mr. Hamlin.  Some of you football fans might even take that opportunity to say a silent prayer.  But, then you will go right back into the human behavior where you remain standing with your hand over your heart , and your beer in your other hand to honor your nation during the playing of the national anthem.

Prayerfully, Mr. Hamlin will recover.  Prayerfully you will not be asked to stand at a future football game in memory of Mr. Hamlin.

So now I will ask you again.  Before your next football game or any sporting event, can you simply StandAndPray during the national anthem?

Stand and Pray at our Sports Distractions #StandAndPray 2023

 And so it continues.  In the United States, maybe in other countries also.  Before we start our sporting events, our cultural or governmental traditions have established a moment where we stand as the flag of the government is displayed and the associated national anthem played.  We are asked to stand, respectfully take off our caps, and sing along with the anthem (if you know the words).  Sometimes we are asked to place our hand over our heart.  These are human instructions on what we should do, whether we want to or not.  If you do not follow these instructions, you are frowned upon.  And please do not even think of taking a knee if you are one of the combatants on the playing field preparing for your "game".  In some countries this pre game ritual has been linked to respecting those who have fault in our human wars.  Those people sent off to practice our utmost human stupidity.  The act of killing each other over human values.  Property/land, power, resources.

There is another option for our pre game ritual.  I propose this option to all regardless of your faith, religion, or national human origin.  Regardless of your race, gender, or economic status.  As you are asked to "please rise, remove your caps, and join in the playing of our national anthem", simply stand and pray.  

Stand in acknowledgement of the God who created humanity.  Pray either silently or out loud for the continued grace of our Creator who allows us to continue to live despite our continuing to stray from the course which our Creator established for us to follow.  Pray in thanks for all that you have, whether it's the material and economic benefits that allow you to even attend this "game"; your health which allows you to be alive at the game; or just pray for spiritual guidance in your life and in the lives of your family members.  Pray in acknowledgement that the sports event is just a human distraction from the rigors of real life.  Yes, the sports event may be your "time out" from the drama of real life, but your act of "StandAndPray" is your action of acknowledging what really matters.  Stand and pray is your acknowledgement that you are always "time in" when it comes to your spirituality.

Romans 1:23  (NLT)  And instead of worshipping the glorious ever living God, they worshipped idols made look like mere people and birds and animals and  reptiles.