‘Our research does not support moral panics about children addicted to computer games or mindless entertainment on television, but today's children need to be screen-wise as well as book-wise. They are developing new skills and need support in doing this.’
: Sonia Livingstone, London School of Economics

‘The number of magazines and TV programmes devoted to appearance is just enormous. Kids will continue to be held up against impossible body images and this will make them more and more depressed.’
: Michelle Elliott

‘The rise of magazines like ‘Men’s Health’ is certainly influencing young men. There are more and more young men who work out and I don’t think it’s because they want to be healthy – I think it’s because they feel pressured.’
: John Buckeridge

'I’ve got a big stash of magazines and they’re always talking about sex and drugs and stuff. You want to know what most people do at that sort of age and what sort of problems they have. There is always a problems page where you write in about sex problems or body problems. If you write in, you wouldn’t be embarrassed because they don’t know who you are.'
: 13 year old girl


Bible: Philippians 4: 8-9 (The Message):

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realised. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

The media is our window on the world. It’s been said that we can access more information in one single day than the average Victorian accessed in a whole lifetime. The media brings us into contact with a whole stack of news, entertainment, people, ideas, art, culture, imagination… Some of it is unhelpful – even ugly – but a lot of it is beautiful, remarkable and magical.

Paul didn’t advocate shutting your eyes and ignoring the world, he suggested keeping your eyes open and seeing the world for what it is, then filling our minds with the images, stories and people that bring hope. In an era where we get bombarded by thousands of media messages every day, how can we get fixated on beauty, and walk in the footsteps of the truly heroic? How can we use the media to give positive messages to the world?


Prayer Ideas:

Learn to Discern

Get a whole pile of newspapers and magazines, and invite people to go through them to find:

a) Stories of hopelessness and ugliness.
b) Stories of hope and beauty.

If you can, find some stories that are also focused on young people. Thank God for the good and ask him to transform the bad.

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Source acknowledgement: Statistics and Quotes taken from:

The Burden of Youth Report:
by The Henley Centre, commissioned by The Salvation Army in 2001.

Beyond Belief? Barriers and Bridges to Faith Today:
Nick Spencer of The London Institute of Contemporary Christianity.

The Profile of Youth Workers 2003:
a private report by Alison Gelder and Philip Escott, commissioned by Churches Together in England Coordination group for Youth Work. Copyright Churches Together in England 2003.