Article November 8, 1999 Issue

Gratuitous violence in films, and the prayer switch project

Choose carefully as the season's new movies debut.

By Channing Walker

Suppose some people found a huge drain in the bottom of the ocean and they pulled the plug, and the whole ocean got sucked down the drain. It would be a good time to switch from boating to biking—to get off the deep blue sea and onto shore fast.

Or, consider another downward pull, but not a supposed one. What about entertainment that has no aim other than cashing in on the allure of fear? What about movies, music, and video games that scream with gratuitous violence?

Many viewers, listeners, and players are caught in an undertow, drowning in fearful and violent imagery. At times, they seem to be drowning but uninterested in rescue.