Is it a sin to watch horror movies (Catholic)?
Introduction
Movies are beyond entertainment.
They are powerful tools that impact the mind and shape culture.
Movies can affect how we think and act because they trigger emotions and send messages in subtle and coded ways.
As believers, we should focus on renewing our minds and maintaining holiness.
Therefore, everything we do, including the movies we watch, must achieve this purpose.
Horror movies are riddled with violence, grotesque, bloodshed, and murder.
They are created with the intent to excite people in a scary way. So the producers glorify evil and promote violence to appeal to their audience.
So, is it a sin to watch horror movies?
Horror movies are against God’s Word.
The question that should be on every believer’s lip is, do horror movies align with God’s will?
Or what does the Bible say about murder, evil, and bloodshed?
God’s Word strongly warns us against everything horror movies portray.
For example, Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17 clearly and firmly state say, “You shall not murder.”
Also, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says we must “Abstain from every form of evil.”
These are God’s commands to us. By all standards, horror movies represent evil.
So, if we are Bible believers and God’s children, we must keep away from them.
We must not rejoice in evil.
We must sit down and watch a complete series of murder and evil and still claim we are obedient children of God.
We must not encourage evil in any way.
We must stay faithful to God’s Word and explore other genres of movies that promote holiness and love.
Horror movies corrupt our minds.
Many believers feel comfortable watching horror movies with the excuse that since they are not committing these evil acts, they are not sinning against God.
But the damage horror movies do to the mind is extreme.
Horror movies make one scared of the littlest things, and the slightest movement one would ordinarily not have been bothered with.
It often leads to nightmares and sleeplessness, fear, and anxiety.
All these negative emotions are tools in the hand of the enemy to control and manipulate our destinies.
God’s Word encourages us to focus our minds on godly things alone.
Philippians 4:8 says we should meditate on whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, that has virtue, and praiseworthy.
Horror movies do not tick any of these boxes.
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Horror movies promote the devil’s agenda.
The book of John 10:10 says, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”
Every horror movies include some form of stealing, killing, and destroying.
Jesus, on the other hand, came to give us life more abundantly.
If a believer finds stealing, killing, and destroying exciting, there’s a problem.
Horror movies should offend us.
We shouldn’t invest our money and time into filling our minds with the devil’s agenda.
Instead, we should crave the life God gives, guard it jealously and nurture it.
Remember that the Bible says there’s no relationship between light and darkness.
Revelation 3:15-16 say God hates lukewarm Christians that are neither hot nor cold.
He says he will spew them out of His mouth because they do not trust Him enough to commit fully to Him.
Sitting on the fence by watching horror movies and still claiming to be a Christian will only sever our relationship with God.
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Horror movies include magic.
There have been some debates about movies portraying magic and sorcery.
Questions like, is it a sin to watch movies with magic, have been raised. However, it is vital for believers to understand what magic represents and what the Bible says about it.
Dark magic and sorcery are often primary elements of horror movies.
Dark magic derives its power and source from evil spirits, demons, and the devil.
These are the enemies of God and Christians.
God is against magic, sorcery, divination, and every other power not from God. “You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying.” (Leviticus 19:26)
God’s Word in Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Why should a believer derive pleasure from watching movies that encourage and glorify all these demonic powers?
Our focus should be equipping ourselves with the whole armor of God to stand against the wiles and wickedness of the enemy and attack (Ephesians 6:11-13)
Another crucial question believers ask is, is it a sin to watch movies with cursing?
Curses and foul language are always said only to demean, provoke and hurt a person.
Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
Our conversations should always be full of grace to encourage, uplift and bless others.
The Bible says what we say is the function of the state of our hearts (Matthew 12:34). Therefore, a heart full of evil speaks evil things, while a mouth full of good things speaks goodness.
We must also understand that the words in our mouths are powerful.
They can destroy or build. Curses destroy.
They shape our realities. Job 22:28 states, “You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you.”
Declarations can be negative and positive.
Both of them have the power to make things happen in our lives.
So, we put ourselves in a dangerous state if the movies we watch have curses in them because the curses they declare can be established in our lives.
Even some unbelievers find movies and music with swear and curse words offensive.
As such, it is a big challenge if a believer is comfortable hearing those words.
Distinguishing between what entertains and what edifies
Apostle Paul’s famous quote in 1 Corinthians 10:23 says, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.”
This profound statement by Paul addresses the issue of liberty, limitation, and value.
As believers, Christ has set us free.
John 8:36 says, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” So, we are free from the law of sin and death.
We have been bought by the blood of Jesus. However, this liberty or freedom has limitations.
We have not been set free to do whatever we feel is right but to live according to God’s Word and rules.
That is why believers must understand that freedom has limits, even in Christ.
In this instance, we are free to do what entertains us. But while being at liberty to watch movies, we must not cross certain limits, even though those activities or movies are not sinful.
Why?
Because although certain things cannot be termed sin based on biblical standards, they do not add any value to our lives or glorify God in any way.
This is worth considering as a believer.
Even if there are no hard pieces of evidence from the Bible that some activities should be avoided, our moral compass should direct us away from there.
Thinking like smoking, masturbating, romancing a person you are not married to, etc., all fall into the same category of things not helpful; hence, do not edify.
Therefore, although horror movies might be lawful to you, know that it is not helpful to your mental, emotional, and spiritual life.
It comes with many negativities and dark energies you do not want for your soul.
He concluded by saying, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
You must stand firm for Christ alone and not get involved in things that could pollute you.
Apostle Paul asked, “For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).
We must stand in the light of God.
We must be hot, not lukewarm, because God says He will spew those who are neither here nor there about their faith in God and association with the world (Revelation 3:15-16).
Not being a stumbling block to a fellow Christian.
Again, Apostle Paul says, “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak” (Romans 14:21).
When horror movies are discussed among Christians, the usual argument those who see the movie put forward is, that they see it as a regular movie and do not get scared or affected by it.
It is true that most people who watch a horror movie view it as a work of art and fiction and do not attach much meaning and emotion to it. However, the Bible tells us we must be our brother’s keeper.
That means that we must not live as though we are alone or our actions and inactions cannot affect others.
That’s a lie from the pit of hell.
We are all interconnected and must practice togetherness as Jesus and His disciples.
Therefore, we must consider our brethren’s mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being whenever we want to do anything, even if it is not a sin.
For example, a horror movie might just be a regular movie to you but might offend a brethren or weaken them.
A horror movie is a big deal to many people. It scares them and steals sleep from their eyes.
If you consider the pain it causes a person close to you, and you would not want them to experience such, Paul says you should avoid it (Romans 14:13-23)
The little things we do not worry about might be a big deal to someone else.
Watching a horror movie might trigger certain traumas or reawaken some bad memories.
Imagine being the reason someone starts seeing a therapist or using medication.
Not seeing a horror movie cannot have any impact on your life. Therefore, it is noble and praise-worthy if you stop watching it for the sake of a person close to you.
Horror movies and trauma
Much research has shown that horror movies are the root cause of psychological and mental health issues in people.
Prolonged exposure to violence can take a toll on people’s minds, especially children.
This contradicts God’s Word that says God wants us to prosper in all things, including our health (3 John 1:2).
Here are some ways horror movies can impact our mental health.
Horror movies and fear
Young children can develop fear and anxiety when exposed to horror movies.
It can also lead to nightmares and sleeplessness, making them unproductive during the daytime.
Fear is not from God.
It is the opposite of faith and the Holy Spirit.
The Bible says that fear is a spirit that does not come from God (2 Timothy 1:7).
Fear and anxiety can also lead to physical symptoms like fatigue, headaches, or stomachaches.
Considering these things, we will understand that it is beyond just watching a movie but a matter of life and death.
Horror movies and physical violence
According to research, some violent adults learned the habit from horror movies as little kids.
Consistent exposure to horror movies with many physical violence scenes has skewed their perception of violence, making them believe that physical violence is normal human behavior.
Some people even go as far as becoming murderers.
On the surface, horror movies might seem harmless. But it can affect people in ways they never imagined.
God is not a control freak or a killjoy.
He wants the best for us and wants to protect us from evil, especially those we cannot see.
Watching horror movies is not a sin, but it does not add value to our lives or glorify God.
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David Akeju is a Christian writer who believes in the transformational power of God’s Word. His articles and books have been published on global platforms, and thousands of lives have been touched. He works with pastors and ministers, churches and ministries, and brands.