what is in Game of Thrones

Early in 2015, I didn’t know very much about “Game of Thrones” (abbreviated “GoT” below), but it makes the news regularly so I knew enough to be aware that it was filthy and entirely inappropriate for someone naming the name of Christ.

Because of a recent grievous church situation, I’ve done more research – without watching it, of course – and here is a summary of what is in the show.  Warning: this is rather graphic.

Perhaps the longest content review can be found at the IMDB.com review here.  It is very frank, and I’ve only read less than one-third of it.  Just skimming random parts of it (which was more than enough), here is how I’d summarize it:

Game of Thrones has brutal, graphic, and grotesque violence, and is also sexually explicit, including full complete nudity (front and back, male and female), depictions of fornication, rape, rape and incest in the same act, and homosexual sex scenes.  These are not rare events in the show – on the contrary, they are infamously commonplace.  To describe it with just two words, I’d simply call it “violent porn”.

Common Sense Media described it, in part, with this (emphasis added by me):

Parents need to know that Game of Thrones... frequently depicts brutal battles and graphic, detailed acts of violence (including those against children and women), as well as lots of nudity and no-holds-barred sexuality. The latter is portrayed in an especially iffy manner, with explicit discussion and depiction of incest, adultery, and rape. Strong language, including "f--k," is frequent.

If that doesn’t confirm for you that GoT has no place in the Christian’s viewing habits (because the Bible says so!), then I fear for your soul.

This is distasteful and shouldn’t be necessary, but I think a few definitions are in order.  The wording is mine, and you can argue if you wish.  The definitions use the female example, which is most common, but it certainly applies to male as well.

1.       Soft-porn:  very skimpy or barely-clad women, can include topless if the arm or hand or some other object is covering the breasts, a hint or partial see-through, sheer, but not naked;  includes things like Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, Victoria’s Secret shows, many movies, etc

2.       Porn:  topless, breasts visible, nakedness, can include view of genitals, scenes of fornication or adultery, but stopping short of #3 below;  includes things like Playboy, Game of Thrones, Orange is the New Black (and other TV shows, especially on HBO & Showtime), quite a few R-rated movies (and a few PG-13 as well)

3.       Hard-core porn:  sexual contact showing actual (not feigned) sexual activity, and who-knows-what other manner of vile and gross immorality

Using those definitions, Game of Thrones is pornography.  Yes, porn.  Not soft, not hard, just plain old porn-porn.  One Hollywood director called it “soft porn”, though his standards are way lower than the Bible’s.  Numerous articles by unregenerate commentators have called it porn and said how the show goes too far in gratuitous sex scenes, and even some feminists are critical of it as objectifying women (and they’re right, in this case).  Even if you want to argue semantics and call it “soft porn” – fine – it is still porn, and it is blatantly and obviously sinful to watch it.

You have to get this, too:  the non-porn parts of GoT don’t make the pornographic parts non-porn.  No one is saying ALL of GoT is porn – but some parts of it most certainly are – and the artsy/theatrical parts don’t negate or un-do the pornographic parts.

John Piper jumped into the mix a year ago, and gave a pretty good list of 12 reasons to not watch it.  I think he left some things out, but what he wrote is certainly worth reading.

The bottom line, my friend, is if YOU watch Game of Thrones or other shows or movies like it, then I urge you – repent.  Turn away from such wickedness.  Call it what it is, namely, sin.  Flee from it!  Run in the other direction!  Make no provision for it.  Unsubscribe from HBO and Showtime.  Chop the cable in half if needed.  And then flee to Christ.  Confess your foolishness, your hardness of heart, your sin, and ask Jesus to forgive and to help you turn away from evil.  Ask the Lord to cleanse you and set you on the straight and narrow.  See Titus 2:11-12, Colossians 3:1-4, 1 John 1:9, as well as this list of relevant passages.  And GET and USE some of these resources.