Brownies with a Difference
any parents are hard pressed to explain to their youth why some music,
movies, books and magazines are not acceptable material for them to bring
into the home or to listen to or see. One parent came up with an original
idea that is hard to refute.
The father listened to all the reasons his children gave for wanting to see
a particular PG-13 movie. It had their favorite actors. Everyone else was
seeing it. Even church members said it was great. It was only rated PG-13
because of the suggestion of sex - they never really showed it. The
language was pretty good - the Lord's name was only used in vain three
times in the whole movie. The teens did admit there was a scene where a
building and a bunch of people were blown up, but the violence was just the
normal stuff. It wasn't too bad. And even if there were a few minor
things, the special effects were fabulous and the plot was action packed.
However, even with all the justifications the teens made for the PG-13
ratings, the father still wouldn't give in. He didn't even give his
children a satisfactory explanation for saying, "No." He just said, "No!"
A little later on that evening the father asked his teens if they would
like some brownies he had backed. He explained that he'd taken the
family's favorite recipe and added a little something new. The children
asked what it was. The father calmly replied that he added dog poop.
However, he quickly assured them, it was only a little bit. All other
ingredients were gourmet quality and he had taken great care to bake the
brownies at the precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the
brownies would be superb.
Even with their fathers' promise that the brownies were of almost perfect
quality, the teens would not take any. The father acted surprised. After
all, it was only one small part that was causing them to be so stubborn.
He was certain they would hardly notice it. Still the teens held firm and
would not try the brownies.
The father then told his children how the movie they wanted to see was just
like the brownies. Our minds are tricking us into believing that just a
little bit of evil won't matter. But, the truth is even a little bit of
poop makes the difference between a great treat and something disgusting
and totally unacceptable. The father went on to explain that even though
the movie industry would have us believe that most of today's movies are
acceptable fare for adults and youth, they are not.
Now, when this father's children want to see something that is of
questionable material, the father merely asks them if they would like some
of his special dog poop brownies. That closes the subject.
Fr. Thomas Au