Sounds Old-Fashioned

For generations, children have wanted parents to be more “hip,” and not hang on to the “same old” rules and regulations. Sadly, many parents have changed and tried to be a “friend” to their children instead of being a parent. We who are parents need to realize that our children will come to respect us more when we draw lines and hold to them.

With that in mind, allow me to share two items that will make me seem very old-fashioned.

The first is about a Christmas carol. I like Christmas (just not until after Thanksgiving!). I enjoy hearing carols on the radio and in malls…when I have to be in a mall. Most of them are wonderful and cheery. There is one, however, that I have wondered about for a long time. The classic, “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas,” made most famous by Burl Ives, is sung by people everywhere, including Christians. However, the last line of that song contains the famous lyric, “By golly, have a holly jolly Christmas this year.” Is “golly” really a word we should be singing? It is, simply, a replacement for God and is, therefore, a vain use of His holy Name. Let’s be careful about what we sing.

The other news item concerns a recent study about video games. As I have said before on this blog, I have no problem with video games as a general rule (just ask me how many times I played Super Mario Brothers!). I believe they are fun and can be educational, to some degree. However, just because a video game is available does not mean it should be played. For example, take violent games. For years, “gamers” have said that playing violent games does not change the behavior of the participant. A recent study, however, may prove differently. Please take the time to read the following Reuters release, written by Susan Kelly:

Teens who play violent video games show increased activity in areas of the brain linked to emotional arousal and decreased responses in regions that govern self-control, a study released on Tuesday found.

The study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to record tiny metabolic changes in brain activity in 44 adolescents who were asked to perform a series of tasks after playing either a violent or nonviolent video game for 30 minutes.

The children, with no history of behavior problems, ranged in age from 13 to 17. Half played a T-rated first-person shooter game called “Medal of Honor: Frontline,” involving military combat, while the other group played a nonviolent game called “Need for Speed: Underground.”

Those who played the violent video game showed more activation in the amygdala, which is involved in emotional arousal, and less activation in the prefrontal portions of the brain associated with control, focus and concentration than the teens who played the nonviolent game.

“Our study suggests that playing a certain type of violent video game may have different short-term effects on brain function than playing a nonviolent, but exciting, game,” said Dr. Vincent Mathews, a professor of radiology at Indiana University school of Medicine in Indianapolis and the study’s author.

After playing the games, the children completed tasks requiring concentration and processing of emotional stimuli while their brain activity was scanned. Alterations in brain function reflecting changes in blood flow appeared as brightly colored areas on
the magnetic resonance images.

“What we showed is there is an increase in emotional arousal. The fight or flight response is activated after playing a violent video game,” Mathews said.

The findings were presented at a meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

The $13 billion U.S. video game industry, with revenue rivaling Hollywood box office sales, is at the center of a cultural battle over violent content. Lawmakers’ various attempts to ban the sale of violent video games to children have been blocked by courts in Louisiana, Illinois, California. Michigan and Minnesota.

Video games with a T-rating (for Teen) are considered suitable for ages 13 and older. They may contain violent content, strong language or suggestive themes.

Numerous behavioral and cognitive studies have linked exposure to violent media and aggressive behavior. Now, researchers are using advanced imaging technology to scan the brain for clues to whether violent video games cause increases in aggression.

Mathews said he hopes to conduct additional studies on the long-term effects on brain function of exposure to violent video games.

I know these items make me look old-fashioned, but sometimes we need to “seek the old paths.”