Be vigilant at the gates of the mind.

Saturday night after the kids were in bed it happened. My wife asked me to just sit down and watch a show with her. Understanding that is quality time well spent I obliged.

She said she wanted to watch the new season of Stranger Things. Everyone’s talking about it. It’s the biggest show on Netflix, and so on.

I’m generally unfamiliar with the show. I’ve probably seen a a few episodes. I thought it had kind of a quirky, whimsical, Goonies, 80’s vibe. I’m coming in to this pretty blind.

The opening scene comes on and for the next several minutes I am exposed to some of the most vile and wretched filth imaginable.

It was so graphic, uncomfortably abusive (towards a minor) and blatantly satanic frankly it shocked me.

There was a time when I used to be very into horror movies. I’ve seen a lot of graphic content. I’m familiar with the genre. But I haven’t had any desire for that in a long time.

We barely finished the opening scene and I said “Oh hell no.” and turned it off.

I asked my wife, “Is it just me or was that shocking graphic for an opening scene of a mainstream tv show that is the most popular thing in America?”

1.2 Billion views and counting.

I’m seeing this show cross promoted everywhere. This isn’t some old school underground indie horror movie. Something this graphic used to be fairly niche. This is prime time USA.

I would be horrified if my kids saw that.

My point is that unseen warfare is all around us. Spiritual combat is real. The masses are being desensitized to evil. How can content this vulgar be so widely consumed?

We need to be vigilant about what we allow into our homes. Every black mirror is a window into such darkness.

I literally wish I had not watched that one scene and did not have those images in my head.

Be vigilant at the gates of the mind.

Saint Michael, Defend us in battle.