Hollywood and homeschooling...anyone else fed up? mature content...

[ma23peas]

Granted, I don't watch that much television, maybe 2-3 shows that I could tell you anything about....but I had heard great reviews about "Lie to Me"...a suspenseful detecive type story line...so I had a veg hour and decided to watch the pilot off play instant on Netflix...

 

Storyline>>>

School teacher is murdered. A student is in custody. This said student was homeschooled by Jehovah's witnesses for all of his life until they put him into this school the past year. Because of his "lack of socialization" from ultra conservative Christian parents...he became overwhelmed by his "temptation" and became a peeping tom to this teacher becoming aroused by her undressing in her bedroom (viewing from the window of course).

His father has a diatribe, "We are not of this world, but we're 'in' it...but we sheltered our son from the viles around him to protect him from 'your' world."

The looks on the faces of the 'reasonable, educated, sensible, bright' lead actors when told he was homeschooled was ridiculous...the director is trying to show that 'reasonable' people expose their children to the real world while homeschoolers are extremists who are misleading and damaging their children.

What's even worse is the part where this child has sex with a corpse because he's overcome by his newfound passion, and only afterwards realizes she was dead during the event.

 

I stopped watching Law & Order years ago b/c they had a homeschooling student become a serial killer...I'm just fed up...sorry had to vent!

Tara

[LauraGB]

I don't watch much tv, but my family does. Won't be watching that show anytime soon. Don't they have someone bigger than them to make up stories about and pick on? And anyway, how sick is that to come up with that scenario for the basis of a prime time tv show?

[JenC3]

Oh Hollywood is ALWAYS going to exploit some stereotype and homeschooling is an easy target since well THERE ARE some weird people out there who happen to home school.

 

But let's not forgot all the stories of homeschooler's succeeding BIG. And we win all the spelling bees;)

[Mergath]

I saw that episode when it first aired. The problem wasn't so much that he was homeschooled, but that his parents also intentionally sheltered him from everything that a teenage boy needs to know just to function in society. They really didn't make that big of a deal about the homeschooling, from what I remember. It was more what the parents were teaching (and not teaching) their son that caused the problems, and their religious extremism.

 

And just for the record, Lie to Me is one of my favorite shows. :)

[ma23peas]

But let's not forgot all the stories of homeschooler's succeeding BIG. And we win all the spelling bees;)

 

Ah, yes, the spelling bee...I have heard more times than I'd like to count that traditional schooled parents want to exclude homeschoolers b/c they believe that's all the parents do..spend hours each day teaching only to the bee...."they're not normal"....

 

"My personal favorite? Not long ago a Tucson Weekly sports columnist charged that home-schooled kids shouldn't be allowed to compete with other kids in sports because they have more time to practice.

Meanwhile, the National Spelling Bee folks already have taken steps to placate the parents of conventional schoolers with regulations that require youngsters to have "a full school schedule and varied academic course load" in order to compete. "

 

I've dealt with ignorant criticism during all our 10 years of homeschooling, I really can handle those, but when the ignorant criticism tries to manipulate and malign the culture through stereotypes...it gets tiring and offensive.

[Halftime Hope]

Not long ago a Tucson Weekly sports columnist charged that home-schooled kids shouldn't be allowed to compete with other kids in sports because they have more time to practice.

 

Consider the source.

 

In UIL competition, there are all sorts of things that are regulated for the amount of time a student can practice, so that when the schools compete against one another, they have an even playing field. Coaches are constantly trying to creatively get around the rules, by scheduling mandatory "camps" which don't count toward the number of practice days but really are practice days; by not letting students leave campus when the coaches split the practice into "two-a-days", so the students end up being a "captive audience" in the A/Ced buildings for 3 hours during which the coaches conveniently schedule lectures on sports skills or marching formations.

 

Parents never make a peep when their students' bands are going to state or their football team is in the playoffs six out of ten years running.

 

This is the mindset that the sports writer brings to the topic.

[Scarlett]

I saw that episode when it first aired. The problem wasn't so much that he was homeschooled, but that his parents also intentionally sheltered him from everything that a teenage boy needs to know just to function in society. They really didn't make that big of a deal about the homeschooling, from what I remember. It was more what the parents were teaching (and not teaching) their son that caused the problems, and their religious extremism.

 

Then they should have picked a different religion to get THAT point across.

[Snowfall]

Then they should have picked a different religion to get THAT point across.

 

Why? Forgive my ignorance, because I honestly don't know more than your average person about Jehovah's Witnesses, but can there not be such a thing as an extremist Jehovah's Witness? If one can exist, and I believe one can, since EVERY religion has its extremists, then why should the writers have chosen a different religion? Did you have a particular one in mind? Why so, if you did?

[Mergath]

Why? Forgive my ignorance, because I honestly don't know more than your average person about Jehovah's Witnesses, but can there not be such a thing as an extremist Jehovah's Witness? If one can exist, and I believe one can, since EVERY religion has its extremists, then why should the writers have chosen a different religion? Did you have a particular one in mind? Why so, if you did?

 

:iagree: I actually found it refreshing to watch a crime show where the obligatory religious episode wasn't about evil Pagans sacrificing people in the dead of night.

[Scarlett]

Why? Forgive my ignorance, because I honestly don't know more than your average person about Jehovah's Witnesses, but can there not be such a thing as an extremist Jehovah's Witness? If one can exist, and I believe one can, since EVERY religion has its extremists, then why should the writers have chosen a different religion? Did you have a particular one in mind? Why so, if you did?

 

I took the post to mean that JWs are religious extremists...but regardless.....if a JW acted that way.....they would be very strange JWs. VERY.

 

And no I had no particular religion in mind. Just irritating to see things so misrepresented in the media.

 

Like the time I saw a show where a JW had a blood transfusion forced on him...and he laid in the floor sobbing, 'now I won't get into heaven!'

 

So far away from reality it isn't even funny.

[Mergath]

I took the post to mean that JWs are religious extremists...but regardless.....if a JW acted that way.....they would be very strange JWs. VERY.

 

And no I had no particular religion in mind. Just irritating to see things so misrepresented in the media.

 

Like the time I saw a show where a JW had a blood transfusion forced on him...and he laid in the floor sobbing, 'now I won't get into heaven!'

 

So far away from reality it isn't even funny.

 

If you took my post to mean that, you were reading a lot into it. And there are extremists in all religions. Christianity, Paganism, and everything else. Most tv shows are pretty far from reality. It's what makes them fun.

[Scarlett]

If you took my post to mean that, you were reading a lot into it. And there are extremists in all religions. Christianity, Paganism, and everything else. Most tv shows are pretty far from reality. It's what makes them fun.

 

True this.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Why? Forgive my ignorance, because I honestly don't know more than your average person about Jehovah's Witnesses, but can there not be such a thing as an extremist Jehovah's Witness? If one can exist, and I believe one can, since EVERY religion has its extremists, then why should the writers have chosen a different religion?

 

Well, there are various aspects of life that are personal choice. So yes, of course, a JW may seem more extremist than another in some ways. I won't do things that other JWs will, for example. And yet, I do other things certain JWs wouldn't.

 

However, scripturally we are in unity. And the scriptures require certain things (1 John 5:3). It would be VERY difficult to do those things AND be THAT sheltered from the world. Just for example, how do you knock on people's doors regularly, without meeting people? Additionally, our publications have A LOT of public interest accounts, personal testimonies (as many people would call them), etc. And we meet with one another several hours per week and encourage friendships with one another. Those meetings also discuss current events in relation to the scriptures (for example, I studied an article earlier, which we will cover in a few weeks, about gracious speech in the face of anger--our own being upset or other people's).

 

Anyway, seriously, I can't imagine an *active* JW being so sheltered. We *do* believe in sheltering our children (and ourselves), but not in that sort of way.

 

As for a sheltered religion? Well, like you said, there are extremists in most things (though I can't really imagine an extreme Methodist either). But it makes more sense that it's something like a compounded religious group where kids really aren't seeing much if anything outside their own little world, if I had to pick one.

[Mergath]

Well, there are various aspects of life that are personal choice. So yes, of course, a JW may seem more extremist than another in some ways. I won't do things that other JWs will, for example. And yet, I do other things certain JWs wouldn't.

 

However, scripturally we are in unity. And the scriptures require certain things (1 John 5:3). It would be VERY difficult to do those things AND be THAT sheltered from the world. Just for example, how do you knock on people's doors regularly, without meeting people? Additionally, our publications have A LOT of public interest accounts, personal testimonies (as many people would call them), etc. And we meet with one another several hours per week and encourage friendships with one another. Those meetings also discuss current events in relation to the scriptures (for example, I studied an article earlier, which we will cover in a few weeks, about gracious speech in the face of anger--our own being upset or other people's).

 

Anyway, seriously, I can't imagine an *active* JW being so sheltered. We *do* believe in sheltering our children (and ourselves), but not in that sort of way.

 

As for a sheltered religion? Well, like you said, there are extremists in most things (though I can't really imagine an extreme Methodist either). But it makes more sense that it's something like a compounded religious group where kids really aren't seeing much if anything outside their own little world, if I had to pick one.

 

Keep in mind that while the people in the episode called themselves JWs, that doesn't mean they were meant to be mainstream members of that faith. The show didn't state that these characters were the embodiment and representation of all people of that religion now and forevermore. I don't assume that, when a tv show depicts Pagans murdering farm animals or something, they were trying to present your average Pagan. I thought it was pretty apparent in the episode that the parents were a couple of nuts. I highly doubt anyone watched it and thought, "Oh, so that's what a JW is."

[Scarlett]

I thought it was pretty apparent in the episode that the parents were a couple of nuts. I highly doubt anyone watched it and thought, "Oh, so that's what a JW is."

 

Hopefully not. But as Pam pointed out, the teachings of JWs would really preclude them from being that nuts in that way. In other words....just cuz they SAY they are JW...doesn't mean they are.

[homeschoolmomtutu]

yep...I am pretty fed up.

If it isn't mindless and ill written, well then it usually makes up for it by being offensive (to me) :glare:

 

yet...there are some good ones that keep drawing me back in, keeping me from totally closing the door...but they are the minority ;)

[AuntieM]

I highly doubt anyone watched it and thought, "Oh, so that's what a JW is."

 

Maybe because they were too busy thinking, "So, *that's* what home schoolers are like."

 

Seriously, no group likes to be unfavorably stereotyped. It's hard enough to swim against the current as home schoolers. Yes, it's fictional, but for those who don't know any hs-ers IRL, it establishes a terrible image. It's disappointing that we are not more often portrayed in a positive light in the popular media.

[Athome]

How sad and frustrating! Hollywood may continue to sell lies but we can continually declare truth!!

[OnTheBrink]

I saw that episode when it first aired. The problem wasn't so much that he was homeschooled, but that his parents also intentionally sheltered him from everything that a teenage boy needs to know just to function in society. They really didn't make that big of a deal about the homeschooling, from what I remember. It was more what the parents were teaching (and not teaching) their son that caused the problems, and their religious extremism.

 

And just for the record, Lie to Me is one of my favorite shows. :)

 

:iagree:

[kalanamak]

Granted, I don't watch that much television, maybe 2-3 shows that I could tell you anything about....but I had heard great reviews about "Lie to Me"...a suspenseful detecive type story line...so I had a veg hour and decided to watch the pilot off play instant on Netflix...a

 

Is TV Hollywood? I don't watch TV and I was never big on Hollywood, but I would like to know the nomenclature. I thought Hollywood was the cinema.

 

Thanks

[Mom0012]

Granted, I don't watch that much television, maybe 2-3 shows that I could tell you anything about....but I had heard great reviews about "Lie to Me"...a suspenseful detecive type story line...so I had a veg hour and decided to watch the pilot off play instant on Netflix...

 

Storyline>>>

School teacher is murdered. A student is in custody. This said student was homeschooled by Jehovah's witnesses for all of his life until they put him into this school the past year. Because of his "lack of socialization" from ultra conservative Christian parents...he became overwhelmed by his "temptation" and became a peeping tom to this teacher becoming aroused by her undressing in her bedroom (viewing from the window of course).

His father has a diatribe, "We are not of this world, but we're 'in' it...but we sheltered our son from the viles around him to protect him from 'your' world."

The looks on the faces of the 'reasonable, educated, sensible, bright' lead actors when told he was homeschooled was ridiculous...the director is trying to show that 'reasonable' people expose their children to the real world while homeschoolers are extremists who are misleading and damaging their children.

What's even worse is the part where this child has sex with a corpse because he's overcome by his newfound passion, and only afterwards realizes she was dead during the event.

 

I stopped watching Law & Order years ago b/c they had a homeschooling student become a serial killer...I'm just fed up...sorry had to vent!

Tara

 

Well, the whole show sounds sick even if you take the homeschooling stuff out of it. I find that with many things that are televisions these days, but we've all become so desensitized, we continue to watch. I mean, really, a child having sex with a dead corpse?

 

I don't mean that as a criticism of you. I've watched my share of sick shows. I guess it just shocks and saddens me to see the things that are on television anymore. I can't believe some of the stuff my own parents watch.

 

Lisa

Edited July 31, 2010 by LisaTheresa

[Pamela H in Texas]

Mergath,

 

Just to let you know that I was simply responding to why Scarlet would say that. Seriously, you can be nutty in some ways (and boy are we :) ) as a JW; but it just would be impossible to be an active JW and shelter your kid to that degree/extreme.

 

Of course, you make a good point. We wouldn't want to demonize almost any group and there is ALWAYS some good in every group. I caught a show about the Branch Davidians the other day and even within the group, you can see good as well as bad.

[creekland]

We gave up on most TV long ago, but don't cut it out completely. Right now our favorite show is White Collar on USA. We really, really like that show...

 

I'd say the same about Royal Pains, but that one is turning me off to the point where we might quit watching it simply because it is more soap opera than show (writers feeling the need to have a se_ual undertone to every show eerily similar to the famous soap operas of yesteryear). My boys even laugh at the lead characters need to kiss (or more) pretty much every girl they meet. I suppose there are folks that are that way, but I don't know any IRL.

[Country Mouse]

Speaking of homeschooling and Hollywood, has anyone seen Gentlemen Broncos?

The main character is homeschooled. It's a pretty silly, goofy movie. The boy lives with his mom in a geodesic dome and she designs (freaky) night gowns and feeds him popcorn balls. It's kind of a different stereotype :tongue_smilie:.

It's done by the guy that did Napoleon Dynamite, so it has that sort of a feel to it.

I thought the portrayal was actually kinda funny and on a side note, Sam Rockwell was in it and he is always, always amazing.

[Scarlett]

Seriously, you can be nutty in some ways (and boy are we :) ) as a JW;

 

Hey! I, um. I....ok, you're right. Guilty as charged. :tongue_smilie:

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I saw the show and loved it.

 

Clearly you had a VERY different take on it.

 

 

The point of the plot was that the boy had parents who were religious zealots who made sex out to be sinful and sick and THAT HE THOUGHT THAT THE VERY FACT THAT HE HAD SEXUAL THOUGHTS MADE HIM FEEL GUILTY......that was the point, not homeschooling at all.

 

I love the show. Did you know that it is based on a real guy? Paul Ekman is the real Cal Lightman.

[Haiku]

I stopped watching Law & Order years ago b/c they had a homeschooling student become a serial killer...I'm just fed up...sorry had to vent!

 

 

I don't watch much tv, and I don't even watch Law & Order any more but I used to watch it every week. Considering the amount of serial killers on that show, if one of them happens to be homeschooled, meh, whatevs. ;)

 

Tara :D

[Oak Knoll Mom]

What's even worse is the part where this child has sex with a corpse because he's overcome by his newfound passion, and only afterwards realizes she was dead during the event.

 

Well, the whole show sounds sick even if you take the homeschooling stuff out of it. I find that with many things that are televisions these days, but we've all become so desensitized, we continue to watch. I mean, really, a child having sex with a dead corpse?

 

I don't mean that as a criticism of you. I've watched my share of sick shows. I guess it just shocks and saddens me to see the things that are on television anymore. I can't believe some of the stuff my own parents watch.

 

Lisa

 

I totally didn't get that he had sex with her corpse. He was a peeping Tom who didn't realize at first that she was dead, then ran from the scene when he realized that she *was* in fact dead. That's when the cops caught him and thought he was the murderer. (Of course I could be wrong since it's been a while since I saw it, but I think that was the story line--not necrophilia.)

[LibraryLover]

I don't watch much tv, and I don't even watch Law & Order any more but I used to watch it every week. Considering the amount of serial killers on that show, if one of them happens to be homeschooled, meh, whatevs. ;)

 

Tara :D

 

:lol: Really.

[Belacqua]

I thought of this thread when I watched an episode of a spy show (Covert Affairs) last night. One of the characters was homeschooled by his older sister who wanted him to have opportunities beyond what their poor neighborhood offered. The young man was portrayed as a bright, dedicated student and not a serial killer. Go figure!

 

OK, the sister did turn out to have a criminal side, but she was using the stolen money to educate poor children. Could be worse.