Q&A: Immodest Leisure and Entertainment Culture — from the Secular World
Immodest Leisure and Entertainment Culture — from the Secular World
Question
Hello Rabbi Michael Abraham!
I enjoy and like consuming general media, culture, and entertainment — movies, TV shows, etc. Do I need to avoid content that includes immodesty on the part of women, or immodest content in general?
For example: is it permitted to watch a movie or TV program with women dressed immodestly, or women dancing? An entertainment show that occasionally has a sexual comic bit? A feature film in which part of the plot involves a story about a mistress?
I should note that the overwhelming majority of secular content is like this, and if that is forbidden, then very, very much of culture, entertainment, and leisure content would be closed off to me. I’ve already watched the Anderdos videos; that’s not enough 🙂
I should add that I do not deliberately consume immodest content. On the contrary, a movie entirely about the beach, for example — I wouldn’t watch it. But even in classic secular content, the lack of modesty is present and noticeable. [I don’t know whether this is significant, but I feel that seeing a woman portrayed immodestly in a movie doesn’t “arouse me.”]
Is it permitted according to Jewish law to consume entertainment and leisure content from the secular world?
Answer
I think there is no obligation to avoid it. I once wrote about this here under the principle of “it is unavoidable and not intended.” A softened version of that argument can be found in an article by Rabbi Avraham Stav (search for it; I don’t remember the details).