A child's mind is very impressionable, and there are so many things of doubtful worth being poured into it. TV, Radio and the comic papers all bid for their attention. Some time ago in Britain we were faced with what was called the Video nasties. They were violent and pornographic, and were being marketed without censor.
I was invited to serve on a Christian Leaders' committee which sponsored the Parliamentary effort to look into the matter and seek to bring in a Bill to outlaw them. The worst of the videos were identified and after a survey was made throughout the schools in England and Wales it showed that at least 40% of children between the ages of 7 and 12 had seen one of the nasties.
A Police Superintendent from New Scotland Yard brought some of them across to the House of Lords and showed excerpts to us. "If you are going to protest” he said, "you should know what they are like". Some of them were so shocking folk had to leave the room during the showing.
Dr Clifford Hill, Minister and Sociologist led some of the discussions and commented that these productions could prove to be a time‑bomb that could explode in the next generation.
It was gratifying to see the Bill go through, but it only too obvious that many videos still get through that are near to the parameters of decency; but full praise to those producers who turn out good, wholesome and imaginative films of high standards.