FAMILIES KNOW THAT EVEN IF IT FEELS GOOD, IT ISN'T ALWAYS RIGHT

Rita Kuntz is president of the local chapter of the American Family Association. She lives in Cape Girardeau.

I am the mother of three children. One of the most important things that my husband and I can do is to teach our children to have good values. We want them to know that there definitely is a difference between right and wrong and that there are benefits to doing what is right and consequences to doing what is wrong.

Unfortunately we live in a society where values are taught less and less. The motto seems to be - "If it feels good, do it" - leaving little thought to the consequences actions may bring.

Television subverts families

Everywhere we turn there are things tearing down the values that we try to teach our children. The worst offender is the entertainment industry. Every year they chip away more and more at traditional family values. And because it is in the name of entertainment, we sit back and let them do it.

The first thing that stands out to me is how the entertainment industry has destroyed any sexually moral values. We've gone from the days where a TV husband and wife didn't even sleep in the same bed to everyone having sex with everyone else.

We hardly see a traditional family anymore. Commitment has become a dirty word instead of an important value to be taught. Even virginity is considered to be a curse rather than a treasured gift to be given to one's spouse.

And where is God revered?

Another value that is being chipped away is a reverence for God. Anyone in movies or on TV who professes a belief in God is portrayed as an idiot, or as the evil person who wants to force a certain belief on other people. Seldom is a love for God shown as a positive value.

A third value the entertainment industry is trying to destroy is respect for authority, especially parents. Look at two of the popular shows, "The Simpsons" and "Married with Children." The fathers are made to be bumbling fools and the mothers less than intelligent. The kids are smart mouths and know all the answers. Are these role models for our children on respect?

"F--- the Cops"

The music industry is even worse. The songs urge teens to have sex and encourage hatred toward police.

The United States was founded on the values of having a love for God, family and country. Those values seem to be slipping away. How long can our country survive with no value base?