More Screens More Portals
- Vickie McCarty
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
I was listening to a podcast today, and the guy mentioned something about screens, portals, and a movie director. Sometimes all it takes is a quick comment like that to send me down a rabbit trail — and this was definitely one of those times.
Having raised 5 kids with now 10 grandchildren...I am quite concerned with the amount of time that kids (and people in general) are spending on screens, and more importantly than that, what they are watching. I think we all know by now that what we watch has a definite impact on us, whether we admit it or not. I mean, come on, who hasn't cried at a Hallmark Christmas movie before? Do you know anyone who has ever run out of a room while watching a scary movie? Or at least covered their head with a blanket? I think we all know someone who did.
If we could stop and analyze for a moment, how the movie industry has changed and the motive behind it, we would all rethink our movie viewing. It might benefit us to stop and analyze it, period. After doing a little research dive into this man's comments, I found some articles I thought readers would be interested in knowing. When you dig into this, you soon realize the motivation is from an unseen enemy, and his motive is to infiltrate or project spiritual darkness into its viewers.
I think that, seeing the moral and spiritual decline in our society, we would consider sources for that decline and eradicate them, if not at least monitor them. Many kids are left with screen babysitters, phones with no protections, and a remote in hand way into the nighttime hours. If you have or are experiencing attitude, disrespect, or chaos in your home, you might want to search this out.
Let me share some findings.
Gil Kenan — said that idea while talking about his 2015 remake of Poltergeist (the original is from 1982). Kenan and others on the project pointed out that TVs (and now phones/tablets) act as conduits/portals in the home — “screens are everywhere,” and “more screens means more scares/menace.” Source:https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/poltergeist-director-gil-kenan-interview/
Kenan repeatedly frames the house’s electronics (the TV sequence, the electrical disturbances) as the remake’s way of translating the original portal idea for a modern, screen-filled world — i.e., the film emphasizes how screens/technology let the intrusion occur.
There are several filmmakers (and film-makers of J-horror and “internet horror”) who have explicitly framed screens, videotapes or online tech as conduits, doorways or vectors for supernatural menace. The exact phrase “screens are portals” is rarely said word-for-word, but the idea shows up again and again.
Levan Gabriadze — Unfriended (2015)
Gabriadze (and the film’s press) make the point that the internet/screen is the place where cruelty and the ghosts reach live: the film literally unfolds on a laptop screen and the creators describe social media/desktop interfaces as the environment through which the spirit invades and punishes.
Hideo Nakata — Ringu (1998) / Chatroom (2011)
Nakata’s interviews repeatedly link the cursed videotape / recorded image to the circulation of urban-legend terror — and in later interviews (around Chatroom) he explicitly discusses how online spaces become venues for modern horror. The videotape in Ringu functions like a contagious object/portal in the domestic space.
Kiyoshi Kurosawa — Pulse / Kairo (2001)
Kurosawa has described Pulse as literalizing the idea that the Internet harbors “ghosts” and that those ghosts can “osmose” out of cyberspace into physical reality. He frames the network as an inescapable, porous space — effectively a portal — and says the horror is that you can’t run from it.
Oren Peli — Paranormal Activity (2007)
Peli’s film (and interviews about it) treat cameras and recording devices as instruments that reveal or invite the paranormal; several write-ups and interviews discuss how the camera acts as a window/portal that both documents and, in the film’s logic, helps enable the haunting.
Obviously, I could spend an entire day here on this subject. My only reason for sharing this is to bring awareness. Does it surprise you that while I am sitting here working on this article, my computer started acting up, citing "we have run into technical difficulties, refresh your page"
The bible says the eyes are the light to the soul. “The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how terrible that darkness will be! Matthew 6:22-23
What impacts are secular TV, movies, and excessive screen time having on you? Let's see.
1. Emotional & Psychological Impact
Desensitization to violence
Repeated exposure to violent scenes can numb emotional responses, especially in kids and teens.
Increased anxiety or fear
Dark or intense content can heighten stress, trigger nightmares, or worsen existing anxiety.
Distorted view of reality
Movies often glamorize unhealthy behaviors—revenge, promiscuity, reckless living—which can shape real-world expectations.
2. Spiritual & Moral Influence
(This is significant in Christian circles, so including it clearly.)
Opening the mind to dark themes
Constant exposure to occult, demonic, or spiritually dark content can gradually soften resistance and normalize what God warns about.
Influencing values without noticing
Entertainment is one of the most subtle “teachers” of modern culture—often shifting beliefs without people being aware.
Dulling spiritual sensitivity
Hours of entertainment can crowd out prayer, quiet time, and spiritual focus, leading to a less alert or discerning heart.
3. Behavioral & Social Impact
Addictive consumption
Streaming platforms are designed to keep you watching—“just one more episode” becomes hours.
Less real connection
Screens often replace real relationships, conversations, and community.
Reduced attention span
Fast-paced, highly stimulating content can make everyday life feel boring, making focus harder.
4. Identity & Self-Worth Issues
Comparison culture
Movies and shows often portray unrealistic beauty, wealth, and lifestyles. This can produce:
insecurity
dissatisfaction
envy
a sense of “not measuring up”
Influence on children
Kids often imitate what they watch, absorbing attitudes, behaviors, and language before they can filter it.
5. Lifestyle & Health Effects
Sedentary habits
Too much screen time = decreased physical activity, poor sleep, and increased fatigue.
Sleep disruption
Bright screens and late-night binge-watching interfere with the body’s natural sleep rhythms.
6. Subtle Erosion of Discernment
This is one of the most underestimated dangers:
People may start accepting things they once considered harmful:
casual dishonesty
occult imagery
unhealthy relationships
sexual immorality
glamorized violence
What we repeatedly consume can change what we tolerate. It doesn't take very long, and we become desensitized to evil.
What we watch shapes what we crave. What we entertain ourselves with influences what we become.
Not everything that entertains you is good for you.
Entertainment either feeds you or silently drains the Holy Spirit from you.
So, in summary, what we watch on TV or in movies doesn’t just entertain us — it shapes our emotions, our values, and even our spiritual life. Repeated exposure to violent, dark, or morally confusing content can affect our mindset, behavior, and even our spiritual sensitivity. Be intentional about what you watch — choose content that strengthens, inspires, and uplifts your mind and spirit.
Take a moment this week to reflect: what do your screens say about your spiritual life, or the life you want to lead?
Comments