Is it acceptable to watch sin?

Is it acceptable to watch sin, even if it isn't technically real?

This has been the question on my mind recently, and the short answer I have arrived at is no, for no other reason than I am trying to justify my actions-- and that's never a good sign.

But it goes past that.

Should I as a Christian draw entertainment from sin? When worded like that, the idea sounds a little backwards. As a new creation in Christ, I should be weary to idly witness sin. If the Holy Spirit of God dwells within me, then I should be horrified to take any enjoyment or satisfaction in watching others sin.

Romans 12:9 makes it pretty clear how we are to act towards sin. Paul writes,

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good." 

However, I am guilty as most of watching rated R films laden with sexual references and foul language. You come to the point where you can seemingly completely tune the bad content out.

I say seemingly because whether we realize it, our lives are being impacted by what we witness in the media constantly. We draw our perceptions of love, beauty and truth by what we see portrayed in movies.

Currently from where I sit in the library I can see a couple, maybe juniors, who judging by the ring on her finger are engaged, and are, for lack of a better term, groping each other. I mean, these two have their hands all over everything. Mostly her on him. Which isn't surprising in the least.

Why do couples feel like the only way they can connect to one another is through physical acts like touching and kissing and most importantly (and disturbing) sex?
Because that is what the media says love is.

Think about it for a moment-- you shouldn't have to think long. When a couple "falls in love" in the movies, they usually always end up having sex, to "show" their feelings.

That's not love. That's passionate lust.

But our young people are being taught that love = sex.
This is a half truth. Sex is a part of love, but is to be used inside of marriage and only marriage.

I am not under the impression that the only way I can show someone I love them is by jumping into bed with them or sucking their face off.
Love is not sex. Love does not equal sex. 1 Corinthians does not say,

Sex is patient. Sex is kind. Sex does not envy or boast, sex is not proud. Sex does not dishonor others, sex is not self-seeking, sex is not easily angered. Sex keeps no record of wrongs. Sex does not delight in evil, but sex rejoices in truth. Sex always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Sex never fails.

This clearly is not God's interpretation of sex, but this is definitely America's interpretation.

But if I (and Christians who agree with me) continue to watch sin in the media, our perceptions are bound to change. We cannot think for a moment that we can be innocent bystanders and not be affected.

If you were to happen to be in front of a building when it caught on fire, would you stay near it to watch it burn, or would you get as far away as possible in case the fire spread?

I would run. And I should have the same philosophy when watching sin in the media.