Dealing with TV addicts

[Goodbook]

how do you cope with them?
Need some biblical advice.

I mean its not as if everyone has to read more books im probably an exception being a trained librarian but..it just annoys me that so many people are addcited to tv and not even aware of how detrimental it is.

I was talking with a christian friend, wed gone on a retreat and she actually bought a book on devotions the same copy as me, so i thought to ask her have you been doing the devotions? Its only a page a day.
She goes no i havent. I ask her well what are you doing. She goes blithely, im just watching tv.

?! At that point if she was not on the phone i could have thrown something at her.

I mean what do you say to encourage people to turn off the tv and spend serious time with God?! Devotions are only one page! Its not like you have to read an entire book in a day and usually only one verse even!

 

[Goodbook]

Maybe she felt a bit convicted cos I asked her and then didnt say anything but, i didnt want to push it.

 

[Albion]

I sympathize...and now they can take their TVs with them, in effect, everywhere they go.

 

[brinny]

Pray for them, dear heart. I used to be "addicted" so to speak, to tv. I'd even fall asleep with it on.

By God's grace He sorta' woke me up, so to speak, to how utterly boring it was and i was just zoning out when i watched it.

Know where my tv is now?

In a closet, in a box, facing the corner.

 

[Goodbook]

Im going to do some serious praying now cos its the drug of choice for many.

 

[brinny]

Im going to do some serious praying now cos its the drug of choice for many.

Yes it is.

Praying with you sister.....many are in its relentless grip.

 

[Poppyseed78]

I wouldn't necessarily call her a tv addict. If she doesn't want to do the devotions, she won't do them even if she didn't own a tv. I may be wrong. But you can't force a grown adult to do anything, even if it's only a page a day.

 

[Goodbook]

well, not really asking for your opinion just biblical advice.

came across this scripture actually in my devotions which reinforces the point what God is showing me

Psalms 1:1

I guess some people prefer to sit in the seat of mockers and be a couch potato, and make up excuses all the time why they watching something thats not even edifying when they can spend time with God. You cant pray while watching tv I've never seen anyone do it.

its really sad. Come on people you call yourself christians but then you missing out on God's blessings which He has for you by wasting it sitting in mockers seats. Get off your butts.

 

[Goodbook]

Also nobody said anything about forcing people.

I would call her a tv addict because everytime I go to her house and wait she's got the tv on expecting me to watch it. everytime I phone her (which isn't all the time) she seems to just be watching tv.

 

[Goodbook]

Sometimes you have to name the demon. TV!

The good thing is you can easily chuck it out. But it seems everyone has one. I had one christian friend try and sell me her old one and I go, why? what am I going to do with a tv?! What do I need one for? My home already has one, why should I add more?

Where would I even put it? waste of space.

 

[Poppyseed78]

ok ok lol.

 

[GeorgeJ]

its really sad. Come on people you call yourself christians but then you missing out on God's blessings which He has for you by wasting it sitting in mockers seats. Get off your butts.

Are you here to ask biblical advice, or to rant, complain, and judge Christians who you think watch too much TV?

 

[Kit Sigmon]

The bible says we're to pray for others and that we're to be Christ-like and
show others agape...the Samaritan woman Jesus talked to had 5 husbands
but Jesus didn't rip on her, he showed her agape and spoke truth to her.

 

[Goodbook]

What truth shall i speak, see I didnt know what to say..I was so shocked at the time Psalms 1:1 didnt come to mind.

She was the one who bought the book and paid for it I didnt tell her to buy it. Why would someone buy a devotions book and then not even bother to look at it?

She bought one for another lady as well. She did say she was reading over the notes from the retreat so there is hope.

Might ring her in a few days and talk about it hey you know the devotion for today?!

 

[Goodbook]

Shall I say, oh you watching tv again, I know you have five programs and the one you watching now isnt even your program.

She might say to me wow you a prophet who knows all I ever did.

 

[MostRadicalManEver]

even devotions are leaven.

 

[Goodbook]

Actually the one we both bought, is going through Proverbs and is called wisdom for women. Its a proverb a day and also includes one year bible reading.

Met the author Debbi Bryson and she shared how it came about its definitely not like other devotionals ive come across that are random or got an agenda. She says the books biggest fans are women in prison.

This friend definitely is in need of wisdom but how can she learn anything when she watches tv it seems nearly all the time. Shes never taught me anything edifying from it and often agrees with me how rubbish it is yet she stilll watches it.

Everyone needs to make time for devotions. Jesus made time every morning to pray to His Father.

It seems more people prioritise tv everyday than the bible.

The weird thing is i said to her im taking some books with me to the retreat, may have time to read, before we went we dropped into the library, she didnt want to borrow any books and ended up buying some trashy womens magazines instead. Well they werent the super trashy kind but they were worldly ones not christian.

I said to her theres probably going to be books you can read or buy there. (And you can read your bible! ) well I dont know what her daily habits are but Ive been away with her a few times and she doesnt take any iniative to open up the bible herself. Was staying with another lady and so i said lets have prayer before breakfast and read the devotional. So all did together and that was great. The other lady says she and her huband always have devotional every morning together.

But then everyones different i suppose some take initiative and others just wait around for others to do start. Even with prayer, she wont, like others ask me is there anything you want prayer for? Im the one asking her can we pray about such and such but shes never asked me to pray for anything for her. Shes happy to pray though but it would seem that she prefers chat over prayer. I have to watch that.

Think it comes about cos she watches too much tv and expects everyone else to entertain her while she sits back and passively takes everything in. The effects of tv addiction!

 

[Goodbook]

And those who are addicted often actually deny they are addicted. Which goes for everything, not just tv.

She cant even see how its harming her, or she might, but takes no steps to stop it. She told me she has a tv in her own bedroom. I think the house has three tvs. Its always seems to be on whenever I go there.

 

[Goodbook]

I think she wont actually borrow books from the library even though shes got a card cos it takes too much effort to read and then return them. With tv you just turn it on and its right there.

I dont want to say shes lazy, but man, this is annoying me. She does read on occasion but she wont really take much initiative and read for herself. :-(

She will even give me books to read and i go well have you read this, why are you giving it to me and she wouldnt have even looked at it. ?!

I dont understand some people i try to be encouraging its just i think theyd rather be spoon fed, and tv is easier. You can just mindlessly watch it. I would sometimes be talking to her and she will mention some tv program thats horrible and then i go why are you even watching it if its that horrible and she cant answer.

She DOES have books in her home she can read, most that shes not even picked up, but she doesnt bother.

 

[GeorgeJ]

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