Secular TV, a NO-NO ?

[sadistmy]

hi all brothers and sisters in Christ.

i am a new believer. its been a year since i accepted Christ into my life and declaring Him my Lord and Savior.

My walk with Him has not been easy but i forge on everyday just to cling onto His words and His body.

I may not be displaying the full range of the "Fruits of the Spirit" but close friends around me has noticed the change in me, in a positive way.

I have and by the grace of God, shed some old and damaging habits off. Pornography, boastfulness, anger and a few more.

I grew up in a dysfunctional family under a single parent 'regime'. Most of my childhood and up til recent years, before i got married, my one main of solace from all the 'craziness' of my family is an escapade to the movies or 'into' the TV series.

My point is this. I have accepted Christ. I am trying my best to deny myself each day so that i do not deny Christ. But i seemed to have a problem of striking off secular TV off my list.

TV/Movies has always provided a temporary getaway from life. Just that mere 45-120 mins would simply do it for me.

And since i have accepted Christ a year ago, i have stopped watching TV/movies that are outright against the good book. Those that depict violence, hate, sex over tones and etc.

Now i am watching TV/movies with the only intention of enjoying a good script that doesnt centers around violence, hate, sex and etc.

i would say that 'its not about what you watch, but how you watch it'.

With this statement am i in denial ?
Am i finding excuses to continually give in to my life style?
Lastly, is it a sinto continually watch secular TV/Movies ?

 

[graceandpeace]

i would say that 'its not about what you watch, but how you watch it'.

With this statement am i in denial ?
Am i finding excuses to continually give in to my life style?
Lastly, is it a sinto continually watch secular TV/Movies ?

Hello.

No, it is not sinful to watch secular TV/movies. Just follow your conscience with your choices. If something bothers you, change the channel.

Remember, being a Christian is not about morally policing yourself over everything. It is about participating in God's kingdom - extending grace to others & setting things right in the world. Loving God & loving others in practical ways is what we're called to do. Hope that helps.

 

[ALoveDivine]

Yeah its not a sin to watch secular TV and movies. This is a matter of Christian liberty. Remember, all things are lawful but not all things are profitable.

For me personally, I've given up secular TV and movies almost completely, and it has been a blessing in my life. There are Christian TV networks (a couple that are actually theologically sound) that you can stream for free over the internet. There are also countless Christian movies out there, they aren't Hollywood quality but many of them are quite entertaining. You can find tons of these on YouTube.

I don't think that ingesting secular content is in any way beneficial to us, but again, its not sinful either. It's up to you really, do what you think is best and ask God for his guidance on this issue.

 

[sadistmy]

Hello.

No, it is not sinful to watch secular TV/movies. Just follow your conscience with your choices. If something bothers you, change the channel.

Remember, being a Christian is not about morally policing yourself over everything. It is about participating in God's kingdom - extending grace to others & setting things right in the world. Loving God & loving others in practical ways is what we're called to do. Hope that helps.

thanks !

can i safely assume that 'something bothers you' would be the Holy Spirit working through me telling me something about such activity or life style, right?

 

[sadistmy]

Yeah its not a sin to watch secular TV and movies. This is a matter of Christian liberty. Remember, all things are lawful but not all things are profitable.

For me personally, I've given up secular TV and movies almost completely, and it has been a blessing in my life. There are Christian TV networks (a couple that are actually theologically sound) that you can stream for free over the internet. There are also countless Christian movies out there, they aren't Hollywood quality but many of them are quite entertaining. You can find tons of these on YouTube.

I don't think that ingesting secular content is in any way beneficial to us, but again, its not sinful either. It's up to you really, do what you think is best and ask God for his guidance on this issue.

thanks ! i will bear this in mind.

 

[graceandpeace]

thanks !

can i safely assume that 'something bothers you' would be the Holy Spirit working through me telling me something about such activity or life style, right?

It's possible. Most people have some sense of right & wrong, & one's religious beliefs certainly shape that sense.

 

[1watchman]

When radio came into our lives (I am old) there was much apprehension about it corrupting a Christian; then TV came in, and now the world grows even smaller with cell phones, the Internet, You Tube, FaceBook, etc. What corrupts one is always connected to what we feed upon. Pray about your choices, friend.

Personally I don't like fiction so watch real events on TV, and stay clear of anything that my Lord Jesus would not approve of ---who is Holy and pure (see Phil. 4:8-9 for a guide). Look up always!

 

[Radagast]

Yeah its not a sin to watch secular TV and movies. This is a matter of Christian liberty. Remember, all things are lawful but not all things are profitable.

Exactly.

Personally, I think some secular movies are beneficial (in that they make you think), but most TV is rubbish.

Philippians 4:8 is a good guideline: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

 

[parsley]

One of the things to ask yourself: when do you watch? Is it to catch the morning news, to collapse after a hard day's work; or to slip out of work early to watch a series you're stuck on, or keep it on all day while toddlers are milling around (learning that the 24/7 sound of tv is normal), or make it your last thought for the day?

my one main of solace from all the 'craziness' of my family is an escapade to the movies or 'into' the TV series.

We all need escapes. If you didn't use that escape method, you might have used a worse one. Some TV shows would give you perspective, seeing that there are other options for family dynamics... so you were also learning and healing, probably.

 

[sadistmy]

thank you all for the insights and sharing. i do feel better after reading all your posts. just not a while ago, i was chided by a fellow Christian sister for watching some immoral tv series. Which is call GLEE. i do not follow this particular tv series as it centers around high school kids which i have no interest in. But the songs they play in the tv series were a good mix from the 80's which i utterly love. So in a nutshell, it is the kind of music that got me watching GLEE. And i have to admit there are some major immoral values that speaks against the bible. Then again, i was simply enjoying the music.

 

[aiki]

hi all brothers and sisters in Christ.

i am a new believer. its been a year since i accepted Christ into my life and declaring Him my Lord and Savior.

Hello, brother! A belated "Welcome to the family!"

My walk with Him has not been easy but i forge on everyday just to cling onto His words and His body.

I may not be displaying the full range of the "Fruits of the Spirit" but close friends around me has noticed the change in me, in a positive way.

I have and by the grace of God, shed some old and damaging habits off. Pornography, boastfulness, anger and a few more.

God does not change us totally overnight in how we live. He's not in a big hurry. It is good that you can point to some change, however. If the Spirit of the God of the Universe has come to dwell within you, well, something's gotta' change!

I grew up in a dysfunctional family under a single parent 'regime'. Most of my childhood and up til recent years, before i got married, my one main of solace from all the 'craziness' of my family is an escapade to the movies or 'into' the TV series.

My point is this. I have accepted Christ. I am trying my best to deny myself each day so that i do not deny Christ. But i seemed to have a problem of striking off secular TV off my list.

Ask God to sour you on t.v. Wait expectantly for Him to do so. It may not happen all at once, but God will do as you ask in this regard. I used to waste entire weekends in front of the boob tube. But I haven't had cable, or even local t.v. for over a decade now. When I do get a glimpse of what is on these days, I wonder how I could have ever enjoyed it! But my change of heart about t.v. was God's doing, not mine.

I would strongly urge you not to remove things from your life without having something with which to replace them. Nature abhors a vacuum; and this is as true in how you live each day as it is in Nature generally. If you remove something that has been a regular part of your life and don't replace it with something else, you will find yourself drawn back to what you've forsaken with an even stronger desire for it.

TV/Movies has always provided a temporary getaway from life. Just that mere 45-120 mins would simply do it for me.

Yeah, I watch the occasional movie. A good one can be a very pleasant - even uplifting - experience.

And since i have accepted Christ a year ago, i have stopped watching TV/movies that are outright against the good book. Those that depict violence, hate, sex over tones and etc.

Well, that's great! Way to honor God with your viewing choices!

Now i am watching TV/movies with the only intention of enjoying a good script that doesnt centers around violence, hate, sex and etc.

That sounds fine.

i would say that 'its not about what you watch, but how you watch it'.

With this statement am i in denial ?

Uh, yeah. I don't care what approach you take to watching a porno or a horror flick, watching such stuff is just plain wrong.

Am i finding excuses to continually give in to my life style?
Lastly, is it a sinto continually watch secular TV/Movies ?

No, but sometimes they can become a weight, or a drag, upon your spiritual growth and walk with the Lord. Especially if you feel you need to watch movies or t.v. in order to relax, something is off.

It is a mistake to let your conscience be your guide in all of this. Your conscience is fouled by your fleshly inclination toward sin, just as the conscience of every person is. If you want a clear, unadulterated framework for what you understand right and wrong to be, simply look into God's Word, the Bible. Here's a start:

Philippians 4:8
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.

Selah.

 

[sadistmy]

hi aiki, thank you so much for your insight sharing. they literally speaks depth to me.

i have a little stump on the verse Philippians 4:8. Would you be so kind to explain that to me in context to my struggle. i greatly appreciate that.

 

[aiki]

Hey, Sadistmy!

Philippians 4:8 provides a standard for those things upon which we focus our thinking. When you watch t.v., you are focusing your thinking upon what you're watching. But according to Philippians 4:8, you should be focused on something that is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, etc. Are you viewing such things on t.v.? Or are the shows you are watching sexual, impure, violent, and false? If what you are watching is not in accord with Philippians 4:8, you shouldn't be watching it. Does this make sense to you?

Selah.

 

[Usus Vox Tractus]

Sometimes I wonder how much of my life I have spent gazing at a box of illusions...how much of my internal space is taken up by programming, ads, and false drama?

Quite aside from the negativities of content is simply my lost time out of a limited quantity.


The term sin comes from archery and it means to miss the golden bull eye's, the point of life. Is the point of life to sit in front of a black box of pixels that fool our mind and emotions? Or is it missing the mark?

Truth is not an easy thing to face. It's a double edged sword that cuts both outwardly and inwardly. That is how it frees us from self created bondage, inwardly and outwardly.



To me, turning on the TV is like inviting a garbage truck to dump trash and vermin into my mind and heart. But that's my relationship with it.

It's a "sin" that misses the point of Life simply because you are not "living" while watching TV. It is doing the living for you (in all the worst ways programmers can get away with) and dumping trash into you that you will eventually have get rid of....or get buried by.



The day of the Resurrection of Man is the day we refuse to be entertained any longer while the whole world suffers increasingly.




No condemnation brother, just an extremely sharp double edged sword. One I try to thrust through myself daily.


Peace to you.

 

[tenderheart1]

I think we have to be careful what we allow into our spirit man. God will convict you if you're watching something you shouldn't. Phillipians 4:8 says:

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."

Ask God... he'll tell you.

 

[Midst]

hi all brothers and sisters in Christ.

i am a new believer. its been a year since i accepted Christ into my life and declaring Him my Lord and Savior.

My walk with Him has not been easy but i forge on everyday just to cling onto His words and His body.

I may not be displaying the full range of the "Fruits of the Spirit" but close friends around me has noticed the change in me, in a positive way.

I have and by the grace of God, shed some old and damaging habits off. Pornography, boastfulness, anger and a few more.

I grew up in a dysfunctional family under a single parent 'regime'. Most of my childhood and up til recent years, before i got married, my one main of solace from all the 'craziness' of my family is an escapade to the movies or 'into' the TV series.

My point is this. I have accepted Christ. I am trying my best to deny myself each day so that i do not deny Christ. But i seemed to have a problem of striking off secular TV off my list.

TV/Movies has always provided a temporary getaway from life. Just that mere 45-120 mins would simply do it for me.

And since i have accepted Christ a year ago, i have stopped watching TV/movies that are outright against the good book. Those that depict violence, hate, sex over tones and etc.

Now i am watching TV/movies with the only intention of enjoying a good script that doesnt centers around violence, hate, sex and etc.

i would say that 'its not about what you watch, but how you watch it'.

With this statement am i in denial ?
Am i finding excuses to continually give in to my life style?
Lastly, is it a sinto continually watch secular TV/Movies ?

I think your statement right there in red is what you should consider as true.

Right now, your conscience may be weak, so if it is sin for you to do this, then do not.

This idea, however, that all shows are "not of God" because they may not be directly and blatantly stating their are Christian...? Consider that you live in a predominately Christian nation. The virtues expressed in many of the shows are actually very specifically Christian.

The "secularism" there is really not unlike how Jesus presented everything in metaphor. Coming straight out with people and not using metaphor is typically like using a baseball bat on their head and can persuade them of nothing.

These sorts of realizations can be very difficult to consider: but consider why it may be you are not watching nor entertained by Hindu or Muslim stories.

And track back a lot of examples of the heroic to Jesus and consider, "How is this hero or heroine like Jesus".

No conspiracy theory, but simply knowledge: Jesus also made clear true virtue, and even for atheist who has become aware of this, it is difficult to not admire.

As for violence and such, this can depend. Obviously, there are bad shows out there. But what is ultimately the message or lessons learned? Are there bad examples here? Are there ways of taking the violence, for instance, and considering it metaphoric?

Consider for instance that "sin" actually means "to miss the mark" and is an **archery term**. So there are many metaphors there which can be used to sin or not sin -- to hit the mark, be accurate.

There is much to consider and learn about our state of being from the stories we enjoy. Much truth to be found, if you weigh everything and look deeper.

 

[parsley]

Every day this week, as soon as I have turned on the tv, someone has said something that seems to be a word from God: An answer to a prayer, advice for something I was praying about, conviction, or just along a similar topic of thought. Some of them stunned me.

I am not saying that God compels us to watch TV, or withholds messages until we turn it on... but that He speaks with us through the day, often through things in our environment.

We learn, we choose, we make mistakes. We defy Him intentionally too, sadly, but He lets us bounce back. Are we living for Him, or for ourselves? We don't need to be victims of mediocrity.