Should Christians Watch TV?

[RedPonyDriver]

Thank you @WolfGate and @Mark Corbett Your prayers are appreciated. The car is fixed...me, nope.

 

[Breve]

Interesting and well written post! My two cents: decided years ago I was tired of TV shows that were dark and depraved in theme. Does it edify me to watch a series about a serial killer who kills other serial killers? Not really. So I've never seen Dexter. Or Breaking Bad. Or Game of Thrones. I got through a season and a half of Outlander (time travel historical drama) before losing interest. Yes too much explicit sex scenes. But also too much contemporary attitudes (of the writer and script writers) coming through in the characters which grates. I'm not a very good Christian so don't think I filled my tv free time with useful things. My stumbling block is news/current affairs blogs on the internet. Internet and social media can be an unhealthy obsession at times and I try to take breaks. But I have gone through a few years of poor health in recent years and so sleep was always a better option than tv.

Here's an idea I came across recently: God hates sin. So why are we entertaining ourselves by watching others sin? Or watching the result of sin ? We're inflicting those images / ideas on God too, cos he's with us all the time, right? Hasn't he got enough to worry about with all the real time wickedness going on in the world without the extra grief of us wallowing in depictions of imagined sin as well? I imagine God thinking "I've given you so much beauty in this world and you want to fill your mind with that rubbish!"

 

[RaymondG]

Interesting and well written post! My two cents: decided years ago I was tired of TV shows that were dark and depraved in theme. Does it edify me to watch a series about a serial killer who kills other serial killers? Not really. So I've never seen Dexter. Or Breaking Bad. Or Game of Thrones. I got through a season and a half of Outlander (time travel historical drama) before losing interest. Yes too much explicit sex scenes. But also too much contemporary attitudes (of the writer and script writers) coming through in the characters which grates. I'm not a very good Christian so don't think I filled my tv free time with useful things. My stumbling block is news/current affairs blogs on the internet. Internet and social media can be an unhealthy obsession at times and I try to take breaks. But I have gone through a few years of poor health in recent years and so sleep was always a better option than tv.

Here's an idea I came across recently: God hates sin. So why are we entertaining ourselves by watching others sin? Or watching the result of sin ? We're inflicting those images / ideas on God too, cos he's with us all the time, right? Hasn't he got enough to worry about with all the real time wickedness going on in the world without the extra grief of us wallowing in depictions of imagined sin as well? I imagine God thinking "I've given you so much beauty in this world and you want to fill your mind with that rubbish!"

If your mind and emotions get wrapped up in tv shows I can understand why you would run from it. But you can't push your shortcomings on the world or all Christians. Everyone is not like you, and God is not like man. I would suggest trying to conquer your fears and over come your shortcomings. But everyone is free you run until they are strong enough to overcome.

 

[Radrook]

That's like asking if Christians should read or if Christians should listen to music or if Christians should play a musical instrument or if Christians should drink wine.

 

[RaymondG]

That's like asking if Christians should read or if Christians should listen to music or if Christians should play a musical instrument or if Christians should drink wine.

Some churches don't allow music.....say it's of the devil and makes people get ungodly movements in their body. I'm sure they don't like tv as well. Religion is all about finding things to not do now...instead of finding things to do for God.

 

[Radrook]

Some churches don't allow music.....say it's of the devil and makes people get ungodly movements in their body. I'm sure they don't like tv as well. Religion is all about finding things to not do now...instead of finding things to do for God.

I was once under the impression that watching TV, reading the Newspaper, or any type of worldly literature, going to the movies, listening to the radio, listening to worldly music, and many other activities that I had once casually engaged in were sinful and as a consequence literally buried myself alive for approx. three years. When I finally started gradually divesting myself of that self imposed monastic life it was like suddenly emerging from a time machine.

 

[Saricharity]

I grew up in a home that didn't have television (meaning any cable, satellite or anything like that) We always joked we had country cable...which meant we could get maybe three channels and one of them was PBS. That hasn't changed. Life is too busy to watch T.V.
We did watch DVDs and old tapes...haha...yes, we had a VCR as well. My parents still do.
I grew up watching shows like Little House on the Prairie, The Waltons, and other older programs.
Now that I'm older (20) I have a membership to Netflix. I don't watch much T.V. but I enjoy watching a few shows on there. I also like to watch very old cheesy shows like CHiPs and MacGyver. Mostly when I have free time, I prefer to read, write or play the piano.

I think we need to be careful what we watch and guard our hearts and mind. There have been a few times I've watched a program and I've had to turn the channel.
I also think it's about balance as well.

 

[RaymondG]

I was once under the impression that watching TV, reading the Newspaper, or any type of worldly literature, going to the movies, listening to the radio, listening to worldly music, and many other activities that I had once casually engaged in were sinful and as a consequence literally buried myself alive for approx. three years. When I finally started gradually divesting myself of that self imposed monastic life it was like suddenly emerging from a time machine.

I use to think I was more saved than others because I stopped eating shell fish and pork. Use to tell them they should stop. I know very strict Christians to say we aren't following the basic commandments of Christ because I called my father dad. They said Christ tell us to called no man father......which includes the other variations. Therefore I couldn't call Jesus lord because I wasn't doing what he said.

But the sad thing is, the people who tell others not to watch tv, would laugh at the person telling us to not eat pig, or call anyone dad.....and the ones who don't say dad will laugh at the no tv watchers... and they won't realize that they are all the same. They both get there reasoning from the word, interpreted through mans wisdom.

We have to choose. Either we are led by the spirit which dwell within us, or the doctrines of man. It's dangerous to direct someone away from the spirit of God and to ones own wisdom.

 

[Mark Corbett]

I use to think I was more saved than others because I stopped eating shell fish and pork. Use to tell them they should stop.

I'm not sure who you are responding to. Certainly in the OP I did not say anything that was remotely close to "I'm more saved than others because I watch TV a lot less."

But the sad thing is, the people who tell others not to watch tv, would laugh at the person telling us to not eat pig,

Do you think it's wrong to warn others about anything? What if someone previously used cocaine? Would it be ok to warn others not to go down that road?

But in the case of the OP, and all my own comments, I have never told others not to watch TV. I have only shared my testimony and shared some reasons, based on Bible principles, that some things should not be watched. Yes, I believe that many, probably most, Christians would benefit from watching less TV, but that's not at all the same as telling others in general not to watch TV at all.

We have to choose. Either we are led by the spirit which dwell within us, or the doctrines of man. It's dangerous to direct someone away from the spirit of God and to ones own wisdom.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit speaks to us through other Christians. Of course we should not be led away from the Spirit, but if you think someone in particular has done this it would help to give a specific quote and explanation.

 

[RaymondG]

I'm not sure who you are responding to. Certainly in the OP I did not say anything that was remotely close to "I'm more saved than others because I watch TV a lot less."




Do you think it's wrong to warn others about anything? What if someone previously used cocaine? Would it be ok to warn others not to go down that road?

But in the case of the OP, and all my own comments, I have never told others not to watch TV. I have only shared my testimony and shared some reasons, based on Bible principles, that some things should not be watched. Yes, I believe that many, probably most, Christians would benefit from watching less TV, but that's not at all the same as telling others in general not to watch TV at all.




Sometimes the Holy Spirit speaks to us through other Christians. Of course we should not be led away from the Spirit, but if you think someone in particular has done this it would help to give a specific quote and explanation.

I quoted the person I was speaking to. I thought me and you had a conversation already which ended. That being said, let me know if you wish that i respond to anything that you have said.

 

[Neogaia777]

Some churches don't allow music.....say it's of the devil and makes people get ungodly movements in their body. I'm sure they don't like tv as well. Religion is all about finding things to not do now...instead of finding things to do for God.

What's of the devil is nobody, ever stopping or pausing in life, to reflect, and to think deeply and deeper than most, recalling the things you were just exposed to...

Most are forgetful hearers and seers, and it helps to expose yourself to the same thing, multiple times to get in deep, but take breaks from too much exposure or going at the worlds pace, "cause it basically makes you "stupid and unteachable" (his words, not mine)...

never stopping to smell the roses, so to speak...

 

[Breve]

If your mind and emotions get wrapped up in tv shows I can understand why you would run from it. But you can't push your shortcomings on the world or all Christians. Everyone is not like you, and God is not like man. I would suggest trying to conquer your fears and over come your shortcomings. But everyone is free you run until they are strong enough to overcome.

 

[Breve]

Thanks for reading my post and commenting - but it's not my emotions and fears making me run from tv shows - it's the banality, shallowness, pointlessness of tv. What's considered comedy isn't that particularly funny to me. It's the vulgarity of it all - whether drama, gameshows, comedy, reality. All of it is a pretty pointless waste of time. The less I watch, more and more I find tv uninteresting. I don't have cable at home. Right now I'm dog sitting in a house with cable. Can't be bothered to look at cable! 100 channels and still nothing to watch, lol. Everyone has to figure out their own limits but tv really does deserve it's nickname of idiot box.

 

[Mark Corbett]

Thanks for reading my post and commenting - but it's not my emotions and fears making me run from tv shows - it's the banality, shallowness, pointlessness of tv. What's considered comedy isn't that particularly funny to me. It's the vulgarity of it all - whether drama, gameshows, comedy, reality. All of it is a pretty pointless waste of time. The less I watch, more and more I find tv uninteresting. I don't have cable at home. Right now I'm dog sitting in a house with cable. Can't be bothered to look at cable! 100 channels and still nothing to watch, lol. Everyone has to figure out their own limits but tv really does deserve it's nickname of idiot box.

Thanks for sharing this! Your words seem to me to be a wise application of Paul's instructions to Timothy:

ESV 1 Timothy 6:11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

 

[Neogaia777]

2 Peter 1:16 , "No, it was not by following artfully contrived false stories (that draw you away from coming into a correct knowledge of the truth and Christ, but do present a false one),

Anyways, No, it was not by following (or preaching or presenting to you) artfully contrived false stories that we acquainted you with the power and presence (and truth an knowledge) of our Lord Jesus Christ, but it was by becoming eyewitnesses of his magnificence (or his glory)"... (By seeing his glory, not by "artfully contrived false stories", that will present you with another truth that is a lie and a false gospel)...

Media presents us with all kinds of "artfully contrived false stories" a lot... You cannot be acquainted with the true Christ through or by them, believe me, I've tried, I looked for him there, he was not in them, in the end...

God Bless!

 

[RaymondG]

2 Peter 1:16 , "No, it was not by following artfully contrived false stories (that draw you away from coming into a correct knowledge of the truth and Christ, but do present a false one),

Anyways, No, it was not by following (or preaching or presenting to you) artfully contrived false stories that we acquainted you with the power and presence (and truth an knowledge) of our Lord Jesus Christ, but it was by becoming eyewitnesses of his magnificence (or his glory)"... (By seeing his glory, not by "artfully contrived false stories", that will present you with another truth that is a lie and a false gospel)...

Media presents us with all kinds of "artfully contrived false stories" a lot... You cannot be acquainted with the true Christ through or by them, believe me, I've tried, I looked for him there, he was not in them, in the end...

God Bless!

You believe this verse to be talking about watching tv shows? I do agree, however, that if someone watches tv to find truth, then it may be good for that one to stop.

 

[Neogaia777]

You believe this verse to be talking about watching tv shows? I do agree, however, that if someone watches tv to find truth, then it may be good for that one to stop.

Media can be used for good yes, t.v. shows getting to lost in fiction and not fact...

 

[Jesus' Girl]

I no longer watch t.v and haven't in years, unless I have been somewhere where a T.V is. Like in hospital. I consider it worldly and full of sinful habits we shouldn't watch people engaging in or pretending to act in.

Last time I watched T.V I won't say what it was just in case I anger somebody but it wasn't my cup of tea and is connected to false God's. The other time before that was Lady Gaga on stage, and that is all idolatry and immorality what she sings about and how people stand there screaming. Other times been documentaries which to me are fine as they are about God's creation mostly. I have watched a few things on youtube as I do get bored.

There was one other time (i watched tv) and it was "dating come dine with me" and how they act is inappropriate and they drink and cross-dress and things like that. When I used to have T.V. They had unmarried couples in bed, swear word substitutions, swear words, blaspheming God, homosexuality, drinking, rude jokes or references to private parts, violence, dead bodies or graphic fake dead bodies (bones or whatever), sex scenes, naked bodies, idolatry of celebrities, worldly living, negativity and sadness on the news.

There is no reason for me to watch this stuff. I like to keep mostly up to date with the news via the Internet..but don't watch the T.V. I have seen a few one off documentaries on crime but mostly nothing else. God is convicting me to stop a cartoon I like watching..I think due to the toilet jokes and inappropriate parts of it (I watch on DVD) If Christians want to watch it, it is between them and God..but for me no way

 

[the old scribe]

Hmmm . . .
Destroy all the inhabitants of the land, the LORD said.
They didn’t.
They watched
. . and seeing the orgies
. . .and hearing the enticements
then they participated.
Married the Canaanites.
Did as the Canaanites did.
Burned their children to please Molech.
Then, the LORD expelled them from the Promised Land.
Israel could not follow the commandments of the LORD while watching the Canaanites and . . . think of the mighty acts of the LORD these people and their parents had witnessed.
Are we stronger than they?
Of course not . . . but what we do is not Canaanite worship . . . is it?

 

[Neogaia777]

Hmmm . . .
Destroy all the inhabitants of the land, the LORD said.
They didn’t.
They watched
. . and seeing the orgies
. . .and hearing the enticements
then they participated.
Married the Canaanites.
Did as the Canaanites did.
Burned their children to please Molech.
Then, the LORD expelled them from the Promised Land.
Israel could not follow the commandments of the LORD while watching the Canaanites and . . . think of the mighty acts of the LORD these people and their parents had witnessed.
Are we stronger than they?
Of course not . . . but what we do is not Canaanite worship . . . is it?

Notice how bad God let it get before doing anything, I wonder if any people back then were having questions over the amount of suffering and sin God has allowed to happen, right, guess he must be evil then, right...?

Makes a lot of sense doesn't it...

God Bless!