The effects of t.v. in our homes

[Butterflies4mami]

I'm new here, but I have been thinking about this subject alot lately, and was wondering if anyone felt the same way! I have a tv in my home, but it seems to me lately that it has been causing more problems than it is worth! We do not have cable, but we do have(& just recently bought) a dvd player. Now, I have a two year old at home and feel guilty at how many times I sit him in front of it in order to get caught up on cleaning and all sorts of things. ( Especially with a new baby at home!) The things that are on cable are easily determined to be of no good to Believers."I will set NO wicked thing before mine eyes:.." Psalm 101:3 But just the same,putting up with a few words or scenes for the sake of entertainment is just as bad, isn't it? I'm at the point of having a yard sale to get rid of all our children's videos ( which seem to be more like rock star concert anyways!) and throwing out the t.v. and all to ensure the innocence of my children and my family! After all what we see as clean today, wholesome, or standards the early Christians would have thought of as heathen, so what would Christ think of it??? James 4:17 Butterflies4mami

 

[Mark Osgatharp]

Butterflies,

I know a preacher who, over 20 years ago, made the statement that many Christian people sit in their living room and watch things on TV that they would run a man out of the house if he did in their living room. How much worse is it today?

Another Scripture that addresses this issue is,

"it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret."

If the Lord considers immorality to be shameful even for discussion, how much more shameful to view it in "living color"?

Mark Osgatharp

 

[Butterflies4mami]

Mark- I know also of a Preacher who said if you put a blanket over the t.v. and just listened to what was being said, the music in the background, etc., we would be ashamed at even that!! That weeds out the vast majority of Hollywood, doesn't it? Butterflies4mami

 

[timothy 1769]

i junked cable and broadcast tv years ago and i've never regretted it.

 

[KenH]

The television is just like the automobile, other than a person here and there, we will never willingly give them up.

Besides, there is plenty on TV worth watching nowadays, with the History Channel, C-SPAN, various news and financial news channels, TVLand, etc. No one is forced to watch the garbage on television. That's what the remote control is for.

 

[donnA]

I see what your saying, as a parent, you are responsable to what you put in front of your child.(any wicked thing) But your using a DVD, not cable, meaning you personally choose whats in front of your child. Just make sure you choose wisely, there is a lot of christian stuff out there, and I'm sure it is most all now available on DVD.

 

[Butterflies4mami]

Hee-Hee

1.Commercials
2.New age cartoons
3.Influence thinking, such as: love, acceptance in society, etc.
4.Taking place of more important things
5. The list could go on and on.

Would anyone like to add to it?

 

[DanielFive]

Butterflies,

You are making a very good decision. I have a TV but rarely turn it on these days. Even when I turn it on to watch the news I can find myself sitting there an hour later watching some rubbish.

I heard a Pastor preach on this subject a year ago. He compared TV to an open sewer running through your living room and remarked how sad it was that many parents are willing to allow their children to sit down in the middle of it.

God bless you for protecting your children.

 

[dianetavegia]

You're concerned about television but you're on the internet???? There is MUCH more filth on the internet than on regular t.v.!

I'd recommend you all look into a T.V. Guardian. You can buy them at a lot of Christian Radio or T.V. stations and at some Wal-Marts and other stores. They're also online and churches can use them as a fund raiser.

These units block out all cuss words and even words like sex. We've had ours for about 4 years now.

I don't see t.v. as immoral. If you choose wisely you can watch a lot of entertaining and educational programs. But then, I'm not one to find the devil on every doorknob either.

Diane

 

[Gina B]

Butterfly, we own a television and a VCR. We do not have cable or an antenna on the thing, so we don't even BEGIN to get channels!
I'm happy with this now. It was too easy to let the tv babysit, and not worry about content as much because hey, the house was clean, they were quiet, and they were young enough not to understand it. (not)
I was amazed at the difference in the kids after I got rid of it though! They were MUCH more creative. They were more interested in books. And most amazing of all to me, they fought and argued LESS! They also didn't whine for every new item in the grocery or toy store anymore. It might sound odd, but we really CAN shop without being told what brands we should buy.
I'm so happy we got rid of it. I did keep the tv and vcr, and we rent appropriate movies, sometimes buy them. It is also very helpful in being able to buy or rent educational movies or ones of interest that go along with what we are learning in school.
On occasion I do still pop in a cartoon and let them watch it while I clean or whatever, but I know what they're watching and I have no misgivings about letting this entertain them while I'm busy on occasion. It's not a habit at all like it was starting to be in the past when we had reception.
Simply give it a try. Don't go overboard. It's still nice to have sometimes!
Gina

 

[DanielFive]

You're concerned about television but you're on the internet????

I wouldn't recommend allowing a child free reign on the internet either.

Personally I don't think you can compare internet and TV. Just think of the positive aspects of the internet, think of the vast range of good Christian resources on the net. You can't compare this to watching people jump up and down waving their hands on the God Channel.

Its also very easy to restrict what you or your child can view on the net.

Getting a device to bleep out bad language is one thing, but its not just about that. I think its incredible that any Christian parent would even think about allowing a child to watch programs with bad language and references to sex.

The devil is much more subtle than that, many innocent looking programmes are teaching children to lie to their parents etc, the only way to eliminate this influence on children is to view the programmes yourself before deciding if you can allow your child to see it.

Enda

PS Good post Gina.

 

[dianetavegia]

I think its incredible that any Christian parent would even think about allowing a child to watch programs with bad language and references to sex

Excuse me but my almost 9 year old has never seen regular t.v. However, I don't want to hear cuss words or references to sex even on commercials! Many kids videos have people that say 'Oh my God' or 'That s-cks' and that can be taken out with T.V. Guardian.

Sounds to me like you're excusing the internet because of how much you enjoy it! There is a LOT of good shows on t.v. and a LOT of filth on the internet that can creep in by a simple mistype. I tried to find 'Erector Set' on the internet for a Christmas present and pulled up a photo of a pregnant, naked teen...... I also tried to pull up the White House for a home school lesson and didn't use .gov........ What a filthy mistake!

T.V. is not satanic in and of itself. How you choose to use it may or may not allow satan into your home.

Diane

 

[Butterflies4mami]

I just wanted to say that I do not allow my son to watch any filth on the t.v set, I was concerned with the amount of time it seems I allow him to sit in front of it. When I refered to a few words, or scenes ( refering to graphic war scenes,etc.) I was refering to the movies we watch as adults (when my son is sleeping!)As far as sex scenes go, as a Christian I am not that loose when it comes to standards!! Anywho,as far as the internet is concerned, let me say this, it is much different than the tv, much easier to AVOID beer commercials, half naked women, etc. And, my son is not quite old enough, or able to sit still long enough to be interested in the computer. Hee-Hee

 

[KenH]

Just out of curiosity, how do you people with children expect to "protect" your children from the language, etc. in the "real" world, such public school, and when they become adults and are no longer tied to your tether.

I am not knocking the idea of isolating your children, but one of these days they may have a harsh dose of reality hit them square in the face. What then?

 

[Butterflies4mami]

We a sparents must protect our children, for no one else is going to. And God has given us that responsability. I guess with that line of thinking: What will they do when faced with the real world? I should allow my son to touch a hot burner in order to know for himself that it hurts!!

 

[KenH]

Just wondering since all of our children have four legs and go "woof".

No sexual problem either since they are all either spayed or neutered.

 

[Gina B]

Originally posted by KenH:
Just out of curiosity, how do you people with children expect to "protect" your children from the language, etc. in the "real" world, such public school, and when they become adults and are no longer tied to your tether.

I am not knocking the idea of isolating your children, but one of these days they may have a harsh dose of reality hit them square in the face. What then?

Ken, not purposely turning on television programs with sex and cussing or other "real" world actions is not an act of isolation. If it's not appropriate for children we most likely shouldn't be viewing it either.
They get a good enough dose of reality as is. Television is everywhere, in waiting rooms, in hospitals, in restaurants. People cuss in the grocery store, on the street, in the park, next door, on the road. People make out on street corners or in parks, the news tells of affairs and sex scandals.
I'd say they get enough reality without us purposely handing it to them.
That premise is just nuts. LOL Purposely give our children raunchy programs to watch so they'll be able to deal with them in real life?
They might be robbed as adults. Should I invite a burglar in so they're prepared to deal with it?
Gina

 

[donnA]

TV is just like the internet(much more filthy stuff ont eh internet,a dn you don't even have to go looking for it, it comes to you in email), radio or any public place. You have a cholice of what your going to do wiht it, what your going to allow. There are good christian stuff on tv,a dn radio and there is evil stuff, same with internet(more so). Why allow satan the victory? When you do not watch what good chritian programing there is, or at least family frindly programing there is, you allow him victory becasue you do not show people want better stuff on tv by giving good ratings to shows that aren't necessarily bad, or to christian programing. Tv itself is not sin, but what you do with it, or allow on it.
What about public places? What happens when you hear filth there?

 

[DanielFive]

Excuse me but my almost 9 year old has never seen regular t.v. However, I don't want to hear cuss words or references to sex even on commercials! Many kids videos have people that say 'Oh my God' or 'That s-cks' and that can be taken out with T.V. Guardian.

Diane, I wasn't suggesting that YOU allow your child to watch programmes containing bad language etc. I was thinking about why this device should be seen as appealing to a Christian parent.

How does a Christian parent deal with semi-nudity, promotion of same sex relationships etc. Commercials can be worse than the programmes themselves, another reason to restrict children to watching videos.

Sounds to me like you're excusing the internet because of how much you enjoy it! There is a LOT of good shows on t.v. and a LOT of filth on the internet that can creep in by a simple mistype. I tried to find 'Erector Set' on the internet for a Christmas present and pulled up a photo of a pregnant, naked teen...... I also tried to pull up the White House for a home school lesson and didn't use .gov........ What a filthy mistake!

What exactly did I say that makes it sound to you as though I'm excusing the internet because I enjoy it?

I use the internet to view Christian websites and to carry out research for my degree. I am careful when doing searchs and have never made any 'filthy mistakes'. If this was a problem for me I would not hesitate in avoiding search engines.

You say there is a LOT of good shows on TV, could you name twenty that would enhance my Christian walk or teach me anything as a Christian? I could point you to any number of websites that would provide you with good Christian resources.

 

[KenH]

Originally posted by Gina:
If it's not appropriate for children we most likely shouldn't be viewing it either.

Sorry, but that is one argument I don't buy. Children are children and adults are adults. For example, as an adult you might watch a program from a Christian perspective on a sexual subject that it wouldn't be a good idea for your children to watch.