Mass Media... Do you think TVs are OK?

[Will Jones]

Now that the Assembly is the thing of the past for many people, what do you think about inviting a TV into your home?  What could be the positive or negative affects of such an exposure to the mass media?  What kind of shows or movies do you think is OK for Christians to watch?  How many hours of TV do you watch?

[Heide]

TV's, good or bad? Internet, good or bad? When I came back to the assembly in 1998 I had a TV out in the open in the living room for all to see when they walked in the front door. No one ever bothered me about it but then I also had my mother living with me. I think it was one of those things that helped keep my mom more active, she watched mysteries all day. There is so much to find on TV, cooking shows, discovery channel, DIY network, I bet you can tell where I hang out! Is it good or bad? Sometimes I wish I didn't have one.... At least I can chose what I want to watch! Sitting in front of the TV all day? Can't afford to!

What programs are ok for christians to watch? I think that depends on you. I LOVE scary movies. What my tolerance is might not be what you can watch and vice versa. For people just coming out of the assembly I think Chocolat is a great movie. There are probably others.

Before I would let my kids (which I don't have any!) watch war footage I would explain why we are there and what happens in war, people get killed. I think parents ought to be watching their kids and practicing alittle censorship, just my opinion tho!

Heide

[mkoley]

Sorry, I'm too busy watching Sportscenter.  I'll try to elaborate on this topic later.

[Bluejay]

After much "deliberation" and "soul searching", I have decided to keep my television set fully equipped with digital cable (Gasp!!!) in my living room.  I know that watching ESPN, CNN, Fox Sports, sporting events and occassionally Seinfeld will probably "defile" me which will then in turn lead to my demise, but what the heck!

Now that the Assembly is the thing of the past for many people, what do you think about inviting a TV into your home?  What could be the positive or negative affects of such an exposure to the mass media?  What kind of shows or movies do you think is OK for Christians to watch?  How many hours of TV do you watch?

You can't live life by a recipe!!!  There has to be room for flexibility...a word not in the assembly dictionary.  I was talking to a guy at work who is a  Christian, and when he is struggling on a decision, he has one simple formula he uses...If Jesus Christ were in this room, would I be comfortable doing  "X".   So when watching a TV show, I guess this theory would make sense as well.  

TV is not bad.  TV can be educational, relaxing, and even God forbid - fun!!!

On the flip side, I thank my lucky stars that my parents limited the amount of TV I was able to watch.  I think that has helped me stay active and physically fit.  Not being allowed to sit and watch TV for four hours a day after school was a great thingfor me.  I am involved in athletics for a living, and it amazes me to see how inactive kids are these days unless they have a planned activity, such as a practice or a game.  Kids today have so many more distractions than we adults ever had...internet, video games, 8 million tv channels (or so it seems)...Its like pulling teeth to get the majority of high school athletes to do an individual shooting or ball handling workout because of all of these distractions.  

As far as how much TV is to much....Well like anything else, there has to be balance.  I just try to use TV as a last resort unless there is a game on I want to see or something I specifically want to see. There is just so much more to life than sitting in front of a television and I think it is so important to keep active.

This might be some sort of a new record for BlueJay...A somewhat intelligent post where Tim Geftakys wasn't bashed!!!

[Matt]

Yes, and if you live in San Diego, you might as well throw out your radios since the nearest Christian radio station is in LA, and shucks, we just don't get good reception here. You should also remove the attenna from your car so you won't be tempted to defile yourself.

[Matt]

I like listening to an 'oldies' station when I am in the car; maybe it's because I'm old. We do have a Christian station here, which I also listen to.
MGov

Are you from San Diego too? Did you go to the assembly in SD? I don't remember who you are? Yes, we have KPRZ in San Marcos, but the reception is horrible south of the I-8 or east of the I-15. Oldies are ok...although, as I recall from someone in the assembly, the beatles are off limits! Listening to the doors is also a big "no-no." You might start worshipping Satan if you pop in the beatles and start listening: "I want to hold your hand..." racy stuff.

[jackhutchinson]

Here in SLO we didn't get harrassed by leadership for having TV's.  David G had one and a VCR for years, and he was a worker.  If you’ve been in an assembly for any length of time, lack of discipline is probably not your problem, but complicating simple issues is (kinda like the Amish).  Here’s my take.  If you want a TV:

1) Get a TV.
2) Watch as much TV as you want.  If you find you are watching so much that you are not taking care of your responsibilities (paying bills, interacting with other human beings, exercising, etc.), then cut back.
3) If you find that a particular show is causing you to have lustful thoughts, change the channel.

My favorite shows:

1) Modern Marvels (The History Channel) – gadgets and machinery galore!
2) Jay Leno (NBC)
3) CSI (on CBS) – a great crime show
4) 24 (on FX) – real-time suspense drama (not a reality TV show)
5) Planet’s Funniest Animals (on Animal Planet channel) – hilarious home videos of pets

Pros:

1) Cool shows & sports (if you’re into sports)
2) You can watch those movies (not defiling ones) you never watched because you didn’t want to get a lecture
3) You can watch great Christian movies available for purchase from www.visionvideo.com
4) If you want Christian programming (some is really bad, but some is good), you can get SkyAngel satellite service

Cons:

1) You can spend a lot of time watching
2) $$$ for cable
3) You need to exercise caution in what you watch
4) Reality TV shows – gimme a break!  Talk about an oxymoron!


You’re free, bro.  Enjoy!

My two cents,
Jack

[al Hartman]

     i just have to say thanks to Bluejay for clearing up a question that has plagued me for years:

     apparently when someone in the assmbly tells you not to use the "F" word, they mean either FLEXIBILITY or FUN.

[Joe Sperling]

In the church we go to now watching television is fully acceptable. But we can only watch between 10:00-11:00 A.M. and it has to be a re-run show. We can watch epsiodes 1-21 of Andy Griffith, not 22 or 23, but we can watch episode 24-210. Apparently 22 and 23 are a bit "racy". All channels are acceptable except for 4 because that's when I start to hear the "voices". We also get to watch "the Rifleman" if it's on, but we need to turn away from the screen every time a gun is shown. I'm really not to sure what the show is about since it seems I am constantly having to look at the floor. But I think TV is just great.


--Joe

[BenBrad]

I think TV is an incredible time-waster.   The news channels either have a right or left slant, cable and satallite networks cost too much, I can get all the news off of the internet, and I've got WAY too much to do to be able to have time to watch TV on a regular basis.  All the shows are crude and stupid  and unless you like watching soaps, the only things they are good for are the Super Bowl, Sports playoffs, and showing movies.  (You know, the GOOD movies like: It's a Wonderful Life, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Jackass (oops!), Rat Race, THe Bridge over the River Kwai, 18 Mile (oops!),  Star Wars (all of them), Bambi, Bueaty and the Beast, The Man Who Knew too Little, Braveheart (oops!), Lord of the Rings.....

[Will Jones]

Thank you for your replies.  I was interested in what people would say as this was one of the issues that seperated the "men from the boys," that is, "the Saints of the Assembly from the worldly Christians."  

I did not buy a TV until about a year ago when I decided to get cable here in the country I am presently living in.  I felt too out of touch with my own culture.  At present, I watch 0-2 hours of TV per day depending what is on.  Thankfully, the cable package I have does not have any commercials so you can watch the shows without interuption!  But we get the shows about a year behind the U.S.  One show I like that has good family values is SMALLVILLE.  Another show that is just silly but enjoyable is SURVIVOR.  I enjoy it because I enjoy studying group dynamics.  I am very disappointed they do not have the new Star Trek show, ENTERPRISE.  But they do have CSI!

I did not feel guilty about buying a TV because you can control what you watch and learn a lot about what is going on around you.  But, to have to sit through 11 minutes of compercials for every 30 minutes of programming is way too much!  When I was back home and super busy studying, I would tape shows and watch them when I took a break from studying.  I could fast forward through all the comercials and save myself about 20 minutes for every hour-long program!    At present, my wife and I tape most of what we want to watch and then watch it when it is convenient for us.  I highly suggest this to everyone because it allows you to be in control of what you do instead of having to plan your life around the "devil's box" (old Assembly term   ).

I was shocked that a survey of about 50 countries showed that teens watch from 5-6 hours of TV per day.  This means that some kids watch less than this and some kids watch more!     Yikes!  Way, way, way too much.  

But I do contend that there is too little time during the day to spend in front of the TV set.  I agree with Bluejay:  kids are turning into couch potatoes or joystick jocks and this will have a negative impact on their health and the future health industry.  

I am presently reading a book about how Transnational Corporations like Time-Warner and Disney have basically taken over global mass media.  Thus, my motive for asking the question.

[al Hartman]

     i have a personal testimony regarding both the presence and the absence of TVs in our household, and i will share it on request.

     But i think that at this juncture, the more important thing to say is that owning a TV is like owning a horse, or a speedboat, or a commercial vineyard, or three dozen pair of shoes:  it is YOUR responsibility to know what God wants YOU to do about it, and it is your neighbor's responsibility to know what God wants HIM to do about it.  And if you have any qualms about your neighbor's decision, your first recourse is to prayer:  FIRST for your own clarity, THEN (if it is still in question) for your neighbor's.
     Each of us has a whole lifetime of finding our own path before God without needing to get caught up in dictating such trivia to our neighbors.  That's one of the ways false teachings get started.

You may find more money by looking downward, but you will find your Redeemer by looking UP!

al Hartman

[MGov]

al H wrote;
 i have a personal testimony regarding both the presence and the absence of TVs in our household, and i will share it on request.

OK al I'm asking.  Tell us about it.

I need a coffee (or is it carob) break?

M

[al Hartman]

OK, i knew i was asking for this, i knew it would happen, and i was pretty sure who would instigate it.  Right, on all three counts!

It's so late that it's early-- and i'm very tired, so you get the short version:

We left the assembly & CA with no TVs, and moved to OH.  People here couldn't believe we had no TV, so they "donated" a color set and a B&W to rescue us.

We turned 'em on, but couldn't find a good reason to leave 'em on, so we got rid of 'em.

Two or three times a year, we would rent a TV & VCR and rent decent family films:  Disney animated, musicals like "Sound of Music" & "Fiddler on the Roof," etc.

We ended up with four kids who loved to read.  We read to them regularly when they were small.  They still like reading.

Now there are just Cathy and me, and we own three color TVs, three VCRs and a DVD player.  Cathy likes to tune in the weather forecast (weather changes at the drop of a hat in central OH, so it's good to stay abreast of the doppler scans), and watch a movie to relax.  i watch a couple of evening programs with some regularity, but if i miss them it's no big deal.  We've never had cable or satellite hookups.

Personally, i'd usually rather read.

al

[Joe Sperling]

I had been watching TV for over a year and it just seemed  all the same to me. A friend of mine came over and watched a program with me. The next day I went to the eye doctor at my friend's insistence. Gratefully thereafter I replaced the microwave oven I had on the stand in the living room with an actual TV set and have been happy ever since.

--Joe