Psalm 101:3a – I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. Psalm 26:4-5 – I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.
Greetings! By way of introduction I am a born-again Christian who seeks to live in the presence of, under the authority of, and to the honor and glory of the Triune Yahweh Elohim Shaddai–the One True and Living LORD God Almighty Who is the self contained, self sufficient, and unique infinite Creator of all things.
I believe the historic, orthodox, Biblical Christian faith as found in the 66 books of the Holy Bible is the only true and right religion that has been revealed to mankind and all other faiths and extra-Biblical sources of revelation are absolutely false and without any eternal merit or redemptive power.
Through this medium I hope to share my worldview with any who are interested, and in this manner I hope to expand my witness to the lost, and extend whatever ability I’ve been given to edify the believer to the praise of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, the risen Savior.
Sola Scriptura! (Scripture alone), Sola Fide! (faith alone), Sola Gratia! (grace alone), Soli Christo! (Christ alone) - Soli Deo Gloria! (to God alone be glory)
Even though it is not a sin to own a TV, the problem is what you are watching on that TV. That is the issue, as most programs on TV are completely worthless and corrupts one soul, min 1:26 pretty much hits the nail on the head.
If we are spending 40 hours a week watching TV, surfing the web, posting a face book and only spending 5 minutes a week reading Gods word, then we have a huge problem n our spiritual walk with Christ as we have now become a friend to the world and choose the world over God.
If we are doing this then I would have to ask each one of us, including myself, what are we doing?
You can’t serve two masters, so we have to decide what is more important to us, the world or God?
Only you can answer that question…
May God bless each and every one of us to give us the strength to put away the worldly idols and follow Him, by picking up the cross each and every day.
Living in the world, whose value system is of the devil, we are faced with choices all the time. TV, Internet, books, conversation, food, clothes, cars – the list is endless. We will not be free from temptation that comes from our sinful flesh, the world, or the devil – nor the sin that we all too often fall or jump into – until the Lord returns or calls each of us home.
Television is right there with movies today. I am amazed at the movies that professing Christians can sit through. It seems like the majority of movies out today blaspheme the name of Christ multiple times and yet it doesn’t seem to bother anyone. Pastors even use such movies as “lame sermon illustrations” and thus encourage their flock to see and hear such filth. The internet has given us such resources to be able to check a movie before seeing it to see if there is content and language that is degrading and vicious against our great God.
We want to live for God and walk by the Spirit and yet we feed our minds with filth and blasphemy and then expect God to bless our ministries when all-the-while we are grieving the Holy Spirit.
I have that book, Manfred; but I’ve not read it yet. I tend to group books that I’m reading within the same genre, and I’m planning to read Mahaney’s tome along with A.W. Tozer’s book entitled Tozer on Worship and Entertainment.
Your screen name is given as a motto for living in chapter 2 of that book! Mahaney is the editor, it’s a compilation from several authors. I’m in a men’s small group that is studying it – most of the guys are struggling with chapters of more than 10 pages and a few of them get their scripture interpretations from the media! It’s most interesting.
Tozer probably treats the issue with kid gloves, don’t ya think? :-)
I’ve got “City of God” starring me in the face – think I’ll take it with me on vacation later this month.
The vast majority of what is on TV glorifies those things that Christ Jesus died to set us free from. Lust, pride, bitterness, malice, brawling, vanity, nakedness, blasphemy and a host of other sins. It seems totally incredulous to me how Christians can be “entertained” by those things which nailed Jesus to the cross.
Then there are those shows/networks we deem “good”, yet even these like the Discovery Channel, and National Geographic, etc. are rife with evolutionary dribble and anti-christ denials of the God who upholds all things by his word.
Finally, as noted in the video the time wasted is key as I doubt any Christian at the resurrection will look back and wish he/she spent more time in front of the TV. I dare say the exact opposite will be true. Same can be said of the Internet which I really need to better govern.
I will answer this question the simplest way I can:
With a resounding, absolutely, positively, unequivocal “NO!”
I will not rehash what others have said above but I agree wholeheartedly with their comments.
Our family got rid of cable over two years ago. That’s right. No news, no sitcoms, no movies, or sports.
We did not, however, get rid of the TV.
Occasionally we’ll watch a Christian DVD but we have to be very selective there as well. We’ve only watched one secular film in the past two years and that was The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas that I’ve actually recommended here on DefCon.
We also have DVD’s on Creation and education and other Christian based films. We even have such DVDs as The History of the World from Vision Forum and Voddie Baucham video sermons.
Other than that if our kids are sick and want to veg, they watch home videos (kids just love seeing themselves on TV).
Some of you may be wondering how it’s been the past two years and if we miss it. All I can say is it’s been great and we don’t miss it one bit. Getting rid of that box of godless filth was one of the best things we ever did (even though some churches actually give away TV sets to attract members).
But for those of you who still want to watch TV, perhaps you can get the St. Clare patron Saint of TV to help filter out all that stuff you know you shouldn’t be watching.
- The Pilgrim
P.S. For a great sermon on the topic of television by Pastor Tim Conway, check out this post.
We had cable (never satellite) TV for 6 months, 25 years ago. About 18 months ago, Comcast was selling 12 months of basic cable for $0.99 per month. We gave that w whirl. Never got billed. When the 12 months was up, asked for the cable to be turned off. No record of us. No worry, they wouldn’t charge us the $12 and would cut it off. They didn’t. My wife then wrote to the CEO of Comcast and – BOOM! – they came out to what was the matter. We told them we didn’t want to steal their product and didn’t want to pay for it.
Cable got cut off the day before digital TV started. We get zero TV reception in the living room. We read more, talk more, etc.
I watch TV. I watch my football team win (or lose haha). I watch the news sometimes. I watch ‘masterchef’. I have no problems in watching the TV.
I have a problem with what can appear on televison. I have a problem with watching sitcoms and stuff from when you get home til when you sleep. I have a problem when your TV shows consume your conversations when you are having fellowship with bretheren. When you talk more about ‘such and such’ than you do abouit the things of the LORD.
IF one believes that Christians should not watch any TV for entertainment, THEN one should also (if consistent) declare other temporal forms of entertainment off limits. This would end up being an ascetic or monastic life style, wherein one would be constantly reminded that James was correct when he – and others moved by God to write Scripture – told us that sin lies within.
The right solution to the pollution problem posed by TV – or any other cultural evil – is to teach biblical discernment, humility, and obedience.
Jeff Bridges summed it up well (how he knew me so well is still a mystery) when he said, “Too often we speak of being defeated by this sin or that. Truth be told, most of the time we are simply being willfully disobedient.” (Paraphrase).
As with liquor – for some, not having it in the house is the right thing. Let no one look down a brother who recognizes his weakness and takes action to protect himself. But let not the weaker brother put forth his protection as the solution for others.
The Lord calls on men everywhere – especially in the swamp known as Houston – to REPENT!
Quite amazing. I just watched “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” last night! Tonight, I ran across your website. I was deeply moved by the movie and think it powerfully fulfills the purpose for which it was produced. I could not fall asleep for a long time afterward.
I’m not sure I could watch it again anytime soon. And I know it is not a movie I could suggest for children. (I hate very much for my first post to dissagree with you, “The Pilgrim”. I have been reading pages and pages of articles and have loved all that I’ve read on this website!)
My twelve year old could handle it but my younger children (10 and 7) would certainly ask many questions about the events. To answer some of their questions would require discussing some details that deeply disturb me as an adult. My ten year old knows general facts about Nazis, German occupation, the killing of Jews and sympathizers in concentration camps, etc. I do not think he (and certainly not my 7 yo) are quite ready for some of the information that they would be struggling to understand and thus questioning.
I do not say any of this to suggest that no children should watch it, only that parents should be very careful with it. I do agree that it could be useful in educating children about the horrors of Nazi Germany IF parents are aware that it is not necessarily appropriate for younger children.
I, too, was very suprised and pleased at the lack of profanity, limited visible violence, and graphic detail. The subject matter/story line is just quite weighty.
Just my two cents worth!
Other than that :), thanks so much for this site! It is excellent!
Pilgrim
thejunglemissionary
Bill
Manfred
abidingthroughgrace
Chris Hohnholz
Even though it is not a sin to own a TV, the problem is what you are watching on that TV. That is the issue, as most programs on TV are completely worthless and corrupts one soul, min 1:26 pretty much hits the nail on the head.
If we are spending 40 hours a week watching TV, surfing the web, posting a face book and only spending 5 minutes a week reading Gods word, then we have a huge problem n our spiritual walk with Christ as we have now become a friend to the world and choose the world over God.
If we are doing this then I would have to ask each one of us, including myself, what are we doing?
You can’t serve two masters, so we have to decide what is more important to us, the world or God?
Only you can answer that question…
May God bless each and every one of us to give us the strength to put away the worldly idols and follow Him, by picking up the cross each and every day.
Chapter 2 of this book http://www.amazon.com/Worldliness-Resisting-Seduction-Fallen-World/dp/1433502801/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246151037&sr=8-1
addresses this same question. The author of that chapter does not tell the readers to live a monastic life, as sin lies within each of us (consider Lot, after he left Zoar).
Living in the world, whose value system is of the devil, we are faced with choices all the time. TV, Internet, books, conversation, food, clothes, cars – the list is endless. We will not be free from temptation that comes from our sinful flesh, the world, or the devil – nor the sin that we all too often fall or jump into – until the Lord returns or calls each of us home.
To which I must say, Maranatha, Lord Jesus!
Television is right there with movies today. I am amazed at the movies that professing Christians can sit through. It seems like the majority of movies out today blaspheme the name of Christ multiple times and yet it doesn’t seem to bother anyone. Pastors even use such movies as “lame sermon illustrations” and thus encourage their flock to see and hear such filth. The internet has given us such resources to be able to check a movie before seeing it to see if there is content and language that is degrading and vicious against our great God.
We want to live for God and walk by the Spirit and yet we feed our minds with filth and blasphemy and then expect God to bless our ministries when all-the-while we are grieving the Holy Spirit.
Shame on us!
I have that book, Manfred; but I’ve not read it yet. I tend to group books that I’m reading within the same genre, and I’m planning to read Mahaney’s tome along with A.W. Tozer’s book entitled Tozer on Worship and Entertainment.
In Him,
CD
CD,
Your screen name is given as a motto for living in chapter 2 of that book! Mahaney is the editor, it’s a compilation from several authors. I’m in a men’s small group that is studying it – most of the guys are struggling with chapters of more than 10 pages and a few of them get their scripture interpretations from the media! It’s most interesting.
Tozer probably treats the issue with kid gloves, don’t ya think? :-)
I’ve got “City of God” starring me in the face – think I’ll take it with me on vacation later this month.
The vast majority of what is on TV glorifies those things that Christ Jesus died to set us free from. Lust, pride, bitterness, malice, brawling, vanity, nakedness, blasphemy and a host of other sins. It seems totally incredulous to me how Christians can be “entertained” by those things which nailed Jesus to the cross.
Then there are those shows/networks we deem “good”, yet even these like the Discovery Channel, and National Geographic, etc. are rife with evolutionary dribble and anti-christ denials of the God who upholds all things by his word.
Finally, as noted in the video the time wasted is key as I doubt any Christian at the resurrection will look back and wish he/she spent more time in front of the TV. I dare say the exact opposite will be true. Same can be said of the Internet which I really need to better govern.
Blessings -
bro Michael
I will answer this question the simplest way I can:
With a resounding, absolutely, positively, unequivocal “NO!”
I will not rehash what others have said above but I agree wholeheartedly with their comments.
Our family got rid of cable over two years ago. That’s right. No news, no sitcoms, no movies, or sports.
We did not, however, get rid of the TV.
Occasionally we’ll watch a Christian DVD but we have to be very selective there as well. We’ve only watched one secular film in the past two years and that was The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas that I’ve actually recommended here on DefCon.
We also have DVD’s on Creation and education and other Christian based films. We even have such DVDs as The History of the World from Vision Forum and Voddie Baucham video sermons.
Other than that if our kids are sick and want to veg, they watch home videos (kids just love seeing themselves on TV).
Some of you may be wondering how it’s been the past two years and if we miss it. All I can say is it’s been great and we don’t miss it one bit. Getting rid of that box of godless filth was one of the best things we ever did (even though some churches actually give away TV sets to attract members).
But for those of you who still want to watch TV, perhaps you can get the St. Clare patron Saint of TV to help filter out all that stuff you know you shouldn’t be watching.
- The Pilgrim
P.S. For a great sermon on the topic of television by Pastor Tim Conway, check out this post.
We had cable (never satellite) TV for 6 months, 25 years ago. About 18 months ago, Comcast was selling 12 months of basic cable for $0.99 per month. We gave that w whirl. Never got billed. When the 12 months was up, asked for the cable to be turned off. No record of us. No worry, they wouldn’t charge us the $12 and would cut it off. They didn’t. My wife then wrote to the CEO of Comcast and – BOOM! – they came out to what was the matter. We told them we didn’t want to steal their product and didn’t want to pay for it.
Cable got cut off the day before digital TV started. We get zero TV reception in the living room. We read more, talk more, etc.
Why am I on the Internet? Bye :-)
I watch TV. I watch my football team win (or lose haha). I watch the news sometimes. I watch ‘masterchef’. I have no problems in watching the TV.
I have a problem with what can appear on televison. I have a problem with watching sitcoms and stuff from when you get home til when you sleep. I have a problem when your TV shows consume your conversations when you are having fellowship with bretheren. When you talk more about ‘such and such’ than you do abouit the things of the LORD.
Then and only then do I think TV is a problem.
IF one believes that Christians should not watch any TV for entertainment, THEN one should also (if consistent) declare other temporal forms of entertainment off limits. This would end up being an ascetic or monastic life style, wherein one would be constantly reminded that James was correct when he – and others moved by God to write Scripture – told us that sin lies within.
The right solution to the pollution problem posed by TV – or any other cultural evil – is to teach biblical discernment, humility, and obedience.
Jeff Bridges summed it up well (how he knew me so well is still a mystery) when he said, “Too often we speak of being defeated by this sin or that. Truth be told, most of the time we are simply being willfully disobedient.” (Paraphrase).
As with liquor – for some, not having it in the house is the right thing. Let no one look down a brother who recognizes his weakness and takes action to protect himself. But let not the weaker brother put forth his protection as the solution for others.
The Lord calls on men everywhere – especially in the swamp known as Houston – to REPENT!
Quite amazing. I just watched “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” last night! Tonight, I ran across your website. I was deeply moved by the movie and think it powerfully fulfills the purpose for which it was produced. I could not fall asleep for a long time afterward.
I’m not sure I could watch it again anytime soon. And I know it is not a movie I could suggest for children. (I hate very much for my first post to dissagree with you, “The Pilgrim”. I have been reading pages and pages of articles and have loved all that I’ve read on this website!)
My twelve year old could handle it but my younger children (10 and 7) would certainly ask many questions about the events. To answer some of their questions would require discussing some details that deeply disturb me as an adult. My ten year old knows general facts about Nazis, German occupation, the killing of Jews and sympathizers in concentration camps, etc. I do not think he (and certainly not my 7 yo) are quite ready for some of the information that they would be struggling to understand and thus questioning.
I do not say any of this to suggest that no children should watch it, only that parents should be very careful with it. I do agree that it could be useful in educating children about the horrors of Nazi Germany IF parents are aware that it is not necessarily appropriate for younger children.
I, too, was very suprised and pleased at the lack of profanity, limited visible violence, and graphic detail. The subject matter/story line is just quite weighty.
Just my two cents worth!
Other than that :), thanks so much for this site! It is excellent!