should christians watch t.v

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpto5i7A-IU

tim conway

By framing the question "[i]should[/i]" it implies that it is either right or wrong to do so. I haven't watched tv in nearly a year, but as with all spiritual growth, it was a conviction that the Holy Spirit let me to, out of love for communion with Him. Another question- should christians watch youtube? Anything can become an idol, if it comes before Christ.
Grace and peace,
Joe

the question wasn't meant for anything but to get a view from someone on it. I liked his view on it.

No problem,
Thanks for posting this, it's always good to let iron sharpen iron :)

My husband and I had not 'watched' TV for over a month. Last night we turned on the news and then watched a show following. We 'used' to think the show was funny. It had nothing for us any longer. Praise Jesus. Keep cleaning us Lord, wash us white as wool.

white stone

yes anytime

NO, we should not. Psalm 101:3 "I will set nothing wicked before mine eyes".

The greatest problem with Tv/movies is the complete abscence of God. People live happy lives and Jesus Christ has been completely eradicated. The tv of yester-years (Cosby, Growing Pains, all the way back to Little House on the Prairie) paved the slippery sloap to the blatant wickedness of today.

I am tired of the attitude toward TV/movies today. You have a prominent preacherlike Mark Driscoll saying that "yeah, thee is alot you can learn from watching Seinfeld" (a blasphemous, liberal, homosexual affirming show).

I am 31 years old, and grew up watching and seeing most of the trash that was available. I pray I completely change that for my children to come, and I pray that God will raise up preachers who will not "drop the ball" like past generations have.

This is the best sermon I have heard on the subject:

The Sorcery of TV (Living in a Dream World): http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=611082038279

"you won't go to hell for having a tv, and you won't go to heaven because you don't" --Leonard Ravenhill

Generally speaking, I hate the thing and think Christians should avoid it. Not only is it mostly filthy, but it very quickly becomes an idol and sucks up your time.

i agree repent canada

We watch some sporting events, minus commercials. We enjoy football and baseball. I also watch some of the cooking shows to learn some of the tips and recipes, again minus commercials.
I think that anything can be an idol and take over ones time. I know several Christians who think tv is particularly evil but spend ten plus hours a day on the internet, and think that is just fine. I know others who spend huge amounts of time texting and blogging and think nothing of it. For me the question is not so much a should or should not question as it is, how does what I am doing cause me to walk closer to the Lord or further His kingdom. Personally we have had some really wonderful times of fellowshiping and enjoying time together while watching a game or leaning a new recipe. What ever I am doing though I want to have the heart that "if" the Lord told me to give it up, I can and will do so in an instant!

rdg

I have generally been away from TV since the mid to late 80s. I've never paid for it but have a house on the hill that got the networks, 3ABN and 3 channels of TBN with an antennae and a piece of foil before the changeover. But when I watch on my son's pc, I also am amazed how "non-funny" the old shows I used to watch actually are and how I am quite offended by the bulk of the shows I grew up with in the 70s.

Still, I really did like PBS over the air for Lawrence Welk and some of the British dramas or really old Bogart movies...now there's hulu for much of that stuff. As a chef, I really did like the cooking shows but now there's "foodwishes" on youtube...

Thank you for the thought provoking post. It was a most interesting 'look' at King David.

Kind regards,
white stone

You know the Lord has been working on me to not be spending my time so much on the internet as of late because i do waste a lot of time debating with people who don't want to listen on other sites. I can't stand t.v myself unless it is the way of the master or an occasional good movie on tbn, but i really don't like t.v at all, i don't think god likes it at all either. THe same could be said with the internet but i think the internet has many flaws but also some great pluses as far as information.

Good post, OLd Joe..

We are all using the Internet and it's a form of television if not worse because you can readily get the sex sites easily.

If this is happening to you, it is your own fault! You can get filters that will filter out this stuff. I had computer experts tell me that if your computer never accesses this filth, it will not be there, either. It is all up to the fingers that do what the brain tells them to do...

There is so much wonderful stuff on the web, so much I will never live long enough to access it all. It is like living in a huge library with wonderful info all at our fingertips. Never heard the idiot box having this capability.

ginnyrose

There are two key principles that I’ve taught my children to follow when evaluating things like music and television.

The first is that the Bible describes the fruit of the Holy Spirit as “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance”. Does this describe the music you’re listening to or the show you're watching? Does the music or TV show encourage or discourage these qualities in you?

The second is that Philippians 4:8 tells us “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Is the music just? Is it honest? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it of good report? Is it virtuous?

I can't say that one should or shouldn't have a TV. The Bible is silent on that and far be it from me to speak where the Bible is silent.

That having been said, we haven't had a TV for several years.

The closest we come (other than copying educational shows) is showing movies via PowerPoint on an old bedsheet we hang up between two trees (or in the barn when it gets cold).

We started having our children right around the same time they came out with the cable boxes where you can block out channels and specific shows, back in the early 90's.

When we started having children, we became increasingly sensitive to what we were allowing in our home through the TV and the very first thing we did was to block MTV. As other channels got worse and worse, and some shows really started going on the deep end, we realized that we had to block so much that it really wasn't even worth it to have a TV in the first place.

I guess 2006 was when the straw finally broke the camel's back. A friend, knowing that my son and I liked sci-fi shows, recommended a British show called "Torchwood".

We watched about ten minutes of the show before my thirteen year old son turned to me and said, "Dad, this show is glorifying things we shouldn't be watching". I immediately knew he was right and that was all she wrote for the TV.

One of the really interesting things that I noticed right away was the change in my kids. My kids, who were already terrific, begin to be much more calm, less hyper active, their studies improved, etc. And while they were always polite and respectful, I noticed a new sense of maturity and thoughtfulness about them.

Some of you who have posted with me on other boards know that my family hosts at risk children on our farm from time to time. When children first arrive, they're horrified to find that we have no TV. By the time they leave, they're completely different children. Mostly, I hope, because we've communicated the love of Christ and the Gospel of Salvation to them, but also in the way that the hold TV has on them has been broken.

LOL DeepThinker it is pretty ironic the things you have written when your linking up to a "Christian" TV program/show/website

Just a thought (since we have had this discussion on SermonIndex MANY times over the past few years), but it is interesting that Leonard Ravenhill owned a television set. In fact, he discussed (in his [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=1702]last interview[/url]) a spiritual revelation that he came to after having watched a TV program about how giraffes are born.

I understand what people are trying to say about the television. It is often a "moron box" -- and worse. Through it, all sorts of evil can enter the home. Many (if not most) television shows and commercials are filled with everything mentioned in Revelation 22:15 (amongst other places).

However, we must remember that it is just a box. It is just a device that is filled with wires, plastic, circuits and other electrical/mechanical paraphernalia. In many ways, it is a lot like a radio...or a computer. The vast majority of websites are hideous portals of sin. However, there are a handful that are very useful (and dare I say it?) spiritually helpful. Is a computer "evil" merely because so many use it for such?

This website (along with many others) proves that a computer -- and even the internet -- can be used for good. It can be used for education, scripture, study and encouragement. It can be used to communicate (like a telephone or email). However, like the television, it can also be used for sin. Chief amongst these temptations for believers is the ability for both the television and computer to be used as a time waster (when we are supposed to "redeem the time"). Likewise, a stereo has been used to provide teaching, encouragement and instruction to people who don't get out very much (via Christian CDs, music and teaching).

Many "holiness" folk are quick to point the finger at the television...and rightfully so. There has been so much wrong that has come out of a television! Yet, many good Christian people have been unable to separate the device itself from what was coming through the device. There has been good come out of a television.

Should a believer get rid of a television?

This is entirely up to the believer. If a person cannot help but use their television device for all of the wrong reasons, then they should probably throw the thing out. If they are tempted to sin by the TV shows and commercials that they watch or through general time-wasting...then it isn't wise to have one sitting in the house. If they aren't strong enough to instruct their children in this matter (...along with instructing them about the radio, stereo, computer and even cell phone), then they probably should get rid of it.

However, this might not be true of all of us. Some people, like Leonard Ravenhill, might actually feel some sort of liberty regarding the thing. I do think that it is unwise to just send out a blanket "[i]God told me[/i]..." answer and believe that it is applicable (in full context) to every believer. Personally, I believe that some good can come out of a television device, a computer, a radio and a CD player. It is up to me to make sure that my wife and I are using it (with a clear conscience before God) for good...and not for evil.

:-)

Old Joe, my post was not meant for you. So chill out and dissect someone else's post with smart remarks like you did mine, and then pat yourself on the back for a good deed done.
____________________________________

Deepthinker,

How Old Joe is taking you is how my sister is taking me when I come to warn her of wolves. And you were just speaking about a television.

They believe we are bringing in the fight with our words, but it's really them with their rebellious to 'hear and see'. And behind it all, to bring accusations to the brethren, is nothing but what the demons are tying to set up so that we would fight back with them.

Case in point: I have not called my sister yelling at her or through e-mail yelling at her of why she believed she needed to add 'daddy' in the picture. Nope, I have never done that to her and she has accused me before my father many many times, she has not learned but for following that wolf I had told her last week to 'repent' because of the Love of God which constrains believers.

_________Quote from Mike:
We watched about ten minutes of the show before my thirteen year old son turned to me and said, "Dad, this show is glorifying things we shouldn't be watching". I immediately knew he was right and that was all she wrote for the TV.

One of the really interesting things that I noticed right away was the change in my kids. My kids, who were already terrific, begin to be much more calm, less hyper active, their studies improved, etc. And while they were always polite and respectful, I noticed a new sense of maturity and thoughtfulness about them.

Some of you who have posted with me on other boards know that my family hosts at risk children on our farm from time to time. When children first arrive, they're horrified to find that we have no TV. By the time they leave, they're completely different children. Mostly, I hope, because we've communicated the love of Christ and the Gospel of Salvation to them, but also in the way that the hold TV has on them has been broken.
________________

May God richly bless you Mike.

My young son, at the age of 2 1/2 years old, after receiving his own Revelation by God about how God made his nose, his feet, me, everything etc. I had the t.v. on but we were not watching it I merely just had it on and at one point he pointed to it saying to me, "oh mama that's bad we need to turn that off" I then looked at the commercial and said, "your right Alan" and turned the tv off. From the mouths of babe's God has perfected Praise unto Him alone! PRAISE GOD!!

And thank you again Mike for your post and God bless the good work you do in Jesus Name. Praise God!!!

To all here: We have not gotten rid of our t.v. but we turn the t.v. off when the commercial's come on or we turn it on an alternative channel like the science channel when it's not spreading down right heresy on it. But I have told my husband that we are addicted to the t.v. (and no I have not even turned on the t.v. today - I do that a lot being home all day) and we need to ask God to deliver us from the spirit that is causing the addition. My husband agrees, we just can not do this in our flesh if we do we will do what Deepthinker said - once we get rid of the tv we will go out and buy another one. But if God delivers us from tv and even the computer (and even christian forums etc.) we will be delivered. I can see that Mike and his family have BEEN DELIVERED fully. PRAISE GOD!!! I hope to be there soon as God DOES IT through His Spirit and not us putting our hands to it - we'll only corrupt things if we do. So in the meantime, we hope, and turn off the tv during commuerical's or switch it to an alternative station while the commercial's are running - they mostly all put men down any way - they hate men in general because they are the head of the family.

God bless you all.

But if we are "trying" to follow some rule that man has laid down as "holiness"

And then there is this verse found in Hebrews 13:17: (NASB)

" Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you."

You may also want to consider Romans 1:32: (NASB)
"and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them."

So, why should blood washed saints find people playing at sin entertaining?

ginnyrose

Make sure those leaders are living in the liberty that Christ paid for on the cross, if they are teaching their congregation legalism you better not follow their example, to them I can't submit myself under that teaching.

This is true. And it is also true that today's society does not want to submit to authority anywhere unless it suits [i]their[/i] particular needs/ideas/egos.

Too many times humans scream legalism when one holds up Biblical directives they do not want to obey. Freedom in Christ does not free us to live for the flesh - it frees us from living in bondage to sinful passions, desires. For many there are varying degrees of freedom from this bondage - or so it seems. And it is the weaker ones the stronger must work to protect, to build up.

Brother, scripture informs me that since I am a wife I am to submit to my husband. Now, does this mean just when I feel like it? when I feel real woolly towards him? or does this apply for all times regardless of my moods? And what does submission look like where the rubber meets the road? What if my husband is not perfect, do I still have to submit to him? What if he does something stupid, not sinful, just something not very smart (at least in my opinion)? Is the command to submit suspended because I do not feel like it for whatever reason?

And how does submission look like? Silent obedience all the time with no exchange of ideas? or, is there a sharing of insights, a working together for the common good? This is the essence of submission.

Just because my husband is not perfect (and he is getting less so the older he gets - he does not hear well and he refuses to believe me, just says I mumble when I speak!!) does not mean the scripture suspends to teaching of wives to submit to their own husbands. Likewise, a church cannot function without leadership and a working together of all members to make this thing work. If any have big egos they will never work well with anyone. There is no room in a church and neither in a marriage for big egos, not even for little ones.

While no church is perfect, perhaps you can work in your own little corner to improve it.

ginnyrose

by DeepThinker on 2009/7/1 3:52:01

Quote:
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you."
__

Make sure those leaders are living in the liberty that Christ paid for on the cross, if they are teaching their congregation legalism you better not follow their example, to them I can't submit myself under that teaching.

David Wilkerson calls them "mad dictators" - with no surprise the 'Volunteerism' by Obama is straight from Marxist books. Obama is a mad dictator, we vote, we write our congress, we write the senate but does things more back toward The Fear of God? No. When men come to their own consensus without the people's vote - that is defined as a Soviet. A dictator Nation. Wake up you who are still asleep dear one's.

However, if you can find a Pastor that actually "keep watch over your soul" call me. The one's I know keep watch over their sports car, their bank account and their reputation.
-------------

God bless you DeepThinker and all here.

Or if these leaders are telling men to obey the United Nations (One World Law - against the Law of God as if they are above God's Law etc.) they have not 'right Authority' over them. Like Hitler, he came in his own ~authority~ and if the people would have read "My Struggle" (Hitler's book) they would have never voted him in office. His own authority was murderous and after the dialectic's in our church, even, stop dialoguing with the churche members they will do just like Hitler and the Whore's hands at that time will have much blood on them.

It Is Written:
Rev 17:3-6

3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
KJV

______Quoted by Deepthinker:
But all this is backfiring, people are leaving these Churches because Christ is telling them to get out. You see, Christ wants to grow in us, it's important that He matures that the Father maybe revealed in us.
_______

What do you mean by "reveal" like how Willowcreek presented their "Conference 2009 Reveal"?

A video of some of that Conference is here (at the bottom of the page):
http://www.willowcreek.com/lds/events_reveal.asp

?

Also, Deepthinker - I mainly still listen to my late Pastor Milton Green, though he is dead he 'cares for my soul rightly' still though he be dead as Abel is.

Blessings to all here in Jesus name.

ginnyrose wrote:

So, why should blood washed saints find people playing at sin entertaining?

Thats a good question.

Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Thats the problem in the church today we are not free from sin. We are forgiven but we have not got the victory over the sinful nature in us the branches, trunk are gone but the roots remain.

The church today has a form of Godliness but denies the power that God can completely set us free from the sin and the sinful nature.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
[b]Be of sin the double cure[/b];
Save from wrath and make me pure.

The church new the truth but has lost the truth.

Why would blood washed saints find sin entertaining because they have only been forgiven of there sins not cleansed from sin and that old sinful man remains and entraps them again and entices them to sin again.

murrcolr,

Aamen. They are forgetting their former purification and going back to walking after the flesh rather in the Spirit of Christ Jesus. I too had to repent of this and when I did God cleansed me and daily He does as long as I hear "Him" and not my own stuff of the natual realm (what I want to do for myself, the world revolving around what 'connie' can think up and so called create as good ideals etc.) All of that stuff is vainity anyway. Let God be true and every man a liar - every man who walks after the flesh.

Rom 8:1-4
8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
KJV

Since "The Law of God" has been lost in the so called church people don't even know what sin is. That is why my late Pastor/Teacher use to go pretty heavy on teaching what the Law says - to know what sin "is". But when it's removed, then the outcomes is ministies like Rick Warren, Bill Hybels who go out mainly to take polls and surveys when God's Word instructs us to 'preach and teach' - rather than what they do - they 'dialogue' God's Word into an opinion formate that is how "Mixture" is found in the so called churches of today and even in Milton's days (20 years back).

Gal 5:22-26

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
KJV

I'm thankful about 5 years ago we couldn't afford the satellite dish anymore. I was new in my walk and didn't have a clue.

Not that I've "arrived" but a few years more experience and I personally don't watch T.V. anymore.

For me, the commercials and just plain shown in general, are a trigger for things I still struggle at times with. I know myself so I don't go to the mall, to a certain store etc. If I take myself away from the "trigger" it seems I am less likely to struggle.

The best decision I ever made as a father of a young family, was to throw the TV out. The Lord blessed our socks off. The change in our home was palpable and the presence of the Lord was very real.

The first thing I noticed was that time was suddenly in abundance. It was like having eight days in the week. Each of us in our family accomplished so much more with our lives. We had so much time for each other.

Secondly, the Lord gave us the desires of our heart (long-term ambitions we had for us as a family and for each individual member). He miraculously provided in our needs, not necessarily financial, but directional and everything that makes life fulfilling and God-honoring.

2 Samuel 6:11 The ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obededom… and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household. 12. It was told king David saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of the Lord. (verse two explains: … “the ark of the God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.”

God presence dwelled in Obededom’s house and when that was so, the Lord blessed him. Let’s face it, a TV is a pretty good instrument with which to drive out the presence of the Lord. What is more important in our homes than the presence of the Lord?

It is impossible to argue the case for TV when one has experienced the liberating power of not having such a hindrance in the home.

By all means keep your TV (and cable? Now that’s an all out snare), but hide the injunction of John in your heart: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of he Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”