Television

Christian ethics and theology with an Anabaptist perspective
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Adam
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Television

Post by Adam »

I am curious to know what attitudes are towards television among people using this forum, particularly those who do not watch TV. I ask because, while I deem most television shows to be inappropriate content for Christians because of the types of themes that are promoted, some actually support the Biblical message. For example, recently I watched an episode of the Andy Griffith show that was all about following the Golden Rule.

If you do not watch television, is it because you deem all the content on television to be inappropriate? Or is it church standard that you follow, recognizing that even though most content on television is inappropriate, there are some programs that may actually be appropriate for Christians to watch? Do you watch videos on the Internet? Is the medium of television itself inherently something to be avoided from your perspective? What about movies? Would you watch a movie that promoted Christian themes? In fact with DVDs and internet, the whole "television" question seems to be a bit more complex. With traditional television, you never knew what kind of advertisements would spring up, and that in and of itself was probably a good reason to avoid it. But with DVDs and internet, it is a bit of a different situation.

In asking this question, I am not trying to promote any agenda. I am really just curious to see how other people approach this matter so that maybe I can learn something from them. For me personally, I don't have "television" and Internet is too expensive for us to watch videos online, but we do have some DVDs of TV shows like Andy Griffith and Little House. We are very careful about what we watch and what we expose our children to, but we do find some programs to promote good values in general.
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Ernie
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Re: Television

Post by Ernie »

Our family doesn't watch TV for the following reasons.

1. Trying to find a program in which the characters being filmed are appropriately dressed is a hard thing to do.
2. The immature find it difficult to choose between bad and good TV programs and I think it is best for them to avoid it altogether, so I do also for their sake.
3. Commercials are very inappropriate nowadays.
4. Movies are rarely real to life. Things happen fast and all the uninteresting parts of life are omitted. This is not real life.
5. Actors interact with each other in movies in ways that nobody would think is appropriate in real life. I don't think that male actors should relate any differently to a woman in a movie, than what they would to a woman at church with her husband standing by. (e.g. kissing her, looking her straight in the eye up close, etc.)

As a family we do watch the occasional Youtube video of animals, Christians singing, etc. and that feels different because I can choose the content.

I don't want my children growing up spending much time watching the screen. Their creativity is much more developed when they can use their own imagination.
My little girls often like to report on their imaginative play.
Just the other day, my little girls were playing with their doll houses. This time they came to my office all excited as they explained that some robbers came to rob the doll house people of their stuff, and the doll house people decided to return good for evil, and it totally took the robbers by surprise!
Not saying they couldn't have gotten this worldview on TV but it would be rather unlikely.
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Sudsy
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Re: Television

Post by Sudsy »

I think if a Christian does have a TV and children they do need to use the lock out features and control what is being watched. I grew up without a TV but later when church restrictions allowed for it, we got a second hand black and white one and for many hours watched whatever was on. I still watch considerable TV.

I enjoy sports of all sorts, nature shows, the news, Christian programming and certain forms of entertainment. The immodest clothes don't concern me much as I am out and about where I see similar dress and unless it is exceptionally close to nakedness, it doesn't get my attention. My view is if we are going to reach these folk we need to be able to be among them and control our fleshly urges.

I think our Anabaptist group would be more into individual control over a TV but would encourage controlling what is watched. Most of our sermons today use video clips and some of these are from secular movies to make a point.

I think the Internet has more to offer in inappropriate viewing for a Christian than TV does and yet we all obviously are on the Internet and no one knows just how much control we are using over it. I have a Christian friend that no longer has Internet access because he could not control what is so easily accessed. I respect that kind of approach as in some areas the right thing to do is just abstain. Like alcohol if one can't control getting drunk.
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MaxPC
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Re: Television

Post by MaxPC »

X2. Our reasons closely match Ernie's reasons.
Ernie wrote:Our family doesn't watch TV for the following reasons.

1. Trying to find a program in which the characters being filmed are appropriately dressed is a hard thing to do.
2. The immature find it difficult to choose between bad and good TV programs and I think it is best for them to avoid it altogether, so I do also for their sake.
3. Commercials are very inappropriate nowadays.
4. Movies are rarely real to life. Things happen fast and all the uninteresting parts of life are omitted. This is not real life.
5. Actors interact with each other in movies in ways that nobody would think is appropriate in real life. I don't think that male actors should relate any differently to a woman in a movie, than what they would to a woman at church with her husband standing by. (e.g. kissing her, looking her straight in the eye up close, etc.)

As a family we do watch the occasional Youtube video of animals, Christians singing, etc. and that feels different because I can choose the content.

I don't want my children growing up spending much time watching the screen. Their creativity is much more developed when they can use their own imagination.
My little girls often like to report on their imaginative play.
Just the other day, my little girls were playing with their doll houses. This time they came to my office all excited as they explained that some robbers came to rob the doll house people of their stuff, and the doll house people decided to return good for evil, and it totally took the robbers by surprise!
Not saying they couldn't have gotten this worldview on TV but it would be rather unlikely.
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TeleBodyofChrist
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Re: Television

Post by TeleBodyofChrist »

I could never get a clear understanding on this from the community we were attending. They said no entertainment but like I said before people were watching Jason Bourne.

I grew up watching whatever I wanted. However, things are getting weird. I have noticed that a lot of programs are pushing different agendas such as introducing gay characters. They do not give you enough warning to turn before something is happening.

Commercials are also risky and Youtube is plagued by commercials as well. I have tv now because it came with my internet for less than the internet alone but I am not sure.

I have locks and the tv is in a place where all can see but it is getting hard to watch many programs without something popping up.

We like home improvement shows but even that is getting ridiculous. I am not sure if you heard of the different Disney controversies but it is getting to the point where they are putting this is children's programs.

Bottom line, the world is the world. I am not sure there is any medium where this will not be an issue and the only solution would be to walk away from all of it.
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steve-in-kville
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Re: Television

Post by steve-in-kville »

Before the end of this decade, internet and TV will be the same thing. It kinda already is. Write that down.

Anyways, we do not have TV. We do not have *real* internet at home. We watch DVD's, but only as a reward for the children, and almost always on the weekends. We do own a few good series on DVD but we get a lot from the local library, and occasionally we will Redbox something, but that is super rare.
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Haystack
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Re: Television

Post by Haystack »

It would be interesting to hear what people define as Television. Do you consider it the actual physical TV or do you consider the shows on it TV? I ask this because I remember reading somewhere (might have been way back on MD, I can't remember now) about how its becoming common for young people in some groups to watch Netflix on their computers or phones. Now I'm sure Netflix would fall under the TV category, but have any groups specifically banned Netflix altogether (defined in their rules)?
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Josh
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Re: Television

Post by Josh »

steve-in-kville wrote:Before the end of this decade, internet and TV will be the same thing. It kinda already is. Write that down.

Anyways, we do not have TV. We do not have *real* internet at home. We watch DVD's, but only as a reward for the children, and almost always on the weekends. We do own a few good series on DVD but we get a lot from the local library, and occasionally we will Redbox something, but that is super rare.
I don't see any place for non-instructional video in the life of a Christian, especially when judged by its fruits.

Anything that can be taught in a video can probably be taught just as well in a book.
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temporal1
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Re: Television

Post by temporal1 »

Ernie's list is quite good.
What might be surprising is how many people are rejecting television for many of his points, even folks with no religious conviction, esp young people. TeleBody is speaking to this.

Many have complained about programming, and commercials, for decades.
it's now beyond unacceptable.

Disney has been a problem for many years .. i did not realize it until my daughter pointed it out to me when her daughter was born! my eyes were opened! they strictly control televsion, and all screen time. her daughter is now 9 years old. life is good without Disney. we were never big fans, anyway, so, not a big sacrifice for us. but, it's so pervasive, it requires keeping one's guard up.
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Josh
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Re: Television

Post by Josh »

Haystack wrote:It would be interesting to hear what people define as Television. Do you consider it the actual physical TV or do you consider the shows on it TV? I ask this because I remember reading somewhere (might have been way back on MD, I can't remember now) about how its becoming common for young people in some groups to watch Netflix on their computers or phones. Now I'm sure Netflix would fall under the TV category, but have any groups specifically banned Netflix altogether (defined in their rules)?
Fundamental-conservative groups like BMA and some churches in moderate-conservative groups like Midwest (not all their congregations, but some) completely tolerate people watching Netflix and Hulu without a filter. Young people will discuss when they can watch a sports game on MLB.TV together, or what video games they recently rented to play on their Xbox One. Shows watched would include Westworld on HBO NOW (I found that one a bit surprising, suffice to say it definitely has an R rating). It's common for young people to share their HBO, Netflix, etc. subscriptions.

In intermediate-conservative groups like Pilgrim or Hope Fellowship, young people will get up at a revival type meeting and repent for secretly having had a subscription to NBA League Pass so they could watch the finals, and then we will all pray for each other to be delivered from the desire to watch sports.

In an ultra-conservative group, nobody would go near such things and would probably believe doing so would forfeit their salvation. It might be whispered or talked about. They would lack the Internet access or unrestricted smartphone needed to even watch such things in the first place.

In a Holdeman church, someone would feel very convicted who was watching such things and would probably talk to their minister about it before revival meetings. If it wasn't the first time it happened, they could expect to be put on discipline and told to no longer possess a smartphone. After a while they would be restored and will give a testimony on a Sunday night of how the world nearly seduced them and nearly seduced their soul and they are very glad God saved them from that and that the church of God was there for them to lovingly draw them back into upright living.

Amongst the Old Order Amish (at least that I have had contact with), the young people who are not yet baptised would rent out a "TV room" in an English person's house (or maybe a Mennonite's house) and hook up the cable TV, video games, etc. there, since their parents won't allow that stuff in their own home. Eventually they will make a decision to join the church and then they just abandon all of that stuff, or maybe sell it to someone else.
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