Is watching too much T.V. a sin?

[workinprogress8]

I really watch a lot of T.V. and I was just wondering is watch too much T.V. glutnous and therefore a sin?

Thanks

 

[bengal_fan]

anything done in excess is a sin (gluttony doesn’t have to be just food). i understand this struggle well.

 

[dhgray]

I agree with Bangel Fan. Anything in excess is a sin. Plus there’s not too much good TV any way

 

[T.A.Stobie_SFO]

Television is a neutral medium.

You can choose to watch:

1. 
   *]good programs (like EWTN) that enrich your faith.
   *]neutral programs (that do not affect your faith life). Sports fall in here provide it is not done to excess (causing you to neglect other parts of your life and responsibilities) or
   *]programs that lead you away from God. Any program which weakens your faith, confuses your morals, or teaches you bad habits (such as cursing) should be avoided.
   
   As long as you maintain your life in balance, watching a lot of TV (first two categories only) is not a problem provided that it does not draw you away from God nor takes away opportunities to draw closer to God.

 

[system]

I sort of think watching too much TV is also a bit on the lazy side…I mean what good gets accomplished by watching normal TV? I try to sit and watch something, then think there’s something far more productive I could be doing, then start feeling lazy, so I shut the darned thing off and either read or do some yucky housework.

JELane

 

[Dr.Colossus]

Too much TV would mean you’re over-indulging and being lazy. That’s at least 2 deadly sins (gluttony and sloth), so I’d say it’s gotta be sinful.

 

[ridesawhitehors]

I told my husband we (meaning him - heehee ) watch too much T.V.
He agreed and said we should just get rid of it.
But then I thought “I want my, I want my, I want my EWTN!!” So the subject was dropped.

 

[Dr.Colossus]

ridesawhitehors:

I told my husband we (meaning him - heehee ) watch too much T.V.
He agreed and said we should just get rid of it.
But then I thought “I want my, I want my, I want my EWTN!!” So the subject was dropped.

If you have broadband internet, you can always watch EWTN online. That’s what I do, since we don’t get it with basic cable (though it comes with the sports package )

 

[darcee]

yeap… but then speanding too much time on the computer is too… (my toes are roasting BTW)

 

[thann]

I am guilty of watching TV to numb my mind, probably the reason some people drink.

Last Lent we gave up TV except to watch Monk on Friday nights, and when Lent was over I was really sad to “have” to turn the telly on again!

We don’t get EWTN anyway, so I am thinking about getting rid of satellite TV when the contract is up in a couple of months – and we don’t get any TV at all without some sort of cable or satellite, so I guess we’d be giving it up altogether.

It’s such a load of crud nowadays, anyway. Mind numbing, indeed.

'thann

 

[Lonevoice]

T.A.Stobie:

Television is a neutral medium.

You can choose to watch:

1. 
   *]good programs (like EWTN) that enrich your faith.
   *]neutral programs (that do not affect your faith life). Sports fall in here provide it is not done to excess (causing you to neglect other parts of your life and responsibilities) or
   *]programs that lead you away from God. Any program which weakens your faith, confuses your morals, or teaches you bad habits (such as cursing) should be avoided.
   
   As long as you maintain your life in balance, watching a lot of TV (first two categories only) is not a problem provided that it does not draw you away from God nor takes away opportunities to draw closer to God.

1. 
   I agree.
   
   In the apartment I keep in the western part of my territory, I don’t have a stereo, so I almost always have the TV on for noise. Outside of EWTN and the news,(FOX, of course ) Law and Order, and some shows on TVLand/Nick@ Nite, I don’t watch the dern thing at all. As someone said earlier in the thread, there’s not much in the way of TV nowadays that I like.
   
   “Let’s sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip…”

 

[kristalyn]

How to tell if it’s a sin? Check the time you spend:

How much time in prayer each day?
How much time helping others?
How much time at work?
How much time improving yourself: exercise/reading/etc?
How much time zoned out in front of the TV?

I bet you can figure the answer out for yourself.

(I voted YES, by the way!)

OH–and those of you who keep it on for noise? Keep it OFF for a few days and be amazed at what you’ve been missing!!

 

[Jdg164]

kristalyn:

How to tell if it’s a sin? Check the time you spend:
How much time in prayer each day?
How much time helping others?
How much time at work?
How much time improving yourself: exercise/reading/etc?
How much time zoned out in front of the TV?

EXACTLY! This is something I’ve been dealing with myself… so I’ve decided to spend a week or so with the TV off. Today is day two… It’s amazing how many things you’ve been “putting off” get done! Not only that but my husband and I have been doing this weird thing called “talking” at the table. It’s very odd. Apparently we have things going on in our lives. Who knew!?!

 

[RNRobert]

Here is something I downloaded from a Christian bulletin board about a dozen years ago that I think would be appropriate for this thread. It is based on the 23rd Psalm:

THE 23rd CHANNEL

The TV is my shepherd; I shall not want. It makes me lie down on the sofa, it
leads me away from faith; it leads me in the paths of sex and violence for the
sponsor’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the shadow of my Christian responsibilities, there
will be no interruption, For the TV is with me; it’s cable and remote control,
they comfort me.

It prepares a commercial for me in the presence of worldliness. It anoints my
head with Humanism and Consumerism, my covetousness runneth over.

Surely laziness and ignorance shall follow me all the days of my life, and I
shall dwell in the house watching TV forever.

 

[Gerry_Hunter]

I voted “other”, because “too much” is rather vague. Watching it for only 1 hour a week, when that 1 hour is when the only Mass on Sunday that you can attend is being celebrated is a sin, but the sin is missing Mass, not watching the TV.

There are things on TV that the watching of which would be sinful – cable porn channels, but I suspect that overall, watching TV is an occasion for sin more than a sin in itself.

Blessings,

Gerry