Television Programmes

[catholic03]

Dear Friends,

I have some rather interesting questions. I consider myself to be English. I admire Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, and my family are all from England. My Catholic faith comes from my grandmother who, although probably the most English person I ever knew, was of one half Irish ancestry. She was taught to speak in Received Pronunciation English (also known as Queen’s English, and the accent which I also have) by the nuns at the convent school she attended in England. I love my country, but of course, loyalty to the Holy Church comes above all patriotic matters.

I do love English television programmes. My favourites are Midsomer Murders (a detective series set in the English Countryside), Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Coronation Street, Keeping Up Appearances (a wonderful comedy), and The Jewel in the Crown (set in 1940s British India).However, all of these programmes often have intimate scenes in them. Also, homosexuality and other issues such as abortion are ‘normalised’ in Coronation Street. Would anybody be able to tell me what the Church might say regarding watching these.

I truly love these programmes but they do often promote immorality. I will stay loyal to the Holy Catholic Mother Church.

In Christo Jesu.

 

[catholic03]

Just a little fact: I love the English Television Programme ‘Songs of Praise’. It broadcasts in England on the BBC every Sunday Afternoon. I get it here in New Zealand online. It has broadcasted Christian Hymns since 1961 every week. It mostly broadcasts from Church of England Cathedrals and Parishes, but does sometimes broadcast from Catholic Churches.

Certainly a programme that all Catholics should watch.

 

[Saxum]

Television is both good and bad. It boils down to common sense and prudence. For example, the women in my family watch Emmerdale and other British soaps. As a man I don’t find them interesting, but I also wouldn’t watch them for ethical reasons because they promote sinful lifestyles and behaviour. I don’t watch anything that excessively promotes sin or anything that seems to promote a cultural agenda.

 

[catholic03]

Thank you, Saxum. I do agree with you. I would tend to think that it is acceptable to watch these television programmes bearing in mind the following things:

1. Do not expose them to children. Prime brainwashing material due to the ‘normalisation’ of moral evils presented.
2. Be aware of the moral evils that are normalised and treat them with caution when watching.
3. Skip through all intimate scenes, or scenes involving promotion of moral evils (this means that a lot of Coronation Street should not be watched). The other programmes do not involve a huge amount of this, but still be aware. With Midsomer Murders, for example, many of the episodes are perfectly appropriate, but others must be treated with caution.

I do like EWTN, despite my general distaste for American programmes and television channels, it broadcasts the message of the faith beautifully. My country is very secular. The City Council has put Pride Flags up throughout the central city, and the Catholic Church is regularly talked about as being deceitful and bigoted. Pray for us faithful here in New Zealand.