To watch tv or not to watch tv?

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Clearly TV has a lot of bad influences or rather bad things that you don’t want to contribute to by watching it (that is, through ratings).

It’s also an extraordinary mind/relationship stunter-but that’s the least of its problems in my opinion.

So then, what do you think is the wisest decision -watch or not watch?
 
fakename said:
So then, what do you think is the wisest decision -watch or not watch?
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This is a false dichotomy based on a shallow and overgeneralized understanding of all TV shows. You simply can’t pigeon-hole them in one box.

The question is whether or not one should watch or not but whether is there something on the box that you feel is worth watching be it for education or leisure (at times even both, if you like documentaries).
 
fakename said:
Clearly TV has a lot of bad influences or rather bad things that you don’t want to contribute to by watching it (that is, through ratings).

It’s also an extraordinary mind/relationship stunter-but that’s the least of its problems in my opinion.

So then, what do you think is the wisest decision -watch or not watch?
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I would keep my eyes open for Neil de Grasse Tyson when he comes on.

Worth a listen.
 
Ask yourself what you want to watch. Say Mass on EWTN, does it bring you closer to God, which in this case it would. If it does then watch it. If it does not then don’t watch it.

Not everything on TV is bad, yet not everything is good.

I don’t watch TV except for watching Catholic Movies or conferences about the Catholic faith. I can live without the news and the other things that tends to take away my peace. I feel that my time is better spent in prayer and reading God’s word and the Church.

God bless.
 
fakename said:
Clearly TV has a lot of bad influences or rather bad things that you don’t want to contribute to by watching it (that is, through ratings).

It’s also an extraordinary mind/relationship stunter-but that’s the least of its problems in my opinion.

So then, what do you think is the wisest decision -watch or not watch?
Click to expand...
Well, if there is even a slight risk of leading you to sin I advice not watching TV at all.

Heck, it’s probably best to stay inside and shut the windows and doors. There is a slight risk of encountering bad influences outside too.

Relax fakename! There is no need to stop doing something just because of the slight risk of it maybe leading you to sin! 🙂
 
Use discernment and be selective in what you watch. TV is neutral. It can edify, or it can bring someone down.
 
Television is a tool of Satan, used to lead us away from holiness one inch at a time. Whenever we intentionally take our mind off holiness we seriously risk falling into the grasp of Satan. People who watch TV, which probably entails most people on this forum, are unaware of the negative aspects of TV, and will deny that these evil aspects exist when presented with the truth. Tell the TV viewer that their TV watching behavior is evil and they will likely get upset in their denial.

“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).
 
I guess it really depends on what you watch. I never just leave it on because there is so much junk. If there is something I’m interested on I will watch it. But I do it less and less these days.
 
The devil can use anything against us…TV, internet, the general public…our sense are attacked daily and everywhere.

Incidentally, my wife and I don’t watch TV anymore because of the things we and our children were being exposed to, even during commercials. Now we hand select videos/movies etc…for us and the kids.

I’m not of the opinion that the television itself is evil and should be avoided, but the material on it these days can be harmful. Does that mean we should never watch TV? Well, as others have mentioned: moderation, discernment, wise selection of what is to be watched, etc…are keys to protecting the senses from the evils that are present in modern-day programs. The same goes for the internet. There are many grave evils lurking throughout the world wide web. What protects us from them, while still allowing us to come onto forums like this? Moderation, discernment, wise selection of what we expose ourselves to…
 
Oh, the joys of topics and what they can bring!

First and foremost, let me ask you this simple yet complex question, would you say that knowledge in of itself is inherently that of the Devil, Lucifer, or what every you wish to call this ‘EVIL’? I ask this only because if you say that TV, Internet, Music, ect are or can be the tools of this ‘EVIL’, then wouldn’t literature fall into this category far more than any visual/audio stimuli, only because literature has been around for thousands of years where TV and Internet are very young in comparison.

This being said, I happen to agree that anything in moderation is a good thing as taking anything and everything in excess can be harmful and cause issues later down the line. Now I am not saying that you should watch, listen, read everything out there as there are some very useless things that are for nothing more than instant gratification and do nothing more than stimulate problematic parts of the person’s psychological health.
 
fakename said:
So then, what do you think is the wisest decision -watch or not watch?
Click to expand...
if you are talking about wisdom it is wisest to exercise the virtues of prudence and temperence, discern what (if anything) promotes your spiritual, intellectual and pschological well-being, and watch that if it does not interfere with the other duties of life or turn you into a couch potato.
 
Who is it, St. Clare is the patron saint of TV watching?

Personally, I turned off the TV back in 2008 and don’t miss it.
Didn’t want to be bombarded by popular culture through the shows,
the news, the commercials anymore.
Sure, there are some good programs.
And I’ll watch TV if I’m visiting someone
who happens to have it on.

Now I’m trying to cut down on listening to the radio.

… You will notice that here I am on the internet.
And yes, I should turn it off and get out more.
Seriously.

Things to keep in mind:

The Vatican has a website.
The Pope has a Twitter account.

Technology can be used for good or evil.

Discernment is key.

~~ the phoenix
 
Lost_Wanderer said:
This is a false dichotomy based on a shallow and overgeneralized understanding of all TV shows. You simply can’t pigeon-hole them in one box.

The question is whether or not one should watch or not but whether is there something on the box that you feel is worth watching be it for education or leisure (at times even both, if you like documentaries).
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Well said. Asking, “should we watch TV”, is like asking, “Should we read books/magazines”.

It’s isn’t about whether "TV is good or bad, TV is completely neutral. It’s really about what we choose to watch is good or bad.

Peace
James
 
JRKH said:
Well said. Asking, “should we watch TV”, is like asking, “Should we read books/magazines”.

It’s isn’t about whether "TV is good or bad, TV is completely neutral. It’s really about what we choose to watch is good or bad.

Peace
James
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Agreed.

My sons cannot wait for hockey season to start so they can watch their favorite teams play.
We get great meal ideas and seasoning ideas from some of the cooking shows out there.
Some shows are entertaining and make us laugh.
Others inform us.

There are extremists on either end of the spectrum.
 
Prudence and the other virtues etc. Good judgment in what to watch…and what not to watch.
 
Robert_Sock said:
Television is a tool of Satan, used to lead us away from holiness one inch at a time. Whenever we intentionally take our mind off holiness we seriously risk falling into the grasp of Satan. People who watch TV, which probably entails most people on this forum, are unaware of the negative aspects of TV, and will deny that these evil aspects exist when presented with the truth. Tell the TV viewer that their TV watching behavior is evil and they will likely get upset in their denial.

“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).
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In that case, why are you using the internet?
 
Robert_Sock said:
Television is a tool of Satan, used to lead us away from holiness one inch at a time. Whenever we intentionally take our mind off holiness we seriously risk falling into the grasp of Satan. People who watch TV, which probably entails most people on this forum, are unaware of the negative aspects of TV, and will deny that these evil aspects exist when presented with the truth. Tell the TV viewer that their TV watching behavior is evil and they will likely get upset in their denial.

“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).
Click to expand...
You make a pretty serious charge here considering that the Catholic Church uses Television as a tool for evangelization AND in fact the Vatican has it’s own TV network, Plus EWTN.

Since “TV” (a box with wires, circuitry etc), being a morally neutral object, is neither good or bad, I believe that it would be more proper to say that there is “Much TV programming that is a tool of Satan”.

Peace
James
 
JRKH said:
You make a pretty serious charge here considering that the Catholic Church uses Television as a tool for evangelization AND in fact the Vatican has it’s own TV network, Plus EWTN.

Since “TV” (a box with wires, circuitry etc), being a morally neutral object, is neither good or bad, I believe that it would be more proper to say that there is “Much TV programming that is a tool of Satan”.

Peace
James
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Granted that there are a few religious programs on television, it’s the exception rather than the rule.
 
Robert_Sock said:
The Internet can also be a tool of Satan. I use the Internet mainly here on CAF and I usually manage to keep a part of my mind on holiness.
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I have a question how can you be keeping your mind on holiness when all that I seem to be reading in your posts is what is a tool of Satan and what leads us away from Holiness, as well as threads having to do with signs of possession or possession? With all due respect, if one wants to keep their mind on Holiness, does not one keep their mind on the All Holy One, God Himself, and the things revealed by God?

God bless.
 
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