To watch tv or not to watch tv?

[Mamas_Boy]

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?

While I will not disagree that there is a lot of garbage on TV, I won’t take the stance that TV is intrinsically evil. If TV becomes an occasion of sin we should do our best to abstain from it. We must try our hardest to keep our minds focused on Christ and to constantly remind ourselves that He is present all around us. We must look toward His Church for guidance when finding out the proper use of tools like TV. Christ is our Light so remember to watch TV with Christ.

Ps. Our guardian angel would appreciate it as well.

Please pray for me.

 

[LemonAndLime]

Can people be holy while watching porn? A few maybe, but not for the vast majority. I’m not saying that TV is on the same level as porn, but I am saying that TV, too, can rob one of holiness.

You’re a little out of touch. Internet is where people watch porn. Not TV. Yes there are a few channels which show porn, yet you have to pay to view them and the previews they show are suitable for the time of day.

Also, not sure I like you suggesting that people who watch TV watch porn. I watch TV most days, and (although I have yet to descend into vice, hedonism and fall out of grace as a result of which) the last time I noticed that porn channels existed on my tv was when I had to re-tune my box and all the channels flashed up.

 

[Robert_Sock]

You’re a little out of touch. Internet is where people watch porn. Not TV. Yes there are a few channels which show porn, yet you have to pay to view them and the previews they show are suitable for the time of day.

Also, not sure I like you suggesting that people who watch TV watch porn. I watch TV most days, and (although I have yet to descend into vice, hedonism and fall out of grace as a result of which) the last time I noticed that porn channels existed on my tv was when I had to re-tune my box and all the channels flashed up.

Did you even bother to read my post. Your response seems to come from out of nowhere.

 

[RosaryFan]

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.

You’re my hero.

 

[joshrp]

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?

Depends on what you are watching. EWTN is good. So are history channels sometimes except for their shows on the Church. You could read the Bible instead. Or you could pray the Rosary.

Have a conversation with someone. That might be more rewarding than watching TV.

 

[RosaryFan]

Can people be holy while watching porn? A few maybe, but not for the vast majority. I’m not saying that TV is on the same level as porn, but I am saying that TV, too, can rob one of holiness.

I’m going into this thread a little late and really just wanted to make a quick comment, but this blurb caught my eye and it really baffled me.

Robert Sock, are you saying that some people can “be holy while watching porn”? How so?

 

[Robert_Sock]

I’m going into this thread a little late and really just wanted to make a quick comment, but this blurb caught my eye and it really baffled me.

Robert Sock, are you saying that some people can “be holy while watching porn”? How so?

To the contrary, a few other posters prompted me to write this as an analogy to watching TV. But perhaps there are a few people who are immune to porn, I don’t know, but you missed my point and key question!

 

[Catholic90]

To the contrary, a few other posters prompted me to write this as an analogy to watching TV. But perhaps there are a few people who are immune to porn, I don’t know, but you missed my point and key question!

The TV is on…no porn! My son is watching Deadliest Warrior, a show comparing 2 different military strategies. That is followed by Alternate History, showing what may have happened had the Nazis won WW II. He is a weapons and history buff, so he loves that stuff.

I will probably fall asleep later to Storage Wars, a show about abandoned storage units that are auctioned off and what people find in them.

 

[Robert_Sock]

The TV is on…no porn! My son is watching Deadliest Warrior, a show comparing 2 different military strategies. That is followed by Alternate History, showing what may have happened had the Nazis won WW II. He is a weapons and history buff, so he loves that stuff.

I will probably fall asleep later to Storage Wars, a show about abandoned storage units that are auctioned off and what people find in them.

I’m not judging you or your son, that’s between you guys and God. Again. all I’m trying to say is that watching TV can be used my Satan, to strip you of holiness, one inch at a time.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

I’m not judging you or your son, that’s between you guys and God. Again. all I’m trying to say is that watching TV can be used my Satan, to strip you of holiness, one inch at a time.

The same can be for the internet. The same can be for the hermit’s life where once risks being a self-righteous and anti-social lunatic.

 

[PatriceA]

TV is porn.

13 year old girls on disney and nickelodeon dressed in miniskirts crushing on boys and boys with no interests whatsoever other than pretty girls. Homosexuality in sitcoms portrayed as normal. George Castanza having sex with the cleaning lady on the desk. Whole prime time sitcoms dedicated to te subject of breast implants. My family can’t even sit through an episode of Amercia’s Funniest Home Video’s without at least one penis size joke.

Not to mention that you can’t even watch a baseball game without seeing ads for erectile disfunction medications saying “Wood is good!” The whole thing is pervaded with porn.

And the Baptists in Atlanta forced Comcast to charge an extra $40/month for EWTN.

-Tim-

What America’s Funniest Home Videos are you watching??? I’ve never seen a joke about penis size and we watch pretty much every Sunday night as a family.

 

[LemonAndLime]

I’m not judging you or your son, that’s between you guys and God. Again. all I’m trying to say is that watching TV can be used my Satan, to strip you of holiness, one inch at a time.

Satan can also use the internet, the people outside, the books you read, the films you watch, anyone you speak to…

No one is arguing that TV can’t be used by satan, but you really need to understand that TV is perfectly ok so long as you have enough intelligence to tell the moral difference between the History channel and the RedHotWomen channel.

You can’t live your life like this Robert Sock, avoiding things because they could do this, or that could be a risk. There is a name for that and it comes with anxiety medication and counselling. I had a relative who became too scared to leave her house because of what might happen if she did, because some things can happen. You remind me of her a little.

 

[Robert_Sock]

Satan can also use the internet, the people outside, the books you read, the films you watch, anyone you speak to…

No one is arguing that TV can’t be used by satan, but you really need to understand that TV is perfectly ok so long as you have enough intelligence to tell the moral difference between the History channel and the RedHotWomen channel.

You can’t live your life like this Robert Sock, avoiding things because they could do this, or that could be a risk. There is a name for that and it comes with anxiety medication and counselling. I had a relative who became too scared to leave her house because of what might happen if she did, because some things can happen. You remind me of her a little.

To arrange one’s like so as to seldom or never take one’s mind off of God is a special form of holiness that monks and hermits strive for. I think this is well worth noting and presented here. Whenever we take our minds off of holiness, whether it be by our use of TV or using the Internet, the result is that Satan can use it as an opportunity to lead us further away from holiness.

 

[Neildown]

TV can be good or bad, just make sure what you’re watching isn’t bad. Simple!

 

[Neildown]

To arrange one’s like so as to seldom or never take one’s mind off of God is a special form of holiness that monks and hermits strive for. I think this is well worth noting and presented here. Whenever we take our minds off of holiness, whether it be by our use of TV or using the Internet, the result is that Satan can use it as an opportunity to lead us further away from holiness.

I thought they settled this one back on the “Football is Satanic” blog.

 

[speakttruth]

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?

Remembering that Satan has influence on all our senses. Anything that you watch that would invade or influence those senses of impurity shouldn’t be watched. It opens the door. He is very insidious that some shows would have you thinking all behavior is OK. OK it’s a funny show, but when you realize what you are really watching, you see that most of these shows are pushing sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, divorces, and anything that feels good goes. There are so many shows that are good, animal planet, history channel, and their are some movies that don’t push everything, but with prudence and discernment you can see what you shouldn’t be watching. When you get closer to God, he makes you into a new person and you lose the desires you used to have. Get closer to God and you will figure it out.
God bless

 

[Portrait]

Remembering that Satan has influence on all our senses. Anything that you watch that would invade or influence those senses of impurity shouldn’t be watched. It opens the door. He is very insidious that some shows would have you thinking all behavior is OK. OK it’s a funny show, but when you realize what you are really watching, you see that most of these shows are pushing sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, divorces, and anything that feels good goes. There are so many shows that are good, animal planet, history channel, and their are some movies that don’t push everything, but with prudence and discernment you can see what you shouldn’t be watching. When you get closer to God, he makes you into a new person and you lose the desires you used to have. Get closer to God and you will figure it out.
God bless

Dear speakttruth,

Cordial greetings and a very good day. A warm welcome to the world of CAF.

Jolly good post, dear friend, and bang on target. When I read your concluding sentence, St. Paul’s words immediately sprang to mind, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come” (II Cor. 5: 17). It never ceases to amaze me the amount of time some modern day Catholics spend in front of the small screen, unselectively watching all manner of culturally unhealthy viewing material. Television can most certainly be a distraction to the ardent pursuit of holiness, and indeed is for many earthbound Catholics today.

Warmest good wishes,

Portrait

Pax

 

[sedonaman]

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).

I agree. “Watching TV” has gotten a bad reputation because of all the mindless and morally questionable shows, not to mention the commercials. But there are some good, informative shows on, and a few legitimately entertaining ones. We could ask, “To read a book or not to read a book?” and most people would say that reading books is good. But what if you’re an adult and it’s a comic book?

 

[speakttruth]

Dear speakttruth,

Cordial greetings and a very good day. A warm welcome to the world of CAF.

Jolly good post, dear friend, and bang on target. When I read your concluding sentence, St. Paul’s words immediately sprang to mind, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come” (II Cor. 5: 17). It never ceases to amaze me the amount of time some modern day Catholics spend in front of the small screen, unselectively watching all manner of culturally unhealthy viewing material. Television can most certainly be a distraction to the ardent pursuit of holiness, and indeed is for many earthbound Catholics today.

Warmest good wishes,

Portrait

Pax

Hi, Warm wishes to you. That was the quote from st. Paul, I just couldn’t remember it. lol Thanks for finishing it for me.

God bless

 

[speakttruth]

I agree. “Watching TV” has gotten a bad reputation because of all the mindless and morally questionable shows, not to mention the commercials. But there are some good, informative shows on, and a few legitimately entertaining ones. We could ask, “To read a book or not to read a book?” and most people would say that reading books is good. But what if you’re an adult and it’s a comic book?

If it’s not sexual or impure, then I don’t see anything wrong with it. I would call it mindless entertainment. Once in a while isn’t a bad thing. Like watch races or other kinds of things. I think the point is that if you are questioning it, you may know already what you should be spending your time with. We don’t fit God into our lives we center our lives around him. It’s a process and we know if we are not spending enough time filling ourselves with good things that will enrich us, we know it is not good to read or watch those mindless activities that keep us off track. When you get closer to God, the Holy Spirit sometimes bops you over the head and says enough with that stuff that is distracting you from me, get closer to me. He draws you to do good and the more you do good, you see very clearly what isn’t good and beneficial for your soul.
God bless