TV watching questions

[Apryl]

I happen to enjoy television. Quite a bit, even. But is it a bad thing for me to watch certain shows?

Ok, I know… ‘certain shows’ is a certainty for ‘yes, it can be’ answers. But are shows like ‘Medium’ and ‘Ghost Whisperer’ or ‘Eastwick’ and ‘The Gates’ shows that, as a Catholic, I should not be watching?

I’ve always subscribed to the idea that ‘anything in excess is bad’, so it may not be… on the surface.

But is it bad to believe these things are possible in real life? To believe that a person could talk with the ‘dearly departed’? or that we realize that some may practice witchcraft or clairvoiance?

 

[LilyM]

Showing that people DO practice witchcraft and clairvoyance is not wrong. People, sadly, do practice them.

Making them out to be harmless way of helping people with their family issues or helping police solve crimes, which at least some of these shows do, is wrong. They are extremely harmful and dangerous (not to mention sinful) practices. And any show that says otherwise is giving an incredibly bad message for them to be sending or for you to be taking in.

Helping out with “unfinished business” that the souls of the departed have with those on earth so that they can then proceed to ‘cross over’ into the afterlife? No way. Souls go straight to heaven, hell or purgatory. They don’t pass GO, they don’t collect $200. And they cannot return to earth in any fashion or sort anything out. Any ‘unfinished business’ is sorted in the afterlife, not this one, and any show that asserts that we should do otherwise is sending a wrong message.

We know what the soul of Samuel said on the topic of necromancy when Saul went to the witch of Endor, and it’s pretty darn condemnatory. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but under no circumstances is to be tried or condoned by any Catholic.

 

[Cable]

I happen to enjoy television. Quite a bit, even. But is it a bad thing for me to watch certain shows?

Ok, I know… ‘certain shows’ is a certainty for ‘yes, it can be’ answers. But are shows like ‘Medium’ and ‘Ghost Whisperer’ or ‘Eastwick’ and ‘The Gates’ shows that, as a Catholic, I should not be watching?

I’ve always subscribed to the idea that ‘anything in excess is bad’, so it may not be… on the surface.

But is it bad to believe these things are possible in real life? To believe that a person could talk with the ‘dearly departed’? or that we realize that some may practice witchcraft or clairvoiance?

Harnessing some of the power of evil spirits to obtain information and to perhaps communicate w/ the deceased can be real. However, there’s a time to fight and a time to flee. Witchcraft/ sorcery, talismans, mediums, astrology, all fall into the latter category. Run the other way. Read the catechism & Sacred Scripture if you don’t accept my word on it.

 

[Apryl]

We know what the soul of Samuel said on the topic of necromancy when Saul went to the witch of Endor, and it’s pretty darn condemnatory. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but under no circumstances is to be tried or condoned by any Catholic.

I don’t know what Samuel said. Can you tell me where I can find it? And where in the CCC does it reference that scripture and perspective?

 

[LilyM]

"3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.

4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all the Israelites and set up camp at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. 6 He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.

7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.”
“There is one in Endor,” they said.

8 So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.”

…

11 Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”
“Bring up Samuel,” he said.
…

13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?”
The woman said, “I see a spirit coming up out of the ground.”

14 “What does he look like?” he asked.
“An old man wearing a robe is coming up,” she said.
Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.

15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”
“I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.”

16 Samuel said,*** "Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy?

17 The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. 18 Because you did not obey the LORD*** …"

Hmmm - we see that Saul starts off by, in obedience to God’s law, banning spiritists and mediums from Israel. Then, contrary to his own (and God’s) command, is frightened into consulting one. The result? God turns away from Saul and hands him over to his enemies.

 

[latin_rite]

I happen to enjoy television. Quite a bit, even. But is it a bad thing for me to watch certain shows?

Ok, I know… ‘certain shows’ is a certainty for ‘yes, it can be’ answers. But are shows like ‘Medium’ and ‘Ghost Whisperer’ or ‘Eastwick’ and ‘The Gates’ shows that, as a Catholic, I should not be watching?
:

I think watching those shows, will do more damage to your iq, than your faith.

 

[fulbert4605]

Depends on the viewer watching the TV program. Will it cause scandal to the viewer?

Do the shows tend to make you believe in some sort of heresy?

Or, for example, does watching The Exorcist make you want to use a Ouija Board?

In a strange twist, such shows can be of a benefit to a Catholic if that Catholic person takes such an interest in the supernatural phenomenon that they then begin to look up just what exactly is the Church’s position on such and such and adhere to that (through reason and/or obedience).

Aristotle said: “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

I believe this can be applied to faith.

 

[Apryl]

I think watching those shows, will do more damage to your iq, than your faith.

Yuppers… I have noticed that already

 

[LilyM]

Eek! Re my post above, just noticed I didn’t give book and chapter. It’s from 1 Samuel chapter 28.

 

[thistle]

I happen to enjoy television. Quite a bit, even. But is it a bad thing for me to watch certain shows?

Ok, I know… ‘certain shows’ is a certainty for ‘yes, it can be’ answers. But are shows like ‘Medium’ and ‘Ghost Whisperer’ or ‘Eastwick’ and ‘The Gates’ shows that, as a Catholic, I should not be watching?

I’ve always subscribed to the idea that ‘anything in excess is bad’, so it may not be… on the surface.

But is it bad to believe these things are possible in real life? To believe that a person could talk with the ‘dearly departed’? or that we realize that some may practice witchcraft or clairvoiance?

Apart from pornography you are free to watch whatever you want. Just be sure your faith is strong enough not to be drawn into these other things you mention.
Psychics are fakes anyway.

 

[Apryl]

Psychics are fakes anyway.

Ok… I may be taking us off on a mean tangent, but I’m the OP, so may be forgiven?

But what about that whole ‘psychic’ stuff? What makes a ‘psychic’ psychic?

I’ve had dreams, and be gosh and be golly, they came true! I wrote the dream down, and pretty much step by step everything happened. One time in particular, I was in Middle School and told my classmates of a dream that was me in the classroom, and two of my teachers and one of the other students. Different things happened (nothing inappropriate, btw). When the first thing happened, we laughed. A few minutes later, the next thing… then a few more minutes, the next thing, by now we were all getting awkward glances at one another, because the next thing had a teacher coming into the classroom, and picking up the student who was then wearing a wedding dress.

OK… then this same teacher came to the classroom, and asked for THAT student.

Honest. No fooling, no exaggeration

I’ve also had ‘feelings’ when someone died. Nothing about ‘If you do this, it won’t happen’, but more of a ‘I feel like Cousin Mike just faded from me’

Does that make me a bad person? It’s nothing I’ve welcomed or tried to cultivate, but I also have never said, ‘it doesn’t happen’.

I would NEVER, I repeat, NEVER EVER, go to a psychic, have a palm read, ask for anything that may have been near a crystal ball … in fact, I don’t even like people to talk astrology around me. ‘What is your sign’ usually gets an answer like ‘Yield’

If someone were to ask me, ‘what’s in my future’, I wouldn’t want to be able to answer them! If I thought I could, I don’t think I would tell them.

All this TV watching hasn’t influenced any of this old stuff in any way beyond me saying, ‘I wonder if people really are approached by ghosts?’.

I know that there is mention of ghosts in the Bible, so I don’t see much point in saying they don’t exist. I just don’t go looking for them. I think they should stay where ever they are or why ever they are.

 

[LilyM]

Ok… I may be taking us off on a mean tangent, but I’m the OP, so may be forgiven?

But what about that whole ‘psychic’ stuff? What makes a ‘psychic’ psychic?

I’ve had dreams, and be gosh and be golly, they came true! I wrote the dream down, and pretty much step by step everything happened. One time in particular, I was in Middle School and told my classmates of a dream that was me in the classroom, and two of my teachers and one of the other students. Different things happened (nothing inappropriate, btw). When the first thing happened, we laughed. A few minutes later, the next thing… then a few more minutes, the next thing, by now we were all getting awkward glances at one another, because the next thing had a teacher coming into the classroom, and picking up the student who was then wearing a wedding dress.

OK… then this same teacher came to the classroom, and asked for THAT student.

Honest. No fooling, no exaggeration

I’ve also had ‘feelings’ when someone died. Nothing about ‘If you do this, it won’t happen’, but more of a ‘I feel like Cousin Mike just faded from me’

Does that make me a bad person? It’s nothing I’ve welcomed or tried to cultivate, but I also have never said, ‘it doesn’t happen’.

I would NEVER, I repeat, NEVER EVER, go to a psychic, have a palm read, ask for anything that may have been near a crystal ball … in fact, I don’t even like people to talk astrology around me. ‘What is your sign’ usually gets an answer like ‘Yield’

If someone were to ask me, ‘what’s in my future’, I wouldn’t want to be able to answer them! If I thought I could, I don’t think I would tell them.

All this TV watching hasn’t influenced any of this old stuff in any way beyond me saying, ‘I wonder if people really are approached by ghosts?’.

I know that there is mention of ghosts in the Bible, so I don’t see much point in saying they don’t exist. I just don’t go looking for them. I think they should stay where ever they are or why ever they are.

As you say, you haven’t (as yet) invited nor cultivated your dreams. I bet there are plenty of things you’ve dreamed about that haven’t happened, though. And even a stopped clock is right twice a day, so unless you dream about something completely unnatural and impossible, chances are the occasional thing you dream about is going to happen.

And I’d say our dreams tend to reflect what’s going on around us. In other words we probably dream about things that are likely to happen. Or we are thinking about someone because they’re going through something (say, an exam or whatever), and so thinking - and lo and behold the phone rings and it’s them, calling to tell us how everything went. Not psychic prediction, just two things that naturally are gonna occur together.

As an example - when I’m about to travel I dream (oddly enough) of travelling. Once I had a dream about a plane crash shortly before I was due to fly. It was incredibly vivid and I told everyone about it. But it didn’t come true - no plane crashes on that trip, either for me or reported anywhere else or anything.

 

[Bekamom]

Umm I would say that no those shows aren’t gonna damage you or make you a sinner. You know your heart and so does god and that should all you need. listen to your own heart and let it and god guide you. I don’t think your dreams make you a sinner at all.