# How Much TV Do You Watch??



## C. Matthew McMahon

I was curious about this....


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## turmeric

Wow, it looks like all us supererogatory non-TV watchers were eager to let y'all know that we don't watch TV!:grin: Or maybe there really [i:48033f895a]are[/i:48033f895a] a lot of us who don't.


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## jfschultz

My watching TV is way down since getting off of cable. I was undecided between less than one hour a day and 1-3 hours a day. There are a few hour long programs I want to watch. So those days, with news, it is 1-3 hours a day. But then there are days the TV stays off.


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## luvroftheWord

I have one show that I watch during the week... Smallville. Other than that, I'll watch some college basketball when I can. That's about it, though.


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## SolaScriptura

I don't watch tv shows. Not for some ideological reason, but simply because I don't have the time... and the time I do have free coincides with very lame programming hours...
I do like to watch movies on dvd, however. I'd say I watch one 2 hour movie per week... except for when I pop in LOTR which takes a little longer.


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## C. Matthew McMahon

There is not much on TV that is worth watching. My wife and I like two programs that we occasionally watch late at night - Trading Spaces on Saturday night (home improvement) and Unwrapped (how they make candy, burgers, icecream, etc.). I have to admit, we watched the beginning rounds of American Idol. Not because we like secular music, but because it is the funniest thing I have ever seen and demosntrates the pitiable state of Amercian teens. I mean, these horrid, abismal singers get up in front of three judges to audition to be &quot;THE&quot; recording star, and most of them can't sing a note. My wife and I can't believe our ears. These people could not carry a tune in a suitcase, and they &quot;think&quot; they are the greatest singers in the world. This only lasts two weeks (6 episodes) of the &quot;prequalification&quot; auditions, which really is the heart of the fun. We rolled hysterically.

Other than that, we will rent a DVD once in a while, or we will buy those we think are the best (Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, The Count of Monte Cristo (Great Movie), Oh Brother Where Art Thou, Equilibrium (Fantastic Movie), LOTR, etc. We have Curse Free TV so as to filter out bad language, which works quite well. Anyway, our &quot;movie night&quot; is usually Friday night or Saturday night, and the rest of the time is book reading and study.

I am in the midst of &quot;thinking about&quot; doing away with TV (not controlled DVDs) altogether. Many times, even during Trading Spaces, we see horrible commercials where we have to turn the station. And when we turn the station for that moment, we see something else we didn't need to see on that station! We are fed up with commercials. &quot;MUTE&quot; works very well, but we will may be using &quot;OFF&quot; more frequently.

Don't get me wrong, though. I love stories, and I am a sucker for a good flick.


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## blhowes

Matthew asked:
How much TV do you watch?

I'm glad you didn't ask how much time we spend watching the computer screen. 

I'd say I usually watch TV for maybe 1 or 2 hours a day, sometimes a little more and sometimes not at all. I think I'd probably watch a little more if I got one of those blockers that Matthew (I think) said that he has - filters out the swears. 

I like watching some of the shows (O'Rielly Factor, Hannity and Colms, or On the Record) on the Fox news channel sometimes. On weekends, I like to try and catch War Stories, hosted by Oliver North.

I usually watch sports towards the end of the seasons. During the regular season, I might catch a game here or there.

And, of course, there's Sponge Bob. My little one's really into him, so I'll sometimes sit and watch it with him.

Bob

[Edited on 1-22-2004 by blhowes]


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## cupotea

I voted less than an hour per night.

I admit to having a weakness for Sponge Bob and his funky front teeth that I simply cannot overcome.

Crabbie pattie anyone?


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## knight4christ8

*I can't believe that I am the first one to admit it!*

I fall into the temptation all too often to turn the t.v. on (which is for campus cable courses ONLY) and watch TBN. Sometimes I get a bit carried away, but it is quite fun to watch. I would say that I have spent about an hour the past few weeks watching it. My heart is humbled and I am forced to pray for them. Benny Hinn is coming to Phx. you know. I wondered what it would be like to get on stage with Him and spaz out. I. . . I. . . I had a brain tumor and it's . . . it's gone (sniff . . . sniff . . . sob). OH NO MY SPLEEN! IT'S IN MY SPLEEN! I would love to see their faces, especially Paul Crouch's.
O.K. so I do get carried away.

Knight


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## turmeric

So would you say, Knight, that you [b:037be3f3bf]fall[/b:037be3f3bf] for Benny Hinn? Heh, heh!


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## Puritan Sailor

I watch more tv at work than at home. It usually involves the news, history channel, or discovery channel with a few movies now and then. I try to read too. Working night shift, there isn't much else to do while waiting for patients to show up.


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## alwaysreforming

*Here's the problem I have with TV*

First of all let me say that I love Seinfeld, and my 1-2 hrs/wk that I voted with exist simply in watching those re-runs. I've seen all the episodes 3-6 times, I'm sure! Those actors are comedic geniouses, especially George and Kramer.
But anyway, the way I see it, TV is about one thing: money. All shows exist simply to gather viewers for &quot;market share.&quot; Market share is important only for one thing: advertising dollars. In my never-to-be-humble opinion, TV is &quot;the world&quot; at its strongest. It fuels our desires and lusts: the lusts for attractiveness and popularity, riches and glory, and for the infinite supply of products. I saw a car ad the other night that talked about its being &quot;stylish!&quot; Stylish??? Its a car, for goodness sake! We have brothers and sisters in other countries with NO cars, and sometimes NO food, and we're worried about whether OUR cars are STYLISH enough!!! TV is consumerism and the devils finest showcase. Even the sports: people get SOOOOO caught up in the sports teams and their players; most of these players care only about the money, and would go to ANY other team if the price was right. How can we, with NO affiliation to the teams whatsoever, be even more passionate about the team than the players and coaches themselves, who are just doing it for money, glory, or a host of other sinful reasons????
I just don't get it. Perhaps my undergarments are on too tight or something, but I won't subject you to much more of my rant!
Only this: TV almost ALWAYS serves to pull me away from God and distract me. It either discourages me (TBN), encites my selfishness and greed (HSN), inflames my passions (all the seductiveness), or callouses my senses and conscious (like getting joy out of seeing people betray and backstab each other ala &quot;Surviver&quot; and other reality shows [&quot;Weakest Link&quot; perhaps] and by bringing more and more profanity to the mainstream, including taking the Lord's name in vain (which we encourage with our viewership); decreases our sensitivity to violence and cruelty, and trivializes human suffering (we see 15 seconds of it on the news and then go to a silly commercial and forget all about it). I could go on and on and on...:flaming:
(could somebody please hand me my Prozac!)

Bottom line: I would never judge anyone for watching a lot of the programming on TV that is good and wholesome, but let us all beware and take caution that we don't begin to call &quot;good&quot; what God considers &quot;evil.&quot; When we watch much of these shows, we take part of what we see with us. &quot;Bad associations corrupts good habits,&quot; I should know, I'm one of the casualties. Even my own precious &quot;Seinfeld&quot; has caused me to not love God and His people as I should. It makes me trivialize so much because that's what I see those characters do, like a flippant, &quot;That's a shame&quot; instead of genuine sympathy. Its made me more sarcastic (because I have their sarcastic lines programmed into my head, so they come out when a similar situation arises), and made me less loving toward my fellow man. I'm for the worse for all the TV I've watched, not the better.
(Now please be easy on the backlash against me! I'm very sensitive, you know.):no:


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## Randall Pederson

*To TV or not to TV*

I suggest everyone here read the book Amusing Ourselves to Death. It's a classic work on visual entertainment. The church I am a member of has as one of its stipulations that you will not own a television. While this is an unbiblical binding of the conscience, it does have a good intention - stay clear from all temptation!


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## blhowes

[b:19b3c3d268]alwaysreforming,[/b:19b3c3d268]
Good post. I'm finding that I watch less and less TV these day for the reasons you mentioned. It irritates me to get into a good movie, only to have them ruin it by using the God's name in vain or using Jesus name with such lack of respect...all things are lawful, but not all things edify. 

I enjoy watching Seinfeld once in a while. Sometimes the situations in the show force me to flip the channel, but quite often they have the funniest stuff about some of the most ordinary situations - like when George got all upset because somebody was &quot;double-dipping&quot; the potato chips. I'd say that, out of the three main characters, George is my favorite.

[b:19b3c3d268]Randall,[/b:19b3c3d268]
Out of curiousity, what denomination is the church that you attend? I know there's no way it could be a baptist church, right?

[Edited on 1-23-2004 by blhowes]


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## Randall Pederson

*Re: Church*

I am a member of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. Joel Beeke is the pastor.


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## ChristianasJourney

I voted less than 1 hour a day....I figure it averages out to that. I grew up without a TV at home. We now have a state of the art home theater/audio system, which we use mostly for movies and music listening. With that said the only time I regularly watch TV is a couple times a week when I'm on the treadmill for an hour, usually Animal Planet programing, Early Edition, or JAG. I also watch &quot;Doc&quot;, a dopey Pax tv program staring Billy Ray Cyrus, but I like it anyway.


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## TheonomyNZ

The Evening News is an hour long, and I watch that most days. Plus if there is a decent movie on I'll watch that.


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## Reena Wilms

To be honest i feel very conficted and hypocrite with my TV. Deep in my heart i hate my TV, because it brings the world, the language and lust inside my house. How many times is it that you are getting excitting by watching a movie,and during the movie there is a few times some gossips! There are still memories in my mind of 15 years ago , which where sinfull, and which are coming once in the while back in my mind. I always pray with my wife in our morning devotion that God migh santifty us, and that our house might be a house of prayer, but that is in my eyes so hyprocrite, becaus iam praying , and after some time iam watching a movie where the world with het lust comes into my house.

Yes, the TV takens me wawy from GOD. The TV is the medium where the darknes, comes in.

My wife and me are considering to put our TV out of the house, especially now that we are expecting a child.

I grew up with the TV in the house, but more and more i see the evil of it.

I don't want to judge, but this is how i expereinced the influence of the TV.

Ralph.


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## MayGodBeGlorified

*TV*

I grew up without a TV and now after being married we still do not have one. We do have a monitor w/ which we occasionally watch videos, because they are easier to monitor (no pun intended  ). But it's amazing how much worse television and movies have gotten since, say 5 or 10 years ago. I'm convinced tv watching also contributes to short attention spans... the kids I teach seem to suffer from them. A long time ago I read an article that said that God's name is taken in vain on an average of something like once every five minutes, and on commercials screens flash often once a second or more. No wonder pastors have trouble with sleepers in their congregation, having to compete w/ that (humanly speaking of course)! Especially when we consider how short our lives are, and how as Christians sin is nothing but a lie and contrary to what we were meant to be, it is so much better to err on the side of caution! So much of what is portrayed on TV is dangerous business... temptation abounds. I know that my heart is so wicked that it cannot stand the materialistic barrage of worldliness which we face for one minute w/o Christ... and we must give an account of how we spend our time! Just some ramblings....


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## rembrandt

If it wasn't for other members in the household, I would throw the TV out on the street corner and put a baseball bat to it. :flaming:

Granted I love the history channel and the prosperity teachers, but it is a little too much noise for me. I prefer quiet evenings in my library listening to classical music. :thumbup:


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## JasonGoodwin

I hate the telly for the most part...

Yes, Matthew, my wife and I also like "most" parts of Trading Spaces (with the exception of episodes where the people on there have traded in the natural use of their bodies for the abominable/unnatural). Even then, I don't feel comfortable watching the idiot box.

I'm not much into watching cinema, and it takes my wife quite a bit of teeth- pulling (she's not a dentist) to get me to go to cinema with her. However, I'll go watch a Winnie the Pooh movie with her (she is absolutely obsessed with his character), and hardly find anything wrong with it.

I wish I could get rid of the telly altogether, but my wife uses it for background noise when she's studying for college. Oh, well. Such is life when your spouse feels compelled to use it. In the meantime, I'll bury my head in earphones and listen to some classical music or Iona.


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## ReformedWretch

I enjoy Smallville, Law and Order SVU, Alias, and Lost. Besides those I watch sports and Fox News.


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## Irishcat922

ALAP! as little as possible! I told my family if they would be willing to pawn the T.V.s I would pawn the computer. We would of course keep one T.V. for the playstation.


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## RamistThomist

I watch about one to three hours a week.


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## Augusta

The poll is missing now so I couldn't vote. We do not have tv. When I do see it it is like culture shock. I just seems to get worse and worse. What we do is get Netflix. We hear about good series from friends with tv and we rent a couple to see if we like it. Then we can rent the whole season. Its kind of cool because we don't have to wait to long if we are left in suspense we just put on the next episode. Ones we have enjoyed are all of the Stargate seasons, 24, Farscape, Babylon 5, and we like the Pride and Predjudice type movies too. There are several very good newish ones like Victoria & Albert (about Queen Victoria) and Wives and Daughters both of which were very good. I am going to watch Daniel Deronda tonight so I will tell you how it was. We have also started getting the Poirot mysteries that were a series in the UK based on all of Agatha Christies books. We have watched two and they were good. We did try out Smallville and I liked them but my husband did not. We only watch at night before bed so we have to agree. Oh and I liked Alias and watched those when hubby had to go on a business trip. If anyone knows of any other good series I would like to hear about them. I am waiting for the new Battlestar Galactica season one to come out and we are going to try that one. This is a great system for us because we don't have to watch commercials or other cruddy stuff to get to the decent stuff and its at our leisure.


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## matthew11v25

About 1 hour (History channel or Food network) a week...exceptions to movies every once in a while. Sometimes Edward's resolutions come to mind...

"5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can."


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## Larry Hughes

I watch maybe one to three hours per week. That's about it. Ocassionally, we rent a movie if something is worth seeing.

Luther recognized that sometimes when one is spiritually battling with faith over an issue or two - that the actual exercise of faith is to go and do something else (work, music, enjoyment of entertaining company). In other words believing that God will work it out without your wrestlings. 



> "While this is an unbiblical binding of the conscience, it does have a good intention"



This is always how a legalism & unbiblical practices slip in. If it is an unbiblical binding of the conscience then it must not be followed and rather resisted since the believer is to be bound by the Word of God only. Alter calls, grape juice, etc...all started with good intentions.

And there is a big difference in avoiding temptation & pretending to remove one's self from the world so much so as to never sin. The monks tried the later and failed.


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## Puritanhead

I used to scoff at my pious grandparent's anecdotes about television being of the devil, but I see it as a complete waste of time for the most part--- I'd rather read or consume information in one way or another... I wasn't always that way... it took a lot of time... being in college, I just ran out of time for it, and broke the habit as I did with video and PC games. I've watched my share of garbage on TV in my day.... and teenage years mostly.

Being around certain friends and siblings, I get an idea of what pop culture non-sense is afflicting the masses. I could care less about _American Idol_ or watching people eat bugs or worms on that stupid _Fear Factor_. I like watching movies, preferably historical or military in nature, but it's not that often. I think HBO and Cinemax type stuff are a utter waste of money and time... and best thing I did was break habit of watching idiot box. I prefer getting my news off the Internet to having Dan Blather and Tom Brokaw spoon-fed me their liberal dribble.

I think TV can be an idol as the Internet can be -- it distracts us and keep us focused on wrong things.

I can actually get along with an occassional video rental and bare-bones TV...

I'd say I am bout like Josh now-- 30 minutes a week typically... When I was in law school, i could probably count off the hours of TV I watched on one semester on one hand.

I work now six days a week.... and frankly don't care to watch TV when I get home from work.

[Edited on 2-6-2005 by Puritanhead]


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## gwine

We had a TV for the first year we were married, more so I could hook it up to the Apple II. Sold the whole setup and finally bought another TV about 14 years later (been married 25+). But we never really had cable - just a VCR and now DVD. My kids never got to watch Gilligan while they were growing up. 

My wife loves movies and watches a few each week. I can't stand all the screaming . . .

But I like movies like Pride and Prejudice and Indiana Jones type so I'll go with less than 1 movie per week average.


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## Jonathan

Lets see... I would say about less than one hour a day... usually about 2-4 hours a week. I watch news and... occassionally the History Channel, when they are not trying to explain away every truth in the Bible. 
I watch the news channels (Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN [when the others are on commercials]). Besides that, I don't really watch movies or shows. Used to watch Trading Spaces with the family before it started getting ... weird.


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## Joseph Ringling

We rent DVD's almost every week. Last week we watched Luther. As far as T.V. I usually watch about an hour, hour and a half per day. I like that Extreme Home Makeover, and my wife and I watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy almost 3 to 4 times per week. Other than that I don't watch much T.V. because it's almost all junk.


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## ABondSlaveofChristJesus

maybe like 2 hours a week at the most. It consist of either of conan or college baseketball/football.


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## VirginiaHuguenot

I don't have much time to watch TV, and there is so much junk that often it is not worth the time. But there are some shows I like to watch, as well as some channels. I like to keep abreast of the news so I watch CNN news channels, and Fox news, and the Weather Channel, A&E, the History Channel and on rare occasions PBS. Mostly I like to watch good classic movies when I have the rare opportunity to do so. 

I believe in moderation in all things. But come March I will be glued to ESPN for the Final Four.


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## Craig

I usually watch about 2-4 hours of tv each week.

We watch "House" on Tuesdays...that's an intersting show.
Lost and Alias on Wednesdays.

The extra hour usually is some sort of vegging thing.

[Edited on 2-7-05 by pastorway]


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## openairboy

When I'm at home I barely watch any except during college football season and March Madness. When I am at my folks I waste more time, because they have about 3,000 channels and it takes at least an hour and a half to go through them all and realize that nothing is on.

Now, if I could just limit my internet usage to about 30 minutes a day, then I would be on the right track.

[Edited on 7-2-2005 by openairboy]


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## govols

Most people don't have time to watch T.V. b/c they are blogging online.

Do it at work so you'll have more time at home.

J/K. 

I watch American Idol b/c of my wife. 

We sometimes rent 1 or 2 movies a week. I'm usually studying up for my Bible Study lesson for "my" 6 year old class.


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## Answerman

I think the TV is just great, I get to watch that new Amazing Grace video (about the history of Calvinism), R.C. Sprouls series From Dust to Glory (and all his other videos that I can rent at church), but I know, you mean regular TV programming, well if this is what you are talking about then we do not watch any except for mabey watching the news about 20 minutes a week if that. And we also average one or two causiously selected movies a month.

I think the key is only watching TV for the purpose of critiquing the content, you know for apologetic reasons. Of course sometimes I annoy my wife by including a full running commentary on a news or science program, pointing out all of the fallacious arguments and exposing all the technics that the natural man uses to suppress Gods truth in all areas of life. [I only wish that I could pause a live program so I don't have to talk so fast]

I remember listening to a lecture in which the Christian speaker joked about what it would be like if Dan Rathers co-anchor commenting on what needs to be done about a certain issue of morality and he says to Dan, Dan I think what we need in this case is repentance, now back to you, Dan.

We homeschool our children and I plan on using news and science programs (like PBS's special on evolution). To teach them how to apply critical thinking skills to the art of apologetics.

I am actually really excited to think of the kind of generation of Christians we can raise if we pour our lives into teaching our children to think biblically about all areas of life. This is, I believe, the greatest failure of Christians in our country. I have a vision of what TV would be like in a redeemed culture, where every program would be like a seminary class. Yea, I know what most of you would say, "that it will never happen," well am convinced that this should be our goal as Christians and we should start using the resourses that God has given us to redeem the media from all of this culture recking trash that we currently are being fed. I hope that I am not coming across too harsh, I am just fed up with how Christians have suandered the resources (our wealth and most importantly our children) that God has blessed us with in this country.

In Christ,
David


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## ARStager

Jeopardy! 

But not so much now that my favorite Mormon is gone. 

I'm really weirded out by the church that was mentioned in Grand Rapids that wont let members own TVs. Shall we abolish women, too?


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## govols

> _Originally posted by ARStager_
> Shall we abolish women, too?



Who's going to bite on that one?


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## lwadkins

Doesn't anyone watch "Desperate Housewives?"


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## Answerman

> _Originally posted by govols_
> 
> 
> 
> _Originally posted by ARStager_
> Shall we abolish women, too?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Who's going to bite on that one?
Click to expand...


That's the point we don't ban things just because there is a potential for temptation to sin or for abuse (women, alcholic beverages...). That is why I said when it comes to things that are "neutral" like TV, Christians should busy themselves with finding ways to redeem these kinds of things and use them for God's glory.

The last couple of years I have gotten into downloading all of the free theological books articles and sermons/lectures that I can find on-line and making CD's for people in my church to use for their spiritual growth. For example a place called audiotreasure.com has the Bible in MP3 format and they make it explicit that they do not have a copyright on these files and encourage you to make copies to give away.

For this and many other reasons, I am excited that there is a movement in this country among Christian to recognize that we have been allowing all of the different forms of mass communication to have a negative influence on us rather than seeking to find ways to use these tremendous gifts to expand God's kingdom.

Oh, and by the way, in case you were wondering I am a postmillenialist. And whether or not you are a postmillenialist I believe that if we obey all the commands that are found in God's word, it should appear as if we are operationally postmillenial by the way we live. 

In Christ,
David


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## govols

This Just In !

David claims that God created his T.V. from a man's rib.

Man, you should sell that thing on e-bay !


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## Answerman

Here's a good question for everyone, If the TV was invented in the time of the puritans, how do you think they would use it? (or would they condemn it?) or for that matter if the TV was invented in the time of the apostles?


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## LaMontre

> _Originally posted by Answerman_
> Here's a good question for everyone, If the TV was invented in the time of the puritans, how do you think they would use it? (or would they condemn it?) or for that matter if the TV was invented in the time of the apostles?



Interesting thread.

I believe everything is used by God for his glory (in spite of our use/disuse of anything). And especially so in the lives of believers. (Rom 8:28)

Nothing is forbidden. 

But a more difficult queston is, how do we deal with these things in light of the following?

Romans 12:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 
13 Let us *not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. *
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that *there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.* 
15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. *Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. *
16 *Let not then your good be evil spoken of:* 
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 
18 For he that *in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. *
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith *one may edify another.* 
20 For meat destroy not the work of God. *All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.* 
21 *It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. *
22 Hast thou faith? *have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. *
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: *for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.*

Pauls attitude seems to have been abstinence from anything that offended anyone?

Hard word.

[edit to add]I watch alot of TV. But I hate sitcoms and such. Feel I am being intellectually insulted. I watch alot of movies (commercial free or not?). And I am a treky as well.:bigsmile:

[Edited on 2-8-2005 by LaMontre]


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## Answerman

[/quote]Pauls attitude seems to have been abstinence from anything that offended anyone?
[/quote]

And this has to be balanced in the context in which we do these things. Paul rebukes the Corinthians for getting drunk at the Lords supper which presupposes that the wine they used at these suppers was alcoholic. So I tend to conclude that the balance is WHEN you exercise your liberty and not that you abstain even when you are not in a situation that you would cause a weaker brother to stumble.


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## believer

Hi......usually only read......but I had to offer a bit of advice here(it's the mom in me)..........I found that particular verses in Psalms(119:36&37).....if prayed sincerely will indeed help any Christian overcome the attraction the world puts out there......"incline my heart to your testamonies and not to covetousness. Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your ways".........I always add .........verse 41 also....".Let your mercies come also to me O LORD" .......because I have slipped and gone back to too much tv or decorating magazines or something........God is gracious and establishes my feet on the ROCK every time I approach Him with sincerity.......God Bless


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## LaMontre

> _Originally posted by Answerman_


Pauls attitude seems to have been abstinence from anything that offended anyone?
[/quote]

And this has to be balanced in the context in which we do these things. Paul rebukes the Corinthians for getting drunk at the Lords supper which presupposes that the wine they used at these suppers was alcoholic. So I tend to conclude that the balance is WHEN you exercise your liberty and not that you abstain even when you are not in a situation that you would cause a weaker brother to stumble. [/quote]

Yeah, for myself I would agree. And I have peace about this conclusion. But Paul.....he was a bit more rigid with himself;

1Co 8:13
Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

Situationally does seem to be the answer, I think we can be far too "touch not, taste not, handle not" in our approach to such things?

I have been in situations with believers where something as seemingly harmless (conscience wise) as caffine was an offense. I was with one brother who was offended that I didn't obey the speed limit on the freeway. That was a more understandable offense I suppose, but you get the point?

One thing too is that Paul does speak of this as being a "problem". As in a "weak" conscience acompanied by a "lack of knowledge" about the liberty we indeed do have in Christ? 

None-the-less he makes the statement above about offending a brother. He also makes the point that offending a brother is far greater offence against Christ than any other sin one might commit.

Once again, it is just a hard word.


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## ReformedWretch

> _Originally posted by believer_
> Hi......usually only read......but I had to offer a bit of advice here(it's the mom in me)..........I found that particular verses in Psalms(119:36&37).....if prayed sincerely will indeed help any Christian overcome the attraction the world puts out there......"incline my heart to your testamonies and not to covetousness. Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your ways".........I always add .........verse 41 also....".Let your mercies come also to me O LORD" .......because I have slipped and gone back to too much tv or decorating magazines or something........God is gracious and establishes my feet on the ROCK every time I approach Him with sincerity.......God Bless



 to my mom!


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## future expatriate

> _Originally posted by Draught Horse_
> I watch about one to three hours a week.


...on my television.

I actually watch about six to eight hours a week, though the television set is on more than that.


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## Ianterrell

I never watch TV if I can help it. TV = waste (time & thought).


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## Answerman

> _Originally posted by Ianterrell_
> I never watch TV if I can help it. TV = waste (time & thought).



Ian, I totally agree. But the point that I am trying to make is that what ever TV (or other media forms) that we watch (or listen to) should be critically analyzed and put in contrast to a biblical worldview. This can be benificial in polishing our apologetic in an ever increasing hostile environment where our beliefs are under attack. I think a better term to describe what a Christian should do with TV is to critique it, Christians should CRITIQUE TV not WATCH it.

The key here is to have our minds engaged in trying to perceive and understand the antithesis between Christian thought and all other non-christian thought so as to be better equiped to engage in the battle that we fight with informed insights as to how we can best reach our lost family members and friends.

I think that every Christian should have this kind of critical attitude towards all forms of media. Mabey some Christians, like myself, can actually spend more time watching TV or listening to radio programs with the intent of preparing myself or my family to more effectively combat the types of agruments that are used against Christians in our culture.

I think a good case can be made that we are in the mess that we are currently in because Christians have not been taught to effectively analyze all of the stuff that we are bombarded with in our culture and have therefore become impotent and laughed at by the so-called intellectuals of our day.

Oh, that all of us and our children were little Greg Bahnsen's running around and pointing our the utter foolishness and futility of non-christian thought with confidence and grace.

In Christ,
David

[Edited on 8-2-2005 by Answerman]


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## Ranger

I watch baseball during the baseball season, and also watch Survivor and The Amazing Race, so I watch maybe 2 hours a week during the baseball offseason, and probably 10 hours a week during the season.


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## cultureshock

*i have found a kindred spirit...*



> _Originally posted by knight4christ8_
> I fall into the temptation all too often to turn the t.v. on (which is for campus cable courses ONLY) and watch TBN. Sometimes I get a bit carried away, but it is quite fun to watch. I would say that I have spent about an hour the past few weeks watching it. My heart is humbled and I am forced to pray for them. Benny Hinn is coming to Phx. you know. I wondered what it would be like to get on stage with Him and spaz out. I. . . I. . . I had a brain tumor and it's . . . it's gone (sniff . . . sniff . . . sob). OH NO MY SPLEEN! IT'S IN MY SPLEEN! I would love to see their faces, especially Paul Crouch's.
> O.K. so I do get carried away.
> 
> Knight



All right, so who else here watches TBN for laughs? Sadly enough, when I lived in the university dorms, the only TV I ever watched was TBN, sometimes a couple of hours a week. Some of the funniest parts are the little "best of" moments that come on at the half hour. I remember one where Paul Crouch read Matthew 16:18
Matthew 16:18: "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Then, he said something to the effect of, "I'm going to read this again, and I'm only going to add one word to it." He then repeated the verse adding and emphasizing the word CHANNEL after "church." Church "channel"... ridiculous.

Brian


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## Bernard_Marx

Where I'm living right now, there is no TV. We use it only to watch movies we rent, the rest of the time it goes behind an armchair in the living room.

However I am a huge Seinfeld and Star Trek fan. Before I became a Christian I used to watch Dawson's Creek pretty much every week, I know it's embassaing.


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## future expatriate

> _Originally posted by cultureshock_
> All right, so who else here watches TBN for laughs? Sadly enough, when I lived in the university dorms, the only TV I ever watched was TBN, sometimes a couple of hours a week.


I used to do this, but then I realized that, for myself, anyway, it was a spiritual pride issue. While I still like scoffing at heresy--and on a less harmful note, evangelical trends-- in general, I realized that I was watching these people in particular because they were making me feel better about myself--hey, at least my theology is better than Benny Hinn!

To borrow the cliche: but for the grace of God go I.


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## LaMontre

> _Originally posted by future expatriate_
> 
> 
> 
> _Originally posted by cultureshock_
> All right, so who else here watches TBN for laughs? Sadly enough, when I lived in the university dorms, the only TV I ever watched was TBN, sometimes a couple of hours a week.
> 
> 
> 
> I used to do this, but then I realized that, for myself, anyway, it was a spiritual pride issue. While I still like scoffing at heresy--and on a less harmful note, evangelical trends-- in general, I realized that I was watching these people in particular because they were making me feel better about myself--hey, at least my theology is better than Benny Hinn!
> 
> To borrow the cliche: but for the grace of God go I.
Click to expand...


HA!

Yeah it does tend to be that way doesn't it? Just tells that their doctrines appeal to the flesh only.

I watch many times simply to try and find some glimmer of truth from any one of the many preachers and teachers they have on. Remembering (sadly) that this is the face of Jesus Christ to the world.

I suppose the only "saving grace" in any of it, is that the gospel is preached. And perhaps we should therein rejoice?

God can use anything.

I have often thought of such churches like those represented by TBN as birthing places. Anyone who actually does discover any true calling through such ministries will not remain there long.

Once the Spirit of God actually ministers to you, the flesh is way too easy to identify.


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## JasonGoodwin

> _Originally posted by Jonathan_
> occassionally the History Channel, when they are not trying to explain away every truth in the Bible.



At least I know that there is someone else out there that feels the same way about the heathen that run that outfit.


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## Jonathan

> _Originally posted by JasonGoodwin_
> 
> 
> 
> _Originally posted by Jonathan_
> occassionally the History Channel, when they are not trying to explain away every truth in the Bible.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At least I know that there is someone else out there that feels the same way about the heathen that run that outfit.
Click to expand...


It is crazy, I saw this thing a few months ago, where they said the Children of Israel actually passed through a reed sea where the water was only 3 feet deep. Wouldn't that be a greater miracle? The entire army of Pharaoh drowning in a measly 3 feet of water  
I also saw part of this show where they claimed Elijah had encounters with aliens. Where they get their "facts" I don't know.


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## future expatriate

> _Originally posted by Jonathan_
> 
> I also saw part of this show where they claimed Elijah had encounters with aliens. Where they get their "facts" I don't know.


I have heard claims of Ezekiel seeing aliens, but never Elijah.


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## VirginiaHuguenot

> _Originally posted by future expatriate_
> 
> 
> 
> _Originally posted by Jonathan_
> 
> I also saw part of this show where they claimed Elijah had encounters with aliens. Where they get their "facts" I don't know.
> 
> 
> 
> I have heard claims of Ezekiel seeing aliens, but never Elijah.
Click to expand...


These claims are highlighted in a book that is popular in occultic circles called _Chariots of the Gods_ by Erich Von Daniken.


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## Jonathan

> _Originally posted by future expatriate_
> 
> 
> 
> _Originally posted by Jonathan_
> 
> I also saw part of this show where they claimed Elijah had encounters with aliens. Where they get their "facts" I don't know.
> 
> 
> 
> I have heard claims of Ezekiel seeing aliens, but never Elijah.
Click to expand...


It was Ezekiel, sorry, I don't know why I said Elijah.  They think the description of the creature in Ezekiel 1 is actually a UFO sighting... You should have seen the illustrations to the show... it was funny yet sad.


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