Recently, despite thousands of protests, the BBC televised 'Jerry Springer - the Opera', an obscene production. The Corporation reportedly described the screening as "pushing back the frontiers of taste and decency."
Currently a television licence costs well over £100. Some Christians have objected to public money being used to fund such programmes which appear to breach the BBC's Royal Charter which requires them not to broadcast material that 'offends against good taste or decency,' or is, 'offensive to public feeling'. Others have felt that the TV is not a suitable item for the Christian home.
I am considering what to do - what do others think?
I think that television is one of the items that belongs to the area called, "Adiaphora" (things indifferent). There is nothing inherently evil/sinful about an electronic device that displays video and audio signals. The programming that is aired on TV varies tremendously from XXX to wholesome education and/or entertainment. The decision what to watch will depend on many factors which are first governed by biblical principle and the conscience of the one watching. What may indeed be biblically acceptable may be sinful in the eyes of a particular individual (weaker brother).
And there are at least two other items that one must consider. That would be the ability to avoid things which cause one to sin. If one knows that a specific program/show is not edifying and/or wholesomely entertaining (against Scriptural principle), but due to a will that is weak (given to temptation), then it may be prudent to remove the television completely from the home. (Matt 5:29, 30) And secondly, if one finds that they are not fulfilling other responsibilities and/or commitments because they are spending far too much time watching the tube, aka: addiction. (Rom 6:6; 8:12, 13; 1Cor 6:12; 9:24-27; et al)
I let my satellite lapse a couple of months ago. I watched TV for news but, now actually, I don't miss it at all. I am saving lots of money too. Plus, it allows for conversation, we listen to classical music during meals, and I have time to sit here and write messages like this one. More time to read as well. It is a good thing I think.
My wife and I abandoned cable when we were married 5 years ago. I sort of missed it, but now I do not. We have a TV, a large 30 inch screen HDTV, but our programming consists of things we wish to watch on netflix. We may spend about 45 minutes of watching when we put the kids down to bed. I am amazed at how much time people waste watching TV. All of my family have them and when we visit my in-laws or my immediate family, the TV dominates everything. It has to be on during a meal; when we are in the living room; it is disgusting. We left it, and we are not going back.
Fred
"Ah, sitting - the great leveler of men. From the mightest of pharaohs to the lowest of peasants, who doesn't enjoy a good sit?" M. Burns
I agree. I do not have cable myself. The shows I watch are the news and Jeopardy, and occasionally Strobel's "Faith Under Fire" is there is someone like John MacArthur or Al Mohler on.
You are right- it leaves more time for reading, edifying conversation (both in "real time" and on discussion boards), and listening to good music.
True godliness is a sincere feeling which loves God as Father as much as it fears and reverences Him as Lord, embraces His righteousness, and dreads offending Him worse than death~ Calvin
Thanks for the feedback everyone. It was both interesting and helpful. I suppose the real decision I have to make is whether to financially support the BBC by the purchase of a licence. Without one, television reception from any source would be illegal.
That's a good question. There is so much garbage on the TV these days my husband and I go back and forth whether to just get rid of it and just have it for videos for the kids. It's just another thing I have to regulate with the boys. Can't even trust PBS shows - most are "safe" but there's a lot of secular garbage and just plain ungodly worldviews. Just recently "Postcards From Buster" (a newer show - an offspring of Arthur) did an episode where Buster visits a place with some lesbians. I don't let my kids watch Arther or Buster because there are other secular things I already saw on these shows, but this seems like it is a new milestone for PBS. I heard on the news that not all the PBS stations where viewing that particular episode. For some reason I do not watch muchTV ever since having kids 6 years ago. I've always liked reading so fortunately that takes priority over the TV because I just don't have time for both. Even the "good" shows really are a time waster for us. How will God hold us accountable with our time?? That is something I think about when it comes to the TV and the computer as well.
I have never been much of a television watcher. I don't know the last time I actually turned on the television myself, other than to check out the weather channel.
There was a period of time during the Clinton administration that I watched Cspan and Cspan 2. I was definitely a political junkie. I "watched" mostly in the kitchen when I was cooking and cleaning up, but when we moved to IL, we bought bungalow with a VERY small kitchen and I no longer have a TV in the kitchen. I can honestly say, not only did I never miss it, I actually have more piece of mind now that I am no longer "tuned in" to the political scene.
There is one show I DO love though, "Good Eats" on the Food Network. Anyone else a fan of Alton Brown?
Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's love and the future to God's providence." - St. Augustine Hiraeth
I read a book this past year called "Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business." I would HIGHLY recommend it to everybody. The basic premise of the author, Niel (sp?) Postman, is that televesion, by bombarding us with irrelevent information in small, bite-sized pieces of entertainment has conditioned the way we think and operate as a society for the worse- he draws a lot of parallels to Huxley's Brave New World. Go over to www.biblebb.com and do a site search on the title, and you'll find a little thing John MacArthur did on it.
I have a friend who from the begining said no TV unless it was used to watch a movie or something of that sort. But nothing from the air. His children are all readers, play various musical instruments and appear to be quite well adjusted. Of course they are pretty ignorant of the current culture pop phrases. So you really have to "talk" to them and not use slang phrases. Rather refreshing when you think of it. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bigglasses.gif" alt="" />
Peter
If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself. Augustine of Hippo
CovenantInBlood said: Why would you need a license to own a television? Strange! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/scratch1.gif" alt="" />
I suppose the government just would not believe me if I promised them I would only use it to watch video. Oops, I just went and checked the licence and it's worse than I thought. It reads: What You Need A TV Licence For. You need a TV Licence to install or use any equipment to receive television programme services - for example a television set, video recorder, set top box, PC with a broadcast card or any other TV receiving equipment. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/Banghead.gif" alt="" /> I wonder what exactly they mean by the words 'install' and 'use'. Perhaps this could be tested, and the BBC brought to heel by depriving them of some much needed revenue!
Last edited by Saved_n_kept; Sun Feb 13, 20055:56 AM.