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Is television a viable
alternative of entertainment for the Christian and his family? In a August 1, 2001
copyrighted report, CNS News wrote, " Television's so-called "family hour"
is more vulgar and violent than ever, according to a study by a media watchdog group. The
Parents Television Council examined six weeks of "family hour" programming in
the 2000-2001 season, then compared it to a similar study conducted in the 1998-1999
season. The findings: The number of swear words (excluding "hell,"
"damn," and "crap") rose 78 percent; "ass" was the most
common vulgarity; violence was shown an average 2.8 times an hour, up 70 percent; and
shows were more likely to involve topics such as oral sex and pornography. The family hour
runs from 8-9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time, and 7-8 p.m. Central and Mountain time.
According to the Parents Television Council, UPN was the worst offender, while NBC and Fox
were a distant second and third."
According to Rev. J
Steven Wilkins -
"But we must not fall for the prohibitionist's mistake [i.e., ridding ourselves of TV
as the solution] of blaming the creation for our sins. The TV is a technological wonder
that could (and will one day) be a marvelous instrument for the glory of God. Killing the
machine is a stop gap measure - it may make you feel bold and courageous but it doesn't
solve the problem. The problem is the lust, laziness, the secret love of sin and the
indifference to holiness and to the glory of God that still resides in your heart. Until
your sin is dealt with, bashing the TV is nothing more than a good cardio-vascular
workout. You may well be the better for it, but you still haven't dealt with the root of
the problem."
For the full text of Rev. Wilkins' commentary click on TV and the Death of a
Culture
According to Rev. Steve Schlissel -
"Today there is a technology that competes with Christ for the final word in
interpreting reality. That technology is television. In the single generation of its
existence it has become the unifying point of American experience. 40,000,000-80,000,000
people sitting in front of the tube night after night after night after night. Finding
their reality and interpretation from an anti-Christ box. It is the definer and
interpreter of American culture. It is itself American culture. We must remember that this
is necessarily an introduction to some of these problems. Many of these are second order
problems that we cannot get into. We have to kind of survey the field today. But
television is American culture and not merely a purveyor of it. It is America’s
mediator. The influence of television is overlooked by nearly everyone except advertisers.
I must roar or cry when I hear the argument that what you see on television does not
affect your behavior. Then pray tell why do people spend 2,000,000 dollars a minute to put
a message on if it will not effect your behavior? Will anyone tell me why? Why was
cigarette advertising banned from television first when some people in Washington decided
that it was no longer good for us if what you see does not influence your behavior?
Advertisers know very well that TV is able to mold opinion. This self evident. My concern
today is it’s success in sidelining the soldiers of Christ and removing especially
the men from godly action. Virtually neutering them and rendering them as passive idiots
who sit in front of a box to receive information that they are told to receive and do
nothing with their lives. Television stands directly between too many Christians and the
church in general. Between too many Christians and dominion. It is not simply a case of TV
versus dominion, I make it very plain. It is television or dominion."
For the full text of Rev. Schlissel's commentary click on Television vs.
Dominion
How about according to you?
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