postlaestadianrevival

I saw a headline on one of those gossip magazines about some poor offspring of a movie star who was not allowed television or happy meals. After I finished shedding the required tears (not) I reflected on my own TV free and happy meal less upbringing and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what was so horrible about it.

Ten years out of Laestadianism I still have a TV-free household. Some of my family members like to go to movies, but I am still not enthused about paying $8.00 to see a movie when a good library book lasts longer and is free. So I tend to stay true to my roots in that regard.

I think the Laestadians are right to be cautious about television. A University of Maryland professor said "It is time to recognize that the true tutors of our children are not school teachers or university professors, but film makers, advertising executives, and pop culture purveyors. Disney does more than Duke, Spielberg outweighs Standford, MTV trumps MIT." How much does it influence you?

I find it curious that some of the families I know who are home-schooling their children and keep TV out of the home nevertheless allow a great deal of movie watching. Sometimes an excessive amount--as in more than one per day. (That is what I think is excessive anyway.) But what are they teaching? The movies are going to teach the world view of the producer--sometimes that is good, sometimes it is not, but it is very naive to believe it is all benign.

Look at the nature videos, which at first blush seem relatively harmless. These movies teach an evolutionary world view. There is no God. We are a consequence of chance...the intricate and mind-boggling things we see around us only have the appearance of being designed by God--they are actually a result of chance over millions and millions years and a mechanism called "natural selection." How this "natural selection" mechanism works no one has adequately explained, but none of our TV scientists will tell you that.( I could go on about the errors of evolutionary thinking for hours...since I once was taken in by it all and have recently discovered the validity of the scripture version of origins.)

So what are your opinions about TV. How has it affected you?

I think TV is the same as other things that we make choices about in our society that are not in themselves sinful. The question is: are you controlling it or is it controllling you? If it's controlling you, it's time to get a handle on it.

There are plenty of movies out there that are worth watching as well. We need to teach our children how to discern/separate the good from the bad. That is just a part of child rearing.

My children are in an excellent Christian school. When they see nature flicks that have evolution woven through them they tell me that whoever made it believes they came from monkeys. Whatever kids watch (of course parents need to use discretion here) is an opportunity for a healthy discussion.

Thanks Soapbox for starting this thread. I can live very happy without the TV. I think movies have had the most negative effect on my life. I often have to keep myself from relating my life to a movie. Movies are an interpretation of something real or they are simply unreal, but are never real. Some educational things are OK and I have benefited from these. The US film industry has done a fine job of polluting other societies all over the world with foul language and immoral behavior by means of movies and other entertainment on the TV cables and airwaves and will one day reap a bountiful and bad judgement for this. If somebody is relating life to what they see coming from Hollywood, the TV should go byebye. I do not believe the TV in and of itself is sinful. If that was the case, a computer with internet access is many times more sinful. The TV and the computer can be tools of great good or great evil. There are some good Christian ministries on TV, but there are some "ministries" being orchestrated by the devil and his cohorts also.

I agree with Faithful that we have exported a lot of trash to the rest of the world via television, movies, etc. However we have been just as generous with ourselves--lots of crap available to all! It seems like a steady diet of it makes one lose their sensitivity to sin.

Long Gone also makes the good point that we have to control the technology that is available to us and not let it control us. Like all tools, it can be misused as well as used.

When one first comes out of the OALC, television may be one of the first freedoms a person indulges in. I wonder if this is a good idea. Long Gone's children (above) have been taught to discern good from evil in the shows they watch but when I came out of the church I was not equipped to be discerning, and I suspect others are like I was. The ultra strict code of the church seemed senseless in some ways, so I was prepared to accept as good and reasonable the "normal" ways of the people around me.

But the standard for good or right conduct will never be found in other people. We need desperately to rationally understand what the bible does teach about moral behavior and wise living. The Book of Proverbs is a very good place to start. Read one chapter a day for a month....and take it to heart.

Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be open to you...The more truth you know from God, the better you will be able to discern what is false, ungodly, and unwise. But wisdom is available from God, He is ready and able to give it to you!

Anyone else have something to say that will help others be discerning?Any lessons learned you are willing to share?

Good point about going to the library! Please patronize your local libraries! But what can I say, I work at one! Of course, being able to read is fundamental to a healthy individual and society.

Soapbox, what do you mean by no happy meals? Seriously, you were not allowed to eat this? What about the other foods at McDonald's or elsewhere....what about going to restaurants in general? I know fast food is not all so healthy, but I love to get some every now and again.

As for TV, if somebody says you can't have one, then that sombody needs to eliminate the computer and internet should be removed...and any books or magazines as well....and pictures, etc. The loopholes of legalism! With that said, be careful and discerning with what is on TV and Internet and the kind of literature presented to us! Technology can be abused for either good or evil, but it is not bad in and of itself.

Happy meals and eating junk food were not banned at the OALC. I am not sure that Happy Meals were invented yet when I was a young child...we did not eat out much for economic reasons. I think I made reference to Happy Meals because the movie stars featured in the magazine I saw did not allow their child to eat junk food. I agree, a good burger and fries occasionally is a treat!

my thoughts on television go like this television seems to have started out good but has evolved into an incomprehensible mess of trash not fit for brain food. I use to watch quite a bit of television but as time went on it started becoming worse and worse and has gotten to the point where I can barely stand anything on television any more. I would not deprive my child of a television but I sure would feel guilty allowing him/her to watch it, I would ask them to use intelligence in watching it.

I agree, djohn. Same here. I get by fine without TV. However, I don't think it is wrong to have one. Also, if a church advises against a TV or at least cable or public programs, it should also advise against the Internet. I think the Internet makes the TV look pretty innocent. We used to sing a song as children: "Be careful little eyes what you see. Be careful little ears what you hear." Very true in this day.