TODAY’S WORLD: What to Watch on Television

Necessary Decisions in the Home…..

 

Neil Postman, Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences at New York University, produced a book entitled Amusing Ourselves to Death in 1985. His purpose in writing was to demonstrate how television has replaced the printed word in the western world’s culture and to show how people today are becoming addicted to technologies that take away their capacity to think. Although Neil Postman does not write as a Christian, he certainly expresses many concerns that Christians have about television’s inherent dangers. At one time, he points out, the question was asked, “Does television shape culture or merely reflect it?” That question has now disappeared, he says, because “television has gradually become our culture”. (1)  The problem with television, he concludes, “does not reside in what people watch,” but the problem is “that we watch.” (2) We seem to be unaware of how television has taken over in our lives, and, in reality, “we have yet to learn what television is.” (3)

I remember once hearing of a Christian who, later in life, decided to obtain a television for the first time. When it was delivered, he noticed the printed slogan on its cardboard box: “Bring the World into your home.”  That was enough! At once he cancelled the order and asked the delivery man to take the unopened box back to the store!

To say that television presents no danger is foolish. If you look for evidence, it will not take you long to discover the impact it has upon the lives of children and young people. Many surveys have been conducted to determine how many hours an individual can spend watching television in the course of a week, and the results are alarming. Obviously the more time spent watching television, the greater will be its potential for affecting the life. The viewer sits back, relaxed, and watches the screen. There is no need to think or to work things out; television will do that for us. Passivity is the order of the day. Interaction with the screen is impossible.

 

SO MUCH TO SEE!

Television has a lot to offer. With satellite and cable channels, the viewer is spoiled for choice. Entertainment programmes abound – but, as Neil Postman points out, actually “all subject matter is presented as entertaining.” (4) One news item is quickly followed by another. “The average length of a shot on network television is only 3.5 seconds, so that the eye never rests, always has something new to see.” (5)  The words of a preacher from long ago are remarkably similar: “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing” (Eccl.1:8 KJV). When you feel comfortable in front of the television screen, it is difficult to turn away. The next programme might be interesting, so the viewer decides to look at the beginning of it and ends up watching the lot!

Christians have often asked the question: “Is it right to have a television?” Scripture does not provide a categorical answer to that question. Each person must be fully persuaded in his own mind about what to do (Rom. 14:5) and must not legislate for anyone else. In one home where there was a television, a family decided to place a certain text on top of the set in order to make sure they did not watch anything displeasing to the Lord. The text was Philippians 4:8:- “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” This text is worth pondering when it comes to analysing our television-viewing habits.

 

VIEWING TEST   

Based on the eight qualities listed by Paul, the following series of questions may provide a helpful viewing test.

1. 1. Is it true? The issue here is not whether we should view fictional children’s stories. The real danger is when falsehood is being presented as truth. One common example is the theory of evolution which is often assumed to be the only explanation for the origin of life. Be careful that you do not “swallow” that which is untrue.
2. 2. Is it serious? The word Paul uses (honest, KJV) suggests a seriousness of purpose. While some relaxation is necessary, it is possible to fritter precious time away watching trivialities.
3. 3. Does it promote righteousness? Television often promotes a culture of unrighteousness and endorses unrighteous values.
4. 4. Is it pure? Many western countries have experienced a serious moral decline in recent years. Bedroom scenes and naked bodies form part of many people’s regular viewing diets. Shows that present an alternative lifestyle to biblical morals and encourage viewers to regard sexual acts between unmarried people as normal should not be watched by Christians.
5. 5. Is it pleasing and agreeable? There is nothing “lovely” about many of the impure kinds of programmes just considered. The values they promote cannot inspire our love and are not worthy of our support.
6. 6. Does it have a good reputation? Individual films are classified according to their content by the film industry. Categories that are considered unsuitable for children to watch are often unsuitable for adult Christians too. More important, perhaps, is the question, how would God rate the programme?
7. 7. Is there any moral goodness or excellence in it? If Christians determined only to watch programmes which promoted moral excellence, the television would remain switched off for hours at a time.
8. 8. Is it praiseworthy? Is it commendable? Would you be comfortable recommending it to other people? If there is swearing, bad language or blasphemy, it certainly cannot be commended.

 

PASS THE TEST?

Consider those questions again. (They can be applied to videos and DVDs as well.) Does the programme you are watching pass the test? If it does, watch it – if you have time. If it doesn’t, turn it off. But the trouble is, we are often forced to hear blasphemy before turning it off – and once you have heard God’s Name taken in vain a few times, you become less offended and soon begin to tolerate this sin. Television has a way of slowly conditioning us to accept a different set of values, and before we know it we have been trained to think differently – or not at all.

 

A LESSON FROM DAVID 

Long ago David took himself to task and declared, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes” (Ps.101:3). That’s a good verse to apply to television! The word translated “wicked” is Belial, and it appears in the New Testament in 2 Corinthians 6:15 where it is used for Satan. That makes our choice of viewing serious. David wanted nothing of Satan before his eyes, and we need similar determination. However, our lives cannot be lived in a vacuum and our minds will be filled with something. What shall it be?

The best suggestion comes from another Psalm written by David. He said: “I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved” (Ps.16:8). Here is something better to look at than television! Instead of the things of Belial, we need to concentrate on the Lord. Ask yourself, “Could the Lord Jesus sit comfortably with me here and watch this programme?” If it would offend His holy Person, then it should offend you too. Set Him and His standards before you – and you’ll find a stability that the world knows nothing about. Live with Him consciously “before you” and “at your right hand”. If you do, He promises that you will not be moved.

END NOTE:-  Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves To Death, London: William Heinemann Ltd. 1986. (1)p.80;  (2)p.165;  (3)p.165;  (4)p.89;  (5)p.88.