What To Watch On Television

What To Watch On Television

In 1985, Neil Postman, Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences at New York University, wrote a book entitled Amusing Ourselves to Death. His purpose in writing it was to demonstrate how television has replaced the printed word in western culture, and how people are becoming addicted to technologies that take away their capacity to think. Although Postman did not write as a Christian, he certainly expressed many concerns that Christians today have about television’s inherent dangers. He observed that in the 60s, sociologists were asking, “Does television shape culture or merely reflect it?” That question has now disappeared, because “television has gradually become our culture.”

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The problem with television, he concluded, “does not reside in what people watch,” but the problem is “that we watch.”

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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.”

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I remember hearing of a Christian who, later in life, decided to buy his first television. When it was delivered, he noticed the printed slogan on its cardboard box: “Bring the world into your home.” That was enough! He immediately 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 we look for evidence, it will not take long to discover the impact it has upon the lives of children and young people especially. 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 one’s 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 programs abound, but as Neil Postman points out, “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 we feel comfortable in front of the television screen, it is difficult to turn away. The next program might be interesting, so we decide to look at the beginning of it and end up watching it all!

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

Viewing Test
Based on the eight qualities listed by Paul in Philippians 4:8, the following questions may provide a helpful viewing test.

1. Is it true? Yes or No
The issue here is not whether we should view fictional stories. The real danger is when falsehood is being presented as truth. One common example is the theory of evolution which is often presented as the only explanation for the origin of life. We should be careful that we do not “swallow” that which is untrue.

2. Is it serious? Yes or No
The word Paul uses (honest) suggests a seriousness of purpose. While some relaxation is necessary, it is possible to fritter precious time away watching trivialities.

3. Does it promote righteousness? Yes or No
Television often promotes a culture of unrighteousness, endorsing unrighteous values.

4. Is it pure? Yes or No
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 that encourage viewers to regard sexual acts between unmarried people as normal should not be watched by Christians.

5. Is it pleasing and agreeable? Yes or No
There is nothing “lovely” about many of the impure programs on television. The values they promote cannot inspire our love and are not worthy of our support.

6. Does it have a good reputation? Yes or No
Individual films are classified according to their content by the film industry. Categories considered unsuitable for children to watch are often unsuitable for adult Christians as well. More important than the film industry’s rating is the answer to this question: How would God rate the program?

7. Is there any moral goodness or excellence in it? Yes or No
If Christians determined only to watch programs which promoted moral excellence, the television would remain switched off most of the time.

8. Is it praiseworthy and commendable? Yes or No
Would we be comfortable recommending it to other people? If there is bad language, blasphemy or immorality, it certainly cannot be commended.

Pass The Test?
Consider these questions again, and apply them to videos and DVDs as well. Does the program we are watching pass the test? If it doesn’t, we should turn it off. But the trouble is, we are often forced to hear blasphemy before turning it off, and once we have heard God’s name taken in vain a few times, we 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. The question is: 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. We should ask ourselves, “Could the Lord Jesus sit comfortably and watch this program with me?” Remember, He is holy. If it would offend Him, then it should offend us too. If we set Him and His standards before us, we’ll find a stability that the world knows nothing about. We need to live with Him consciously “before us” and “at our right hand.” If we do, He promises that we will not be moved.

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

By Martin Girard