What Should Christians Watch/hear?

[Guest Joshua Berndt]

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; [it] shall not cleave to me. - Psalm 101:3 KJV



Cease, my son, to hear the instruction [that causeth] to err from the words of knowledge. - Proverbs 19:27 KJV

[Guest Joshua Berndt]

I used to watch movies, etc. with a little foul language, but then awhile back I had started examining myself and asking myself something like, "Am I the man my future wife would want?" Or, "Am I the man I want to be for my wife?" I don't want to have movies around her, "'cause they only have some swearing." I want to be a spiritual pillar for her. So I began changing. What I watched was one of those things that changed.

[JerryNumbers]

I don't go to the movies. No matter if they be G- rated.I have not been since the late 80's, early 90's. I wish I had never been.

I had a pastor once that was always complaining about never getting enough sleep. One week day after noon I saw him come out of the video stores with about 7 to 10 VCR tapes. I happen to be in town later that same week & saw him walking into the video rental store carrying about the same number of VCR tapes. I parked across the street. In about 45 minutes he came back out with maybe another 7 to 10 of them.

That Sunday I asked him was he able to get any extra sleep, rest that week, his answer was no, I so sleepy I can't hardly stand it. I probably would have been to if I was watching all of those movies.

I really wish that there was many things that I had never let enter my mind, & we sure need to guard the mind of our children. But few do.

[Guest Joshua Berndt]

I have never been to a movie theater. The closest thing was two theaters in museums. One showing old, black and white footage of Thomas Edison, I think, and the other was space footage at the Chicago Planetarium.

[John81]

I don't go to the movies. No matter if they be G- rated.I have not been since the late 80's, early 90's. I wish I had never been.

I had a pastor once that was always complaining about never getting enough sleep. One week day after noon I saw him come out of the video stores with about 7 to 10 VCR tapes. I happen to be in town later that same week & saw him walking into the video rental store carrying about the same number of VCR tapes. I parked across the street. In about 45 minutes he came back out with maybe another 7 to 10 of them.

That Sunday I asked him was he able to get any extra sleep, rest that week, his answer was no, I so sleepy I can't hardly stand it. I probably would have been to if I was watching all of those movies.

I really wish that there was many things that I had never let enter my mind, & we sure need to guard the mind of our children. But few do.

I've not been to a theater since 1986 and I wish I had never seen most of the movies I saw there prior to that. No doubt at all there is much in my mind that I wish I had known better than to put there to begin with. This is why it's so important to guard our hearts, to make covenant with our eyes not to look upon things we should not, so that stuff never has a chance to fill any portion of our minds.

For many of us it's too late for some of that but we can guard what we take in from this point onward and we can try to keep filth out of our childrens, and others, minds.

[Oldtimer]

I didn't vote, as movie watching is a thing of the past for me. One exception is a couple of them that have been shown at church. The last one was Courageous. And, I'd rather have been in a 2 hour Bible study session.

Even watching TV is becoming a thing of the past, too. Although I've been up several hours, haven't bothered to turn it on to get the local morning news and weather. About the only thing I do watch with interest, these days. Plus, even having it on for "background noise" is going away, as my preference for the solitude of a quiet house is growing. It's easier to hear the quiet voice of the Lord, when He isn't competing with ..............................

Ever hear people say they don't have time for daily devotions because of their hectic schedules? Then, in a later conversation hear them discuss football games, Dancing with the Stars, or the lastest box office hit.

[JerryNumbers]

The other day I happen to watch a western on TV, that I watched as a young boy back in the 50's. Of course being born in 46, I saw nothing wrong with such a show back in those days & father & mother let me watch them even watching them with me. This show remined me why TV is not good.

On it a young man had left town at 18 years of age, he did not get along with his father, he totally rebelled against his fathers teachings, a pastor of a church. He returns with his bank robbing friends to rob the bank. They camp just outside of town, intending to rob the bank the next morning. He goes to town to see his father. He found him in the church. His father was shown in a bad light, making him seem evil, & his rebellious son good, he left disgusted at his father as he was when he left home. It seems he wants his father to accept every rebellious move he has ever made.

He runs into the deputy sheriff, thye were boyhood friends, they go to the saloon to have a drink, during this time he fines out that the sheriff is out of town. He tels his friend to leave tonw, finally telling him why. When he want leave, he tells his friend, they will kill you. the deputy refuses, so he decides to help the deputy, & he does, getting killed.

Of course everyone watching this show, when they see the pastor father pick up his dead son, carrying him off the street, they think of this son as the hero, & the pastor, & what he stands for, as a fool. Even though this young man lived a life of crime robbing banks & killing people.

Many, who get pictures such as this inside their heads, will deem the believers of Jesus as fools, & those that do good deems, even if it was the 1st good deed they have ever done, as intelligent, wonderful, great heroes, & even though they're likely doomed to hell for they refuse to repent, confess, & have Jesus as their Savior..

And likely there many people, because of such shows at this on TV, & movies, that has portrayed the man of God, the saved person, in the light of a fool, & false teaching, will be forever lost in their sins, yet many believers support such junk by watching them on TV & or going to the movies to see such junk. even recommending them to their saved & lost friends.

[Guest Joshua Berndt]

I can be offended at such shows, as well, when they paint the Christians as idiots and inept at life in general. But then I think, "But are those characters saved or merely religious? Because if they are just religious characters, then they probably are inept at life." I do see your point. It's the old, "well, the Pastor finally learned his lesson and became a decent father, once it was too late" storyline. Shared by many programs. The unsaved world does not really respect their religious leaders, nor should they, I think. Oh sure, when you are lying in a pool of your own blood, they come in handy, according to the T.V. shows, but in all other things they are painted as inept, naive, etc. at life. Childish almost. But this is probably at least partly true. They are just unsaved men thinking themselves to be working for God at some "ministry," but they are doing themselves and others ill.

I work for a lady(lawn/handiman at her home) who is a secretary for a local Roman Catlicking "church." She works for the priests and she basically tells me that they need her help and advice all the time. Yet, of course, she stays a catholic. These "great men," who are so respected at mass by the unbelievers are really the mediators between man and Satan.

And God's salvation of another is not dependent on Christians' obedience, else we would all be unsaved. He saves regardless of our obedience, praise God!!! Not that I condone disobedience, but it does not determine or halt another's salvation.

[Guest]

I can't even watch the news for any length of time without becoming discouraged so, I stick my face in the Bible as often as possible.

[JerryNumbers]

The characters on TV, & in the movies are probably lost, along the writer & the producers. Yet what people see on the screens makes a big impression on them, & for many the impression is those people that claim to be of Christ are fools & idiots.

No doubt in my mind, the TV & movies can have a bad influence on people, especially children. And even shows back in the 40' & 50's were already having bad influence, while most Christians, even pastors, were saying they were harmless & great entertainment.

[282Mikado]

The last movie we went out to see was Stewart Little on New Years Eve 1999. I don't see us ever going again either.

We don't have any T.V. reception at our house (antenna, cable, or dish) and haven't for two years. We do have a VCR and Blueray/DVD player, but we have a hard fast rule that if we would not let the children watch...we don't watch. Prior to getting a movie I always check it at the Dove Foundation: http://www.dove.org/default1.asp. They are pretty accurate in their reviews.

I can't tell you the last time I rented a movie. We always go to the Library and check them out for free.

The only "T.V." exposure we get is Food Network, which places full episodes of their more popular series on their website. We like to watch those from time to time as we all enjoy cooking and food.

You are all right. From the earliest days of television hollywood has been tearing apart the fabric of the traditional family. While in California back in 2006 we drove through Hollywood and found that it was not a good place to be. You know, a place where you roll up the windows and lock the doors as you pass through. How appropriate.

As Christians we have to live in a world where there is a lot of moral filth and decay. As we pass through these areas I believe it is best to roll up the spiritual windows and lock the spiritual doors to let as little as possible in. To stop and give it a ride on your television is pure folly.

He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray. Proverbs 5:23

[John81]

I can't even watch the news for any length of time without becoming discouraged so, I stick my face in the Bible as often as possible.

I've come to limit my time watching news, usually no more than about an hour a day total over the course of the day, if that much. That's enough for me to keep somewhat current and give me more to pray about.

There are some days I don't even turn the news on. Whatever news I get on this days is what I come across online. Now that I've got DSL instead of a phone connection for internet, I can leave my computer on, check in now and then and do other tasks while still taking a few moments here and there to check in online.

[JerryNumbers]

I've gotten where I don't even like Fox News, all of their women wear those real tight short dresses, & when they set down ........................

[John81]

I've gotten where I don't even like Fox News, all of their women wear those real tight short dresses, & when they set down ........................

Yes, that is a problem. Even when it comes to news, sex sells. It's a shame these women don't take a stand on having their bodies put on display just to get ratings. They often talk of how women should be taken more seriously, appreciated for their minds and hard work, yet there they are using their bodies to attract attention to them and the program they are on.

[Oldtimer]

I've gotten where I don't even like Fox News, all of their women wear those real tight short dresses, & when they set down ........................

And, this time of year, especially, those sleeveless tops. Mischeall (sp) Obama set that trend, if memory serves. And, it's not only Fox News. Even the women on the local am/pm news are doing the same thing for the most part. Used to be that women in the "business" sector dressed for success. Meaning a conservative "business like" mode of fashion. Now-a-days, it's more like they are dressing for party time. Often they're dressed as if they should be holding a cocktail instead of a microphone.