IS TELEVISION EVIL?

By George Card

Before answering let me ask, Is Radio evil? Is the Internet evil? Are books evil? Should we get rid of radio, the computer or all books? You see all those are information delivery mediums. If the radio, the computer or books are not evil, then neither is television evil.

Here I am once again defending the indefensible. The way I see it, out of television comes almost nothing but filth, I rather read a good book than watch an immoral soap opera, which will not give me anything edifying. So no I am not a defender of that cesspool called Hollywood. With that said I will simply say that many TV programs are evil but television itself is not evil when I say that, of course I am referring to the technology itself not to the uses that modern society often has given to it.

The T.V. itself is just a bunch of wires held together by glass, plastic, and metal. The T.V. is a machine just like the radio, the telephone, and the computer, so owning a TV is not sinful. If it is a sin to own a T.V. then it is just as sinful to own a radio, a telephone or a computer for out of those devices also filthy words, images and messages can come out. Because those devices can also be used for evil purposes do we simply prohibit them all? Not at all, for we can also use the radio, telephone or the computer to send messages of love and preach the gospel. So technology and the machines it creates are not evil in themselves but how they are used.

There are some preachers who preach that it is a sin to have a television, with them I disagree; it is not a sin to own that machine any more than it would be a sin to own a camera or a tape recorder, for they can basically perform the same functions as the TV. This attitude against any modern inventions is not a new thing. A long time ago some preachers denounced radio, cars, telephones, ties, and even electricity (the Amish); of course you would not find any preacher doing that now. Since TV is such a part of modern life, it is not going to go away, no matter how hard some preachers preach against it.

If someone does not have a TV I applaud you for your decision and wish that more people would make the same decision as you. I myself have not had a television for many years and I actually would encourage other Christians to follow our example. Since I myself do not have a TV, I could be a preacher that thunders hell and damnation against having a TV, but that would be dishonest. I do not believe in preaching lies, no matter how “holy” they might make me sound. I preach truth not what is popular or approved in certain church sectors.

So despite the objections of some of my well meaning preacher brethren, I just have to repeat and say no, it is not a sin to have a TV. I will never tell you that having a TV will send you to hell, for that is not biblical, but I will tell you that having a TV might create a time waster and become a distraction to having a strong spiritual life, if you don’t control it. I reckon that you are a responsible adult and not a child, so you do not need or have to have my permission or the permission of any preacher to have or not have a TV. Having a TV can lead some into sin, if a person does not know how to choose carefully what he or she watches.

Why I do not have a television? I feel that currently there is so little of value in most channels, that living without T.V. is not a big loss. Besides if I want to watch something, I have the internet and I choose what I want to see. But one must decide for himself whether he should have a TV. For the scriptures say "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient; All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. All things are lawful for me, but all things edify not." (I Corinthians 6:12, 10:23)

My argument is primarily this, having a TV will not send you to hell anymore that having a computer will send you to hell. Actually in the Internet you could watch much worse things than in any TV program, but I know of no preacher who preaches that having a computer will send you to hell. First what will you be watching in your TV? And then how much time will you dedicate to it? It is up to you to make those personal decisions.

But before you go out and buy the biggest set you can afford, let me ask you a few questions. Is it expedient for you to have one? Do you really need a TV? Could you really control it? or would you fall under its power? Would it edify you? How much time would you spend watching it? and most importantly of all, what would you watch?

The problem with TV is not the machine or the technology, the problem is with the messages it sends. TV is a message medium that is used to send messages and ideas, and the majority of those ideas come from Hollywood a bastion of immorality. Hollywood is mostly a spiritual sewer and you cannot expect good wholesome programs to come from it.

If you already have a TV and want to keep it, the best advice I can give you is to learn to control it, for the sake of your spiritual wellbeing. There are a few channels that show things that are not that bad, such things as the History channel, the discovery channel, the financial channel, the news channel, the cooking shows and the sports channels. However the vast majority of channels show basically filth. If you can keep your TV watching to those programs that are educational or enriching, then there is no problem as long as it is not excessive. There is nothing wrong with watching sports or the news, but if taken too far you can become addicted to them like a junkie.

We as Christian have to make good choices, and control what messages we willingly hear or see. We are not weak feeble minded people who are not able to change the channel or even turn off the TV if nothing informative or educational is being shown. There is such a thing as a TV Guide, which will tell you what shows are being shown. If you can not control what you watch, or turn off the TV, then you lack self-control and it would be better for you to get rid of your TV.

I heard of one Christian old lady who had the TV on a Christian channel only. She took the channel changer knob out so no one could change the TV from that channel, I also know of another young Christian lady who also only had the TV on a Christian channel, bible preaching all day long. Actually some modern sets allow you to block some channels from the TV. As a minister I watch tons of religious videos in YouTube and even some nice Christian music in my laptop.

The main problem with TV is that most of the channels are currently under the control of liberal Hollywood types who are in their majority indifferent or outright antagonistic to Christianity and Christian values. The major networks send a steady stream of bad messages and programming mostly in the form of steamy soap operas, movies, and secular sitcoms all in their attempts to get higher ratings.

There are few good shows on T.V. because the shows are mostly geared toward pleasing the carnally minded man. So before you see any secular programming remember not to set any wicked thing (or Show) before your eyes (Psalm 101:3)

This TV thing is mostly an issue of self-control and discipline, just because the T.V. is there does not mean it has to be continually on. No one is forced to watch bad shows. Of course there will always be people who lack discipline and self-control, so for those people the best option is to go without. If a person wants to watch or hear bad stuff, they can do that without a TV, by listening to the radio, an immoral book, a magazine or thru the computer.

Most of the Radio stations play sensual lustful songs, yet we don't get rid of radios, we change the radio station or turn it off. There are bad books, yet we don't destroy all books, we just don't buy the wrong kind. There are evil web sites, yet we don't destroy the Computer, we just don't go into bad web sites or even place content filters. Likewise with TV, we can change the channel, or turn it off. For each person must be responsible for what he feeds his mind with, whether it be thru the TV, the radio, the computer, books, magazines or even thru actual real world experience (Peep shows).

There are some religious shows on T.V. Some are average, while others teach heresy. When I had a TV I only watched a few religious programs in TV because only a few were worth watching. We must practice spiritual discernment and realize that some of them are not scriptural sound.  This discernment applies whether the preacher is on TV or radio or a book.

One doesn't need to agree totally with another person in order to learn from them, I myself haven't met a minister who agreed theologically with me one hundredth percent, yet that doesn't stop me from listening and learning from that preacher. I know that I do not have to agree with some of the doctrines of some preachers in order to learn from them or enjoy their message. But I do have enough sense and understanding to know when some of their doctrines are way off the mark. So if a preacher is teaching outright heresy whether he is in person, on the radio or TV or on a book, we should quit listening to him. Yes you can change the radio or the TV channel and yes you can get up in the middle of a sermon and leave the church. Anyone attempting to stop you from leaving would be committing the crime of kidnapping which is illegal.

Another thing we can do is to write or call the networks on offensive programming. The Christian community is not a punching bag for the secular humanists types who control Hollywood. We can let them know that no, we Christians are not fair game. We will not be discriminated or ostracized. We do spend money and we can let the advertisers know that we will not buy products from those who advertise on shows that mock or attack Christianity. If enough of us do that as a group, the advertisers will force the show producers to change their tune or they will leave those shows.

Television in itself is just a communication device, but we have to be careful in how we use it, because evil communications corrupt good manners. (I Corinthians 15:33)

There was a time when Christians influenced what was shown on TV, but we basically abandoned TV to the heathen and now that is coming back to haunt us. TV will only get worse unless the tide is reverse. And if you think it is bad now wait till you see it a few years from now. We need Christians in mass to return to this entertainment medium and start making drastic changes. If enough Christians got together and pulled their resources they could buy a TV station itself. Some Christians have already bought TV stations in an effort to bring wholesome entertainment to our culture.

I would go so far as to propose that Christians need to infiltrate this dominion and dominate it. Yes it is possible to dominate this medium and turn it around back to the times when families could watch a show and not be offended or their religion be made fun of. A comedy sitcom doesn't have to have sexual innuendo to be funny. An adventure doesn't have to have people killing or cussing in order to be exciting.

Yes Christians do have the imagination to produce good scripts; they can produce emotional drama, informative educational shows, interesting science fiction, funny cartoons and even exciting adventure. It is only prejudice and lack of experience that stops Christians from tackling these areas. Another thing that has stopped Christians from going into the medium of Television is the ministry. Ministers have basically discouraged good and talented Christians from going into the medium. Good and creative people need to be encouraged to enter this medium and transform it.

Another thing I have always wanted to say is that I have seen Christian television and basically I am disappointed with most of it. We need to take Christian TV beyond making it a pulpit for some TV preachers. The quality of Christian Television with a few exceptions is mostly amateurish, with poorly written stories. We need to make excellent Christian shows, instead of boring tasteless dramas. We need to start creating well written and well acted Christian comedies, dramas, biographies, adventure, westerns and yes I would even say Christian soap operas. We need to develop into professional storytellers. I believe that Christians can write interesting gripping stories that are imbedded with Christian values, without being overly preachy.

The idea that Christian television only means a Preacher shouting from the pulpit must end. We need to show Christianity in real world settings, making a difference in people's life. We need to develop shows that depict Christian families struggling with the world and making a difference in it.  We need shows that show Christians in the workplace or in society making a difference.

Television can be turned from what it currently is; which is mostly a medium that wastes time, numbs the senses and teaches immorality. To a medium that teaches good moral values, provides good education informs the public right and provides wholesome entertainment. But that can only be done if we decide to make the effort. Yes it can be done.