what we watch

[Guest LadyC]

if God didn't care about what we fill our minds with (through tv, books, or whatever) then He wouldn't have issued so many commands about guarding our minds. He wouldn't have talked so much in His Word about filling our heads with what is pure and holy. He wouldn't have been so clear about taking every thought captive to Christ. He wouldn't have issued warnings that clearly defined things that we should not fill our heads with. (lust, gossip, coveting, sorcery, and so on.)

[IreneM]

I personally don't think Christians should be reading Steven King but Im not the judge

I read alot of bio's and christian fiction also some true crime thats a hold over from when I worked at our local police station I read alot of old christian books written in the 1800's that are free downloads at onlinebooks.com

I am very careful about what I real and I don't like romace novels so those are out

When we stand before the Lord we will be held accountable for what we read and watch on tv what we filled our minds with what movies we went to we are without excuse on that issue

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to each his own

In Christ

IreneM

[eric]

if God didn't care about what we fill our minds with (through tv, books, or whatever) then He wouldn't have issued so many commands about guarding our minds. He wouldn't have talked so much in His Word about filling our heads with what is pure and holy. He wouldn't have been so clear about taking every thought captive to Christ. He wouldn't have issued warnings that clearly defined things that we should not fill our heads with. (lust, gossip, coveting, sorcery, and so on.)

Well LadyC, you're right about God what told us to fill our minds with, such as being pure and holy and what not to, He did so for our own spiritual benefit, so it's up to us whether we digest it or not. Whether He cares or not, I wouldn't like to say, the onus falls directly on our own conscience. We have to make our own minds what is suitable to watch. Why should God care, we stand to be the losers, after all, we have been warned enough of the rewards if we are obedient, as well of the consequences if we are not.........so I pass on the OP.

[Marnie]

I personally don't think Christians should be reading Steven King but Im not the judge

I read alot of bio's and christian fiction also some true crime thats a hold over from when I worked at our local police station I read alot of old christian books written in the 1800's that are free downloads at onlinebooks.com

I am very careful about what I real and I don't like romace novels so those are out

When we stand before the Lord we will be held accountable for what we read and watch on tv what we filled our minds with what movies we went to we are without excuse on that issue

to each his own

In Christ

IreneM

Irene, that's a fascinating response. I read 4 or 5 manuscripts a week, many by authors you would deem "unreadable" for Christians. No, it's porn, but I have worked on thrillers, serial killer novels, even romance novels.

The problem with making judgments on cultural things is that everybody has a different level of tolerance. Over the past year I have read, re-written, and written upwards of 20 serial killer novels, for example. I have yet to actually kill anybody, though. Mind you on paper, I have slaughtered untold numbers in the most imaginative ways you can think of. Things I won't tolerate are porn and excessive profane language. I have actually, as an editor, sliced and diced many a manuscript to eliminate that kind of over-the-top stuff only to have it re-inserted later by another editor, unfortunately.

At some point, we need to distinguish between what's real and what isn't. I would say that if you have a problem with Stephen King, don't read him, but don't judge those of us who do read him or work for him.

As to your last sentence, I would dearly love to read a verse that backs that up!

[Shortstop]

Yep! He cares...

[F8thNJesus]

Okay, so here goes.........

I am probably going to get a lot of flack because of this, but we do not have cable, and my husband rely's on me to go to the movie store because I can use Godly discernment when picking out movies for our family (he is not saved). I can generally tell when we shouldn't watch a movie just by watching the movie trailer.On occasion when I have been lazy and told my husband to go to the store, he has picked out a movie I knew by watching the trailer wouldn't be good. I did not want to offend or insult his effort, so I obliged to watch. Some of those movies we could not even go through the first 15 minutes. He even though a heathen lol apologized for getting it..

My husband was amazed when we were at a christian friends house ,and the husband (a christian) was wathching the sci-fi channel, and the movie was drenched in smut, and scantly dressed women, and the man never looked away, or changed the channel. There were children and women in the room and this man of God did not flinch!

The Lord just convinced me this vey week, that I had compromised my faith by watching some shows with my husband via internet that did not please the Lord. I thought that because of me being a child of God, and having discernment from right and wrong and that it would be okay to spend time with my husband in that way because that is basically how he spends his time at home. (watching tv). But the Lord showed me how often I would have to shoo the kids away and they didn't have time with anybody because daddy always had the tv on.

I have plenty of other things to do rather than fill my head with things that do not exalt the Lord. I have often thought it odd that we as christians rely so heavily on the world to entertain us!

If we are to come into the Kingdom as little children, I have often thought that it seems odd that christian adults think that it is okay to watch movies that the world has rated unsuitable for worldly children. I heard once a preacher say that mothers or wives can't effectively pray for their husbands or sons to quit of be freed from pornography if they are watching soap operas, or reading Love/lust novels. Their are some good christian romance, and I have read a few. But I have often found that those novels instigate a jealousy in me that my husband is not romantic or a christian for that matter, so pass them up because of my own personel walk, but I don't think they are wrong for an avid reader. I really do like Francine Rivers.

I do not let my kids watch shows which makes a disrespectful, rebellious or rude child a heroe (unless the child goes through repentance or humility of some sort). If witchcraft or majici is exalted in any way, then it is out of the question (which yes nulls a lot of disney) Now if we are at a friends house that does not hold the same beliefs, they know that we are not to impose or judge them for the movies they have. If they ask if the kids can watch a movie, then I just ask that I have access to keep an eye on them and that it be rated G unless I am completely convinced that it would cause a stumbling block for my children then I will politely say that my kids are not allowed. Often my kids will come and tell me of something on it that they did not approve, and the parents act suprised that that was even on the movie. On the way home the conversation often turns into what they saw wrong on the movie, started by them.

Now you might say I can't shelter my children forever, but you see I don't. They see the news, and I include them in prayer request for serious things that are going on in our world or family or church. They often will see a character flaw in one of their neighborhood friends of one of our family members, and we will pray for them. they have seen the fruit of their prayers.It is so funny how my husband or a nonbelieving family member will spell words when discussing some sort of reality around my kids, but don't understand why I don't let them watch something very entertaining that exalts worldly beliefs. My children know the seriousness of child molesters, adultrey, homosexuality, and other types of sexual fornication. Along with, the atrocities of murder, genocide, abortion, and hatred (the root of murder). They know the scriptures that back up our beliefs on why these things are wrong and deserving of our prayer. Ever heard of " Anything that is Lovely........."

Their ages are 8, 5, 3, and 1.

I will not tell my husband what to watch or you for that matter, but I have been convicted by the Lord that generally tv, is not for me.

Edited September 21, 2007 by F8thNJesus

[kari21]

I also love to watch horror movies, and sappy chick-flicks on Lifetime. And I listen to secular music as well. I like rock, country, bluegrass, and pop. (I'm also obsessed with all things 1970's ) BUT I also LOVE Christian books, Christian movies, and Gospel music. I adore church and I pray every single day. I don't think we need to lock ourselves in a cave to be good Christians.

Heck, remember when Christians used to say playing cards, dancing, and going to the movies was of the devil? How many here dance? (or think they can! ) Play a game of cards? Or go to the movies? I'll bet most of you...

[Guest LadyC]

if God didn't care about what we fill our minds with (through tv, books, or whatever) then He wouldn't have issued so many commands about guarding our minds. He wouldn't have talked so much in His Word about filling our heads with what is pure and holy. He wouldn't have been so clear about taking every thought captive to Christ. He wouldn't have issued warnings that clearly defined things that we should not fill our heads with. (lust, gossip, coveting, sorcery, and so on.)

Well LadyC, you're right about God what told us to fill our minds with, such as being pure and holy and what not to, He did so for our own spiritual benefit, so it's up to us whether we digest it or not. Whether He cares or not, I wouldn't like to say, the onus falls directly on our own conscience. We have to make our own minds what is suitable to watch. Why should God care, we stand to be the losers, after all, we have been warned enough of the rewards if we are obedient, as well of the consequences if we are not.........so I pass on the OP.

eric, i'm a little dumbfounded by your response. yes, he said those things because it is what is for our own spiritual benefit. do you think that it doesn't grieve Him when we fill our minds with things that are spiritually harmful? i'll stand by my own point. if He didn't CARE whether we are obedient so that we can grow spiritually, He wouldn't have told us how to accomplish spiritual growth in the first place.

if i, in my imperfection, care whether my kids do stupid things that are destructive to their spiritual health, i can't even begin to imagine how much MORE God cares when His own kids are self-destructive. HE wants us to succeed, more than any earthly parent could hope for their own children's success.

that being said, i'm certainly not a good example. i do have boundaries that i won't cross, but i listen to secular music at times, read secular books, watch secular movies that are filled with things that don't glorify God, and even watch one soap-opera on a regular basis. i'm sure these things are not making God jump up and down for joy.

[Guest Mike Loys]

Yeah. I'm pretty sure God hates TV in general. It's designed to make us ignorant, apathetic couch jockeys who don't think life away from the TV is worth living. TV exists to make you want things you don't need. Several studies have concluded that it has a profound impact on our perception of reality. Don't watch TV. Read books. Read the bible. Read Howard Zinn's "A peoples history of the united states of america". Don't watch TV. It's thought pollution. It really is. Don't watch TV. TV is bad. Sell your TV cause you don't need it, give the money to a African Charity, and follow Jesus. He'll make you much more happy than anything the TV spews. I can promise you that. I CAN REALLY PROMISE YOU THAT!!!!!! Don't Watch TV. TV is a medium for purchasing puplic support for things that aren't very good (war). Don't watch it. Please! If you're going to watch it, don't watch people die on TV. Even if it is all fake, don't put that garbage in your brain. Once it is in your head, your mind is tainted. You can't get it out. Don't watch MTV... It is all very bad.. Haha, I'm normally the type of person that thinks it is wrong to tell people what to do, but I guess you struck a hot spot. Don't watch TV. The media is run by big business. All they care about is putting thoughts in your head that cause you to do things that make them more rich. Don't watch it. I know I told you to sell your TV and give the money to a charity, but then someone else will have your TV. So what good is that? Just take it out back and smash it with a baseball bat. Save it for an angry day. Its better to release your anger on a tv than a stranger who does something that agitates you. It's better to kill your TV than it is to honk at someone who drives inconsiderately. I'm crazy I know, but uh, so was Jesus to everyone who didn't know him. I'm not saying I'm like Jesus, but you know. I think you get the point. PEACE! TV is bad.

[damo1]

from damo1

i have every single book that stephen king had written before the green mile was made into a movie i bought the small novels that were being sold and i thought to my self would they do a movie from this book and they did and i went and saw it and i loved it i love reading his books i dont know what it is with stephen king yet i love reading and i do go over the books i have in my collection

i like reading true crime storys may be some one wil say it is wrong yet that is just who i am

my son loves the same music as i do dire straights is one of his best bands and he also likes shannon knoll from australian idol and we do watch australian idol together when he is hear with me on school holidays we also love spider man i have the first one and second one in my collection on dvd and i wil be getting no 3 as well

we play the x box together and we love cartoons

i also love christian rock christian praise and some gospel music and christian books as well i like frank pretti and have most of his books in my collection

yet i always come back to true crime storys i know my own limits and i do not judge no one else for wear they are in there own walk my pastor and me love rugby and cricket and when this is on hear in australia we do sit down with his kids and watch rugby i am not an aussi rules fan never liked that game and could not get into it when i was a child i also love going to smash up dirbys and i have enterd my self there is something about ramming into another contestants car and seeing how much damage you can do its just the way i am

i play sport some have even said playing sport is wrong for a christian to do my son runs and he is very good he loves long distant running he is beating kids from his age group 10 to 12 and is now running 5 kilometers a day i can only run 2 kilometers and i am beat so i just let him go he has one in local events and in state events and he was told he can make it to the olympics if he wants to

we both are star gate fans and have been watching star gate since it started and star treck next generation and voyeger as well and i have heard even this is wrong for a christian to watch which i do not let it bother me

my son and me also love shreck and i have heard this is even wrong i have shreck 1 2 and wil be getting shreck 3 as well

yes god cares what we watch but we also need to use commen sence i wil not stop watching the shows i love and i can not weight for lost to come back on tv i love this show and i am a lost fan and heros has me hooked as well

from damo1