I'm Saved...Now I Can't Even Watch TV!

To be honest I feel like this post is so overdue. God has been teaching me many things at such a pace, that this has gotten lost somewhat. Yet as I wait on His promise to me, coming to fruition in the physical (watch this sermon by TD Jakes if you're also waiting on a promise from God), I have been faced with a new challenge.

What exactly am I supposed to do with myself?

There are many times throughout the day when, frankly, I have no idea what to do!

Before you're saved theres a lot of things you can do ( I stress can because it does not mean you should do them), largely in your ignorance, but once you're saved....not so much.

See...there is a plethora of things in this world birthed in writers' rooms, expressed through scripts and imagination, that is just not pleasing to God. But we consume this content. Now however, before I go anywhere near a remote or frankly any device with an internet connection (I feel so sorry for parents for this reason, that must be terrifying!), I have to ask myself: "is what I am about to watch pleasing and acceptable to God?".

Now I have never been glued to a TV set, nor relied exclusive on one for my entertainment, but every now and again pre-saved me would like to sit down, relax and watch something that made me laugh or a story I could get lost in. Something like Damages, Brooklyn 99, The League, Gotham...you get the idea.

Now though?

Including all of the above, let's go through a quick list of things I can no longer watch:

Obvious things like horror movies of any kind (even spoofs!), never ever been the type of thing I would watch anyway so no great loss. Rant warning: to be honest I'm not even sure why these exist anyway! Who is sitting there dreaming up this stuff and then selling it for the purpose of entertainment? To be honest look no further for evidence that the flesh is a bit weird, understanding people get enjoyment dreaming up and then watching demons.

Warning to all: the above is demonic and to be avoided and frankly even if you aren't saved yet stay extremely far away from this stuff, you have no idea what you are inviting into your life.

TV shows like Power, Narcos, and any one of numerous law enforcement focused violent shows and their spinoffs of spinoffs (NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law and Order I'm looking at you).

But it also extends to what you would think to be innocent things, like cartoons and children's shows. My gosh! I'm frankly shocked at how many adult themes there are in children's TV shows, no wonder they call it "programming", there is nothing more dangerous than the subtlety of suggestion. These children are growing up believing ungodly behaviour is a) normal and b) to be sought after! (But this is probably a rant for another post).

But if you are a parent seriously watch what you let your kids well....watch!

So finally, I thought maybe I've found something...Parks and Recreation. So I skip season 1 thinking its a slow burner, I turn on season 2 episode 1 about a penguin wedding. Sounds like some harmless comedy right?

Wrong!

5 minutes in the penguins have had their wedding and start mating, then we discover.....both are male....Seriously?!!? Was this needed for the story? You mean you couldn't find a way to make this funny without sprinkling some sexual immorality on top?! AND there are children on the screen watching and no doubt young impressionable minds who won't see anything wrong with this!

All of these shows promote behaviour that the Spirit is not in agreement with and He makes it known.

Ultimately, God loves us and wants us to stay away from things which are not good for us. Not watching these type of shows is good for me. No matter how strong willed you believe you are, you have no idea what seeds are being sown by what you are watching.

Even if you are not saved and you have just clicked on this blog for the title, reflect on what are you watching. It's not just obvious things like the above but think:

Has watching these shows influenced you in any way?
In the way you saw women if you are a man, or men if you are a woman?
What about how you saw relationships?
Did it make you want for a lifestyle so much, that you hated your own?
Did you end up feeling inadequate because your body didn't measure up to what you are seeing? (men as well as women!)
If you are in a relationship, did anything make you look at your partner differently? Or even made you treat them differently?
Or if you're single did it make you feel like you had to be with someone, anyone, because theres something wrong with you if you're alone?

So I don't lament not being able to watch these shows, I lament that His influence is not felt by those who create them.

I lament the fact that there are so many captive in the world and TV is being used as a device to keep them there. I lament that the state of affairs is so bad that you cannot even turn on a children's cartoon without finding a hidden agenda.

If you are a creator of your own content I want to challenge you to ask God if He is happy with what you have made/are making. Invite Jesus into your life and see how your creativity will flourish!

As for me? I'm sticking to my safe territory: sports and cars.

BTW before you suggest reading, as I will tell you shortly, books can be just as bad.

(PS please comment below if you know of anything safe to watch!)

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