It's been almost a year and a half now since my wife and I moved into our little house in Alaska. We were a newly married couple, with little in our pockets, and a steady job.

Well, starting a new life together provided an awesome opportunity to examine how we had been raised, how we were going to live, and how we wanted to raise a family.

I came from a non-christian home of five boys, no girls. To some this might not be a large family, but five boys can leave a mark. Well, my life had essentially revolved around the TV growing up; I might not have thought it, but it did.

I probably spent at least three hours daily in front of the TV. I would come home from school, and relax to the latest episode of "the simpsons". Maybe do some homework, and watch a movie. If "the family guy" was on, it was a must. I mean, that's a really funny show, right?

Well, for us it was a no-brainer. We didn't have much money to start off with, so what we did have went to essentials. And we decided that a TV was not one of them, and it never would be.

Well, it's been over a year now, and I love it. If nothing else as a testimony or an encouragement, there is life after TV. Looking back, our time is filled with so much, I don't know how we had time for TV at all.

Now, I'm not amish, or anything like that. We still have a laptop, on which we'll snuggle up to the occasional chick flick, or rent the latest Jackie Chan action movie. But what initially was meant to restrain us has become a freedom for us. I don't have a TV now, and I don't plan on getting one any time soon.

My son is four months old as I write this. And the idea that I can raise him without a dependence on today's media is one of the things that I look forward to. I don't have to worry about him someday turning to "sex in the city", or "desperate housewives", or even the Disney Channel's shows encouraging that homosexuality is just a fact of life, and I like that fact.

So again, if somebody reads this, be encouraged. I can't understate it; I love being without a TV. It's a freedom for me and my family. And I think it could be for you and yours, also.

Grace and Peace...

good for you! Me and my wife have been without TV for about the same amount of time as you now, and all I can say is WHAT A BLESSING!

Yea, now we need to work on getting rid of the car, lets not discriminate, didn't Jesus walk everywhere he went? :-P

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Bill

That all sounds wonderful and gay........BUT what about the Internet? That monitor we stare at is the same as a television. And believe me when you've gotten rid of one, you'll be using the other just as much.

It's like trying to stop smoking, something else must take the place of that habit, and 9 times out of 10 it's food. So we enter the arena of the glutton, which most of the church world doesn't even recognize that as a sin.

The great thing about having a couple agree is that one will support the other, but if the man agrees to throw out the TV and the wife does not approve, then your going to have problems.

But when your single, and you have no one to agree with or support you, your more vulnerable to failure, unless you have found that secret place to cry out unto the LORD, then your on your way to having your life balanced.

There are great benefits to not watching TV and there are even greater blessings when you don't read the daily newspaper as well.

I am sharing this with you because I have expirenced all of these blessings, but alas when your single and alone you tend to fall back into these things.

I spend more of my off time on the internet than on any other hobby. Bible reading is conducted in the bathroom. Prayer is sporadic thru out the day depending on what is happening, I really despise the word prayer it sounds so old and worn out, like the word love and christian, they are used interchangably with so many other good and disgusting things.

I communicate with my heavenly Father daily.

Karl

Amen! When I became a Christian I still live at home, as the years went by I slowly weened myself off of TV, but it never 100% left my life.
Well, just recently, I moved out of home into an apartment with 2 brothers in Christ, and we do not have a tv. It has been great! I, too, do not know how I ever found time for TV. It is a huge blessing to just have peace and quiet in the house. The biggest revelation has been how hardened my heart was by it. When I do visit my parents' house, I am usually shocked by what I used to watch as just "good, family entertainment". If the shows themselves are not terrible (which is rare), then the commercials are totally disgusting. I am suprised at how desensitized I was.

"What fellowship has light with darkness"? How can we enjoy the same things that darkness LOVES? I just cant anymore.

Life after TV is GREEAAT!

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Joe E

Karl, That's an excellent! post and I totally agree with you Brother, his ways are not or ways lets not put the Lord in a box, it's a possibility he might want to Bless us or confirm something via the TV or Internet, matter fact he has already Blessed me via the net when I found this place. Anything can be bad it you do not use it correctly, food, cars, tv, electricity, water, etc.

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Bill

Karl, you sound bitter towards this subject.

My point wasn't to condemn habits, or anything else, but was simply written as a testimony as to how my life has changed in this area.

It really is great having no TV. For me, it was a temptation, something so easy to give in to when I might be bored, or looking for something to do. I also feel, however that it is pretty much a complete waste of time, which was my motive for going without.

You're right about the Internet, or whatever we might choose, but I don't think this is always the case. I know that in my life, it hasn't been.

Now, for you, do you have an accountability partner? I believe that every believer should have "one hand reaching forward, and one back". I'm talking about being descipled/kept accountable on one hand, and descipling/keeping others accountable on the other. If you have one accountability partner, I don't believe it should be your spouse, even if you are married. Couples tend to slide together.

Anyway, if getting rid of a TV sincerely creates other problems in your life, then maybe it's not right for you at this time. For me, I have a different focus than I did a couple of years ago, and I believe I have become more because of this sacrifice.

Grace and Peace...

Hey, I was just listening to Leonard Ravenhill's "Choosing Rather to Suffer", SI's featured sermon this week. Well, he talks a bit about how many people are substituting entertainment for joy, which decreases their joy, and a bit more specifically about how the TV contributes directly to the family life of many american families. Or again, he says that "two things you can control are your time and your tongue".

Grace and Peace...

I see nothing wrong with TV as long as you are careful what you watch and how much you watch it.

I might watch only a few hours over a period of 4 days.

Michael

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Michael Hancock

I haven't listened to Ravenhills sermon yet but just thought I'd point out what James thought about the tounge.

"...If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body." James 3:2

I like this one from my pastor:
If my preaching doesn't change how you spend your time, money, and energy, its worthless.


I put the TV in the garage for three months a few months back because it was distracting. I did love that "season", it however made it back into my house. I have almost sold it a few times. However, I haven't because im one of the only people in my community of friends that has a TV!
And every once in a while (like once in two months) we'll want to get together to watch a movie.

If I could see what effect it has on me in eternity, I would be more violently against it. I'm sure Jesus wouldn't have watched TV or Movies with the exception of "The Passion of Christ" and perhaps those movies that were made about the Gospels (dunno there, haven't seen them).

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Chris