Disconnecting the cable

[MrJim]

I'm pullin' the teeth from the Sony in the living room. No easy way to set up a simple antennae so we'll be disconnected from TV world.

While I don't watch a great deal (spend too much time here;) ) I don't like what it is doing to my family.

Here's the thing-while I enjoy watching the Nick shows (especially Avatar) and some of the programs can have some "good values" there are two major problems with television:

1. Where is God? Consider that (apart from special cases) programs depict life without God and everything goes ok. Kids shows depict a life without God. Even if the show is "harmless", is it really if there is no mention of Christ and His role in our lives?

2. Commercials. 'nuff said...

I will be the bad guy-there is no doubt about that. I've done this a few times in the past but always with the old tv the "rabbit ears" would come out and local programming would be picked up. Now the tv will simply be for videos.

:crossrc: for me in this. I need to make some navigational adjustments with my family ship...

ANYONE give a reason why I shouldn't???

[MrJim]

I called Comcast and since it's all digital it was instantly shut off.

Was there a ruckus? You have no idea. I think withdrawal is going to take some time.

I remember seeing a movie when I was a kid where heroin addicts were coming off the addiction using large amounts of chocolate and orange juice (:sick: combo). Funny the things you remember:doh:

Anyhow it's going to be a long few days around here...^_^

[Flynmonkie]

:thumbsup: Hey, I did this a long time ago; I turned it back on for a few months and thought what am I doing? It wasn’t about “preventing my children” from watching real world stuff, we have a guide not control policy in our home. It was more about them acting like zombies to the TV, and the outrageous fees we were being charged for equipment etc.. When there wasn’t anything on! I do have a built in antenna in my attic so we can get the local stations pretty well. Since that time the boys’ grades have come up, they became interested in extra curricular activities with school, and when we do watch TV, it is more quality family time. Actually, I belong to blockbuster online, so we have movies sent to our mailbox. I also get to regulate that. It is only $17 a month, as opposed to $80-105 with satellite. I use the extra money! I don’t regret it and I don’t foresee us ever going back. It has been almost four years now. :D (Except for the couple of month stint where mommy got the guilties!):doh:

[MrJim]

:thumbsup: Hey, I did this a long time ago; I turned it back on for a few months and thought what am I doing? It wasn’t about “preventing my children” from watching real world stuff, we have a guide not control policy in our home. It was more about them acting like zombies to the TV, and the outrageous fees we were being charged for equipment etc.. When there wasn’t anything on! I do have a built in antenna in my attic so we can get the local stations pretty well. Since that time the boys’ grades have come up, they became interested in extra curricular activities with school, and when we do watch TV, it is more quality family time. Actually, I belong to blockbuster online, so we have movies sent to our mailbox. I also get to regulate that. It is only $17 a month, as opposed to $80-105 with satellite. I use the extra money! I don’t regret it and I don’t foresee us ever going back. It has been almost four years now. :D (Except for the couple of month stint where mommy got the guilties!):doh:

Yeah, regulation and discussing what they are watching.

I'm catching it at this very minute from the youngest...:sigh:

[arunma]

This doesn't seem like a bad idea, Menno. My small group leader and his wife recently disconnected cable, and they're perfectly happy that way (but it's easier for them, since college aged people are already used to not watching much TV). Just one thing...

1. Where is God? Consider that (apart from special cases) programs depict life without God and everything goes ok. Kids shows depict a life without God. Even if the show is "harmless", is it really if there is no mention of Christ and His role in our lives?

This isn't necessarily as bad as it sounds. A story doesn't have to specifically mention the details of the Gospel in order to be Christian. For example, the C.S. Lewis classic "the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," makes virtually no mention of Christ, yet has a characteristically Christian message. Just something to think about, I guess.

[Flynmonkie]

This isn't necessarily as bad as it sounds. A story doesn't have to specifically mention the details of the Gospel in order to be Christian. For example, the C.S. Lewis classic "the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," makes virtually no mention of Christ, yet has a characteristically Christian message. Just something to think about, I guess.
That is exactly what I mean by guide not control..

I want to be there when the worlds ideas are presented to my children so I can point out what is wrong, and what is, or could be right. In addition, I have always thought finding the positive or Christian message in Humanistic Secular ideas to be interesting! One thing I am restrictive of is a play toy gun. Mindless, senseless things, I see no reason they should be even produced. Either you teach your children how to properly use a real gun, or you don't have one at all. So, I am glad that we don’t get all the hard-core sex and violence streaming in all the time either.
Yeah, regulation and discussing what they are watching.

I'm catching it at this very minute from the youngest...:sigh:

Oh trust me, I heard about it, but one thing I also noticed, not only did it force them to change; I found things in my behavior that needed changing too!
(Still don’t miss CSI if at all possible!)

[MrJim]

This doesn't seem like a bad idea, Menno. My small group leader and his wife recently disconnected cable, and they're perfectly happy that way (but it's easier for them, since college aged people are already used to not watching much TV). Just one thing...



This isn't necessarily as bad as it sounds. A story doesn't have to specifically mention the details of the Gospel in order to be Christian. For example, the C.S. Lewis classic "the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," makes virtually no mention of Christ, yet has a characteristically Christian message. Just something to think about, I guess.

I hear ya hoss, but I just have a hard time finding God in every erectile dysfunction commercial...:doh:

[ghs1994]

I applaud ya bro.:thumbsup: I don't care about the tv either. My wife got one of those tvo things and lives in tv past. She's always on that thing.

I only have one weakness: When it's college football season and my OSU Buckeyes are on. That's my kryptonite. ;)

[MrJim]

I applaud ya bro.:thumbsup: I don't care about the tv either. My wife got one of those tvo things and lives in tv past. She's always on that thing.

I only have one weakness: When it's college football season and my OSU Buckeyes are on. That's my kryptonite. ;)

Even with a 32" tv I got accustomed to listening to the Steeler games on the radio...

My youngest is convinced the cable is broken and I need to get it fixed^_^ --I'm just not gettin' through

[handmaiden97]

good for you menno.....now I think I would of had a fit about it if I was kid, the few times cable went on or off in our home seemed so devestating back them....Im 28 and have not had a TV since I was 18, and now, when I visit my mom's house ( 1 every year or two) I just get discusted with the garbage that is on there!!!! I dont miss it at all.

Now we (the ministry I work with and spend most my time at with close friends) do have a TV & VCR/DVD thing, so sometimes we get together and watch movies and such. but we are all good about fast forwading questionable scenes if there are any or just turning it off if it turns out to be garbage. but now with summer coming on and it being daylight till late, I doubt we will watch much

[Iollain]

I'm pullin' the teeth from the Sony in the living room. No easy way to set up a simple antennae so we'll be disconnected from TV world.

While I don't watch a great deal (spend too much time here;) ) I don't like what it is doing to my family.

Here's the thing-while I enjoy watching the Nick shows (especially Avatar) and some of the programs can have some "good values" there are two major problems with television:

1. Where is God? Consider that (apart from special cases) programs depict life without God and everything goes ok. Kids shows depict a life without God. Even if the show is "harmless", is it really if there is no mention of Christ and His role in our lives?

2. Commercials. 'nuff said...

I will be the bad guy-there is no doubt about that. I've done this a few times in the past but always with the old tv the "rabbit ears" would come out and local programming would be picked up. Now the tv will simply be for videos.

:crossrc: for me in this. I need to make some navigational adjustments with my family ship...

ANYONE give a reason why I shouldn't???

That was probably one of the best things you'll do for your family :thumbsup:

[trinityisunity]

Two days ago my wife and I moved our tv and dvd equipment into a room with no aerial access, to get rid of brain deadening rubbish tv shows and the 50% louder ads. So far so good the kids have not gone mutiness on us. We even had a family games night last night which was great. Now we watch the odd dvd or video but no more tv.It is football season and not been able to watch my footy team will be stretching it a bit.

[Iollain]

Well ya know if tv is as bad as it is now, just think what it will be like in 10-20 years when your kids are out with families of their own. This will really help them get rid of the tv for their families too because they will be disgusted by the thing all the more easier by not having it now.

[MrJim]

Well ya know if tv is as bad as it is now, just think what it will be like in 10-20 years when your kids are out with families of their own. This will really help them get rid of the tv for their families too because they will be disgusted by the thing all the more easier by not having it now.

Good point-ya think things can't get any worse and then there's something else...

[meowmie]

We have had a multitude of cable channels for years now and only watched Fox News and Court TV most of the time.

Due to our financial problems we have gone down to the $15 service...basic TV. If we didn't live in a mobile home and get NO TV reception, we would have probably got rid of it completely and gotten rabbit ears.

Since my husband is disabled and doesn't get around independently, it is probably good that there is some TV service in our home. He is not able to just hop in the car and go somewhere...he is dependent on me and Metro Life (Metrolift is not good for spontanious/unplanned trips...they must be planned 24 hours in advance).

[newbeliever02072005]

Hi Menno,

I wanted to share with you a bit of the message I heard this evening at my church. The message was "What about Separation? (Or Holiness). My preacher talked about how the one thing that keeps us seperated from God is our inquities...our sin. That God can't see us or hear our prayers until we are cleaned. We really need to burden our hearts to get rid of that sin. I am not sure why, but when he was talking about this I thought about you. About how your heart was burdened to get rid of the TV in your home. You are so right that we leave ourselves wide open to allowing the negative (sin) in without us even realizing it. In Lamenations 3:51 it says: Mine eye affecteth mine heart......>. It certainly is very important to shield our eyes to what is wrong. As christians we bare the name of Christ and we have to be good witnesses to the ones that need to know Christ.

My prayers are with you that the Lord will provide your family with ideas to other entertainment. That you can grow even closer as a family as a result of this and that the Lord will bless your family abundantly for this act love for God.

Newbeliever :wave:

2 Timothy 2:19-21

[MrJim]

Hi Menno,

I wanted to share with you a bit of the message I heard this evening at my church. The message was "What about Separation? (Or Holiness). My preacher talked about how the one thing that keeps us seperated from God is our inquities...our sin. That God can't see us or hear our prayers until we are cleaned. We really need to burden our hearts to get rid of that sin. I am not sure why, but when he was talking about this I thought about you. About how your heart was burdened to get rid of the TV in your home. You are so right that we leave ourselves wide open to allowing the negative (sin) in without us even realizing it. In Lamenations 3:51 it says: Mine eye affecteth mine heart......>. It certainly is very important to shield our eyes to what is wrong. As christians we bare the name of Christ and we have to be good witnesses to the ones that need to know Christ.

My prayers are with you that the Lord will provide your family with ideas to other entertainment. That you can grow even closer as a family as a result of this and that the Lord will bless your family abundantly for this act love for God.

Newbeliever :wave:

2 Timothy 2:19-21

Well thank you ma'am