by Laura Harris
According to a recent report published by
Nielsen Media Research, the average American home has more television
sets than people. Furthermore, the average person watches 4
hours, 35 minutes of television per day. So what are people
watching? Several of the top rated television shows for the past
month include:
— Grey’s Anatomy
— Desperate Housewives
— CSI (Crime Scene Investigation)
— Criminal Minds
Like
many television shows, these programs glamorize murder, adultery,
fornication, greed, lying and deception. I am guilty of eagerly
watching several of these shows (or similar programs) on a regular
basis. But I’ve recently begun to ask myself: How are these shows
shaping my thoughts? Does God want me to spend my time on an activity
that contradicts the Christian values I’m trying to live by?
My
husband and I recently got rid of our cable box in anticipation of
changing to a new cable service. Because of our busy schedules, a day
of not calling a new service provider turned into a week, and a week
turned into a month. We have been without cable service for more than
two months, which has significantly decreased our television intake.
Although unintentional, this newfound freedom has allowed me time for
more productive and rewarding activities such as spending more time
with family, reading and studying. It has made me realize how much of
my valuable time has been wasted on TV
viewing.
Leisure
activities, including TV watching, are fine in moderation; however, we
should choose activities that will enhance our overall life. As
ambassadors for Christ, our actions should reflect our beliefs–not
embrace or condone sinful behavior. As they say on “Who Wants to be a
Millionaire?”: “And that’s my final answer!”
