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    6. Television disrupts family life.

  • When time is spent "glued" to the television, less time talking and doing things together as a family are the result. Watching television together is not an activity of family interaction; it is not a family-centered, but a television-centered activity. Today in many homes, in terms of sharing the most uninterrupted concentration time, a child's true parent is television.

  • Increased television-watching has produced less communication with others in our society. Visiting other families is largely replaced by not wanting to miss favorite programs - viewing one's "television friends."

  • Television breeds a self-entertaining, self-sufficient, and self-centered attitude toward others.


      • 7. Television presents a false portrayal of life.

  • Television teaches by continual repetition that life's problems are cleared up and its mysteries are solved in thirty or sixty minutes.

  • Its heroes always win in the end; the "good" (even when living godless and blatanly sinful lifestyles) are successful, and the "bad" are unsuccessful.

  • Television powerfully proclaims through its advertising that you can solve all of your problems by buying something; for instance:

      • - If you want to look tough, smoke.
      - If you want to be respected, drive a Cadillac.
      - If you want to look attractive, wear make-up.
      - If you are unpopular, use a new toothpaste.

    How contrary this shallow, false portrayal of life is when compared to God's teaching about human life and divine providence!

    That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children.

    - Titus 2:4

    And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

    - Ephesians 6:4

    Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.

    - I Peter 3:8

    The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the LORD.

    In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

    - Job 1:21b-22

    Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

    Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

    - Job 5:6-7

    Therefore take no thought saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

    (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

    But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

    - Matthew 6:31-33

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