Jim and I decided not to have a T.V. in our home when Scott was 4 and Jill was 2. We felt that was God’s will for us. Although television is merely a tool and can be good, the programs on T.V., even the children’s programs, reflect the world:
“in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” Ephesians 2:2
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27
“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” James 4:4
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” 1 John 3:1
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4
“for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4
“Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” 1 John 5:5
“We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” 1 John 5:19
Even if a program is not directly an evil influence, it is often a waste of time:
“Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.” Psalm 39:4
“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
We had recently moved to Nova Scotia from Montreal. Scott was an active little boy, but staying calm during the hour or 1½ hrs. a day he watched T.V. When Sesame Street and The Flintstones were on I could get my housework done. Now what would I do? However, when we got rid of our T.V., he calmed down all of the time. He must have stored up his energy when he watched T.V.
Sometimes God answers prayer at the last minute. One such time involved our decision not to have a T.V.
We lived in Nova Scotia where Jim worked at Acadia University. He was sent to Montreal for a few months’ course for his work with Control Data. Our friends had graciously allowed us to stay at their home while they were away. They had even left food in the fridge for us, but the fridge had stopped running so we had to clean up the mess. It was a nice home with four T.V.’s!
We arrived in the evening, and Scott wanted to watch Sesame Street in the morning. I prayed for wisdom.
The next morning it was raining. I didn’t know the area or what we could do. It got closer and closer to 10 o’clock, the time for Sesame Street. Scott didn’t mention watching T.V. helping me put off my decision. At 10 I still hadn’t made a conscious decision. At exactly 10, out of my mouth came the words, “Let’s play a game.” Scott and Jill looked at me, surprised. I didn’t often offer to play a game. I’m afraid I’m more of a work-a-holic and so often the kids help me or come with me when I do chores.
So we played a game. In the coming days, it was usually sunny, we found a trail through the woods to a community center with a swimming pool, and there was lots to do. We never turned on the T.V.
The only other time we had a conflict within our immediate family, with our decision about the T.V. was when Scott got quite a bit older, about 11 or 12.* Every day he nagged us about getting aT.V.
Jim and I were in charge of the children’s ministry at that time. Several others helped and a couple, Barry and Nancy, who had just come to our church, were interested in helping. We decided to have a retreat for the children from a Friday evening until Sunday afternoon. Barry would do the preaching and the rest of us handled cooking, games, supervision, etc.
Barry spent the time he wasn’t preaching in his room fasting and praying. On the final service Sunday morning, Barry talked for almost 3 hours. The children sat calmly listening the whole time. The only ones a little upset were the cooks who had to keep dinner warm. The whole weekend was a wonderful time.
After that retreat Scott said, “I guess I don’t want a T.V.”. I don’t really know why, but one of the things Barry talked about was how he accepted Jesus as his Savior as a child, but during his teen years fell away from serving Jesus. It was only after hard times that he returned to his faith.
Today Scott and Melissa (and their children Joel and Alisha) and Brent and Jill (and their children Gracie and Daniel) have a T.V. in their home, but they only watch Christian based movies or programs that they put on themselves with DVD’s.
Both Scott and Jill have mentioned several times how much they appreciated the way they were brought up:
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6
*Criticisms we received from not having a T.V:
1. “Your children will have a hard time learning to read without watching T.V.” Jill was reading adult books when she was 10. Most T.V. programs are geared to 5th and 6th graders so after that age programs don’t add much to the intellect.
2. “Your children will be hurt socially—they will be out of touch with their classmates.” Both Scott and Jill were well adjusted with lots of time for extra activities.
3. “Your children will be too sheltered from the world.” The evil influence from the world is something to avoid at all costs. It is always around and you don’t need a T.V. to learn about it. The difference is that those who are constantly bombarded with a particular sinful behavior become desensitized to it.
4. A few times people even offered us a T.V. because they felt sorry for us.