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TV/video addiction

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Posted by: JeriRose12

I figured a lot of you could relate to this. Do you know people (especially thinking of my nieces and nephews) who are addicted to TV/vidos/video games? This has bothered me a while now. They can watch four hours of TV and/or movies or play video games for four hours. But do they pray? Do they hunger to spend time with God? Do they read The Word? (Well, I just convicted ME on that one ).

But, this REALLY seems like some kind of stronghold, something that needs broken. When they are together with friends, the way my nephews and them yell and fight over the video games, it doesn't seem right. It almost seems demonic. I am not saying the content of the games is perse demonic; their mother made them get rid of violent and immoral games.... but their attitudes are just awful. They won't EAT for playing those stupid video games, then they whine that they didn't get any dinner!

Also, I recently met a four year old boy who was SO MAD when the video machine/system fizzled (prasie God! ), that he kept yelling that it did to work! He acted like we were lying to him! Then, he came a day or two later and the first thing he asked me is, "Can we play the game now?" I was watching TBN, and, of course, the answer was "No."

Okay, I like Tetris, and I would sit on it a long time a while back, but as I have really pressed into God, I haven't felt the need to veg on it. And now that the Super Nintendo fizzled, I can't play.

So, anyway, can you agree with me that this addiction is broken off any children or adults you know who are spending time and more time on these wasteful pursuits and little or no time pursuing God?

My nieces and nephews:
David
Joshua
Anna
Abigal
Sarah
Nicholas
Erin
Maria


Posted by: MaryTemp

Oh boy do I ever agree with you about this one Jerena! My husband and kids are obsessed with playing games on the computers. my husband actually has 3 computers hooked up and they are constantly playing. The kids love to play Disney's Toontown, and the husband plays a virtual reality game created by Sony called EQ that I know is NOT pleasing to our Lord. This game has caused many couples and families to split up. It was even recently featured on Fox news as being one of the most addictive games. People playing have actually been known to lose touch with reality. I will join you in agreement on this that the focus will be more on God, and not the games they play. I have to battle with my children sometimes for them to read more books, or work on their writing prompts for school. My husband, will neglect to eat unless I bring him a plate of food when he is playing his game. I know this is a totally unhealthy, and ungodly addiction and we must pray hard about it. When something begins to consume your life, then there is definetly a problem, since the focus is off God. Thanks for starting this thread Jerena. I am going to a quiet place to pray over this and will pray for your nieces and nephews too. God Bless.

Love,
Mary


Posted by: JeriRose12

Thanks, Mary. My one nephew, Joshua, all he can talk about it the new games he wants, the new system he wants, how he can download games off his computer.... it makes me crazy, sometimes, like that picture Jerry uses of pulling his hair out. I mean, if he isn't playing them, he's talking about them. Then, he got grounded from them because he was staying up too late playing them and falling asleep in school. We never had a TV, when I grew up. My parents still don't. When we would visit people, they'd have the old bube (sp?) tube running, and you'd feel like you came second. We played out side, constantly, and, man, did we have fun! We made up stories and used our imaginations. Who needed TV??? I barely knew what I was missing. We used to watch at the neigbors, and I started having night mares from watching "Dark Shadows" (I think it was a vampire show), so my Mother said no more watching that. My parents called it "hellevision," and they thoguht the box itself was a sin, rather than the content. When I got my first TV, I admit I vegged a lot, too.... Mostly on TBN, at least. Even too much TBN can be bad. It's a matter of seeking God for ourselves, not letting TBN do all the preaching to tell us what God is saying. Anyway.... thanks for the prayers.

~JeriRose~
Finding HIM in 2005


Posted by: FriendOfGod

Quote:
Originally Posted by JeriRose12
I figured a lot of you could relate to this. Do you know people (especially thinking of my nieces and nephews) who are addicted to TV/vidos/video games? This has bothered me a while now. They can watch four hours of TV and/or movies or play video games for four hours. But do they pray? Do they hunger to spend time with God? Do they read The Word? (Well, I just convicted ME on that one ).

But, this REALLY seems like some kind of stronghold, something that needs broken. When they are together with friends, the way my nephews and them yell and fight over the video games, it doesn't seem right. It almost seems demonic. I am not saying the content of the games is perse demonic; their mother made them get rid of violent and immoral games.... but their attitudes are just awful. They won't EAT for playing those stupid video games, then they whine that they didn't get any dinner!

Also, I recently met a four year old boy who was SO MAD when the video machine/system fizzled (prasie God! ), that he kept yelling that it did too work! He acted like we were lying to him! Then, he came a day or two later and the first thing he asked me is, "Can we play the game now?" I was watching TBN, and, of course, the answer was "No."

Okay, I like Tetris, and I would sit on it a long time a while back, but as I have really pressed into God, I haven't felt the need to veg on it. And now that the Super Nintendo fizzled, I can't play.

So, anyway, can you agree with me that this addiction is broken off any children or adults you know who are spending time and more time on these wasteful pursuits and little or no time pursuing God?

My nieces and nephews:
David
Joshua
Anna
Abigal
Sarah
Nicholas
Erin
Maria


Yes, I agree with you. I do think kids are spoiled by too much tv and video games. In fact I am not going to have video games for my kids. I confess that I like to play them on the computer. They are fun. But children are becomming lazy and greedy because of them. Kids need to be outside playing soccer. I hope to be a soccer mom. Media is hurting our children today. And they are saying that there are so many commercials that sell material junk and unhealthy food. Have you seen Super Size Me? Also childhood obesity is at an all time high. I will not get my kids McDonalds either. I will show my chidren Christian cartoons such as Veggie Tales. I look forward to taking them to Sunday school where they can play nice with others. I plan to send them to camp like Boy Scouts and/or Girl Scouts, Christian camp, 4H etc. I am in the Library now since my computer is stolen and I just heard preschool songs in the other room where children were dancing and clapping hands. It was so darling and sweet! Of course I plan to take them to the Library too. You get the idea of what kind of mom I will be. Have you ever seen Wife Swap! What a great Parenting 101 show! I want to be a middle of the road type parent, not to loose or too strict but probably leaning more towards the more disciplined, provided that my depression doesn't cause me to slack off on my rules. Well anyway I better stop rambling. I could go on all day as having children is my biggest dream of all time. I will pray for your nieces and nephews.

O dear Lord, give these children opportunities for learning about your love. Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world! Have the parents give the children fun, healthy Christian alternatives that they would enjoy as well instead of the junk that is entertaining them. Help them to learn morals that are true and right. I ask of you in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

God Bless You Jerina

Your sister in Christ

Janet


Posted by: JeriRose12

Thanks for the prayers, Janet.

But you have to watch what they teach at the library, too. It might be demonic (new age or witchcraft over tones), or it might be teaching children vain philosiphies of men, such as the thinking that says everything is relavtive or situational ethics (as in, it depends on the situation what right or wrong is). What they need is a solid foundation of what's right and what's wrong.

Most of what they watch is good, clean fun (like "Full House" or "Little House on the Prarie"), but my concern is the HOURS they spend doing it. They get in my apartment, and within a minute the TV is on or they ask if they can watch a movie. I have gotten used to "quiet time" -- being quiet before the Lord or listening to the sounds around me. In my old apartment, I would open the window and listen to the birds sing and spend time with Jesus. This need for constant sound really disturbs me. It's like they can't survive without it. Someitmes, I play praise music all night long, but that is to keep a covering and an anointing in here. And that will only build the spirit man.

What is the "Wife Swap" show about? I have never seen it. I mostly watch
TBN or DayStar or I watch "Doc," in which a man got saved last week (!!! !!!) if I understood it correctly and "Sue Thomas FBI." I used to watch "7th Heaven," which some Christians say has too much dating and kissing....but I'm not sure when it's on now. And, I love "Little House on the Prarie," "Touched by an Angel," and I used to watch, "Doctor Quin, Medicine Woman." But if you watch every one of those EVERY DAY, man, that's a LOT of hours with TV and not with the Lord. Occassionally, I watch "Smallville," though some would say I shouldn't because aliens are demons and Superman is basically an alien. I like Perry Mason movies, too. Anyway.... it's the way we (though I'm much improved) can't seem to live without it or the video games or a movie on. To me a media fast is MUCH HARDER than a food fast.

Well, better get out of this post and spend time with the Lord or post in the fasting thread.

This is one of the areas I am fasting about, too. And what I am really saying is, this is just one more distraction from the Lord and one more thing replacing him in our/their lives.

~JeriRose~
Finding HIM in 2005


Posted by: Street Preacher

Those were our baby siters that our parents hired years earlier, now we are reaping what we sowed.

Plus someone can turn it off, turn it off. that easy.
well maybe after Star Trek is coming on, oh no can't miss the news,
8 o clock movie.

you see I got stuck into this trap also.

those networks that are christian, well it's better read and study the world.

We need a book club on here. pray about it
maybe I should ask Pastor Jerry frist.


Posted by: Christian mom

Praying in agreement with you.


God bless.


Posted by: sandraB

im in ageement with you. i also have three teenagers. we dont watch alot of tv .but the cd players with headphones realy get me. and although we listen to mostly k-love there are some groups i realy dont aree with their type of music. i have an 8 year old that likes video games ,but he is just as happy to play with cars. i do have a nephew that is about 95 percent blind and he plays those games until his head hurts. as he has to put his face on the tv. so please remember the kids in my family to. too many to name. thank you.


Posted by: FriendOfGod

Quote:
Originally Posted by JeriRose12
Thanks for the prayers, Janet.

But you have to watch what they teach at the library, too. It might be demonic (new age or witchcraft over tones), or it might be teaching children vain philosiphies of men, such as the thinking that says everything is relavtive or situational ethics (as in, it depends on the situation what right or wrong is). What they need is a solid foundation of what's right and what's wrong.

Most of what they watch is good, clean fun (like "Full House" or "Little House on the Prarie"), but my concern is the HOURS they spend doing it. They get in my apartment, and within a minute the TV is on or they ask if they can watch a movie. I have gotten used to "quiet time" -- being quiet before the Lord or listening to the sounds around me. In my old apartment, I would open the window and listen to the birds sing and spend time with Jesus. This need for constant sound really disturbs me. It's like they can't survive without it. Someitmes, I play praise music all night long, but that is to keep a covering and an anointing in here. And that will only build the spirit man.

What is the "Wife Swap" show about? I have never seen it. I mostly watch
TBN or DayStar or I watch "Doc," in which a man got saved last week (!!! !!!) if I understood it correctly and "Sue Thomas FBI." I used to watch "7th Heaven," which some Christians say has too much dating and kissing....but I'm not sure when it's on now. And, I love "Little House on the Prarie," "Touched by an Angel," and I used to watch, "Doctor Quin, Medicine Woman." But if you watch every one of those EVERY DAY, man, that's a LOT of hours with TV and not with the Lord. Occassionally, I watch "Smallville," though some would say I shouldn't because aliens are demons and Superman is basically an alien. I like Perry Mason movies, too. Anyway.... it's the way we (though I'm much improved) can't seem to live without it or the video games or a movie on. To me a media fast is MUCH HARDER than a food fast.

Well, better get out of this post and spend time with the Lord or post in the fasting thread.

This is one of the areas I am fasting about, too. And what I am really saying is, this is just one more distraction from the Lord and one more thing replacing him in our/their lives.

~JeriRose~
Finding HIM in 2005


For me a food fast would be harder. It kind of bothered me about others saying that a media fast isn't really a fast. Anyway, I don't watch a lot of TV except for certain shows. To keep costs down, I don't have cable. I watch mostly DVD movies on my TV. I love the shows that you mentioned. They are mostly from Pax TV. I like Its a Miracle. If I had cable I would watch PAX. I agree that even too much good TV is not right for kids since it makes them sedentary. What happened to the good old playground? Get ready for something shocking. The Gontarek Household: My friend Dolly, also daughter of Belinda Gontarek has a nephew. Becky is her sister, mother of the child, whose name is Triston. Becky had him when she was 14 years old! Now Becky is 21 and Triston 6. Often, Rachel has to babysit Triston. Triston no longer lives with the Gontareks since Becky moved out, but when he was living there and when he visits he was watches TV almost all day. I don't think it is right for Rachel to watch TV all day either. She watches too many soaps and Lifetime Television. I have been getting on her to get a life and a job. I help her get practice by taking her to the Assisted Living facility where I volunteer. Anyway, as if it weren't bad enough for Triston to watch too much Nikelodeon and Disney Channel, he often sits and watches the TV when the adults or older kids put on Rated R movies. He plays video games, not the cartoon kind either. He plays violent rated Teen and Yes, Joey's Grand Theft Auto III for Playstation 3 Rated Mature! Step Grandad is cool! Belinda Gontarek, his grandmother even asked me to get him a rated teen movie for him for Christmas! It doesn't surprise me that there is a lot of strife in this household. Children, friends and family kids, ranging from 4 to 15 often come over to escape from their strict parents to Aunt or great Aunt Belinda's House for Fun Weekends! I'm trying not to laugh, but you are probably familiar with redneck jokes. TV addicts, they are. The Gontareks live out in a semi-rural area. They have parties there. Joey and Belinda's idea. Forgive me for rambling on, Sorry if I crossed the line into Gossip. I'm just telling you how it is. All I can do is pray for this family.
Oh, by the way, Wife Swap is on ABC on Wednesday nights at 10. You should try it. I would like to see them do a wife swap between Belinda and a wife from a rich snobby family with class, classical music, and strict rules. LOL! Kinda would be similar to last week's episode! I won't be able to watch it this Wednesday, due to my Media fast. God Bless You.

Your sister in Christ

Janet


Posted by: MarkSentMe

Last night, about 10 minutes 'til dinner, the power went off. WHAT A BLESSING!! Dinner, luckily, had finished cooking. We ate by candle light and my son and daughter snuggled on the couch and read by flash-light. It was so quiet and peaceful. We talked about how people in the olden days did everything without electricity and went to bed when the sun went down. It was pretty cold last night so the kids slept under extra blankets.
We have one TV in our house that we all watch. My parents think we're nuts because they have a TV in every room. My daughter has an old TV in her room with a VCR and an old PlayStation hooked up to it. She rarely even watches it because it's not hooked up to cable. Every once in a while they get on a kick to play a few of the video games non-stop. The games are rated E, as they have to be appropriate for my 4 year old to play. Mostly they enjoy going outside when the weather is nice.
I bought a closet-full of board games and we try to pull those out to play instead of video games; this way we all can play. My son has recently discovered the joy of Lite Brite and will spend hours putting the pegs in to create pictures.
My kids like the Veggie Tales videos. They are Bible stories geared toward children. The animation is superb and the songs are catchy-addictive!
Having alternatives to the same-ol' same-ol' is important. I find that if I let my son watch hours of mindless TV, he will. But if I offer coloring books, drawing paper, puzzles, Hot Wheels cars, board games, a trip to the playground or public library, or an outside game of horse shoes or bacci he will enjoy them just as much.


Posted by: JeriRose12

I found this thread, and I realize I have become kind of addicted on TV lately. I am so tired when I get home, I often babysit myself with it. I often conk out in front of the TV. When it became hard to feel God as I sought Him, I started watching more TV. The last couple weeks it's been the Olympics, so I kept falling alseep during that. At least that's over now. Yesterday, I felt so wiped out, I was watching TLC, just vegging, in between a little bit of packing to move. I can't pack everything, yet, because I need some of it out, and I'm not sure when the move in date is. So I did some packing and watched "House Flip," "What Not to Wear," "While You Were Out," and "Trading Spaces." I'm telling on myself now. Yesterday, it was that or sleep. I am SO tired with eveything going on! Anyway, pray that I can break this addiction, too.

~JeriRose~
Finding HIM in 2006