Television is a wonderful medium of communication, valuable in many respects. It affords a wide range of educational opportunities – many of which one otherwise would never be able to access. But this “highway of information” is not necessarily a “highway of holiness” (Isaiah 35:8).
It is also one of the most dangerous venues of intellectual contamination. In these days, the minds of most children are infiltrated and shaped by the programmes they watch on the TV. Let us not forget that the most precious possession that a youngster has is his mind. The mind (sometimes designated as the “heart” in biblical vocabulary) is that faculty of the human being out of which “choices” emanate, and thus that which controls the direction of one’s life. Little wonder, then, that Solomon cautioned, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Parents must not leave their children to watch TV programmes indiscriminately. They must strive to protect their children from the dangers of TV.
Some of the Dangers of TV
1. It mesmerizes and feeds the subconscious with corrupt values.
2. It desensitizes children’s minds and affects their discernment.
3. It creates godless heroes and promotes their godless problem solving methods.
4. It provides great temptation to sin, and this robs children of their innocence.
5. It promotes violent behaviour.
6. It breaks down interpersonal communication.
7. It creates a false idea of the needs of life and deprives them of moderation.
8. It fuels the imagination with negative images, and breeds unreal fear.
9. It creates an appetite for worldly entertainment.
10. It feeds the desire for supernatural and occult power.
11. It can be habit-forming, and often addictive in nature.
12. It distracts them from reality and responsibility.
2. It desensitizes children’s minds and affects their discernment.
3. It creates godless heroes and promotes their godless problem solving methods.
4. It provides great temptation to sin, and this robs children of their innocence.
5. It promotes violent behaviour.
6. It breaks down interpersonal communication.
7. It creates a false idea of the needs of life and deprives them of moderation.
8. It fuels the imagination with negative images, and breeds unreal fear.
9. It creates an appetite for worldly entertainment.
10. It feeds the desire for supernatural and occult power.
11. It can be habit-forming, and often addictive in nature.
12. It distracts them from reality and responsibility.
Guidelines to Protect You Children from the Dangers of TV
The following guidelines will be ver useful in protecting your children
from the dangers mentioned above:
1. It is recommended that children not watch TV more than one hour, at the most, each day.
2. Do not permit children to have a personal TV in their room; you cannot monitor what they watch when they are isolated from your supervision.
3. Do not allow children to watch TV at meal times. Parents and youngsters should engage in meaningful conversation that builds up family togetherness at these times.
4. Do not allow your children to watch TV if they have failed to do their homework (either their school lessons or their preparation for Bible classes).
5. Do not permit your youngsters to spend hours playing video games. These will take their toll on their reasoning skills.
6. Do not allow your children to watch TV without monitoring what they are watching. TV, these days, overflows with graphic lewdness and undisguised propaganda, the design of which is to break down moral barriers. Remember, the crop “harvested” will be the results of the “seed” that is sown, and your child’s mind is the “field”.
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