Saints' Discussion Forums

This thread is to begin a series of excerpts and comments on the spiritual benefits on giving up television, and how there can be and normally are moral requirements that this be done.

I'll be drawing from basic Catholic moral teaching, the work of Fr. Frank Poncelet, who founded Our Lady's Apostolate of No TV, and many other sources, including some recent saints as well as past.

If one expects the saints of all ages to have little to say about this matter, one would be wrong. The fundamental morality and spiritual law they express deals with it directly, and so too there is their spiritual condemnation even after their departure from this earth.. But too.. there what might not be expected, prophecies, and further..

For example, I read that Padre Pio would forbid people to have television sets.

And I have heard it said, though I have little information about this, that St. Elizabeth Ann Seton had a vision in which she saw a black box in every American home, through which the devil entered.

I think some of the people here who love these saints might appreciate knowing this.

And we'll be avoiding dealing with specific secular material on TV, for a variety of reasons, including the general immorality, but also because this is a discussion forum for spiritual topics not secular. For the holy, not the profane. So we won't be dealing with specific television shows normally, we won't be discussing them. We won't be trying to discern about this particular show or that particular show.

Letting that which is impure and immodest not so much as even be named among Christians. (cf. Ephesians 5:3)

For spiritual health, for all Catholics without regard, it's generally best to give up movies and television entirely.

To quote a priest..

"A priest's primary duty is to save souls; he is responsible for prevailing moral atttitudes in his parish and specifically for the salvation of his parishioners' souls. . . The priest, then must come to an honest recognition of the primary avenue to the destruction of souls in his Catholic homes, as that window to the world of immorality -- the television set. And he must continually point out to his parishioners that acceptance of TV entertainment is simply not compatible with the Christian life of spirituality."

"The disintegration of real Catholic culture has been a slow process begun two generations back. It happens to be co-incident with the degradation of TV fare, which began its downward slide with the inception of the medium, and accelerated that trend at a precipitous rate from the 1960s onward."

"Thanks to the constant depiction -- in an entertainment mode -- of immoral acts. . . presentations once considered scandalous, perverse, and unfit for consideration by self-respecting people, now pass for commonplace, acceptable fare even among those claiming religious convictions."

"Such programming is often criticized mildly as being crude, in bad taste, or even as awful -- but hardly ever is it called sinful."

"James Drummey, in a recent question/answer column in The Wanderer wrote "Even the best intentioned Catholics can become desensitized. . . if they watch these portrayed on televisions in a favorable light, night after night in their own homes."

"We cannot hide from basic Catholic moral laws forever. And the sins that are most easily committed, and which involve most "grievous matter" are also the sins most exploited on television -- those against chastity and purity."

Fr. Frank Poncelet

People who give up television and movies, normally see a gigantic leap forwards in their spiritual lives. People caught in ruts, spinning their wheels, making slow to no progress -- give up the television.. And grace returns.

Spiritual progress becomes possible again. And there's a reason for this.

Give it up.. replace it with something, anything good.. And you'll see results.

Our entertainment media, in all forms, is full of troubles.. We have to limit it severely, even what little of it is truly innocent. Again, Fr. Poncelet:

"The Lord's day -- not only is Mass attendance required, but other forms of religious activity must be planned. And, we might say, spiritual "togetherness" in the family is expected."

"Relaxing in the evening, hours spent in front of the "tube" are just not compatible with Our Lord's expectations from a Catholic family or an individual's home."

"For all of us, even morally permissible entertainment is expected to be limited. Leisure does not mean being constantly entertained."

"Planning is necessary in order to live each day with its spiritual relationship to God, because such promises were made at our Baptism and renewed in Confirmation."

Fr. Frank Poncelet

Detaching from television can be very difficult, showing how it is a vice.

But it can be done, never fear!  :D

To continue, basically, post by post, this thread should cover the various reasons why one should give up TV, moral, psychological, spiritual, physical, etc. giving as broad a coverage as possible to help people cross over the bridge, and shore up and bolster the progress made when it may possibly weaken or slacken.

The benefits of giving up television to the spiritual life are many and great so there is much positive reinforcement to help resist falling back into a regular television habit.

There're relatively few people on this earth who has not developed this habit, so do not fear, you are not alone in having to work to overcome it, to think through the process, and come to a greater understanding of why it is better off to do without.

This series of posts is to help support people who need help -- which is, practically, everyone.

To provide support and understanding for the sake of our souls.  :crucifix:

Now I know there are some people are are very selective about what they watch on television and what they allow to be watched. We'll cover this step by step, and all that factors to consider about this method as the thread progresses in time.  :D

Yes, other than PBS-Jane Austin movies I just like to watch Vintage (1920s-1950s) movies and Saints lives DVDs. How about those?

Before I gave up TV I started first by limiting the amount of time I watched it and which programs I viewed.
Even out of the few remaining things that I watched I began to see that these too had their flaws (and even dangers). Eg, I used to love watching wildlife documentaries and political discussion programs but the main concern with both of these was the fact that they were presented (without exception) from an atheistic perspective and I eventually came to the conclusion that the overriding purpose of all TV (even in the presentation of programs with "religious" themes) is the destruction of faith and a subtle type of brainwash that (almost without realizing it)  can/will make one become accepting of attitudes and  philosophies which are in contradiction to ones faith.

The full realization of this (for me) only occurred when I gave up the box completely. I truly believe that it is impossible to progress in ones spiritual life while being exposed to a totally worldly perception of reality.
One will reach a certain level of spiritual growth from which there can be no further advance because this growth in the right direction will constantly be checked by the irreligion of those who have the power of deciding what we should watch.

The most difficult obstacle (I found) to overcome is the thought of, "My, how boring life will be without TV," but this too is only another lie of the evil one. Life is much better without TV, much more serene, much more conducive to prayer, causes far less moodiness, makes one think more clearly on all issues, gives one more hours in the day for better things, stops the hankering after material things, allows one to live more easily in the awareness of the presence of God, neutralizes the enemies most potent weapon, makes ones sleep more peaceful, allows one to progress more easily in the moderating of other appetites and this is to mention only a few.  :D

I often wonder how I ever survived while watching TV. I have no hesitation in calling it the curse of the 20th/21st century and I know now why in our time we don't have the saints we had in the past. But we will, when everyone gets wise to the counter saint machine which is the television.
So come on everyone. Jump on-board. There's absolutely nothing to loose but all to gain.  :angelbell:
Haha.. I'm beginning to sound like one of those TV evangelists.  ;D

Signed,
Ex TV lover.  :cheers: 

Well, basically Brigid, what Martin said.  :D  :cheers:  ;D

I tried instead of giving up television, to only go to the oldies. . I think that's actually a normal step.  

But the culture of the TV was not the Catholic culture, and all its worldview, reactions, etc. sink in.. and change us, and prevent us from changing..

And too I remember running into problems on religious television programs and movies. Problems which I had been desensitized to before.. but which in the giving up process I began to see had been included in these works.

And I am convinced that what I saw were problems was only a part of the problems there.. I could not find and see it all..

There's also the medium itself and issues with the viewing habit in and of itself..

Step by step hopefully we'll give comprehensive coverage here to help..   :D

The only TV I watch is sports with my dad.  Sometimes I am tempted to watch the news but I can't stand to watch it for very long--it's really negative most of the time.

Drama shows? I haven't watched one in years, probably not since the late 90s.
Comedy? It's all dumb and trashy now.
Game shows? I used to really like those but now they're all either cheap American Gladiators ripoffs or else so soaked in schaudenfreude that they are toxic.
News? Like I said--it's either sad or vicious. This past week the local 10 o clock news had a piece in which a doctor started talking about a female surgical operation on the air. And he brought out a model. Not even the local programs are safe anymore.

If only there were more good news out there.. But then rather than going to TV to find good news.. finding it in life, living out the good news.. that's really something.

 ;D

My eyes have been shifting away from this thread for a while now. Today, Sunday, I could not avoid it any longer and so have read it, prayerfully. I can honestly say that I feel like it was directed at me!
I see only too clearly the need to give up television entertainments and movies.  I will  give them all up. I have no idea how but I know that with prayers all things are possible. I want to really thank you Shin for starting this thread. May God reward you abundantly :crucifix:

God bless you I pray and keep you odhiambo!

You will be in my regular prayer intentions for this cause!

It's a struggle I know, but the cleanness of the life different truly helps one hold onto the new way of living as you adjust to it.

Eucharistic Adoration helps with it.. even online on the computer, adoring Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is a great source of grace for changes.  ::)

O my goodness, that vision of St. Elizabeth Seton rattled me.  I actually once had a scary dream, a couple years ago, that the devil was on my television screen.  I don't watch much - Jeopardy (you learn things), occasional mysteries, and checking the weather (I'm a weather/storm watcher.)  I don't know if I can give this up completely in spite of everything, but going to work on it.     

Remember not to simply try, it's so easy to get caught up in trying -- but to simply -- do!

That's the true step forwards, the clean break!

Praying for you Susanna!

God give you strength! The Lord keep you! Heaven help you, Our Lady and the angels and the saints.  :D

Thank you so much Shin, the great encourager!  NO tv today, Monday.   :)

One day at a time. :D

Each day, successfully, no-TV is a triumph!

And day by day it gets easier and you find other things to do with your time.

When do you guys have time to watch TV?   ???

 :happyroll:  :rotfl: :rotflblue:

:biggrin: :rotflblue: :rotfl:

I am restricting my T.V watching to the news channels at the moment, especially with so much going on all over the world  :)

Ha ha ha. ;D :biggrin:

Step by step odhiambo, step by step!

Don't be nervous! You can survive without it! Do your best!

I keep rereading Martin's post, and getting more out of it.

 :D

Next follows two letters to Fr. Poncelet, from homeschooling mothers, on the subject of giving up TV.

"I remember the day well when we stopped TV in our home. I had become concerned there was more evil than good on TV. So, on December 6, 1994, Feast of St. Nicholas, a patron Saint of children, we unplugged the TV with the intention of leaving it that way. Later we moved it from our living room and hid it in a corner of another room. Eventually, we removed it from our home.

My children were at first kind of in shock.  I explained to them that there was just too much evil on it, and that Satan is working through television very much. All faces looked downwards at the idea of not seeing TV again. TV had been an addiction, so stopping watching it was like going through withdrawal.

No one knew what to do about it at first. But slowly life became normal for everyone (not life revolving around TV). We now have time for praying (always family Rosary for protection and help), reading (evidence shows that the brain takes in and retains more from a book than from an educational TV program), dreaming, imagining, pretending, playing, and working. It's like a heavy load has been lifted, or a ball-and-chain removed. We realize more and more what a waste of time TV had been. We learned that there is much more to life. All the evils of TV are now not entering and polluting our minds. We would not let evil in our front door, so why have a TV in our home?

I really do see the blessings that have come from living without TV. God knows what we gave up! And I believe He has blessed us many times over. We were even blessed with the best gift of all; a little boy was born on, of all days, December 6, 1996 - two years to the day after we gave up television."

- Sue, in Wisconsin

"I am a homeschool mom of two: a grade-schooler and a teen-ager, and have been educating for five years. A few years ago we moved from another state, and in the process, sold our television. We lived with my parents for a year and a half before finding our own home. During the time with my parents, we continued watching TV. The children would spend hours viewing when ever they weren't in school, and I would stay up late at night watching whatever came on.

Not only did we waste a good deal of precious, God-given time, but much of what we ended up seeing was inappropriate. Once we moved to our own home, we cut television out of our daily lives. I had many offers for free TVs, but I knew that our (especially, my) waste of time must end. Thus, our home became TV-less.

The benefits in the past two years have been numerous and enlightening. The children have learned to develop other interests, including reading, music, homemaking skills, crafts, and outdoor activities. . .

Having no television has also been very beneficial for school. Because they have not been spending hours in a sedentary, mind-draining activity, they sleep better and have a more alert mind the next day. The children's concentration on studies is greater.

Peace has pervaded our home. We are no longer held captive by programs, media, and the one-eyed monster. It is not the center of our lives. Our minds are clear, our thinking uninhibited. We think for ourselves - not what the networks want us to believe. . .

The only television I miss is an occasional evening news and weather program. Some days, after a lot of hard, physical work, it would be nice to sit down to a program. The feeling usually passes after a few minutes, though. I also feel a bit left out when something major is going on, and it is not covered well on the radio. Despite these few human desires, our decision to keep television out of our home has been a blessing."

- A homeschool mother from Minnesota

The bolding is what I added for emphasis, what struck me.

"But I knew that our (especially, my) waste of time must end."

You are right Shin.
Tiny toddler steps by tiny toddler steps it will be.
Will get there though.
All things are possible through prayer. :crucifix:

Very impressing!

Step by step!

I remember my first Confession. . . it felt like a gigantic weight had been lifted off my soul. And so too, my body.. I felt like the air. . .  :crucifix:

And I have found getting rid of television is similar to this. Day by day, without television, life improves. The temptation will come to indulge.. but the farther it goes into the past, the less tempting it is, and the more it acquires a quality which makes it unpleasant to recall and go near.. I recognize more the passions and emotions it incited, were ones that should not have been allowed at all.

The mind thinks more clearly.. the soul prays more easily..

People who have troubles with distractions during prayer, troublesome thoughts, with spiritual attacks, dark and troublesome.. giving up television these people will find great relief. And perhaps, too, in giving it up, find some of the answer as to why their previous prayers to have the distractions removed were not more largely fulfilled.

It is clear from what I have seen, the fallen angels lose a great deal of power over the soul that gives up television, and this is shown in the spiritual life, and all of life in many ways.

 :rotfl:  For me it's called retirement!   :littlepigeons: :teaandcoffee:

:happyroll:

That too!

Before going further.  . .

A quote for the hour.

'Show me the icons that you venerate, that I may be able to understand your faith.'

St. John of Damascus

That is so profound Shin.
Like..  show me your friends and I will know the kind of person you are.

I saw this thread last night and just received this story in an email a few minutes ago:


A few years after  I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small  Texas town.  From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our  family.  The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on.  

As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family.  In my young mind, he had a special niche.  My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me  to obey.  But the stranger...he was our storyteller.  He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies.  

If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future!  He took my family to the first major league ball game.  He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind.  

Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go  to the kitchen for peace and quiet. (I wonder now if she ever  prayed for the stranger to leave.)  

Dad  ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the  stranger never felt obligated to honor them.  Profanity,  for example, was not allowed in our home... Not from us, our  friends or any visitors.  Our longtime visitor, however,  got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush.  My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol...  But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular Basis.  He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes  distinguished.  

He talked freely (much too freely!) about men and women.  His comments were sometimes blatant,  sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing.  

I now know that my early concepts about  relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger.  Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked... And NEVER asked to leave.  

More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family.  He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first.  Still, if you could walk into my parents' den today, you  would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for  someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his  pictures.

His name?.... .. .    



We just  call him 'TV.'

(Note: This  should be required reading for every household!)

He has a wife  now....We call her 'Computer.'  

[mod edit: minor edit for formatting/word replacement for modesty]

Good to see you Reginator!

I like the image you have chosen a good deal! That's one of the old holy cards!

I remember reading what you've just posted, in the past too! It certainly arrived in a timely fashion didn't it?

Reminding us by contrast and comparison.. of the moral issues involved..

If I recall correctly, Fr. Poncelet once made the comparison of a painting. . .

The images on the television flash by too quickly for the mind to fully process before they have had their affect on the soul. . . this is of the gravest importance in dealing with it on the moral level. . .

But take those images. . . and stop them, then take one of them, and make it a painting. . . and hang it on your wall, to be there, every day.

Would you feel comfortable, doing so, one might ask? In general, no, if your conscience has not been too dulled.

So then.. how can you let it appear, even briefly, in the first place?

Would you wish it on your wall, if Our Lord were to come visit your home?

If the Lord were to come visit. . .

And.. is not the home to be a place suitable for Our Lord always to dwell and be welcome within?

And your guardian angel. . . And those of your family.. ?

What would Heaven think, looking down on you, watching you, as you watch. . . and react, to the images, that you are the cause of, you are responsible for, being displayed in your home? Entering into your memories? Having a place in Creation.. and the history of your life. . .

The record of which, will always be there. . .

That is quite powerful. I personally gave up T.V. towards the end of last year. Sometimes, if my family is downstairs with me and they turn the T.V. on, I won't leave the room...but I'll turn it off as soon as they leave.

 I find that life is much more peaceful without worrying about which shows will come on at what time. It makes you reconsider what is really important. Is it really important that I'm home at 7 to watch show 'so and so?' Is it more important than my family and obligations? My prayers?

Also, I find that it is extremely easy to become...obsessive about fictional stories. They can easily consume one's thoughts and feelings. I have even very gradually started to turn away from secular, fictional books to only religious books. I found that with fictional books, just like T.V. shows, I became obsessive about the story. It would invade my drawings, my thoughts, I would think if I was in the story...Instead of thinking of Our Lord.

I honestly feel as though Shin hit the spot on what we watch, and even what we read. How would we act if we knew that Heaven can see every single thing we do and every reaction we have? How would we act if we remembered that Our Guardian Angel sees everything we do and relays it to The Lord Almighty? I'm sure people would strive to be much more holy.

We don't do bad things when our parents our around, but what about Our Heavenly Father? Isn't he always watching?

I am very happy to read this.

Not only the television, but the books. . .

 :+:

Thanks be to God from whom all blessings flow. . .

This is how it should be.  :crucifix:

The holy and clean life. I wish to say more about the good of giving up the books too. And how helpful this is for the soul and against the fallen angels.

Thanks be to the Lord Our Shepherd from whom all blessings flow, for his graces.. God keep us poor souls.

Reginator, I liked reading the story.  This is drawing me very close to getting rid of cable. I have downsized it to the basic family channels, but I find even those contrary to family values.  My younger girls are quite surprisingly open to the idea not having tv. But my boy wonders what are we going to do when we are bored. My oldest barely watches anyway. The only thing I would miss is the weather forecast and news.

Living in N. Ireland that's the least thing I miss haha.  :D

Welcome Reginator and Maria Margaret. Great to hear from you both.  :happywave:

Yes... the books, magazines and even newspapers can be full of compromises for the catholic. There seems to be nothing safe anymore and the best way is to divorce from them completely. What peace that brings.  :)  :seraphim:

'The spirit of the world is restless and eager to do all things; leave that spirit alone.'

St. Vincent de Paul

I'm down to 1-2 hours of tv in the last 2 weeks.  It's a lifelong vice I have to break.  Getting news (Christian stations) and weather on line is much better. 

Hello Reginator (I love that story) and Mary Margaret.   :)

The girl who has no time for television (see above  ;D) is now glued to the playoff games!  :hockeysaint: 
Mea Culpa!

Hi Reginator and welcome  :)
I too loved your post. There is a t.v ( rugby) addict  in the house and I called him to read your post.
I am getting along fairely. Just brief periods of news. Even  EWTN which I had started watching, I have stopped because I realised  the reason behind it was wrong. It was still the need to watch t.v that was driving me to EWTN.
That came out all muddled  ;D
I hope someone understood what I am trying to get across  ;D

No no, I completely understand! That's exactly it! Exactly! :D

God keep you odhiambo! I empathize and understand!   :littlewings:

I've found the fight vs. the TV is something that the lessons from can carry over to other areas of life too.  :D

I have learned that if you don't have a TV, people try to give you one of theirs!  They say, "We have an old one in the basement.  The kids never watch it.  You can have it."   

A friend once asked me to think about this:  What are your priorities in life?  What did you do today?  If the two are different, then you are lying to yourself.  Watching TV is not one of my priorities.

It is great to hear that mtndwellar  :)
It used to be mine for years until this thread jolted me to my senses.
Those who offer to give out their old sets never stop to think that the lack of a T.V. may actually be from choice rather that lack of means.  :)

I was talking yesterday with some relatives and the subject turned to TV.
When I told them I didn't have a TV they seemed aghast but after some discussion (and to cut a long story short) they've decided to try giving up TV 2 days per week.
A step in the right direction I think that could lead to a new awareness of the waste of time that it is.

I was thinking that if we could convince one person to give up tele, and in turn if they could convince one person to do the same, it could start a revolution.  :D

A great idea, martin,  like the "Pay it forward" movie I watched some years back. Considering how a T.V set is one of the  very first things bought  with the very first salaries,  acheiving the goal would be a "herculean task", but ,as a Chinese philosopher once said ,"a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"
Congratulations on the successful first step  :thumbsup:

Someone pat me on the back. ;D

A few days back my tv volume stopped working so we stopped watching tv for about a week and I really started liking the feel of it. We were sleeping on time, getting more chores done, children were reading and writing more, and there wasn't that constant noise and running to change channels if anything inappropriate was showing.  So today the big decision. I cancelled cable completely. Im returning the box back to the tv people. Just figured out how to pull out the last wires in order to give the last and proper burial.  :biggrin: Saves me about $60 a month and so many multiple benefits that come with it. :cheers:

Good show Patricia  :thumbsup:
Congratulations!
You will get a hug from me but where on earth is the 'hug'? Shin?
Well, next time you will certainly get one. For now, we will make do with this  :rejoice:

Thank you Odhiambo!!   ;D  I am ashamed but because of the extra time on my hands with children not watching tv I realized that my 8 year old needs to work on her multiplication. Now she has time to do it. :thumbsup:

Patricia, you are so brave to do this. It is so counter-cultural!

 :angelbell: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: Congratulations Patricia!!!  :cheers: :cheers:  :cheers: :angelbell:

 :rejoice:

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Welcome to the real world Patricia. So much more to see and enjoy when  not at the mercy of those who wish to decide what you see and here.

May the Lord reward you with many years of unclouded thinking.   :D

Thank you all!  At times I feel like sitting in front of the tv, then the temptation leaves because there is nothing there and I just end up doing something more productive. ;D

Without the box the temptation gets weaker and shows itself for what it really is!  ;D

Benefits of giving up television for me:

1) Sleeping on time. Getting 1-2 hrs extra sleep at night :sleepie:  Zzzz
2) Children read and write to keep themselves busy.  :biggrin:
3) They use their imagination to play games rather than let the television control their imagination.
4) Family members end up talking more to each other rather than being glued to the box. Even if they are fighting and yelling and laughing it is still communication  :D
5) When we are free and gravitate toward the tv and realise it is not there we automatically move toward a book and start reading  ;D
6) Extra time to say the Rosary and family prayers.  :crucifix:
7) Homework done readily because there is nothing else to do. :biggrin:
8) House is cleaner because the extra time is used to clean and keep busy.

I could go on................but I'll stop now  :happywave: :thrones:

P.S.  And yes, I'm sure God thinks this is a good spiritual step for me!  :angelblue:

Ah Patrcia, you're reaping the benefits already and there's plenty more to come..  :D

Greetings everyone.   :)
I think I will try to give it up for Lent.  You would think that after a bad dream I had about TV, that I would have given it up completely (demon on the screen looking out at viewers.)  But I didn't. 
There isn't much there, but I am kind of hooked on the murder mystery news shows like Dateline. 
Should one give up EWTN also?  Is it just as bad to be glued to the computer for hours?  Not sure.

Thanks.
Glory to Jesus Christ.     :crucifix:

I have a television, but rarely use it. I do still use it on occasion; I like a good football game from time to time, and I'll use it to watch a DVD once in a while (films like The Sound of Music, Jesus of Nazareth, The Passion etc.), but all in all I've pretty much let it go.

To tell you the truth, I've really learned to enjoy silence. I like when things are quiet because it (the silence) provides me with a golden opportunity to grow closer to the Lord. Things like television, a lot of music, computer games etc., disrupt my solitude, and frankly, are flat out irritating these days (I even get a bit agitated when the tenants on the floor beneath me have THEIR television volume turned up to the point where I can hear it).
 
Television, music and most music, seems so empty and lifeless to me anymore. I prefer to have a conversation with Jesus, Mary, different Saints... it seems so much more fulfilling.

None of that happened over night.

I remember praying to Jesus and begging (yes I begged and pleaded) for him in his mercy, to allow me to grow closer to him. Then all of a sudden out of the blue my desire for things like television, music, computer games etc. diminished to the point where they no longer really have a place in my life.

Today I prefer to read the Bible or other material that strengthens my faith and helps it to grow. I've been attending daily mass, and I make an effort to pray the Rosary several times a day (I have the fortune of being retired and I am single with no children, so I have the time to do such things), and I have become a lot more reflective.

But it all started out with an earnest prayer, and a disposition to embrace the silence.

I observe new graces since I gave up television. I love the lack of noise!  :D

That is just wonderful.
It is true that the closer one draws to God, the less appealing the pleasures of this world. Television, movies and the lot just takes up so much of one's time, there is none left for the Lord.
I had accumulated a lot movies DVDs, literally hundreds. I lost interest in them, unfortunately I had watched many already. I have since given them away to my sister. I guess I should have just destroyed them, but I guess the flesh is still very much stronger than the spirit  :(
I still have rows of video cassettes in  what I call my study room, not a clue how to dispose of them.

I've been kind of watching this thread and avoided it a couple of times but just the title alone has had me thinking then today I thought I would read through some of the posts. I am encouraged to give this a try. The quote from Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was pretty powerful.

Like others have said I do try to watch many old black and white shows but there isn't always good morals in those either.   I imagine I could get a lot more accomplished

Diana Catherine, that's what I did. Avoided this thread. I made the plunge one day as you can read in my earlier posts. Its been worth it, I must say. :D

A very important decision you have made there, "to give it a try". You know what they say:" A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" You have taken your first step. I wish you all the best as you journey along. ;D

It's a great feeling of freedom to throw things like these away! If you can destroy them, even the give aways, do so!

More than one saint has gathered the people of entire towns for bonfires of material like these.

'Decorum, however, as well as religion, requires that as a Christian, you not allow yourself to sing every sort of song and that you be especially on your guard not to sing indecent songs or those whose words are too explicit or contain double meanings. In a word, it is very unbecoming for a Christian to sing songs that might lead to impiety, that glorify loose living, or that contain expressions and words suggesting that it is an honor and a great pleasure to drink to excess. Besides the fact that it is very uncouth to have these words on your lips, such words might strongly contribute to having someone else fall into such excesses, even if he is not doing so at the moment. Songs can move you with the spirit they contain more strongly than do mere words.'

St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle

'There are amusements that will not be discussed at length here, because they are not at all permitted to Christians, either by the laws of religion or by the rules of decorum. Some of these are ordinarily available only to wealthy people, such as balls, dances, and the comedies of the theater. There are others that are more commonly available to artisans and the poor, such as watching charlatans, clowns, tightrope walkers, puppeteers, and so forth.'

St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle

'Although in the world theater is considered a refined form of amusement, the fact is that it is a shame and an embarrassment to Christianity. In fact, are not those who abandon themselves to this kind of work and make it their profession considered publicly infamous? Can you love a profession that covers with embarrassment those who practice it? Is that art not something infamous and shameful in which the skill of the actors consists in exciting in themselves and in others various shameful passions for which a wellborn person can feel nothing but repulsion?

If there is singing going on, the only airs one hears are those that strengthen these same passions. Is there anything conformable to refinement or to decorum in the costuming, the nudity, and the license taken by actors and actresses? Is there anything in their gestures, their words, and their postures that is not unbecoming for a Christian not only to do but even to see? It is, then, entirely against propriety to take pleasure in this form of amusement.'

St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle

Not a bad idea at all;  I used to read mills and boon, several in a day; even going so far as to put them inside a text book pretending to be studying  :(
I have lots of books now; most not worth keeping.

This says it all.

If it was so in the time of St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle, how much more is this true of our time when no consideration is given to modesty, language or religious sensibility. The more one cuts oneself off from these things the more one realizes how depraved they really were.

Hello.  :)   I had a long painful Lent this year as I only watched TV on Sunday, but now I'm not going back to it either.  The trashiness is so obvious after you've been away for a while.  I'm fighting a Youtube habit now  ;D  but one thing I noticed there - it seems more and more people are fed up with TV! 

I was at a neighbors place today and their tv was on. The constant noise was grating on my nerves since I've got rid of cable.  :D

That is a very good sign Patricia.  :)

And I believe they now have children...they are called "Cellphones"  ;D ;D ;D

 :biggrin:

 ;D

Too true!  ;D

Greetings to all. I'm very pleased to have found this forum and particularly this thread, as I'm fully convinced that television is among the most toxic of all inventions. It was this conviction that led me to read Neil Postman's devastating critique of television, called Amusing Ourselves to Death. Here's an excerpt:


Of those of you in this thread who decided to give up tv, have you since held to this renunciation?

[mod: minor quote edit for content]

Welcome to the forums Alphonsus, Jr.! What a fine name you have there.

Whenever I think of Alphonsus, I think 'Maria'.

I hope you have a great time here and enjoy talking about the inspirations of the saints. This place is a little quieter than some, a little slower pace, but we have our daily cup of coffee and prayers and some holy folks here that can truly bring one a feeling of peace of soul rather than the temporary thrill of conflicts that so often occur elsewhere. I think you'll truly find it a fine place. :D

There're some restrictions on links and some positive encouragements towards virtue in conversation in the announcements I always remind new folks to read. :D

I'm very glad to hear what you have to say about giving up television.

We truly need more folks to get the message out there on it. What an artificial life technology creates.. and the more artificial it is the more it separates us from living the life God designed for us.. The natural family, the natural Christian life, the natural Christian society.. recovering that is a goal we all have to seek so we can live the truly good life.  ;D

Many thanks. I look forward to peaceful and holy discussions.

Welcome to the Saints forum, Alphonsus Jr!  :D

Many thanks, Patricia.  :)

Welcome Alphonsus Jr.

It seems like a good group. Many thanks to all.  :D

It's good to see you here, Alphonsus!  :)

As to the thread...it is quite the challenge! Giving up television was very easy, as there was nothing on it that I found entertaining. Giving up movies will be harder, as there are movies that I feel (but may well be wrong) are done in a very artistic, loving manner, which give glory to God rather than trying to deny His existence.

I would do well to keep this quote in mind, at all times:
Thanks for this thread, Shin!

I am curious if any one here has wanted to give up television but had a family opposed to it?

I myself find the noise horrible and refuse to let my kids watch it after school.  Some days I break down and allow 1/2 hour - but then I find the shows annoying and stupid.

My hubby watches a lot of TV and is not willing to consider getting rid of it.  If I want to spend time with him in the evenings, I need to watch TV.  There are only 2 or 3 shows left I will watch - crime/cop shows all of them - because in them I don't usually have to worry about impurity.

If it was up to me, I would throw it out today.

ANd I find that secular novels - whose plots read like TV series - addict me as much as TV.  I can sit and read for hours.  That will be harder for me to break than the TV habit!  I am having problems finding anything good to read, though.  I have been asking the homeschooling mothers at my TLM what they read and will be taking my recommendations from them.  Secular literature is beginning to bother me like TV does.

I also am struggling with how much time I spend on line.  I read mostly Catholic stuff, but I am currently trying to discern if any of it actually helps me.

This is my first post here - so HI to all of you!  ( I have been lurking for a while.)   

I am debating about giving up other forums that seem to thrive on controversy.

Please, all of you, pray for me.

You have our prayers! Welcome to the forums JoyfulMother!

Very glad to have you here!  :flower:

That 'thriving on controversy'.. I know very well what you mean. Everyone knows how to start it. It draws people in, it makes for more members I think, it does a lot of things.. but...

There's something wrong with it isn't there? No? Something.. quite wrong..

And I know what you mean about the secular books.. After the TV goes, then a rather similar sort of search begins.. Where are there any decent books? .. Oh dear.. You keep and further back.. And still to some degree..

Without the Faith.. Well.. There's a problem. Even some of the olders authors who are Catholics aren't necessarily virtuous enough Catholics to know how to write properly..

There's virtuous entertainment and then there's entertainment by vice.. There's entertainment with virtue as its foundation and that's so rare.. so very rare.. And there's entertainment that seeks to simply stimulate the base passions, rather than having any value in virtue or truly in artistry..

It's like hmm. . nowadays the music, they play intense sounds that stimulate a passion, and then they have no virtue, so they just play it over and over again and wear it out, and make it too much of the one.. The sound may stimulate one passion or another.. and then the words contribute and hmm.. It just doesn't come together for the good of the soul does it? It simply isn't virtuous and good..

The more we stay with the saints.. and surround ourselves with them.. The better we acquire a feel for what is truly virtuous and healthful for the soul and mind and body..

And in this time we are severly overstimulated and overentertained, and escaping from that habit of life, one that is a vice.. well, it can be difficult.

At least here, although we all live far apart, we're all spiritually close in the Communion of Saints and we can support each other in trying to live the simpler more virtuous life.

I'm hoping to move soon. To be able to garden outside again is going to be a great help to me. :D

This is exactly what I have done. There is nothing fruitful in constant arguing and strife. You can be assured of my prayers, JoyfulMother.  :)

Do you do a lot of spiritual reading? I used to devour secular fiction novels in much the same way as you do before I came to the Catholic faith. Since I knew absolutely nothing about Catholicism, I had to do a lot of spiritual reading, and that completely cured me of wanting to read secular novels. They just weren't worth the time to me anymore, when I had so much spiritual reading to catch up on, haha! So that's one possible cure.

As to television, I don't have much advice to give you, other than praying for your spouse. I am not currently married, so it wouldn't be prudent for me to dispense advice on how best to get your husband away from the TV.  ;)

Welcome Stella and Joyful mother.

"My television is the Tabernacle."
Blessed Mother Theresa
 :)

Stella - I grew up devouring secular fiction as a hobby and as an escape from a painful life.  It is now almost like an old addiction that lurks in the background.  Every time I try to give up my excessive time on-line, I end up back with a book.

But lately, I can't find much worth reading.  When I was protestant, I began to realize the harm that romance novels were doing me & my friends & I actually had a bonfire & burned them.  I began reading more action/adventure or mystery books.  BUt more & more, these contain the same types of impurities or descriptions of other evils that I do not want to read.  I miss old fashioned books like Agatha Christie's  Miss Marple or the Perry Mason novels, etc.

I took a big step yesterday in asking the admins of both the other forums I belong to to de-activate my accounts.  I am a little nervous, but I think it is the right thing to do.  I have had the admins put me on a self-imposed ban at times and during those times I did much better.  As soon as the ban was over, I was right back there.  So I am going to cut myself off totally.  Wasting time on line does NOT help me in my vocation as wife and mother.

I also sent an e-mail to my priest asking for a little advice & help with some good Catholic reading to replace my secular reading.  He says my reading of blogs to learn things about the faith is ok, but what I really need is a good Catholic book to replace the on line time with.

So I am beginning this journey of eliminating unhealthy things.

Pray for me, please.

Prayers here! What a good thing to do!

Joyfulmother, There's a very good catholic author nanmed Michael D O'Brien, give him a try.

Well, the admins from both other forums have banned me per my request.

Now I am waiting for an e-mail from my priest on reading to replace blogs &/or on-line reading. 

I am also waiting on an e-mail address & reply from someone before I close down Facebook.

In spite of not being on forums, I can't believe I have already spent 2&1/2 hours reading various blogs this morning!  This last part is going to be the hardest.  I really want a good spiritual reading list and a good books reading list (fiction that is virtuous) that I can begin on.

I am also taking up knitting as a productive hobby that will allow me to make things for others and keep myself occupied.

Continued prayers please as I try to head down this path!  I really need some extra grace and strength to stay off the blogs now that I am off the other forums.

It's amazing how time can slip away using the computer and the Internet.

The Internet always promises something interesting behind the veil of one more click. But is it really rewarding at all, or just an illusion that what you find will be so?

I pray you will receive the grace and strength to detach and to love new things to do. Think of how whatever new tasks you are taking up are virtuous and so please God, and how it pleases Him to see people giving things up for his sake.

There's self indulgence and then there's doing something virtuously and temperantly for God's sake, and the latter is limited always. :D There's recreation for the purpose of refreshing the mind so one can perform one's duties and live virtuously, and then there's self indulgence, and they feel different to me so one can discern not only by facts and thought but how they feel I think..

Maybe Brigid you have some thoughts?

There's nothing like the books of the saints!

Knitting sounds like a great hobby to take up!

I've been trying to learn rosary making lately. :D And the next place I move to I am definitely going to have a space for a garden besides it being more convenient with churches.

I was never a huge t.v. watcher but...I did enjoy a few shows.  After reading the replies I 've been inspired to give up the t.v. I can take it further & cut back on the internet usage as well.  I do love to read & have a lot of ebooks on my devices so I would continue that of course but no longer idle surfing.  Thanks for the inspiration!! :seraphim: 

Hi joyfulmother - Try Island of the world- by Michael D OBrien - the best catholic fiction writer around, all his books are spiritual.

I've never seen the reason for FB.  I think it's dumb in my opinion.  I too, should look at some of the blogs I read.  I may keep 1 or 2 but chuck the rest.  Good ideas JoyfulMother! 

I don't really miss the forums that I had myself banned from, and I am not really using my FB page.  I need to de-activate my account.  I have the option of deleting it permanently, but am a little wary of that.  Maybe b/c it is so permanent.  I may de-activate for 6 months & if I have no inclination to go back, then delete it permanently.

But I have discovered that you can click from one blog post to another and still waste tons of time.

I think Shin said it best:

I am trying to figure out how to deal with this.

I have been given an interesting book list by my priest.  I need to go to the Church library and see what I can find.

I am also going to begin (again) to try to be consistent with my rosary during the month of May.  Is there a thread where we can collect like a rosary bouquet of prayers?Just an idea.

I am considering following some advice I got about ordering your life with a schedule - and I have to be careful so that it is not too rigid b/c of my family - and spending 1/2 hour in prayer & 1/2 hour reading scripture (lectio divina).

Do you think an hour total is unreasonable for a mother of 5 - my kids are in school all day.

Any suggestions to help with the incessant clicking from one post to another or with ordering my life?

Thanks for any help & please keep me in your prayers.

I just revived an old thread on the Rosary , Joyfulmother. Hope it helps and lets keep it going this month of May.

Facing the same issues as you regarding internet use and I'm hoping to cut down a bit. I like FB because I can keep in touch with relatives and friends out of the country but tend to spend valuable time there for no rhyme or reason , sometimes.

I love this thread! I read it last year when I started lurking here, and I bought Airwaves From Hell by Fr. Frank Poncelet because of it.

I've been thinking, reading, and praying about it, and it seems to me that all fiction, regardless of medium, has some of the same problems as television. Of course many stories teach heresy through the storyline, and show scenes of crime and vice while downplaying the revolting aspects, but there are problems even when the content is pure. All of it gives a distorted view of life, since we read fiction to escape our lives; it has been a huge disappointment to learn that the world of real life is not the world of the novel or the movie. Plus, all fiction shows imaginary people suffering (otherwise there's no story), and we feel for them but cannot do anything for them; I think this desensitizes us to real suffering, the way violence on television desensitizes us to real violence. In addition, since nothing happens in real life unless God wills it (the book Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence has been one of the greatest graces I've had since my conversion!), it follows that every work of fiction inevitably, though inadvertently, says something about what kind of situation God would or would not permit. How would God handle a given situation? No one knows, but the fiction writer claims to know.

Then there's the fact that we don't know if a work of fiction teaches heresy, shows impurity or violence, or is otherwise bad, until it's too late; once we read something, we can't un-read it. It remains in our minds forever, to serve as material for future temptations. (One science-fiction short story gave me nightmares for a year.)

But most people think novels are the antidote to out TV-saturated culture, so we're off our guard, even more so when the book calls itself Catholic.

Here are some quotes from saints on the subject:

"To instruct children from pagan books is not only to teach them useless things, it is to take them from God, and sacrifice them to the Demon. What are all these things but wind and smoke?"

St. Augustine

"These are those who would not think of failing to hear Holy Mass every day, and, at the same time, will not deprive themselves of the satisfaction it affords them to attend the theatres, although the Church has always regarded these as pernicious, considering the ordinary sort of entertainment therein presented.

Again there are those who sometimes read books of piety, and afterwards pass the night in reading novels filled with the venom of bitterness of falsehood and immorality.

This caused Gerson, one of the most famous lights of the University of Paris, to say, of a novel writer, that if he knew him to have died without doing penance for his sin, he (Gerson) would think no more of praying to God for that man's soul, than he would think of praying for Judas."

St. Jean Eudes

"But some one may say, What harm is there in reading romances and profane poetry when they contain nothing immodest? Do you ask what harm? Behold the harm: the reading of such works kindles the concupiscence of the senses, and awakens the passions; these easily gain the consent of the will, or at least render it so weak that when the occasion of any dangerous affection occurs the devil finds the soul already prepared to allow itself to be conquered. A wise author has said that by the reading of such pernicious books heresy has made, and makes every day, great progress; because such reading has given and gives increased strength to libertinism. The poison of these books enters gradually into the soul; it first makes itself master of the understanding, then infects the will, and in the end kills the soul. The devil finds no means more efficacious and secure of sending a young person to perdition than the reading of such poisoned works."

St. Alphonsus Liguori


You are in my prayers.

Your post looks like something I could have written (except I'm male and called to celibacy). I live with my mother, and she loves the TV. She's watching less than she used to, but it's still a source of difficulty between us. If it were up to me, I'd disconnect the damned thing (I'm not swearing, I really do mean damned). But if I want to do anything with her after I get home from work, I have to watch TV. Sometimes she will let me decide what to watch, and in those cases I choose children's shows, since they are relatively free of blasphemy and impurity. But she can't stand the thought of giving up TV, and she hates when I'm offended by the blasphemous and sinful content. I want to quit, but she doesn't. If you find a solution, please let me know!

I lost interest in novels shortly after I converted, but I have my own habit that I find harder to break than TV: video gaming. I gave it up for Lent, but I'm nowhere near ready to give it up. All the games I play are suitable for young children, and I mostly play when I'm home alone, but like you with novels, I can lose myself in it for a long time. And, like you, I spend way too much time looking at Catholic websites, and so little of it actually helps me. In fact, most of the help I have had from these sites has come from saints' writings. I have decided to quit other forums for the same reason as you. Let's hope we can both keep it up!

OK, I guess my post was a little long and rambling. I tend to do that, and I'm trying to overcome this bad habit. Sorry.

The point is, all the reasons talked about here for giving up TV are very good and logical. From these same reasons, it follows that we should also give up many other forms of entertainment. It's not a question of finding "good" entertainment, the desire to be entertained all the time is the problem.

So perhaps it might be good to talk about alternatives to TV that don't present the same problems.

Reading isn't as much of a problem lately, but I haven't let myself go to the library very much.  I have only checked out books about nutrition as I want to figure out the best way to feed a large family nutritiously on a budget.

I am still spending too much time on line & not enough in prayer.  My goal for May is to say the Rosary daily.  Did OK for 3 days last week, terrible this week.  Went to confession today & Father told me to resolve to NEVER for the rest of my life, go to bed without praying one decade of the Rosary.  When I have 1 decade down pat, add another.

I need to - instead of looking for entertainment - figure out a schedule for my housework.  Father very gently chided me that my house is messy (he was over for dinner last week) and that I really need to do better.

I will pray for you & please pray for me.

Let's keep up this discussion about the purpose of recreation & entertainment.

JoyfulMother, I struggle with idleness and I find that when it comes time to pray the rosary my tendency to procrastinate gets so much harder to overcome.  It must be because the devil knows how powerful the rosary is and wants desperately to keep us from praying even 1 decade!

I find it helps to do a short prayer for motivation when struggling with the desire to put off praying the rosary.  Maybe this can help you as well! :)

What a good idea! I'm trying to get into the daily Rosary too, and that sounds like a good method.

I'm trying to stick to using the Internet to download writings of the saints and email a few specific people. Right now, I spend more time online than I do reading pious books. :( I always say I'm too tired to read pious books or pray the Rosary, and then I waste hours reading some guy's opinion on some obscure point of doctrine. I love prayer, but I just don't do it enough.


At least your house is neat enough to invite your priest over! I have way too much stuff, and I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and get rid of some of it.


Will do. Thanks for praying for me.


I think this quote sums it up:

"We must need occasionally to relax the mind, and the body requires some recreation also. Cassian relates how Saint John the Evangelist was found by a certain hunter amusing himself by caressing a partridge, which sat upon his wrist. The hunter asked how a man of his mental powers could find time for so trifling an occupation. In reply, Saint John asked why he did not always carry his bow strung? The man answered, Because, if always bent, the bow would lose it's spring when really wanted. "Do not marvel then", the Apostle replied, "if I slacken my mental efforts from time to time, and recreate myself, in order to return more vigorously to contemplation." It is a great mistake to be so strict as to grudge any recreation either to others or one's self."

St. Francis de Sales

Sadly, most of what we call "recreation" really isn't, since it tires the mind even more than mental labor. Things like TV, novels, the Internet, and video games. Since I'm an actuary, I need to get off the mental activity treadmill more than I would otherwise.

It's a good feeling to read these recent posts.

I was thinking of life a moment ago as a constant pruning away. A constant divesting of superficials, nonessentials, harmfuls..

I keep remembering a quote, 'Man was not made for these'. . . 'Man was not made for these.'

And I keep thinking of the sharpness of the pruning blade, snipping away at the nonessentials. A painful feeling, but a relief when what should be gone is gone.

And then a person and live a healthy life, a life as he was meant to live, and flourish.

A simple life.

Yes, it really is, isn't it? Sometimes it scares me; I wonder, how far will it go? Hopefully it will go so far as to make me forget all my self-love and live fully within God's will. But each next step scares me. It's hard to give up my own will. The thought makes me sad, fearful, angry... But I know I have to do it, that I don't even like being attached to things of this world, and that experience has shown how much happier I am the more I let go. I want to, but I can't seem to want to enough to actually do it.

That's a very inspiring quote odhiambo. Deo gratias!  :crucifix:

Yes, "friendship with the world is enmity with God" (James 4:4). We all love the world too much.

I'm finding the Rosary helpful in this. I'm getting into a habit of a daily 15-decade Rosary during my commute. It helps to say, "May it be done to me according to Your word" with Mary, and "Yet not my will but Thine be done" with Jesus, for example.

I fell yet again. I just read an online news source about something Pope Francis said that I find extremely disagreeable. Then I went through a really bad temptation.

I'm trying to limit my Internet use to email, quick searches (example: my most recent one was how to get a brown scapular blessed), and buying and downloading pious books. I'm trying to get into Liturgy of the Hours as a substitute, but I'm not as successful as I want to be, even though I see more and more that I need to give up nonessential uses of the Internet.

Hope these quotes help my friend!

'Consider every day that you are then for the first time beginning; and always act with the same fervor as on the first day you began.'

St. Anthony of Padua

'If we wish to make any progress in the service of God we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness. We must keep ourselves in the presence of God as much as possible and have no other view or end in all our actions but the divine honor.'

St. Charles Borromeo

'This is the mark of Christianity -- however much a man toils, and however many righteousnesses he performs, to feel that he has done nothing, and in fasting to say, "This is not fasting," and in praying, "This is not prayer," and in perseverance at prayer, "I have shown no perseverance; I am only just beginning to practice and to take pains"; and even if he is righteous before God, he should say, "I am not righteous, not I; I do not take pains, but only make a beginning every day."'

St. Macarius the Great

For what it's worth..

Every day is a new day.

The night before during the examination of conscience, in the evening I think about what challenges I will face tomorrow, and what to do differently and how to work on things better. Thinking through last night and making resolutions to change -- I thought how to change my thoughts and feelings in the face of each temptation, digging deeper into the reasons for my failings or my lack of will to face head on what must be done.

And if I need more steel, or more encouragement, I have to remember, God help me, to read words of that inspire me in these ways to help, whether it be encouragement of God's love and reward in Heaven, or of Hell, and the fewness of the saved and the need to live holily for one's own sake and all in one's responsibility.

I know the prayers and encouragement of our little family here are helping so greatly each of us move further along, and build up new virtues so as to overcome old faults.

It's a priceless gift from God that we have been able to read of the saints, and learn from them, so far -- and can make these beginnings, poor sinners that we are. God help us! So far to go.  :crucifix:

Deo gratias et Mariae Semper Virgini. Thanks be to God, Our Lady the Blessed Virgin, and all the Archangels, Angels and Saints, and Holy souls, and may God rest the holy souls.

 :crucifix:

Be strong! Keep fighting the good fight!  :soldier:  :rejoice:

I have been off the internet the past 3 or 4 days at least, but, unfortunately, I replaced it with almost non-stop novel reading.  :(

That was actually MORE time consuming than the internet.

Quickly checking e-mails, this forum, & a couple of my favorite blogs today, then getting off.  Going to drop the books off in the drop box and not more trips to the library for now.

I think I use these things as an escape or entertainment.  I need to pray for more light to get to the root of this problem or I will constantly be replacing one bad habit with another instead of growing in virtue & grace.

Pray for me!

Praying! Pray for me too!

We need to provide good grist (http://saintsworks.net/forums/index.php?topic=274.15) for the mill of our minds, and then our thoughts will learn to love the virtues and dwell upon them, I am hoping. :D

I'm starting to get into bicycling, and taking the time to ride my bike has made me more aware of all the things at home that compete for my time. I want to get in more time with the Bible, so I have had to look at what I can cut from my schedule to make time for bike riding and still have time for Bible reading and study.

If I cut out my Internet time (except for email, this forum, and the occasional search for pious books to download or buy), I can have more time for the Bible.

It's not that I haven't learned a lot about the faith online (today marks two and a half years since my conversion), it's that I'm getting to the point where the time would be far better spent doing just about anything else. I find all kinds of opinions, and then I'm no better off than when I started; sometimes, I've been led astray by a bad opinion. For me, it's now as much of a waste of time as spending the same amount of time watching TV!

I wanted to share this with you all because I find it helpful to think of all the things that compete for my limited time. The fact is, I don't have time for Internet surfing, not if I want to do what I need to do. Not only do I need to study the Bible and ride my bike, but I also need to do a bunch of little things to take care of my mother, clean out my house for an upcoming church rummage sale, and have enough time left to take care of my pets without sacrificing sleep.

I don't have time for Internet surfing, and yet I'm so addicted, I make time.

I'd recommend purchasing hardcopies of the original Douai Rheims, which has about the most extensive commentary along with the Bible out there, for study. That along with something like the Lapide's commentary make for good sit down reading.

I've taken out the bike too!  :D

If you like noting particular passages for later, a notebook to write down their locations and subject can help too.

Prayers for your mother!  :D

I have tried the Douay-Rheims Bible, and I like that it's free of modernism, but I have trouble with the language. Can you recommend a good resource for learning the English of that time?

At this point, I mostly use the Revised Standard Version, but I check the Douay-Rheims when a translated verse seems to be influenced by modernism.

There's a John Litteral who's updated the spelling somewhat of the original Douai.

I have Dr. von Peter's already finished version, who has updated the spelling but not the thee's and thou's like the above.

Is English your second language Paul? I would never have thought it if so?

I don't know any resources for learning older English, my apologies. I learned it myself for the most part just from casual reading and realizing the word meanings from the context, and experience. The archaic words will be in some dictionaries unless very old. I do like to read some of the older English prayers when I can find them, we used to have some on Saints' Prayers, they haven't been put back up yet after some revisions. St. Robert Southwell wrote old English prayers, and an e-book of his work that way is being prepared.

A little knowledge of Latin helps a bit, and simply sounding out the old English words. There can be modern equivalents simply spelled a little differently, not sounding too much different.

FWIW the Douai's the only translation I know that hmm.. truly translates from a Catholic perspective, rather than, a historical-critical perspective that has more of a blank slate or different priority for what the word meanings will be.

English is my first language, but Douay-Rheims English is not. I have a Catholic Comparative New Testament, so I can use more modern Bibles as a Rosetta Stone, but then I'm using modern Bibles as the standard, when I should be using the DR as the standard.

I like that. So you see how disadvantaged some of us are. I realize of course that the blame lies squarely on our shoulders, after all, the Bible was not originally in English. :)

For commentary, I use the Navarre Bible. I haven't really looked into a whole lot of other commentaries, mostly because it drives me nuts when two commentaries can't agree; I end up believing neither of them.

One thing I do is go through books of the Bible (mostly the New Testament at this point) and take notes, looking at what a straightforward reading will give me, and then I think of ways to apply it to my life. This method has already helped me a lot (I've been doing this on and off for a year). Since I know the Catechism well, I don't need to worry that I'm going to come to a conclusion contrary to Church teaching.

I have Eerdman's exhaustive concordance for the RSV (and it includes deuterocanonical books), Nave's Topical Bible (I've seen it featured in Catholic apps and recommended on Catholic Bible study websites, so I bought a copy and have found it very helpful), the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge (that is, Nelson's updated version).

These are very helpful when I want to study a particular topic, or a particular person, or how a word is used in the Bible.

I now know where to come when I need some unraveling of  a particular Scriptural text   ;D

I've cut down considerably on my Internet use. I check my email, and I'm mostly sticking to this site and Amazon (even this is mostly for pious books), but I'm not doing much else online.

I'm finding that the time is far better spent studying the Bible (and through it, God helped me decide to quit a particular venially sinful vice this week), browsing the religion section of my local used bookstore (which is where I got my concordances and Bible dictionary), reading a spiritual classic (such as The Imitation of Christ or True Devotion to Mary), playing with my pets, riding my bike, cleaning up, or doing anything else. Even doing nothing is more productive, since that, at least, qualifies as rest.

Computers were supposed to save us so much time, but any time they save, we waste online! My schedule is still quite full, and I'm wondering how I ever found so much time for Internet surfing.

I'd like to get to the point where I can say, "The Bible is my Internet, the concordance is my Google, and the cross-references are my hyperlinks."

Yes, prayer does work. I have not put on the T.V  in quite a while and that is something I can tell you. Before, it was the first thing I did on entering the room and I would be glued to it for hours on end!
Now it just sits there collecting dust. I am not saying I will never, ever watch TV again, no. I cannot give that promise and risk breaking my word sometime in the future. I can watch selected programs, for instance, Mass broadcast live from the Vatican as happens Easter Season, and others, I see nothing wrong with that. What I do know is that the one eyed monster no longer has its hooks into me!

I still find myself in the position of trying to balance a TV addicted family & my own desire to watch as little as possible.  I still have a handful of shows I will watch with them as a compromise.

My bigger problem is the internet.  When they started watching TV last night, I came out here & spent about 2 to 3 hours surfing various Catholic websites & blogs.  Still less than what I was doing while they were in school because I was bored at home - I would spend almost all day on-line.   I need to cut back on this habit.

1 step at a time I guess.  I am building some basic habits of prayer - see my Rosary thread comments - and perhaps as this grows, the internet will become less.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to wean a family off TV?  What could I do or set up to do as a family that would get their attention and perhaps not even have them want to watch TV?  I ;mean, they watch because they are bored.  Suggestions anyone?

If you find a solution to that one, please let me know! My mom watches TV every night when she comes home, and I would love for this habit to come to an end. The content in nearly all TV is sinful, and some of it tempts me. For many reasons, there's no escape. One thing I do is say to myself, "I am a Catholic. Therefore I believe that what is being advocated by this television program is sin, because God has revealed it to be so. Anyone who agrees with God is right, and anyone who disagrees with Him is wrong."

By the grace of God, she's stopping it early to read the Bible or a commentary on it. But there's still a lot of sinful content getting in through the time she watches.


What happened to me was that I got sick of the Internet. All the opinions, contradicted by other opinions. So much information we don't need to know or care about, which may not even be true. Ultimately, we're left deciding for ourselves whom to believe. We choose to go with the people who believe what we already believe. Thus we haven't learned anything; we've only justified our pre-existing views. Thus those websites have no reason for existing. We might as well just say, "This is what I believe, and if you don't like it..."

But we're so addicted, when we give it up, we feel all those hours of emptiness. So what I had to do was make a list of things I could do instead. So now, I pray, or read or study the Bible or a spiritual classic, or play the piano, or play with a pet, or go bike riding... Anything to get off the Internet! Even a video game would be better, since the simpler ones (like we had in the 80s) generally don't teach religious and moral error (one game series even has an obviously Catholic hero), while Catholic websites and blogs always teach someone's agenda, which (since we're all sinners) is never free from error. This is why I'm moving toward the classics.

The only way I've ever quit anything was by finding something better to replace it with.

 :happyroll: That's great Paul!

Hearing about this sort of success from folks makes me feel heartily good and thankful! It makes me all the more thankful for this little forum family, this is part of what we're all here for to support each other in this sort of progress!

It's really great!  :D

Whether we can call it a success story, I don't know yet. I still waste a little time online; sometimes, I'll spend a few minutes staring at Google trying to think of something to search for and coming up with nothing, just because I'm still a bit addicted. Plus, I check this site and my email a little more than I need to...

But I have changed my focus. I no longer go on certain other Catholic forums (which shall remain nameless) to spend hours arguing with people who just end up making fun of me for believing such "antiquated" things. I no longer browse Catholic blogs, or look for opinions on a topic (unless I can't find it in my books).

But I'm glad you're happy about it.  :)

Step by step! I want to be grateful when I've laid the smallest brick towards living a simpler life!  :D

I'm really happy to hear of any progress! Even when it's only temporary and there ups and downs, progress is progress!  ;D

I think it's a lot easier to get off of the TV if you aren't following the stories of the shows, and if your rooting interest in your favorite sports team is well tempered. It seems to be either the drama shows or sports that will suck you in.

I think something about the TV screen itself is addictive. We enjoy shows and games on the TV screen more than on our computers.

I think a lot of it is based on the fact that there is more motion on the TV. As with cats, we are in fact attracted to things that are shiny, bright, and in motion--which is why there is so much of that on TV. If you watch any of the news channels, you will note that they have more and more moving/distracting stuff on the bottom and sides of the screen. The purpose of that is to catch your eye and keep it there.

That's really a good idea I think. It's like having a shiny watch waving back and forth in front of your eyes, right?

Yes, and as we all know, the watch is used to hypnotize people into believing whatever the hypnotist tells them! Maybe this is why people believe whatever they see on TV.

It certainly puts one in a more suggestive state to see stuff like that constantly before your eyes.

And certainly those in charge of the world media have certain things they want of people, that are no good whatsoever, because they want their vices to be shared far and wide.

Yes, the nature of television technology is such that it has to be in the hands of the rich and powerful, and we all know what Jesus said about the rich. Then there's the fact that people will accept false things they "learn" through stories and images far more easily than through logic and teaching.

It's as if Satan designed TV with human weaknesses in mind.

'We should not wish to see or do anything which could not be done in the presence of God and His creatures, and we shall thus imagine that we are always in His presence.'

St. Ignatius of Loyola

'Eyes, ears, and mouth are the doors of the soul.'

St. Francis de Sales

Yes, and Scripture is full of admonitions as well. "I will set no wicked thing before my eyes." "Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity." "Bad company ruins good morals." "You shall not bring an abominable thing into your house." "The eye is the lamp of the body." "Have nothing to do with godless myths." "Wilt thou set thy eyes on riches which thou canst not have?" "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly." And that's just what I could come up with.

One thing we haven't really talked about, though, is what to do if we cannot escape TV. For example, in a social situation where we are required to watch it with someone on a regular basis. How can we block out the ungodly content in a way that will not be noticed?

Well, I fear that's impossible.

Well, if you're nearsighted like me you can simply take off your glasses. There is that! Though there's still the sound. I happen to be a bit hard of hearing too, so without captions most TV is just noise to me anyway. Hmm, crosses become blessings at time no?




'Whenever necessary, you must look without seeing and see without thinking about it.'

St. Padre Pio

'"It is not," says St. Francis de Sales, "the seeing of objects so much as the fixing of our eyes upon them that proves most pernicious." "If," says St. Augustine, "our eyes should by chance fall upon others, let us take care never to fix them upon any one." Father Manareo, when taking leave of St. Ignatius for a distant place, looked steadfastly in his face: for this look he was corrected by the saint. From the conduct of St. Ignatius on this occasion, we learn that it was not becoming in religious to fix their eyes on the countenance of a person even of the same sex, particularly if the person is young. But I do not see how looks at young persons of a different sex can be excused from the guilt of a venial fault, or even from mortal sin, when there is proximate danger of criminal consent. "It is not lawful," says St. Gregory, "to behold what it is not lawful to covet." The evil thought that proceeds from looks, though it should be rejected, never fails to leave a stain upon the soul. Brother Roger, a Franciscan of singular purity, being once asked why he was so reserved in his intercourse with women, replied, that when men avoid the occasions of sin, God preserves them; but when they expose themselves to danger, they are justly abandoned by the Lord, and easily fall into some grievous transgressions.'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

Not looking is easy. I can look slightly away from the screen. But hearing it and not letting the words get in? I don't know if I can do that. I've never been able to ignore speech.

It looks like my "success story" has become a failure story. I've gotten back into the Internet habit, wasting hours on Catholic sites, including this one. I may need to quit it all cold turkey.

Ups and downs.. fairly normal experience no, on the road? But we have to commit to whatever it takes to detach. If that's 100% refraining from something for a long period of time or even forever that can happen! It can take a lot of retraining of the interior life to approach something properly, that can take a lot of time away from a thing, I think.

Part of the problem is that there's so much information I need that I can't get anywhere else.

For example, reading about St. Louis de Montfort's love of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament has awakened a stronger desire for it in me. Yet where I live, so few parishes offer adoration, and even fewer offer it at times when I can get there (I have a full-time job). Also, as I have mentioned, because nearly every Catholic I have ever met is lukewarm, to say the least, my education in the faith is mostly something I have had to do myself, from books and the Internet.

So the only way to find out anything about adoration has been to look online. Technology kills the faith of the people, and then we have to make use of it to learn about our faith.

It took me a long time searching to even be able to formulate the questions I wanted answered. I didn't even know that kneeling before Jesus in the tabernacle counted as adoration! That's how clueless I am about Catholic devotions. (Go ahead, laugh all you want.) As a convert, I find that trying to get any decent information is like pulling teeth. The few real Catholics I have met either don't know much beyond what is required, or assume I know all this stuff.

So I may have to resign myself to Internet addiction and call it a necessary evil. I may have to detach from the idea of detaching from it.

On the plus side, now I don't have to worry as much about finding a place for adoration, or temptation to be discontent about the scarcity of adoration. :) I now know why Mother Teresa said, "My TV is the tabernacle." I hope I can say the same someday.

Sometimes one has to take care of one thing first or another thing to make progress, but death before sin! :)

I often try to think of the virtue of temperance and how beautiful it is! Every day is a new day, to make an act of perfect contrition and a clean start with a blank slate trying for perfection.

When I was receiving religious instruction before my Confirmation the man who was helping me out was a farmer, who taught me about Eucharistic Adoration. Every day, he would rise early, as farmer's do, and before the day's work he would spent time before the tabernacle.. That was a long time ago, I think he spent anywhere from a half hour to an hour.

He introduced me to the practice and taught me about it by taking me along once. :)

I think that's a daily practice that if a person can take up will keep the spiritual life always making progress and moving forwards as long as one is willing to put in the work with it to cooperate with the graces and set aside sins.

I've been spending part of my lunch hour in front of the tabernacle at a church a few blocks from my office. It's very helpful to have a place to meet with God, away from the crowds of pagans.

You're very lucky to have had someone to teach you those things. My RCIA was barely Catholic.

Letting go of having to give up Internet surfing right away has somehow helped me waste less time with it. That and praying in front of the tabernacle.

Well, it's best if folks can find a more traditional catechesis with a priest. But I certainly did better than many, thanks be to God. Sadly I could not stay with those folks and had to move away from them.

If we seek, we shall find, however troublesome the situation appears God will provide if we keep seeking! :D

You find out after all in the end!

I'm happy to have rid my life of cable; however, after getting a Blu-Ray player with streaming video you quickly see you've just exchanged one horrible thing for another.  Nowadays I'm asking God to remove TV from my life.   First plan of attack is to limit the amount during the days and to limit the amount of days in the week.   Wednesday and Fridays are going to be no TV days and hopefully with God's grace I will start adding more and more days to this.   Last lent I only used the TV to watch religious movies and programs.   It was the best lent I've ever had.


After the TV comes the computer!  ;D

What I'm finding helpful is switching to useful things, or at least things with fewer of the problems presented by TV and other media. More of the time I spend on the computer is spent writing things (for example, condensing saints' writings for my mom to read), or, barring that, playing computer games without problematic content (like chess). Instead of reading useless Catholic websites with useless opinions (though I haven't quit entirely), even if I'm not always being productive, I'm still getting away from all the arguments that lead nowhere and present a serious distraction from my spiritual life.

I think, that's a balanced way of doing it. Technology can be good if not abused and used in the proper way (harder with TV what with commercials, etc.).

I'm having much more success on the Internet front. I still look at this site sometimes and do the occasional Google search for a specific topic, but I'm no longer wasting time at useless sites. I was getting discouraged for a while.

What was so addicting about these Catholic sites was that I could pretend, if only to myself, that I was part of the larger community of actual (not cafeteria) Catholics. The hardest and most important part of quitting was facing up to the fact that this was nothing more than an illusion. I'm almost 30, and I'm getting too old for that kind of childish fantasy.

Thanks be to God, my mother is now watching less TV (and more wholesome TV) and spending more time reading the Bible.

It's truly heartening to read such progress. Thanks be to God for it.. There are ups and downs often enough.. but one day at a time.. And you can look back and see the progress..

I pray it will continue and continue to strengthen into long lasting habits.. The success on the Internet and family front is inspiring.  ;D
 
Nothing like a -good- book and a walk, and some gardening, and so many other things to do. .  ;D It's hardest to start the change of habits, to break the ice. . Sometimes a single prayer breaks the wall enough..

It's really good to hear from you Paul!

Hi there all!  I know I haven't been here for a long time!

On the TV front, I have given it up almost completely.  I have 1 single show that pulls me in, that started it's new season yesterday.  I am debating whether or not the show is worth it.

In the last 9 weeks, I have watched only about 3 children's movies and then played a few favorite songs from them.

You're going to ask - what about your TV addicted family?

Well, that has changed quite a bit & I need your prayers.

My husband left 9 weeks ago today, no warning, and took all 5 kids, saying he would bring them back after the weekend.  When I saw them again, the oldest 3 don't want anything to do with me.  I don't know what was said, etc.

My 2 youngest, who love God dearly and want nothing more than to be saints, are living with me. 

I can now create the Catholic home I have always wanted.  Morning prayers & a saint story over breakfast, homework & playtime after school, supper together, clean up together, then games or time outside or homemade playdough - simple pleasures have become our life.  We play together, work together, pray together, laugh together, sometimes cry together.

Please pray that I can guide my little ones through this very rough time and that God will protect their innocent little hearts.

But the best thing to come out of all of this is NO TV!

I am considering a Blu-Ray player & Netflix, but haven't decided.  We don't watch anything except appropriate movies but since I am fighting a custody battle now & don't want the husband alleging I am depriving the kids of something, I am thinking of this as a compromise until custody is settled.  Cable, phone & internet costs $140 or so per month.  If I get phone & internet for $40 (kids school demands internet for assignments) and Netflix for $8, I can save a bundle.

Video games are almost non-existent.

Internet still pulls me in, but I am down to 3 or 4 blogs, e-mail, 1 other forum besides this one, and job searching.  I am spending more time on the phone as I call friends and talk to them about all that is going on.  Eventually, I need to slow down on that, but I get a lot of advice & encouragement right now as I try to rebuild my life.

Dear Lord, mercy I pray.. My condolences to you in this time. God's Providence oversees all.. May His love and care keep you. He sees over all, it will all be well in the end, and even in times of trial..

To have two children who wish to be saints.. thanks be to God!!! Such a blessing.. May they all..

May the Holy Family help your entire family.. May Jesus Mary and Joseph keep you and yours.

So glad you are getting advice and encouragement!! Deo gratias.

It makes me think of Matthew 10:16. Take care! Yes you must be prudent in this time in all that is done, in speech and in deed.. The world doesn't understand much. Take care.  :D

Be assured, prayers! ! !

Joyful Mother, I'm so sorry to hear about what has happened to you. I'm praying for you, but is there anything else any of us can do?

The good thing is that you have 2 kids who want to be saints. :)

Not unless you can supply money. :D  He is paying the house note & utilities, but refuses any cash for me to buy groceries or fill the car with gas.  People from my parish have been helping sooooo much.  I have been given groceries, some cash, new clothes, and had maintenance done on my house that my husband never did.  Fixing windows, plumbing, and one couple did 20 HOURS of yard work that he had left undone over the years.  I have a decent yard again!  Now I just have to maintain it.

So many people have helped me & I am so grateful.

Just pray I get some money soon, because I literally don't have but a single dollar to my name.  I don't know how I will fill the car with gas on Friday. 

I am looking for a job, but even if I get one tomorrow, I won't get paid in time.

And I can't believe that I have 2 kids who want to be saints!  Deo Gratias! :)

Prayers for you and your family! (need prayer smiley)

On the topic of this thread, I had a thought. It sounds very pious to say, "I don't watch TV because it's so vile", but if we still daydream, we're not out of the woods yet. What is a daydream other than a TV show or movie in which the dreamer is the writer, director, and lead actor? I know I have trouble controlling this bad habit, and before my conversion, I lived in my daydreams most of the time.

We're supposed to take every thought captive to obey Christ. Just as we must "redeem the time, for the days are evil," we must redeem our thoughts, for every imagination of man is evil. We're also supposed to think about whatever is true, which daydreams are not.

What do you all think?

There's a prayer smiley in there!  :+:

What do you mean by 'every imagination of man is evil?'

Going a bit far there Paul I think?

 :D

I was trying to quote the verse from memory because I couldn't find it. Apparently I mangled it  :hospitaltrip:

"Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the Lord smelled the pleasing odor, the Lord said in his heart, 'I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done.'" (Genesis 8:20-21)

In the back of my mind I think I was wondering if it might be one of those 'of man' vs. 'of God' contrasts..

 :D

I joined a few years back but never post anything.  There's also some rule about message boards whereby one isn't supposed to respond to old threads because it's bad ettiquette.

I think owning a TV is a mortal sin because it's like owning immodest material, as immodest material can easily be found on TV.  Everything they put on it, you own and could watch.

Using similar reasoning, we don't have radios or internet in our cars or house, and think these things are mortal sins.

Where we live, Detroit, we have found very few people anything like this, ever.

When I was a kid, I watched a lot of TV, had a radio, and internet in the house.  I actually study all these things, so I do some research that compares 1970's (or oldest) TV / radio / internet with later versions.  I note that all these things have gone from bad to worse.  With what was on radio when it first came out, why wasn't there more of an outcry among Catholic priests and bishops against it ?  Oh, it turns out this is because immodesty and heresy in public theater and advertisements were tolerated before it, paving the way.  I've been to a lot of tridentine Masses and no priest has ever said, "Oh, and get rid of your TV or you're going to Hell !"  Along with immodesty in dress, even traditional priests don't talk about this, along with so many other crucial issues.

There's a ton wrong with TV and movies.  Everything on it is based off of heresy and paganisms.  There's nothing that's based on really good understanding of Catholicism.  I watched EWTN back in 2002 and it wasn't until I later read through a ton of catechisms and Saints' writings did I realize what a farce EWTN was, even then. And that was before it started getting worse.

I've found a lot of evidence that the American government controls what's on TV, radio, and movies, using them all to support their policies and agendas.  We all saw this clearly looking back on 9/11 and its aftermath, how from all sides the American public was told that we had to go to war.  It may be very subtle, but every commercial you see on TV is telling you an anti-Gospel, about how happiness is to be found through buying this or that.  What ?  That's lies.  And increasingly, totally unrealated immodesty is being used to sell things.

And what's on the TV is on people's minds and spills over onto billboards and stuff.  Pretty soon they'll be killing Catholics and stealing their stuff more openly than they already are.

The solution ?  I think this country is too messed up.  We're moving to another country.  I personally find fault with our ancestors, who came here knowing that it was a Protestant country.  They should have known enough about Catholicism to send the money back home and return as soon as they could.  Non-Catholic countries aren't protected the way Catholic countries are.  Look at Hurricane Katrina.  America's really bad and in store for a lot more than that.

I didn't read many of the other responses, but my guess is that most traditional Catholics think having a TV is okay, if they use it with care.  American Catholics are like this, even the traditional ones can't see the good from the bad.  Most tridentine Catholics don't believe in early marriage either, getting married at like 40 and thinking God is cool with that. 

So I'll close with my favorite Scripture verse :
"Do not give thy years to the cruel."

Invest in Catholic countries, folks.

It's great to hear from you iohannes! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised if you read through this thread.

God keep you my friend!

'His watchmen all blind have been ignorant: dumb dogs not able to bark, seeing vain things, sleeping and loving dreams.'

Isaiah 56:10

It's refreshing to hear from another Catholic who is against TV. I don't know that it's a mortal sin, but I would certainly say it's a near occasion of sin, like keeping bad company.

Immodesty in theater is nothing new, if you read the early Fathers, like Tertullian and St. Augustine, you'll find the same complaints. I think the medium of theater itself is the problem, along with novels, because they show us what is not real for no purpose other than to excite the passions.

I, too, find that the writings of nearly all modern Catholics, not just EWTN, teach error, and the writings of the saints have shown me this. Indeed I find that nothing in modern culture is holy or acceptable to God, just as St. Justin Martyr found with pagan Greek culture.

If you find a nice country to go to, please let me know. I hear Europe is even worse than America, so I'm glad my ancestors came here. And I've met people from Latin America, and Catholicism is dying there too.

So, what are we doing about the wife?

Ho ho, I want a divorce!   :rotflblue: :rejoice: :rotfl: :happyroll:

 ;D
Computer is just as bad if not worse. :(

"Seeking after frivolity amounts  to a contempt for the truth,
And contempt for the truth leads to blindness"

St. Bernard of Clairveaux


This quote should be stuck to my iPod!   :o
My prayers,  LOTH, Little hours, my devotionals are  on my handy
little browser and I really think it helps me to recite them every day
But I can get distracted checking my email, etc.  ::)

 

Deo gratias the quote is acquiring deeper meaning to me hearing how it has helped.  :D

I always think of the vanity of curiousity when I think of the television and wandering all over the Internet.

I gave up TV years ago.  God bless you.

Count yourself among the blessed few in whom Our Lord has  "extinguished the  ardor of worldly desires" ;)

Not desiring to watch TV programs is a great blessing which frees the soul for better things, no?  God bless you, Odhiambo.

By the way folks I just learned about a useful device today called 'TVbgone'. It's a little fob at the end of a keychain, that has a universal power on/off button.

Whether you're stuck sitting in a waiting room or anywhere else, a push of the button and -- they're turned off!


 :cheers:

How I wish I owned one ... I don't like TV in waiting rooms.

I don't doubt turning off the TVs  like this might upset some folks. I can only imagine if somehow or other by telling folks about this I sponsored some..

Anti-TV vigilantes!! !

:speachless:

  :madgunfighter: :soldier:   :rejoice: :gunfight:

 :rotflblue:

Ha Ha!

Surreptitiously done, it would be great just to watch people's expressions and puzzled reactions  ;D
Much as I like the idea, it would not be the right thing to do. It would be interfering with one's free will.

Did I say how I printed out The Reginator's post contributing to this thread on page 2? Well. I did last December while in Uganda and read it out to my sister's family. My sister loved it so much, she had several copies made and was giving it out to her contacts and talking about it constantly for days.

Ah that's great odhiambo!  :D

I just saved an old console tv this week from a friends junk pile, we have gutted the cabinet part  that held the massive old tv screen and  it will soon be a cage for my pair of white doves. Tonight I painted the cabinet  sky blue. It will make a terrific bird cage and no more seed tossed out from the cage ( doves are messy eaters and fling seed everywhere)
It still has a good set of wheels so it can go on the porch in warm weather then back inside for winter time. 

A good use for a tv.

Yes, a good use for a TV! :D

I can only stand back in awe! Haha! What a great use for a TV!!

Peace be with you.

Television is Entertainment. Break down the word 'Entertainment' a little.

You get   Enter - Taint - Men.

It is right in front of your face. That is one of the means of how demons Enter into your Soul to Corrupt it. So basically, if you want to Perish in your sins and go to Hell, you watch T.V. to Taint your Soul.

Also when you watch T.V. , Keep a journal or diary to Log the Amount of Time you spend doing that everyday. Do that until you grow old and are about to Die on your death bed. Then when you are about to Die, open up the diaries and See All that Time you Wasted due to the devil Tricking you into watching T.V. and Corrupting your Soul.

Then start Panicking about what you are going to say to your Maker when you are about to be Judged and how you could have better use that time for the Salvation of your Soul instead of watching T.V. for its Corruption.

God bless you.

Haha, very splendidly put Gabriel Marie Josef Anton!

Thanks be to God for all His gifts!

For contemptus mundi!