THE IDOLATRY OF TELEVISION

THE IDOLATRY OF TELEVISION

Maybe you’ve never thought about it quite like this before; but when you consider the staunch devotion and ritualistic indulgence with which Americans attend to their television, it unquestionably qualifies as it’s own religion. Think about it. How many people do you know who haven’t watched T. V. in the last five days? How about in the last two days? How about in the last 24 hours? As a matter of fact, I’ll bet we could count up on one hand the total number of people known by my entire readership who haven’t watched T. V. in even the last 12 hours. This is and has been an epidemic of epic proportions for a long time now. And God is not happy with it! Why? Because I’m convinced that for most people, Television has escalated to the level of idolatry.


Now to prove my point let me ask the same questions I just asked about television; but this time with reference to God. How many people do you know who engaged in some form of Christian worship or personal devotion within the last five days? How about in the last two days? How about in the last 24 hours? Now, how about in the last 12 hours? Now a lot of my Christian readers will have known people who have; but I think it goes without saying that the number of those who have devoted themselves to Television within these time frames, outweighs the number of those who have devoted themselves to God by such a vast margin that it could really be called a void rather than a margin. Even within the Christian community, I’m certain the void is almost equally as large. This is a huge problem. Not only does Television command our attention and rob our fleeting lives of hundreds and thousands of hours which we will never get back, but during those hours, Television indoctrinates us with empty philosophy, secular humanism, radical autonomy, sexual perversion and a hatred toward everything that smacks of God and especially Jesus Christ. To be quite blunt, Satan loves it. I’m not saying that Television in and of itself is evil. In and of itself it is just an electronic device, neutral and available to be used for good or profane purposes. And I admit that sometimes it is used for good purposes. But the widespread misuse is so vast and insidious that it renders meaningless what little good use actually exists.


Television is rotting us away mentally and spiritually and most of us are not even aware of it. We are being killed slowly and quietly. As Aldous Huxley once quipped: "spiritual devastation is more likely to come from an enemy with a smiling face than from one whose countenance exudes suspicion and hate." Television represents an enemy that we do not recognize because he comes to us disguised as our favorite weather man, our favorite news anchor or our favorite movie star. America needs to wake up! The church needs to wake up!! Turn off the T. V. and open your Bibles!! Let’s put an end to the idolatry of Television in our lives and Give God the devotion He deserves!


If what has been said so far has failed to convince you of the idolatry of Television, then briefly consider this. Neil Postman, in his excellent book Amusing Ourselves To Death, quotes George Gerbner as having said, "Television is the new state religion, run by a private Ministry of Culture, offering a universal curriculum for all people, financed by a form of hidden taxation without representation." (pg. 140) I find this assessment to be frighteningly accurate. T. V. has become the new religion in America; and even for many within the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It has all the components of a classical religion. Consider the following twelve.

1. It has it’s own appointed time to gather together (i.e. every program has a start time)
2. It has it’s own preacher (i.e. the television itself)
3. It has it’s own sacred text (i.e. the T. V. guide)
4. It has it’s own liturgy (i.e. "and….now…..this!"….."and….now….this!")
5. It has it’s own dogma (i.e. everything is entertainment)
6. It has it’s own worship music (i.e. soundtracks behind every scene)
7. It has it’s own form of tithing (i.e. once a month cable or satellite bill)
8. It has it’s own community (i.e. the international community of T. V. watchers)
9. It has it’s own social agenda (i.e. it seeks to influence the way people think and act)
10. It has it’s own evangelists (i.e. those who take carry the latest news to others)
11. It has it’s own missionaries (i.e. news reporters who travel the world)
12. It has it’s own impact on our spiritual condition (i.e. it commands our devotion)

Judge for yourselvs dear readers. How long will we continue to run after this electronic idol? How long will we allow our time to squandered away in mindless worldly indoctrination. Here are just a few disturbing statistics. According to the South Dakota Department of Health, young children will spend aproximately 4 hours per day watching Television. It will be slightly less for older children. The average adult male will spend 29 hours per week watching Television, while the average adult female will spend 34 hours per week watching Television. According to the A.C. Nielsen Co., the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours per week, or 2 months of nonstopTV-watching per year). In a 65-year lifespan, that person will have spent 9 years glued to the tube. From a Christian prespective this is a real danger. And we all must ask ourselves with all seriousness: to watch or not to watch? That is indeed the question.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Shane Morgan