Cut It Off and Throw It From You

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

As a Christian, have you considered what one thing you could do that would transform your personal life, family and marriage? Would you like more time, creativity and productivity? This will add an average of ten productive years to your life while allowing you to energize your most important relationships. Nearly 99% of households are victims of a misplaced trust.

When we have talked to couples about how to improve their marriage relationships, we have found that they frequently need more time to relate. Yet, almost 66% of Americans watch television while eating dinner. And in relating to our children, it has been found that more than half of 4-6 year olds would rather watch television than relate to their Dad. This is while studies have shown that children spend less than four minutes each week in meaningful conversation with their parents. Maybe, as a Dad, I need to have surround sound and do a commercial every few minutes.

I have been and could be just as much a television addict as anyone. But, years ago, we felt God was leading us to get rid of it. It wasn’t easy, but once it was out of the house, amazing things began to happen. One of those things was that our sons began to be readers. They sometimes became almost too creative. When we tell our story, it seems like many wives would like to get rid of the television but their husband won’t give up their televised sports. Could this verse apply? “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.”

We are voluntarily giving up our energy, time and relationships to this one-eyed serpent. How many wonderful goals and plans have been sacrificed on the altar of the Game of the Week, the History Channel and “Good Morning, America”. It doesn’t much matter what we get out of it because it is costing too much. It feeds us the food of worldly conformity while stealing the opportunity for our future to be transformed. So, if your television causes you to sin, cut it off.

"If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.” -- Jesus

Project:
Commit to no television during meals.
Ask God for His perspective and will.

Percentage of households that have a television: 99
Number of TV sets in the average U.S. household: 2.24
Percentage of U.S. homes with three or more TV sets: 66
Number of hours per day that TV is on in an average U.S. home: 6 hours, 47 minutes
Percentage of Americans that regularly watch television while eating dinner: 66
Number of hours of TV watched annually by Americans: 250 billion
Value of that time assuming an average wage of S5/hour: S1.25 trillion
Percentage of Americans who pay for cable TV: 56
Number of videos rented daily in the U.S.: 6 million
Number of public library items checked out daily: 3 million
Percentage of Americans who say they watch too much TV: 49

II CHILDREN
Approximate number of studies examining TV's effects on children: 4,000
Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful
conversation with their children: 3.5
Number of minutes per week that the average child watches television: 1,680
Percentage of day care centers that use TV during a typical day: 70
Percentage of parents who would like to limit their children's TV watching: 73
Percentage of 4-6 year-olds who, when asked to choose between watching TV
and spending time with their fathers, preferred television: 54
Hours per year the average American youth spends in school: 900 hours
Hours per year the average American youth watches television: 1500

III VIOLENCE
Number of murders seen on TV by the time an average child finishes elementary school: 8,000
Number of violent acts seen on TV by age 18: 200,000
Percentage of Americans who believe TV violence helps precipitate real life mayhem: 79

IV. COMMERCIALISM
Number of 30-second TV commercials seen in a year by an average child: 20,000
Number of TV commercials seen by the average person by age 65: 2 million
Percentage of survey participants (1993) who said that TV commercials
aimed at children make them too materialistic: 92
Rank of food products/fast-food restaurants among TV advertisements to kids: 1
Total spending by 100 leading TV advertisers in 1993: $15 billion

V. GENERAL
Percentage of local TV news broadcast time devoted to advertising: 30
Percentage devoted to stories about crime, disaster and war: 53.8
Percentage devoted to public service announcements: 0.7
Percentage of Americans who can name The Three Stooges: 59
Percentage who can name at least three justices of the U.S. Supreme Court: 17
Compiled by TV-Free America
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