A few weeks ago, I told you that I had removed the TV from my bedroom. I did. I promise. It has not returned and I have not watched any TV in my bedroom since. But...I have watched a movie....3 to be honest....on my laptop...from my bed. My wife, Susan, says this is cheating. I think it's different. I polled a few friends, looking for the camaraderie that only comes from loving, supporting friends...but they agreed with Susan. Here's my case: The reason I think that TV in the bedroom was (is) a problem for me is that I turned it on every day as soon as I walked into the bedroom - whether it was 7pm or 10pm - regardless of what was on; regardless of whether or not I wanted to see whatever was on. It was just on. I fell asleep to it every night. That was a given. It was automatic. Like breathing. But watching a movie is deliberate. You think about what to watch, you choose. It's conscious. It's not random. And it has a time limit.
But I do see the point.
So, what do you think? Read the TV post and then tell me: Is watching a movie different from TV? Am I cheating? Do you have any experience with TV/no TV in your bedroom (not to get too personal...I would just like to know).
And I'm sorry I cheated. Backslid. Sinned. Fell off the wagon.
But Rambo was worth it.
Well, there's a movie I want to see. I gotta go get a blanket and a pillow to put on the couch.
Brian
you cheated
ReplyDeleteYeah you did. I knew you were just an ordinary guy like the rest of us. At least you can admit it.
ReplyDeleteI think wives are usually right. You should submit to her wisdom. And probably apologize and buy her some jewelry.
ReplyDeleteIt depends on what the intent on removing the T.V. was...
ReplyDeleteI thought maybe it was to spend more alone time with the wife and/or quiet time with God. If that was the case...you cheated.
If not, I concur that watching a movie intentionally instead of just turning on a T.V because it is "there" are two different things.
Am I justifying for you?????? Am I an enabler??? Oh MY!!
I've been giving this some thought...I was one of the ones who initially said you cheated, but it actually isn't that simple.
ReplyDeleteYou got rid of the TV because it had become a mindless habit. It got in the way of your time with God, time with Susan, time to just "be." That is a good thing.
Yes, watching a movie is an intentional act. Making a decision that "tonight I'm going to unwind before bed by watching a movie" is similar to reading something enjoyable before turning in for the night. It doesn't really matter if you watch it on the couch or relax in your room. The medium doesn't really matter (there isn't anything inherently bad about video, in other words).
So, on the one hand, it's not really cheating to enjoy a movie before bed once in a while. It's not mindless background chatter, ad the TV had been.
On the other hand, we all know that "once in a while" activities can turn into habit. The movie in bed begins to replace the conversation, the Bible reading, the reflective time, the journaling, whatever..that you gained when the TV went out the door. If that happens, the movie on the laptop, while intentional, is now taking the place of the TV. It's coming between you and God again. In that case, it would be cheating.
God gave the Israelites the Law (all 613 commandments)to keep them faithful to Him and to set them apart from the idolatrous world around them. These laws, when properly followed, protected them from disease,gave them structure to their lives after 400 years of enslavement, and most importantly kept them in right relationship with Him as well as eachother. These laws were originally meant to set them free to live as His children.
Of course, by Jesus' time, the religious leaders used these very same laws to bind and control people. They were placed in a hopeless cycle of appeasement to the law. This is legalism, and it exists in many churches and in the minds of many Christians even today.
Jesus' preached a gospel that was completely opposite the legalistic mindset; He chastised the religious leaders of His day; ultimately His death and resurrection broke through the chains of this religious system.
Therefore, if you say you can NEVER watch a video on your laptop in your bed, you are being legalistic. Is it the video watching that's cheating? Is it because it's in the bedroom, and that seems like it's going back on the promise to not watch video entertainment in that particular room? Would it still be OK to watch a video every night in the family room and conk out on the couch? At least it's not in the bedroom...
Bottom line: Christ set us free. That means we are free to make our own descisions about honoring Him with the way we live. We are to be reflective, not reflexive. If we have let go of the mind-numbing habit of a droning TV in our private space, and six days out of seven we use that new-found quiet and time to honor God in some way, and on day 7 we watch a movie for pure relaxation before bed, well, I see nothing wrong with that.
I am thinking of a little phrase that my soccer coach used to recite to me.. "Cheaters never win and winners never cheat"
ReplyDeleteBut since you are just so darn good on Sunday mornings you are "still a winner" in my book.
Wow...I should put that in a hallmark card, huh?
P.S. I agree with the above commenter though...Susan definitely needs jewelry... hmmm. did she write that post???
No I did NOT make that comment about the jewelry - but that doesn't mean that I won't accept any either!
ReplyDeleteAnd he did (and continues to) cheat!