Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.
I got angry one night as I watched a program that was supposed to be some form of 'news'. The interviewer made faces, feigned horror and spoke in 'the tone' set aside for Really Bad Things. The interviewer was learning of a gory and disgusting procedure used on sheep by some farmers to get extra soft lambskins - by (Oh Horrors!) going into the ewe and sawing the head off the fetal lamb just before birth! "Can you imagine the barbarity of beheading a lamb before its birth for its skin??!" the man said over and over. But this same news show touts abortion as good and humans in the womb as 'tissue'. I had enough - quit the routine of turning it on and haven't regretted it since.
We have 8 children who don't miss it either. They spend time talking, creating things, sharing stories, reading, playing games and enjoying each other's company.
Shana, it is great to hear about your family - your children will thank you heartily when they are adults and realise how many opportunities you gave them by letting them grow up without the TV.
Glad it has worked for your family. I'm hoping my 10 will thank me for keeping TV, & discussing various issues arising, as well as enjoying much of it too. I personally think it's best to avoid extremes. We used to have no TV. Now we have some TV..ie not all or nothing.
I don't think anyone is any less of a Catholic for watching TV.
It's a bit like the Homeschooling issue..i don't think one is more Catholic for homeschooling..& you could argue by taking out the leaven we leave the schools worse off. Not very Catholic that!
We have raised our four kids without a TV since before the first was born 16 years ago.
The benefits have been enormous: we eat together, play games together go for walks together, and the kids do a lot alone, especialy imaginative play and messing about doing not-a-lot.
Also the kids enjoy the movies more, as they haven't been over-exposed to the power of the dramatic. Lots more on my blog about this...
In grad school, I had a hard time thinking of ideas for projects, and a professor suggested that I turn off the tv. 11 years later, it's still off (I gave it away after graduating). Now, I have more ideas than time. The main adjustment is finding others who don't watch television because conversation with those that watch is usually limited to what they have seen on tv. Therefore, I end up asking a lot of questions: "Who's Guy Ritchie?" "What do the Wembley Towers look like?" Ignorance can be blissful.
I grew up watching very little tv; when it was allowed, my parents watched what my siblings and I watched, and they turned it off when the content got "adult" (which, for traditional Roman Catholics, was often in the late 70s and early 80s). My friends laughed at me, but I grew accustomed to the "radical eccentric without a television" label; it's an innocent way to be "controversial" and trumps a tattoo or piercing. Today, my eyes and ears are so alive; I enjoy people and the outdoors so much more without a tv.
Parents: your children will complain and complain about not having a tv (as I did), but when they grow older, they will thank you for your leadership.
I don't think not watching TV has much to do with being 'more Catholic' either, but its helped us by keeping visual trash out of our home. (I know a lot of Protestants and a few Mormons who turned the telly off, too!) When we do use the one TV we have, its for a good movie on video.
As for home schooling, the problem is that a ship must be built in a harbor, not open seas, in order to become fully seaworthy because the ocean is treacherous and a ship must be properly built first to ensure that it will stay afloat out there. Home schooling is done to prepare a child for the high seas, if you will, when they are strong enough to withstand the worst.
Its much too easy for children to be influenced by their peers and teachers rather than the Church and families after certain ages. Sadly, I've seen too many Catholic children who were too easily influenced by school & peers (plus, all the gay/culture of death/materialism/sexualization that is pushed on children in schools, often without parental knowledge or consent.) It can be damaging in many areas, including the relationship between children and parents, depending on the family and the type of school.
Not everyone can home school, and its wrong to tout it as the only way to be a good Christian. Those who don't home school aren't 'bad Catholics' if they are very involved with their children and careful about what goes on in the schools. Its a good choice when one can do it, though.
The trouble about home-schooling up to a certain age, is when these kids get thrown into College at age 16-18 & Uni. To be honest i've seen more problems in the homeschooled kids than those from good Catholic schools.
For our children they are used to mixing with a variety of families..& quite often choose very good friends from lovely families. Even when they have non-practicing friends they generally are influenced for the good by our kids.
I'm very much in favour of supporting our catholic schools, & i expect we are lucky in that ours are particularly good.
I have 5 girls at secondary level at the moment. none of them has a boyfriend/sexual relationship & they aren't particularly materialistic. I don't think all home-schooled kids turn out much better than that.
Still not to argue..the Catholic church has a wonderful variety of options & each family must make its own choice. My husband & i are former secondary teachers, but prefer to send ours to school.
Re this gay culture we have many discussions. I have friends/relations who are homosexual...none practicing & very holy people. it does annoy me a bit when people (mainly us Catholics) are condemnatory. A quick read of The cathechism, explains we must be compassionate, to people with this orientation, as it is a very real suffering for many.Obviously we then talk about living chaste lives..Encourage are a group faithful to the Magisterium, who give support to gay people.
These sorts of conversations come up regularly..often through the TV, but they are great opprtunities for education & moral discussions..
9 comments:
My wife and I stopped watching television 18 months ago. It's been wonderful.
Our family ditched the TV about 6 years ago.
I got angry one night as I watched a program that was supposed to be some form of 'news'. The interviewer made faces, feigned horror and spoke in 'the tone' set aside for Really Bad Things. The interviewer was learning of a gory and disgusting procedure used on sheep by some farmers to get extra soft lambskins - by (Oh Horrors!) going into the ewe and sawing the head off the fetal lamb just before birth! "Can you imagine the barbarity of beheading a lamb before its birth for its skin??!" the man said over and over. But this same news show touts abortion as good and humans in the womb as 'tissue'. I had enough - quit the routine of turning it on and haven't regretted it since.
We have 8 children who don't miss it either. They spend time talking, creating things, sharing stories, reading, playing games and enjoying each other's company.
We don't miss it one bit.
Thank you for that link, Father. I find myself agreeing wholeheartedly.
Shana, it is great to hear about your family - your children will thank you heartily when they are adults and realise how many opportunities you gave them by letting them grow up without the TV.
Shana,
Glad it has worked for your family. I'm hoping my 10 will thank me for keeping TV, & discussing various issues arising, as well as enjoying much of it too. I personally think it's best to avoid extremes. We used to have no TV. Now we have some TV..ie not all or nothing.
I don't think anyone is any less of a Catholic for watching TV.
It's a bit like the Homeschooling issue..i don't think one is more Catholic for homeschooling..& you could argue by taking out the leaven we leave the schools worse off. Not very Catholic that!
Just my humble opinion...
God bless,
Mrs Jackie Parkes MJ
We have raised our four kids without a TV since before the first was born 16 years ago.
The benefits have been enormous: we eat together, play games together go for walks together, and the kids do a lot alone, especialy imaginative play and messing about doing not-a-lot.
Also the kids enjoy the movies more, as they haven't been over-exposed to the power of the dramatic. Lots more on my blog about this...
In grad school, I had a hard time thinking of ideas for projects, and a professor suggested that I turn off the tv. 11 years later, it's still off (I gave it away after graduating). Now, I have more ideas than time. The main adjustment is finding others who don't watch television because conversation with those that watch is usually limited to what they have seen on tv. Therefore, I end up asking a lot of questions: "Who's Guy Ritchie?" "What do the Wembley Towers look like?" Ignorance can be blissful.
I grew up watching very little tv; when it was allowed, my parents watched what my siblings and I watched, and they turned it off when the content got "adult" (which, for traditional Roman Catholics, was often in the late 70s and early 80s). My friends laughed at me, but I grew accustomed to the "radical eccentric without a television" label; it's an innocent way to be "controversial" and trumps a tattoo or piercing. Today, my eyes and ears are so alive; I enjoy people and the outdoors so much more without a tv.
Parents: your children will complain and complain about not having a tv (as I did), but when they grow older, they will thank you for your leadership.
Mrs. Parkes MJ,
I don't think not watching TV has much to do with being 'more Catholic' either, but its helped us by keeping visual trash out of our home. (I know a lot of Protestants and a few Mormons who turned the telly off, too!) When we do use the one TV we have, its for a good movie on video.
As for home schooling, the problem is that a ship must be built in a harbor, not open seas, in order to become fully seaworthy because the ocean is treacherous and a ship must be properly built first to ensure that it will stay afloat out there. Home schooling is done to prepare a child for the high seas, if you will, when they are strong enough to withstand the worst.
Its much too easy for children to be influenced by their peers and teachers rather than the Church and families after certain ages. Sadly, I've seen too many Catholic children who were too easily influenced by school & peers (plus, all the gay/culture of death/materialism/sexualization that is pushed on children in schools, often without parental knowledge or consent.) It can be damaging in many areas, including the relationship between children and parents, depending on the family and the type of school.
Not everyone can home school, and its wrong to tout it as the only way to be a good Christian. Those who don't home school aren't 'bad Catholics' if they are very involved with their children and careful about what goes on in the schools. Its a good choice when one can do it, though.
Hi Shana,
The trouble about home-schooling up to a certain age, is when these kids get thrown into College at age 16-18 & Uni. To be honest i've seen more problems in the homeschooled kids than those from good Catholic schools.
For our children they are used to mixing with a variety of families..& quite often choose very good friends from lovely families. Even when they have non-practicing friends they generally are influenced for the good by our kids.
I'm very much in favour of supporting our catholic schools, & i expect we are lucky in that ours are particularly good.
I have 5 girls at secondary level at the moment. none of them has a boyfriend/sexual relationship & they aren't particularly materialistic. I don't think all home-schooled kids turn out much better than that.
Still not to argue..the Catholic church has a wonderful variety of options & each family must make its own choice. My husband & i are former secondary teachers, but prefer to send ours to school.
Re this gay culture we have many discussions. I have friends/relations who are homosexual...none practicing & very holy people. it does annoy me a bit when people (mainly us Catholics) are condemnatory. A quick read of The cathechism, explains we must be compassionate, to people with this orientation, as it is a very real suffering for many.Obviously we then talk about living chaste lives..Encourage are a group faithful to the Magisterium, who give support to gay people.
These sorts of conversations come up regularly..often through the TV, but they are great opprtunities for education & moral discussions..
Sorry...i'm rambling now...
but best of luck to all families!
God bless,
Mrs Jackie Parkes MJ
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