The Poisonous Effects of Television and the Internet

The modern housewife has a host of things which she may engage in, occupying her time when the children are off to school and her husband is off to his place of work. To be sure there are many immoral career women also. However, there are some temptations that are particular to the woman who has more time on her hands at home. This article is written to address the person who is on the wrong road, in hopes of recovering them to the Right Way, the Truth and the Life, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Now, there are those who are secret abusers of alcohol and drugs. Others, who spend their time outside the home shopping with no real purpose. Still, others may be involved in secret relationships with other men and/or women in gross immorality and homosexuality.   There are even those who are learning occultic practices. There is such a pervasive and all-encompassing, influence of the medium of modern media today, that all of the above mentioned vices can find their way easily into the home of the average housewife via the television and the internet.  It is imperative then, that the person who desires the Truth that can set them free (by exposing first the subtle tactics of darkness and then by showing the path of light to stay free), pays close attention to the following.

The homemaker is, perhaps more than any other individual, prone to victimization by the posionous media. As with any drug, it begins in small doses. Even as the various, fashionable programs of this world are consumed in increasingly greater quantities, the harmful effects often go unperceived until disaster strikes.  This can apply to anyone, but we are concentrating in this article on the housewife. She is deemed a good person with the noble task of taking care of the house and her family.  However, if she is not one who loves the Lord and strives for godliness in her own life and heart as well as in her children, then she is wearing a mask of innocence only.

The seemingly, harmless comedies and fashion programs inject into the brain and heart ideas that are more often than not, impure and ungodly. A Christian housewife has no business in exposing herself to worldy values in the name of a little relaxation from her daily chores. When T.V. sitcoms become the conversation piece at gatherings, whether tea parties or at the school yard picking up the kids after school and meeting other moms, it is a sure alarm. She who declares that entertainment depicting actors hugging or kissing each other (almost always in adulterous relationships) and dressing in provocative attire, gives her a harmless diversion from the pressures of life, is already addicted to the diabolical drug of deceptive media.  Whether it is television or the internet, the Devil is working hard to secure the housewife's attention so that he can skillfully and craftily make her long for illicit romance and greedy, self-indulgent desires. So many women (including some who profess Christianity) are led away from their marriage vows by lust that is fueled progressively by sentimental stories of dissatisfied, lonely folk out there in cyber-world who found their dream-partners by developing friendships online.

Again, the lust for the things of this world is fueled when one is constantly viewing membership ads for the spa and gym, secret beauty treatments and products, high soceity clubs, dream vacations and "bargain" merchandise on the T.V. and on the internet. Now, wanting a dream vacation and looking for good deals on needed merchandise are not necessarily wrong but a continual lust for them is clearly out of bounds for the christian. If one makes these things the source of fulfillment then that is contrary to the Spirit of God. Preoccupation with external things such as appearance and giving innappropriate attention to them is foolish.

The following are calls to self-worship issued by immoral advertisers:

"You can feel happy and finally be fulfilled if only you had ___!" "You can say goodbye to your boring life and say hello to excitement and vitality if only you bought ____!"

Vanity of vanities!

Today's soceity has so faithfully and regularly consumed this evil to the point that it no longer enrages moral decency within them. And why does it not do so? Well, because all the moral decency that ever resided in them has been flushed out thoroughly with the moral sewage of soap opera stars and disco and movie stars.  These stars are ever leading them to the cliff of eternal suicide. Leading christian organizations have documented the sky rocketing divorces of internet drunk housewives. They have shown how soap opera stained hearts and minds of many a housewife has caused them to cease loving their families and instead give more careful attention to the details of some actor's promiscuous lifestyle paraded on the, "special" programs on the television.

Some cannot get enough of a laugh in watching silly, mischievous and often immoral comedians on a daily basis. Foolish laughter, talking and jesting as well as filthiness are all condemned by God as not only unprofitable but as the very things which characterize His enemies who incur His Wrath. (Ephesians 5:4-6) It is unfortunate that the truth is not perceived at all by those who engage in folly as they head onto Hell with the popular opinion that such wicked laughter is psychologically healthy. The Bible, as noted above, never advocates foolish laughter and mischief as something to indulge in for some diversion from the busyness of life.  Many also idle their time away by watching monotonous cooking programs and exercise advertisements.  The mesmerizing infomercials host anything and everything that a person could lust after by way of merchandise.  In short, the Devil is like the Candy Man, he's got just the thing to tease the foolish curiosity of people who are idle and desitute of the Truth of Christ. Instead of learning contentment and the proper use of one's resources under the guidance of the Word of God, the Holy Bible, millions of naive housewives have rather become faithful disciples of self-made, self-worshiping heathen gurus who underneath their expert therapies, actually teach the lie that catering to the five senses is what will bring them true fulfillment.  In other words, the victims are deceived into consuming the same old, re-packaged lie of the evil one. The lie that the lust of the eyes, flesh and the pride of life is what will bring ultimate satisfaction. This is of course in direct opposition to the express commandment forbidding these very things in 1 John 2:15-17.

If you are a Christian, get out like Lot did from this place of compromise in your life before you get destroyed with the heathen!  Yes, save yourselves from this untoward generation by having the strongest and best filters on the internet at home if you must have the internet and by throwing away the Television (unless you can permanently eliminate the television signal and use the former T.V. as monitor for playing good Christian videos.) Hence, you will be eliminating two of the chief ways in which Satan is corrupting even, good and innocent housewives and families.  Indeed, how much better to have just a blank video monitor with good Christian videos which will serve to edify yourselves and your families and prepare you for His Soon Coming.  If you don't take such measures, don't be alarmed when your house comes crumbling down at the onslaught of demons you have allowed into your home by these avenues.

The housewife is to spend her time in loving her husband and children and using her spare time in learning how to grow in godliness by listening to God on her knees in prayer and by reading His Word. In addition to this, the Lord instructs them to be zealous of good works by helping the needy and sick in their community.   Thus, instead of being a frantic and frivolous individual who doesn't even know why she is so:

confused in her thinking and
compulsive in her spending in buying up the latest merchandise and
immoral and adulterous in her inmost desires,

she can be a:
example of great peace and patience,
woman of godly wisdom and sobriety,
tower of moral strength and purity,

and help her family to lead quiet, meek and holy lives, untainted by the wickedness of the age.

May our Blessed Lord Jesus rescue someone from the deception of Satan today through His Word contained in this little article, is our sincere prayer.

- by Pradeep Emmanuel Stephen ©2003 comprehensivechristian.com

[Permission is granted to duplicate this article in its entirety, but only without additions, alterations or omissions of any kind, including the author and ministry name at the end.]