Are We An "Entertainment" Focused Society?

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by MrsMcD

I just wish I had time to sit in the swing and watch the world go by slowly.

We would all be a happier people if we did.

I stand firmly convinced that this is not the way God wanted us to live our lives.

But you are too deep into it before you realize what is going on.

Someone asked me what I would do if I won several million dollars...

I said...

I would buy a house with lots of land... raise a garden, raise sheep... maybe some cattle...I would have solar panels & wind power generation... I would have water pumped straight out of the ground...

I would make it where I NEVER needed a million dollars again.

This life takes more than it gives... that's why we run our lives at an energy deficit.

We live longer than the old timers did... but do we live as much?

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

No provocation taken...

I see it like this... I wasn't there so I can't be sure...

But...

FACT... the old timers did hard work. No doubting that.

But...
life wasn't so fast paced back then.
They went to bed when the sun went down
They REALLY rested.
They didn't have 2-1/2 hour round trip commutes (I have actually driven that for years before)

A lot of things are different.

The things that we do in our society take from our mind.
They take from our very being.
They drain us.

Hard work makes you tired but it invigorates the body too. Good hard work with sweat rolling down our face is what we were created to do.

Working our minds the majority of each day like we do just drains us to a fizzle.

Also... no self respecting old timer would EVER allow his life to be a "running ragged from daylight to dark" scenario.

The old timers were smart enough to know that life is about living. So much that they had enough to spare to make it to church.

You have good points and I agree.
One other thing is the spiritual battles we face today are much more intense.
The pressure of the end times are upon us for sure.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Yes but only because, like pavlov's dogs they have been trained to be like that

HMMM, Not only that, how many of us as parents have practiced the word "no"
in regards to our childrens requests?

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

We would all be a happier people if we did.

I stand firmly convinced that this is not the way God wanted us to live our lives.

But you are too deep into it before you realize what is going on.

Someone asked me what I would do if I won several million dollars...

I said...

I would buy a house with lots of land... raise a garden, raise sheep... maybe some cattle...I would have solar panels & wind power generation... I would have water pumped straight out of the ground...

I would make it where I NEVER needed a million dollars again.

This life takes more than it gives... that's why we run our lives at an energy deficit.

We live longer than the old timers did... but do we live as much?

Very true.

I can agree here, I would just add that it would be great to have both more time for family and the Church.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Ron

HMMM, Not only that, how many of us as parents have practiced the word "no"
in regards to our childrens requests?

So true...

We do better than some but, according to the word, I would be unwise to compare myself to others.

We have bought more things than we said we were... we have not done as well as our idealistic parenting goals once planned for.

Oh for a "Take Two" sometimes

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Ron

Very true.

I can agree here, I would just add that it would be great to have both more time for family and the Church.

Yes sir...

I don't necessarily feel it is an either/or proposition...

I think both areas suffer and the culprit is the fast paced modern life we live.

Where's Stephen Hoover when you need him.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Ron

HMMM, Not only that, how many of us as parents have practiced the word "no"
in regards to our childrens requests?

Well sadly parents are the ones that plop their kids down in front of the boobtoob at an early age. Families just HAD to watch the next episode of their show...could not miss what happens next week and that show comes on ironically at dinner time.

So they started out rallying around the TV....pretty soon they were watching their own shows on their own TVs....

[QueenEsther]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

In what way?

Interested to hear more about what you are thinking.

Well, I don't have all the ideas I just know that this is what we have been discussing with our youth committee, we are trying to put together an outreach team and it seems that the only way to really reach the youth age and to get their attention is through entertainment. Everyone wants to complain at how horrible the TV is but it is not going to change so lets use it to draw people - not necessarily sermons but attention getting ads, maybe short video clips - we have set up a youth website as well as a myspace acct for our youth group - it is not really being used the way we want it to yet but we are getting there. We are trying to have a few small concerts this year inside and out at places the kids hang out at. Go to the entertainment areas and do outreach. Etc...Nothing anyone else has never though of before, just don't fight the entertainment but go out into it and use it. That is where you will find today's youth is where they can be entertained. We cannot change what the world is doing so we must figure out how to use it to our good.

[QueenEsther]

Originally Posted by Ron

HMMM, Not only that, how many of us as parents have practiced the word "no"
in regards to our childrens requests?

Or haven't practiced it enough! Lol!!

[Praxeas]

I think Western Culture is going down the tubes so to speak in large part because we have to be entertained. Entertainment is like an addictive drug to some who are always looking for the next high. The quality of our education system is not to be blamed either in regards to educating our youth.

It really starts at home. Turn the TV off.