The Dangers to Our Souls

Soutenous of A Catholic Notebook has a very thought provoking post about the Touchable Past and Future. She starts off with a quote from E.B. White:

"I believe television is going to be the test of the modern world, and that in this new opportunity to see beyond the range of our vision we shall discover either a new and unbearable disturbance of the general peace or a saving radiance in the sky. We shall stand or fall by television -- of that I am quite sure."

Guess when it was written? Well, visit her blog to find out.

Interestingly, I received the Winter Edition 2007 Dedicated Decades from the The Universal Living Rosary Association on Saturday. All the articles are usually very good but this issue was even more so. I was especially intrigued by the article "A Moral Society to a Godless Society: How Did it Happen?"

I will briefly highlight some of the points of that article here:

In a time span of 50 years, our society has gone from a God-fearing, moral generation, based on family traditions, values and roots to a society where everything is questioned, changed and/or compromised.

"Fifty years ago, abortion, murder, corruption, pornography and the multitude of evils which plague our society today would never have been tolerated. Society would have revolted."

According to the author of this article, all of this was well calculated with the introduction of television into our homes. We were lulled with wholesome and entertaining shows such as I Love Lucy, Lawrence Welk and soon we were glued in front of our sets. We forsook the time spend together in our backyards, with family, with friends and neighbors and instead became busier and busier.

"Man became more reliant on himself and less reliant on God. When we quit praying, we became less holy. Because of our lack of virtue, we became more prone to sin. This lack of holiness was a breeding ground for the great sins of our society."

What can we do? Well, the author challenges us to turn off our TV sets.

According to the Church Fathers:

"The eyes are the windows of the soul." If protected, innocence dwells; if exposed to the world, filth dwells..."

It is sad but true that television is often used by some parents as a baby sitter for their children. This supposedly inexpensive method of babysitting then frees the parents from the constant demands of their children. But at what cost????

"The entire sexual revolution has been launched by television and brought into the sacred confines of our home, imprinted on our minds and is a constant torment to the natural piety and modesty of our souls. The American Hersey is planted firmly in both the young and the old. "I am #1, I will do it my way, I gotta be me!". It is an entire philosophy of self-glorification, instant and complete, which has snuffed out the noble deeds of sacrificing oneself for the sake of one's brethren."

What the saints thought about television or entertainment that would one day lead to television:

Padre Pio was both disturbed and disgusted by television. He knew that eventually television would destroy the family. So he often warned people not to allow the Devil into their homes.

Saint Cyprian said "Theaters are a school of impurity and a place where modesty is prostituted."

Saint John Chrysostom said: "All should fly from theaters as from a plague."

In fact, Jesus told us that "Whoever allows adultery into his heart, commits the sin".

Just think about the shows on television. There is no need to think that hard to come up with shows on television right now that glorify adultery, infidelity and other sinful behavior. We are exposing ourselves and our families to the near occasions of sin by watching these shows.

Pope Pius XII made a prophetic statement about television when he stated:

"Children can often avoid the transient attack of a disease outside their home, but cannot escape the disease when it resides in the home itself. It is wrong to introduce any occasion of sin, whatever, into the sanctity of the home."

Well, I think that is enough for today. Tomorrow I will post more about clearing our homes from other destructive publications, etc. I leave you with the following:

MY LORD, TV

The TV is my shepherd, I shall not want.
It makes me to lie on the sofa.
It leads me away from the Faith. It destroys my soul.
It leads me to the path of sex and violence for the advertiser's sake.
Yea, though I walk in the shadow of Christian responsibilities,
There will be no interruption, for the TV is with me.
It's cable and remote control, they comfort me.
It prepares a commercial for me in the midst of my worldliness,
It anoints my head with humanism and consumerism;
My covetousness runneth over.
Surely ignorance and laziness shall follow me all the days of my life.
And I shall dwell in the house of wretchedness watching TV forever.

From Hearts Aflame Magazine Issue 4, 2002

Source: Catholic Kids Page