Push and Pull: The Game

[OP_Carl]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

OPC, has made claims on another thread.

Called out for a grudge match by a major household appliance . . . . . I'm shaking in my boots . . .

As I understand it, a "push" media, like TV, is less desireable and less safe for Christians than a "pull" media such as the internet.

My questions:

If one can "pull" the exact same program on the internet that is "pushed" on TV, would it stand to reason, then, that the content should be forbidden?

It is indeed the artfully crafted and produced content that should be avoided. The people that write, edit, and produce TV programming have an agenda, and that agenda isn't to make Christians look good. Rather, it's to find any smallest crack in a Christian's defenses and hammer in wedge after wedge. The assault on traditional values and traditional families is both overt and subtle, and a 30 minute show that otherwise is not objectionable can slide in a subtle dig or innuendo when you least expect it. Most of my views on this come from the perspective of shielding children, but if I don't want it in my kids' minds, why would I want it in mine? What is it about my spiritual condition that has me hungering for the veiled insults and crude humor of the world instead of something from God?

If the people responsible for the content of television programming did not believe that the moving visual imagery could influence other people, why would they spend billions of dollars in advertising? If I recall correctly, more money is spent on television advertising in the United States than the GDP of any other country in the world. Somebody smart and in charge of lots of money believes that it is influential.

There is a good deal of data out there that says that moving visual images are more stimulating to the brain, and therefore have the potential to become more influencial or more traumatic. I posted several informative links in the past.

I have a difficult time taking anybody seriously on this topic that hasn't read The Marketing of Evil by David Kupelian. I highly recommend you read this book.

Or do you make the case that C-Span is acceptable on the internet but should be avoided on TV?

If something should be avoided on account of content, it should be avoided both places. Broadcast television has the added annoyance of ads, which are frequently even more objectionable than the shows themselves. Pop-ups and spam have not been a problem for me . . . I wonder why?

If both of the medias have overlapping content, is it then not a question of content rather then conduit?

Yes. And this theoretically is a safe decision to leave in the hands of an adult. However, a 3-year-old can turn on a TV and access objectionable content, but would have a much more difficult time finding the same or similar on the internet. I want to protect my children from having insidious seeds of doubt planted in their minds by crafty and sensational ploys created by people thousands of miles away that I would never invite inside my home in person to do the same.