2012.11.14 Detest versus Choice Created by on 9/28/2013 10:02:15 AM Many believers are justly offended by sin and make statements like "I have come to detest television".
Such language is seductive and seems right, however, Father says we should NOT use such language but make clear choices to avoid television programmes and other sources of material that depict sin and are NOT acceptable in His sight.
Another problem with "detest" is if I then watch a program and find it to be NOT detestable then my moral framework for qualifying TV programs in or out is broken and I can move into a place of invalid choices because my "detest" has been bypassed.
2012.11.14
Detest versus Choice
by
James Robertson
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In a recent email someone wrote to me “I have really come to detest television”
On the face of this one might conclude that this is a righteous stance.
However, Yah says it is NOT valid.
We should make choices out of a clear space, NOT out of offense.
It is so that most of what is on TV is NOT acceptable in the sight of Yah and involves watching sin, whether that be lying, fornication or whatever and it is not spiritually healthy for us to watch such material.
Error and sin are, in their own way upsetting and offensive to people who are trying to live a set-apart life BUT Yah says that is NOT the basis on which one should choose NOT to watch such material.
What is called for is “clear choice” – “I know that what is portrayed here is NOT acceptable in the sight of Yah and therefore I CHOOSE NOT to watch it”.
The problem with “detest Television” which is the same problem with diverse similar “offense based” responses that believers use to try and discourage others from doing things that are wrong in the sight of Yah is that it is based on judgment and offense NOT clear choice with regard to right and wrong.
Yah says that such language is “seductive” and from Satan because it removes the choice element and is not understood by others who do not have the revelation that this person has or claims to have.
Equally there ARE programs that are largely or strictly technical and information delivery based which ARE informative and which are even worth watching from time to time. There have been times when Yah has expressly led me to watch particular TV programs, news broadcasts and the like in order to teach me something or show me about something that is going on in the world – if I am in a space called “detest television” I will find it very hard to believe that Yah is leading me to do this.
Accordingly, I encourage all who read this to avoid offense based language and concentrate on making clear choices.
“Detest television” will not help a person who watches TV and sees nothing wrong with it to see a need for change, they will simply think that the person who makes this statement is weird or apply other negative judgmental language to them. Contrast this with “I choose NOT to watch TV programs that depict lying, fornication and other behaviour or language that is unacceptable in the sight of Yah and limit my exposure to TV to programs that I believe are uplifting and contain information of value to me”.
Conclusion
Offense based language can result in inappropriate choices and is meaningless and off-putting to others. Be crisp and clear about your value choices and limits.
May Yah bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you and give you peace.
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