Was tongues- now -- "The SOAPBOX"

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>>>>> "Tyler" == Tyler Nally <tgnally@prairienet.org> writes:

    Tyler> The ALJC pastor of the church I've been attending here in
    Tyler> Indianapolis since I've moved here, has a video tape of a
    Tyler> well known evangelist in the UPC ranks say from the pulpit
    Tyler> something to the effect, "we might as well admit it, we all
    Tyler> have TV's in our homes."  He's well known and respected and
    Tyler> doesn't make any bones about it in his messages.  I've only
    Tyler> seen him once on a video and I know his name has come up
    Tyler> many times in this forum.  Whether Bro Arnold or not
    Tyler> refered to himself and his home, or the other big wigs and
    Tyler> their households, I don't know... but that's a pretty
    Tyler> astounding statement from someone held so high.  I can get
    Tyler> the real quote on the video tape if necessary.

Well, he certainly did not say it about me, or any other preacher I
have ever sat under in the UPC.  I am not saying they aren't out
there; just that there are still plenty of UPC preachers and saints
that do not have a TV.  I have never had one since I have had a home
of my own to be in control of.

My parents are not UPC, and they do have several TV sets, but since I
have moved out 18 years ago, I have not had a TV, or even a VCR.  I
do, however, have several computers with internet access (obviously!).

I feel that the computers are not the same kind of time waster that TV
is.  With a TV, you are being broadcast to without any interaction
other than your selection of which show to watch.  The same is true
for video tapes, cinema, etc., although with the latter two, you do
not have the advertisements to deal with.

I agree that TV in itself is not bad, but much of what is on it is
bad.  We tend to break Einstein's requirement ("Everything should be
made as simple as possible, but not simpler.") when we condemn the
media instead of the message.  We are shooting the messenger because
of the message.  

It is just too difficult to articulate what constitutes an acceptable
(or an unacceptable) message, so the UPC violates Einstein's
requirement and condemns the media instead.  It is too easy to say
"Don't watch TV", and too hard to describe what is good or bad about a
particular show.  Unfortunately, the same show that is bad because it
is on TV is all right if you read the book.

This is too bad, because TV could be used as an effective outreach
tool, but the UPC stance that we cannot have one extrapolates into the
position that we cannot use that medium to reach lost souls either.
:-<

-- 
--------  "And there came a writing to him from Elijah"  [2Ch 21:12]  --------
Robert Jay Brown III  rj@eli.wariat.org  http://eli.wariat.org  1 847 705-0424
Elijah Laboratories Inc.;  37 South Greenwood Avenue;  Palatine, IL 60067-6328
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