18 September 2005

TV is not evil

Many groups, both secular and religious, are quick to vilify television. To be fair, the entertainment industry gives them a lot to hate. When I renewed my commitment to God and my Christian walk, I fell in with the party line and stopped watching practically all the shows I enjoyed. It was a necessary move to allow me to study my Bible more and spend more time in prayer. Now, however, I am getting a little sick of the message that TV is either entertainment for the brain dead or a tool of the devil. True, there are many "junk food" hours in each network's programming schedule but there are also many shows that can help you make a positive change.

Today's example is "Body Challenge: Ultimate Slimdown" and all the other weight loss shows on Discovery Health Channel. Every time I see one of these shows I feel motivated to get off my butt. Some of the shows work through inspiration by telling the story of people I can identify with and what they did to lose weight. I always pick up an interesting tip or exercise from these programs. Other shows work through disgust by showing me where I could end up if I don't get a handle on my weight gain. The key is that these stories are televised. I've read articles in magazines and on the internet, but seeing and hearing people tell their stories and seeing moving before-and-after images connects a lot better with me than words and static photos on a page.

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