Finally, a gem…
In an off-topic discussion from a Lutheran discussion board, which mostly hashes church issues ad naseum and sometimes without purpose and sometimes inappropriately, comes this brilliant gem:
Pastor asks:
“While this isn’t strictly a “Lutheran” topic, I’m concerned about the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of my older Lutheran parishioners who spend nearly their entire day sitting in front of the TV set.
Admittedly, most of these individuals have limited physical mobility, but such lethargy just makes their situation worse. I’m wondering how both pastor and laypeople can help our older adults break free from the addictive spell of the “Boob Tube”?”
Good answers:
1. Find ways to get them out of the house if only for a short while. Or if that’s impossible, organize regular phone calls. An hour a week, if you like, but make it an hour/a person they can count on. Many elderly, with/without limited mobility, are dying for somebody to talk to! I use the verb purposely.
2. Pastor has hit upon something very important. There is a Lutheran concern here too. In past years old people were the most trustworthy defenders of Lutheran orthodoxy. Now, thanks to brainwashing by watching hours and hours of … TV preachers, the old people, particularly the little old ladies are, generally speaking, a mixed-up bunch. One little, old Lutheran lady after watching hours and hours of Pat Robertson, told me once that the Palestinian people have to be destroyed or Jesus isn’t coming back. I am of the opinion that Joel Osteen markets himself to appeal to the erotic/romantic fantasy life of female senior citizens and a Lutheran old lady of my aquaintance rhapsodizes about the guy. Sophisticated people may think of Osteen as a joke, but old Lutheran ladies who live in isolated rural communities may have a different opinion. Osteen’s constant boring ramblings in public about how much he loves his wife is just the kind of blather the blue-haired set loves to hear.
Thankfully, only one person recommended getting the elderly started on the internet and was gently shot down by the other board participants. I find the comment about Osteen interesting because every time I’ve accidentally heard his program, I found him insulting his wife. How strange.
For my own family, the biggest concern I have is when the TV is on, blasting advertisements for all to hear long after we have finished watching our show, but no one is actually watching nor even in that room. Ummm, excuse me while I go turn off the TV and turn on the radio…
This is a good post TK! It is too bad that there are a lot of tv junkies among the elderly as well as all the ages. Except for the good old shows and movies (I mean movies from the 40s, 50s, and 60s.) there isn’t much to watch on tv. Oh, the food channel and HGTV are two good channels most of the time too. Yes, we like to listen to radio or music too, but I must admit it is awfully easy for us to put the tv on fairly soon after we get home.
I can’t stand the commercials either, especially all the ones that are so sexually suggestive! And, I would just as soon see women and men dressed modestly and appropriately! It is all around us though, isn’t it? Well, thanks to God, we have many other things to do instead of watching tv, most important, reading the Bible.