Death by TV

Ephesians 5:15-16

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

Growing up in England in the 1970s, I remember the BBC launching a children’s TV show during Summer vacation mornings with a very long title. It was “Why don’t you just switch off your television set and go out and do something less boring instead?”

Even in those days, there was concern that too much TV was not good for children. At that time, Britain only had three TV channels, compared with the hundreds available today. Yet, there was concern among some parents and schoolteachers that a diet of too much TV could be affecting children. The purpose of “Why don’t you…” was to suggest some other activities that would get children into the fresh air. And to think that there were no home computers and video games in those days…

A recent scientific study has suggested that it is not only children adversely affected by the home screen. Scientists at the University of Minnesota have suggested that watching TV is such a sedentary activity, that it can lead to pulmonary embolisms – blood clots in the lungs.

It would appear that television viewers between the ages of 45 and 64 who watch a lot of TV are 1.7 times more likely to develop pulmonary embolisms than those who watch little or nothing.

The Bible also gives us warnings about our use of time, saying “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Our time is precious, and more of it can be used for Him.     Author: Paul F. Taylor

Prayer: Father, thank You for all the good gifts that You have given to us. Help us to use our time wisely, as we seek to bring honor to Your Name. Amen.

Ref: Springer. “Watching too much television could cause fatal blood clots.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 February 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180221122555.htm>. Image: Adobe Stock Images, licensed to author.