Church on TV

[Rex]

Flipping through the channels this morning there were Church shows on every other one.

What do you think about this?

 

[Revoltingest]

Back in the 50s. Nearly every channel had church on Sunday mornings. The only exception was Channel 9 out of Canuckistan. It had curling. It got old in a hurry. We didn't watch a lot of TV in such times.

I miss Soupy Sales & White Fang (the giant dog off camera).

 

[Draka]

I have always found it strange, and let's face it, a money making thing. I mean, I have always held that one of the main aspects of going to a church is not only to hear sermons, one can read for the same info, it is for the community, the group worship, the feeling of togetherness in faith. It is the same for most religions is it not? I mean, you have your singular and private worship at home, but you go to a church/temple/synagogue/mosque even Pagans have gatherings for group rituals and Sabbats, for the actual physical community. The drawing together of people. How on Earth does a church service you watch on tv compare?

 

[icehorse]

In the US churches are largely tax exempt. Given that, such shows should pay their way to the airwaves and they should NOT be allowed to beg for money. If they are truly moral, their sole purpose should be to comfort those who can't make it to a physical church. As I flip quickly by these shows, what I see is hucksters.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

This is evidence of the upcoming Judgement Day!

And by that I meant Terminator Judgement Day

 

[Muffled]

Back in the 50s. Nearly every channel had church on Sunday mornings. The only exception was Channel 9 out of Canuckistan. It had curling. It got old in a hurry. We didn't watch a lot of TV in such times.

I miss Soupy Sales & White Fang (the giant dog off camera).

I watched religious shows as a teenager in the 50's. There weren't many stations so there weren't as many choices as todays TV provides. Soupy Sales was a good show and I watched it but that was during the week not on Sunday. I don't remember very well but it seems sto me that religous programming was on in the morning and other shows at night but now one can find stations with religious themes 24/7.

 

[Muffled]

In the US churches are largely tax exempt. Given that, such shows should pay their way to the airwaves and they should NOT be allowed to beg for money. If they are truly moral, their sole purpose should be to comfort those who can't make it to a physical church. As I flip quickly by these shows, what I see is hucksters.

I believe the fact that religon promotes morality that it is a community service for TV stations to provide religious services. However it is my understanding that some shows are paid for and that is why money is needed.

 

[Muffled]

I have always found it strange, and let's face it, a money making thing. I mean, I have always held that one of the main aspects of going to a church is not only to hear sermons, one can read for the same info, it is for the community, the group worship, the feeling of togetherness in faith. It is the same for most religions is it not? I mean, you have your singular and private worship at home, but you go to a church/temple/synagogue/mosque even Pagans have gatherings for group rituals and Sabbats, for the actual physical community. The drawing together of people. How on Earth does a church service you watch on tv compare?

It compares well. It is nice to have the service without the chitchat about the weather, lol.

 

[sojourner]

I have always found it strange, and let's face it, a money making thing. I mean, I have always held that one of the main aspects of going to a church is not only to hear sermons, one can read for the same info, it is for the community, the group worship, the feeling of togetherness in faith. It is the same for most religions is it not? I mean, you have your singular and private worship at home, but you go to a church/temple/synagogue/mosque even Pagans have gatherings for group rituals and Sabbats, for the actual physical community. The drawing together of people. How on Earth does a church service you watch on tv compare?

The same question has come up recently regarding social media -- is it real "community," or not? Wha constitutes "real" community? While I think it's possible to create online community (such as this forum), I don't think it's the same thing as "face-to-face" encounters. There's more to relationships than verbal communication through writing -- or even on camera. There's eye contact, sometimes touch, nonverbal body language, and other subtle cues -- along with the atmosphere and energy of being in the presence of and with other people -- that create an ineffable quality to "being there," that media simply can't replicate. In fact, there's increasing evidence that even rabid social "medialites" desire face-to-face meetings after a while. We want to "make contact." From a purely Christian standpoint (and, I imagine, other religions, too), relationship and community lie at the heart of the religion. So, while social media may be popular and a welcome expansion to religious offerings, it can never be a replacement for "being there."