Sunday, September 19, 2010

Television and "The Great and Spacious Building"

Even if you think that religion is a farce, and that the Book of Mormon was brilliantly concocted by Joseph Smith, I think that everyone can benefit from reading the story of the Lehi's dream and the tree of life.



Lehisdream

Recently, LDS apostle Boyd K. Packer made this interesting statement:



Largely because of television, instead of looking over into that spacious building, we are, in effect, living inside of it. That is your fate in this generation. You are living in that great and spacious building.



A few nights ago, we let our children ages 5 to 9 stay up and watch some of a TV program with us.  The 5 year old immediately pointed out several things portrayed by the people on the show that were not in harmony with the values we are trying to teach in our home.  I grew concerned about the "double standard" we appear to hold: that it's OK to watch TV with people that don't model our values, but it's not OK to behave like them.  Don't we eventually do the things we spend our time watching and thinking about?  Remember Lot in the Bible?



Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.



You'll notice that by the next chapter, Lot is living in Sodom, amidst all its depravity and wickedness.


It is also interesting that when Lot and his family are warned to flee Sodom before God sends fire and brimstone to destroy it, that they are commanded to



look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain.



I suppose one of the lessons here is to watch where we look, and where we have our figurative tents pitched towards.


And what channel the TV is on...?