[quote author=MarchMadness link=topic=10988.msg133132#msg133132 date=1300281329] I really like the show Glee. What is the official Coptic Church's stance on Glee?
I'm new to the forums, please holla back!
first, welcome to the forum.
Now, why does the Church need to have a saying about "Glee"?!
I should the hope the Church does not need to make pronouncements about everything down to individual TV shows. Or, if it does, that they be limited to "abstain from TV during Lent". ;)
Glee is becoming VERY popular here in Australia... I know some of my friends watch it... Our normal channels on TV at home hasn't worked for like 1.5 years now LOL.. we haven't been bothered to fix a small issue... so I don't watch it... Although it's put up every week on the broadcasting channels website... so i do still have the chance to watch it.. like i watch everything else with no ads 8) Anyways, I remember only watching the 1st episode, and after that I see ads about it everywhere... First impression is that it's a really low type of comedy.. really really low and dumb-funny jokes. I wouldn't even call it comedy... it's really crap! Yet it is watchable, well to some people...
There's nothing like the good days of Seinfeld and Frasier! Smart-funny old school!
I don't think you need an official view of the Coptic Church on this particular show, or any show for that matter... You need to know if what you're watching is good for you spiritually or not! And if it is not, is it bringing your spiritual life down, up, or no change? Does it make you sin? Like seeing bad things, thinking bad things etc? Are you addicted to it? So at the end of the day, you gotta make your own statement on the show... because everyone is different. So you gotta think for yourself and be logical...
I think the BEST way to answer your question is by this verse: 1 Corinthians 6:12 "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."
[quote author=MarchMadness link=topic=10988.msg133138#msg133138 date=1300284068] what i do for lent is personal, thanks :) but i assure you i'm giving up a lot more than "do not watch za TV".
Lol, We have the exact same attitude towards lent! ;)
Good point. I don't think Glee is meant to stand alone for its comedy. It's very over the top, and deals with issues that young people face. i think the show is very smart in bringing controversial issues and putting them in the forefront. teen pregnancy, rejection, status, self image, sex, fidelity, religion. i guess we've had people and clergy comment on harry potter, i'm just wondering if the same has ever been done for Glee
I feel like I shouldn't say anything because I don't watch the show... but here goes some questions I want to raise...
What's it to anyone if they bring up these controversial issues?? It would be even worse to learn from this stuff from TV... Why do these issues need to be more and more exposed for?? Why the unnecessary knowledge??
the show handles it responsibly. its not like 90210 where people are just doing it without consequence. i think the show has a strong message of learning self worth, something most young people don't get to experience for themselves. but i think you're talking about the sex part. which is only one of many.
don't you think it's better to discuss things openly with teens, rather than shelter them from it? it's not like the church talks about it openly. i have a lot of friends who were sheltered and made big mistakes as a result. knowledge is the key to wisdom.
MarchMadness, I watched the entire first season of Glee because I got bored and my roommate has it on DVD. Before watching the entire first season, I had been watching episodes here and there but I didn't have the complete story so sometimes I was getting confused about what was going on. At first, I really liked it a lot because I thought it was funny and had a sort of charisma to it. Watching the complete first season though changed my perception of it forever. I got extremely annoyed with it. It is merely a soap opera but with teenagers in a singing group. BELIEVE ME. I've watched so many soap operas, I can pick one out. That really got on my nerves. I mean, I wasn't looking to watch another soap opera on television. Another thing, the controversial issues that they bring up...if I was a parent, I would not allow my child to watch that stuff, at least unattended and without explaining stuff to them, but on a second thought, I probably wouldn't let them watch it period. Yes, they bring up a lot of controversial issues, but I was disgusted at how they presented them and I was also upset about the moral decay that this society has come to...I suppose to some, it's just the norm, but everything that Glee condones and makes alright, our church and faith says NO NO NO! For me, as a person who is interested in Film/T.V./Theatre and all that fun stuff and have taken some classes studying film and theatre, I can analyze it for you and tell you exactly why it doesn't work, but I'll save you all that and go to the simplest element that I (in my analysis) have found is common to soap operas and I have noticed in Glee...there is no character change whatsoever. They try to have a depth to their characters but that depth is only seen for a very short time and then it sort of disappears and they revert back to how they were. The only real complex character that I see in the whole thing is Sue Sylvester. The rest of the characters get very irritating because every time I watch an episode, I see the same character over and over and over again. It gets very boring.
LOL in conclusion...In all honesty, it's horribly done, I think they could have done a much better job (namely, not making it a soap opera), and you really need to be sure of yourself and your beliefs if you are going to watch something like that because the way in which they depict certain situations is completely against our faith. Be careful. I agree with Mikhail...Seinfeld is hilarious. You can definitely watch something better: LOL like March Madness! Basketball is way better than Glee...in my opinion.
[quote author=MarchMadness link=topic=10988.msg133151#msg133151 date=1300293016] knowledge is the key to wisdom.
Knowledge can also be your destruction. Ever heard of "ignorance is bliss?" While it is good to have some basic knowledge about certain things, you need to be careful about when you acquire that knowledge and in what context and how you go about acquiring that knowledge.
[quote author=MarchMadness link=topic=10988.msg133138#msg133138 date=1300284068] what i do for lent is personal, thanks :) but i assure you i'm giving up a lot more than "do not watch za TV".
ok, was just curious. i can see how it can be controversial show, so i was just wondering if anyone has ever discussed it.
I've never seen glee, but what is so special or immoral about it that the Church should have a stance?
The fact that you are asking is worrying. Why didn't you ask : "What is the Church's view on Batman, or Mickey Mouse"
Why did you ask about Glee? Are you watching something immoral, but its portrayed as being normal?
No, I was not talking about sex at all, but generally everything else.
hmmm, you do make a point. But... with more knowledge the "harder" you will be judged.
Having said this, there were a few times where someone told me about somethings that I did agree to know about even though I was told I would regret it - lol, I do regret it as I was told... Even though this has not changed me, but having the knowledge is not the best thing. And now I see how lots of other people knowing little bits of extra information puts them in danger such as temptation and sin etc. I also see others who are very innocent, even at the ages of 20+ who don't do mistakes because they don't concern themselves with extra information from TV and media and whatever, YET they know very well the consequences/temptations etc. out there and they have the free will of course.
Maybe the church should talk about controversial issues with teens... It is far better to get their information from the church than anywhere else! Obviously, again there are so many ways to collect such controversial information from the church such as talking to servants, Spiritual fathers etc. I know that's how it's dealt with at church... usually it's a close and spiritual servants who are the ones that can easily bring up controversial issues among the youth in a mature way..
You don't need a TV show at all... a lot of people learn from this website too... among many controversial issues, many people on this site ask what they should do, what would you do if, what if questions, how is this right/wrong questions etc etc. Some people even ask their questions in an indirect way...
No matter how many issues, or messages this show may present, it will never be better than the view from the church, the basis of our faith.
Even if the show sends strong messages of learning about self-worth and things that most young people don't get to experience for themselves - whoever said they need to experience things first-hand!! They don't need to.. They can learn about self-worth and whatever from much nicer places like church, school and their social network of friends (not virtual lol)! You can in no way gain a positive self-esteem from watching a lousy show, or any show for that matter.
Again, there is nothing wrong with "knowing" but for those who "know" things can put themselves in danger, but those who don't know and still manage to put themselves in danger - I don't know how that works out really... If I want to know something - I will ask out of my own free will, and then I will act in whatever way I choose to... but being sheltered and making mistakes - not sure exactly what you mean by that.... I know a person who was sheltered very much, and he's like in his late 30s, unmarried and suffers from depression - Now, that is someone who is and was completely sheltered and suffered greatly, maybe not too much spiritually but socially, and this would be the parents fault for sheltering way too much - now, this is an extreme case and another story.
No, I was not talking about sex at all, but generally everything else.
hmmm, you do make a point. But... with more knowledge the "harder" you will be judged.
Having said this, there were a few times where someone told me about somethings that I did agree to know about even though I was told I would regret it - lol, I do regret it as I was told... Even though this has not changed me, but having the knowledge is not the best thing. And now I see how lots of other people knowing little bits of extra information puts them in danger such as temptation and sin etc. I also see others who are very innocent, even at the ages of 20+ who don't do mistakes because they don't concern themselves with extra information from TV and media and whatever, YET they know very well the consequences/temptations etc. out there and they have the free will of course.
Maybe the church should talk about controversial issues with teens... It is far better to get their information from the church than anywhere else! Obviously, again there are so many ways to collect such controversial information from the church such as talking to servants, Spiritual fathers etc. I know that's how it's dealt with at church... usually it's a close and spiritual servants who are the ones that can easily bring up controversial issues among the youth in a mature way..
You don't need a TV show at all... a lot of people learn from this website too... among many controversial issues, many people on this site ask what they should do, what would you do if, what if questions, how is this right/wrong questions etc etc. Some people even ask their questions in an indirect way...
No matter how many issues, or messages this show may present, it will never be better than the view from the church, the basis of our faith.
Even if the show sends strong messages of learning about self-worth and things that most young people don't get to experience for themselves - whoever said they need to experience things first-hand!! They don't need to.. They can learn about self-worth and whatever from much nicer places like church, school and their social network of friends (not virtual lol)! You can in no way gain a positive self-esteem from watching a lousy show, or any show for that matter.
Again, there is nothing wrong with "knowing" but for those who "know" things can put themselves in danger, but those who don't know and still manage to put themselves in danger - I don't know how that works out really... If I want to know something - I will ask out of my own free will, and then I will act in whatever way I choose to... but being sheltered and making mistakes - not sure exactly what you mean by that.... I know a person who was sheltered very much, and he's like in his late 30s, unmarried and suffers from depression - Now, that is someone who is and was completely sheltered and suffered greatly, maybe not too much spiritually but socially, and this would be the parents fault for sheltering way too much - now, this is an extreme case and another story.
I've never seen glee, but what is so special or immoral about it that the Church should have a stance?
Thoxsasi,
A member of the glee club is gay which leads to a number of inappropriate sexual scenes and the director of the glee club is having an affair with a few women. Profanity and violence is moderate, but it's a high school setting so you can expect anything.
I wouldn't recommend Glee or most teenage reality shows.
If you're looking for something good to watch then I highly recommend Monk or the Cosby Show :)
Cosby Show is the best show of all time. Hands down.
Favorite Scene:
Theo: You're a doctor and Mom's a lawyer, and you're both successful in everything and that's great! But maybe I was born to be a regular person and have a regular life. If you weren't a doctor, I wouldn't love you less, because you're my dad. So rather than feeling disappointed because I'm not like you, maybe you should accept who I am and love me anyway, because I'm your son.
Cliff: Theo... that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard in my life! No wonder you get D's in everything! You're afraid to try because you're afraid your brain is going to explode and it's going to ooze out of your ears. Now I'm telling you, you are going to try as hard as you can. And you're going to do it because I said so. I am your father. I brought you into this world, and I'll take you out!
lol cosby show, i loved that show. one of the few "clean" shows with morals.
regarding glee, never seen it. but the fact that you are asking what the church says about it then you go about defending it because the show sheds some(not necessarily good) light on controversial issues worries me. if you are asking the church's position then you must have a feeling deep down that is telling you that the show is bad and maybe i should not be watching it. your conscience is the Holy Spirit guiding you. if you have any thought about what you are doing is wrong, then it probably IS wrong.
do not love the world nor the things which are in the world....
[quote author=Mikhail™ link=topic=10988.msg133139#msg133139 date=1300284666] There's nothing like the good days of Seinfeld and Frasier! Smart-funny old school!
I agree with TITL, Monk is the best, too bad they stopped making new shows. Also seinfeld was good, but i don't like to watch Fraiser, idk y i am just not comfortable with the show.
ON TOPIC:
Glee isn't a good show to watch during the fast. TV period isn't what you are supposed to be doing during the fast PERIOD. It turns out that i watched it before i just didn't know what it was called, basically it is like any other dirty show on tv except a little sugar coated. You know it's a bad show you just want someone to tell you otherwise.
i used to watch Glee. But then, i asked myself why am i really watching this (because its very important to know the reasons for why you do everything) && i found that it is really useless. use your time in a fruitful way. watching glee may not make you worse, but it's certainly not improving your relationship with God. it's such a corrupt show, even though it seems like an innocent show, but as it gets more feed and positive vibe from the media, obviously to become more popular, it has to incorporate more sex scenes and all the bad things that make people glued to the screen . do something fruitful with your time! dont waste it on tv, tv doesnt deserve your time.
I'm not asking for permission to watch or not watch the show, just engaging in some discussion, wanted to hear from different people and their thoughts.
For those who believe that abstaining from TV is going to help their spiritual walks, more power to you. For some of us, TV is the least of our worries.
Now back to the discussion:
Mikhail, I really respect what you're saying. So, I don't think the show teaches self worth, as much as it shows examples and characters who deal with issues of self worth, and its good for young people to see that people don't have to fit in, in order to find their self worth. I don't think that's really taught enough in our community. Well it's taught that you have to be different because the world is sinful, but not much is paid attention to how young people feel about themselves.
I forgot who said it, but the gay character happens to be the ONLY one on that show who isn't having sexual relations.
Anyway, yeah, i think there's something to be said of innocence. But I feel knowledge helps people protect their innocence. I'm sure you know as Christians, we don't live in a world of bad and good. Like Fr. Peter said in another post, that's for muslims. Everything should be tested, some things that are OK for one might not be OK for another (see Romans 14).
But I think this show is for people who appreciate art and theater, because it is so theatrical, and out there. They've done some cool things with well known songs. At any rate, kids are gonna watch it, what better way than to have older youth, or their parents be able to discuss with those who are less secure, and help them understand what they're watching. Glee is walt disney compared to what people experience, see, and talk about in school.
what self worth!!?!?! we are worth nothing without God! we would not have any worth if Jesus did not die for our sins and abolished death! we are useless otherwise! so lets focus on improving ourselves during the Great Lent please. whether you believe it or not, much of what you watch on tv affects your spiritual life, so choose wisely.
why are you yelling, dude? :) let's take a breather, ok? No need to get jumpy
a person cannot receive loved if they do not love themselves. transformative love, yes even the love of God, cannot pierce a heart that is closed off from the notion of love. have you ever dealt with kids with low self esteem? kids who hate themselves tend to have a hard time connecting to God, don't believe me, just spend some time with kids from abusive families or abusive situations, kids who are bullied, and ask them how much their sunday school lessons are helping them.
but you are saying the truth, yes, we are all nothing without God.
For those who believe that abstaining from TV is going to help their spiritual walks, more power to you. For some of us, TV is the least of our worries.
Habibi, fasting is not a joke. If it is so hard right now for you to give up TV then that means it shouldn't be least of your worries. With the attitude you are showing right now, i guess you shouldn't refrain from dairy and animal products if ur skinny cuz it's not what you are worried about, i guess you don't need to pray the agpeya everyday because i mean, come on 3 WHOLE HOURS in the liturgy makes up for it. Do you see how a simple thought like that will eventually begin to spread to other aspects of your life? Habibi, i am not getting upset at you and i am not trying to put you down or criticize you. I care for you as you are my brother in Christ and i want you to benefit from the Fast. It is only once a year, and if one can't learn something in the period of Great Lent, then it will be harder for him to learn things in any other time of the year. Now is the time of the year to come closer to God, to become a man in the faith.
May God take care of you and bless your Great Lent so that you may prosper. Amen.
Like you, I also agree that fasting is not a joke. It is a deeply intimate and personal decision that one makes in their walk with God. What's great about the church is that we agree, as a community, to take a faith journey together. We agree that we change our diet and abstain from meat and animal products. This was a practice mainly put in place, because meat was more expensive, and eating veggie, could save money to be given to the poor. We also fast because we are giving up something for a season to help us increase our dependence on God, the practice of fasting creates a void that allows us to better connect with God. We also know that when Jesus fasted, he ate nothing, and lived in the wilderness, none of us are really doing this, as far as I know, but I don't think we're called to do THIS.
When it comes to things that are outside the community agreement, i.e. diet, the rest really has to do with the person. For a lot of people, television and entertainment is a controlling and dependent factor, for others, like me for example, who generally have NO time for that sort of thing, really enjoys the occasional break, but when it comes to fasting from distractions and things, you have to understand that some of us might be doing that in a way that's bigger than just giving up TV. At the end of the day, I have no right to tell you how to fast, and so I am not doing that. Fasting is not an endurance competition with ones self. It's a spiritual practice designed to bring us closer to God.
James Martin wrote a great article http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-james-martin-sj/bothering-to-love-one-pri_b_478984.html on the subject, and suggests that how we are all very much bothering to go without something for a certain time, for some of us, they are things we shouldn't be doing ANYWAY, there is no emphasis on bothering to LOVE. During the fast, don't pat yourself on the back for not eating a burger and getting a bagel with margarine. Or eating an expensive vegan dish, when you could have eaten a 99cent cheeseburger and given that money to a homeless guy. Take time to actively love people. Call a friend who is lonely. Spend time with a family member who you haven't called. Make peace with a friend who you got into a fight with. Give up the things that are actually holding you back from experiencing the fullness of a walk with God. Food is the baseline, but what's outside of that is deeply personal.
I'm not sure how the conversation on Glee turned into a thing about fasting. It's easy to dismiss a subject and say "well its the lent so you shouldn't be watching it anyway."
Well, habibi, I guess you are old enough, and you know what you are doing (hopefully ;D), I just wanted to make sure that you weren't just slacking off in Lent. May God keep you strong. Amen.
Comments
I really like the show Glee. What is the official Coptic Church's stance on Glee?
I'm new to the forums, please holla back!
first, welcome to the forum.
Now, why does the Church need to have a saying about "Glee"?!
Just wondering if anyone has ever discussed or if there's an official church stance on watching it
ok, was just curious. i can see how it can be controversial show, so i was just wondering if anyone has ever discussed it.
Anyways, I remember only watching the 1st episode, and after that I see ads about it everywhere... First impression is that it's a really low type of comedy.. really really low and dumb-funny jokes. I wouldn't even call it comedy... it's really crap! Yet it is watchable, well to some people...
There's nothing like the good days of Seinfeld and Frasier! Smart-funny old school!
I don't think you need an official view of the Coptic Church on this particular show, or any show for that matter... You need to know if what you're watching is good for you spiritually or not! And if it is not, is it bringing your spiritual life down, up, or no change? Does it make you sin? Like seeing bad things, thinking bad things etc? Are you addicted to it? So at the end of the day, you gotta make your own statement on the show... because everyone is different. So you gotta think for yourself and be logical...
I think the BEST way to answer your question is by this verse: 1 Corinthians 6:12 "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."
Cheers
what i do for lent is personal, thanks :) but i assure you i'm giving up a lot more than "do not watch za TV".
Lol, We have the exact same attitude towards lent! ;)
Good point. I don't think Glee is meant to stand alone for its comedy. It's very over the top, and deals with issues that young people face. i think the show is very smart in bringing controversial issues and putting them in the forefront. teen pregnancy, rejection, status, self image, sex, fidelity, religion. i guess we've had people and clergy comment on harry potter, i'm just wondering if the same has ever been done for Glee
What's it to anyone if they bring up these controversial issues?? It would be even worse to learn from this stuff from TV... Why do these issues need to be more and more exposed for?? Why the unnecessary knowledge??
don't you think it's better to discuss things openly with teens, rather than shelter them from it? it's not like the church talks about it openly. i have a lot of friends who were sheltered and made big mistakes as a result. knowledge is the key to wisdom.
I watched the entire first season of Glee because I got bored and my roommate has it on DVD. Before watching the entire first season, I had been watching episodes here and there but I didn't have the complete story so sometimes I was getting confused about what was going on. At first, I really liked it a lot because I thought it was funny and had a sort of charisma to it. Watching the complete first season though changed my perception of it forever. I got extremely annoyed with it. It is merely a soap opera but with teenagers in a singing group. BELIEVE ME. I've watched so many soap operas, I can pick one out. That really got on my nerves. I mean, I wasn't looking to watch another soap opera on television. Another thing, the controversial issues that they bring up...if I was a parent, I would not allow my child to watch that stuff, at least unattended and without explaining stuff to them, but on a second thought, I probably wouldn't let them watch it period. Yes, they bring up a lot of controversial issues, but I was disgusted at how they presented them and I was also upset about the moral decay that this society has come to...I suppose to some, it's just the norm, but everything that Glee condones and makes alright, our church and faith says NO NO NO! For me, as a person who is interested in Film/T.V./Theatre and all that fun stuff and have taken some classes studying film and theatre, I can analyze it for you and tell you exactly why it doesn't work, but I'll save you all that and go to the simplest element that I (in my analysis) have found is common to soap operas and I have noticed in Glee...there is no character change whatsoever. They try to have a depth to their characters but that depth is only seen for a very short time and then it sort of disappears and they revert back to how they were. The only real complex character that I see in the whole thing is Sue Sylvester. The rest of the characters get very irritating because every time I watch an episode, I see the same character over and over and over again. It gets very boring.
LOL in conclusion...In all honesty, it's horribly done, I think they could have done a much better job (namely, not making it a soap opera), and you really need to be sure of yourself and your beliefs if you are going to watch something like that because the way in which they depict certain situations is completely against our faith. Be careful. I agree with Mikhail...Seinfeld is hilarious. You can definitely watch something better: LOL like March Madness! Basketball is way better than Glee...in my opinion.
Anyways, that's all I have to say about Glee.
knowledge is the key to wisdom.
Knowledge can also be your destruction. Ever heard of "ignorance is bliss?" While it is good to have some basic knowledge about certain things, you need to be careful about when you acquire that knowledge and in what context and how you go about acquiring that knowledge.
what i do for lent is personal, thanks :) but i assure you i'm giving up a lot more than "do not watch za TV".
ok, was just curious. i can see how it can be controversial show, so i was just wondering if anyone has ever discussed it.
I've never seen glee, but what is so special or immoral about it that the Church should have a stance?
The fact that you are asking is worrying. Why didn't you ask : "What is the Church's view on Batman, or Mickey Mouse"
Why did you ask about Glee? Are you watching something immoral, but its portrayed as being normal?
hmmm, you do make a point. But... with more knowledge the "harder" you will be judged.
Having said this, there were a few times where someone told me about somethings that I did agree to know about even though I was told I would regret it - lol, I do regret it as I was told... Even though this has not changed me, but having the knowledge is not the best thing. And now I see how lots of other people knowing little bits of extra information puts them in danger such as temptation and sin etc. I also see others who are very innocent, even at the ages of 20+ who don't do mistakes because they don't concern themselves with extra information from TV and media and whatever, YET they know very well the consequences/temptations etc. out there and they have the free will of course.
Maybe the church should talk about controversial issues with teens... It is far better to get their information from the church than anywhere else! Obviously, again there are so many ways to collect such controversial information from the church such as talking to servants, Spiritual fathers etc. I know that's how it's dealt with at church... usually it's a close and spiritual servants who are the ones that can easily bring up controversial issues among the youth in a mature way..
You don't need a TV show at all... a lot of people learn from this website too... among many controversial issues, many people on this site ask what they should do, what would you do if, what if questions, how is this right/wrong questions etc etc. Some people even ask their questions in an indirect way...
No matter how many issues, or messages this show may present, it will never be better than the view from the church, the basis of our faith.
Even if the show sends strong messages of learning about self-worth and things that most young people don't get to experience for themselves - whoever said they need to experience things first-hand!! They don't need to.. They can learn about self-worth and whatever from much nicer places like church, school and their social network of friends (not virtual lol)! You can in no way gain a positive self-esteem from watching a lousy show, or any show for that matter.
Again, there is nothing wrong with "knowing" but for those who "know" things can put themselves in danger, but those who don't know and still manage to put themselves in danger - I don't know how that works out really... If I want to know something - I will ask out of my own free will, and then I will act in whatever way I choose to... but being sheltered and making mistakes - not sure exactly what you mean by that.... I know a person who was sheltered very much, and he's like in his late 30s, unmarried and suffers from depression - Now, that is someone who is and was completely sheltered and suffered greatly, maybe not too much spiritually but socially, and this would be the parents fault for sheltering way too much - now, this is an extreme case and another story.
hmmm, you do make a point. But... with more knowledge the "harder" you will be judged.
Having said this, there were a few times where someone told me about somethings that I did agree to know about even though I was told I would regret it - lol, I do regret it as I was told... Even though this has not changed me, but having the knowledge is not the best thing. And now I see how lots of other people knowing little bits of extra information puts them in danger such as temptation and sin etc. I also see others who are very innocent, even at the ages of 20+ who don't do mistakes because they don't concern themselves with extra information from TV and media and whatever, YET they know very well the consequences/temptations etc. out there and they have the free will of course.
Maybe the church should talk about controversial issues with teens... It is far better to get their information from the church than anywhere else! Obviously, again there are so many ways to collect such controversial information from the church such as talking to servants, Spiritual fathers etc. I know that's how it's dealt with at church... usually it's a close and spiritual servants who are the ones that can easily bring up controversial issues among the youth in a mature way..
You don't need a TV show at all... a lot of people learn from this website too... among many controversial issues, many people on this site ask what they should do, what would you do if, what if questions, how is this right/wrong questions etc etc. Some people even ask their questions in an indirect way...
No matter how many issues, or messages this show may present, it will never be better than the view from the church, the basis of our faith.
Even if the show sends strong messages of learning about self-worth and things that most young people don't get to experience for themselves - whoever said they need to experience things first-hand!! They don't need to.. They can learn about self-worth and whatever from much nicer places like church, school and their social network of friends (not virtual lol)! You can in no way gain a positive self-esteem from watching a lousy show, or any show for that matter.
Again, there is nothing wrong with "knowing" but for those who "know" things can put themselves in danger, but those who don't know and still manage to put themselves in danger - I don't know how that works out really... If I want to know something - I will ask out of my own free will, and then I will act in whatever way I choose to... but being sheltered and making mistakes - not sure exactly what you mean by that.... I know a person who was sheltered very much, and he's like in his late 30s, unmarried and suffers from depression - Now, that is someone who is and was completely sheltered and suffered greatly, maybe not too much spiritually but socially, and this would be the parents fault for sheltering way too much - now, this is an extreme case and another story.
A member of the glee club is gay which leads to a number of inappropriate sexual scenes and the director of the glee club is having an affair with a few women. Profanity and violence is moderate, but it's a high school setting so you can expect anything.
I wouldn't recommend Glee or most teenage reality shows.
If you're looking for something good to watch then I highly recommend Monk or the Cosby Show :)
Favorite Scene:
Lol that one was good ;D
regarding glee, never seen it. but the fact that you are asking what the church says about it then you go about defending it because the show sheds some(not necessarily good) light on controversial issues worries me. if you are asking the church's position then you must have a feeling deep down that is telling you that the show is bad and maybe i should not be watching it. your conscience is the Holy Spirit guiding you. if you have any thought about what you are doing is wrong, then it probably IS wrong.
do not love the world nor the things which are in the world....
God bless
There's nothing like the good days of Seinfeld and Frasier! Smart-funny old school!
Now Seinfeld was good stuff.
ON TOPIC:
Glee isn't a good show to watch during the fast. TV period isn't what you are supposed to be doing during the fast PERIOD. It turns out that i watched it before i just didn't know what it was called, basically it is like any other dirty show on tv except a little sugar coated. You know it's a bad show you just want someone to tell you otherwise.
hope that helped :)
For those who believe that abstaining from TV is going to help their spiritual walks, more power to you. For some of us, TV is the least of our worries.
Now back to the discussion:
Mikhail, I really respect what you're saying. So, I don't think the show teaches self worth, as much as it shows examples and characters who deal with issues of self worth, and its good for young people to see that people don't have to fit in, in order to find their self worth. I don't think that's really taught enough in our community. Well it's taught that you have to be different because the world is sinful, but not much is paid attention to how young people feel about themselves.
I forgot who said it, but the gay character happens to be the ONLY one on that show who isn't having sexual relations.
Anyway, yeah, i think there's something to be said of innocence. But I feel knowledge helps people protect their innocence. I'm sure you know as Christians, we don't live in a world of bad and good. Like Fr. Peter said in another post, that's for muslims. Everything should be tested, some things that are OK for one might not be OK for another (see Romans 14).
But I think this show is for people who appreciate art and theater, because it is so theatrical, and out there. They've done some cool things with well known songs. At any rate, kids are gonna watch it, what better way than to have older youth, or their parents be able to discuss with those who are less secure, and help them understand what they're watching. Glee is walt disney compared to what people experience, see, and talk about in school.
a person cannot receive loved if they do not love themselves. transformative love, yes even the love of God, cannot pierce a heart that is closed off from the notion of love. have you ever dealt with kids with low self esteem? kids who hate themselves tend to have a hard time connecting to God, don't believe me, just spend some time with kids from abusive families or abusive situations, kids who are bullied, and ask them how much their sunday school lessons are helping them.
but you are saying the truth, yes, we are all nothing without God.
For those who believe that abstaining from TV is going to help their spiritual walks, more power to you. For some of us, TV is the least of our worries.
Habibi, fasting is not a joke. If it is so hard right now for you to give up TV then that means it shouldn't be least of your worries. With the attitude you are showing right now, i guess you shouldn't refrain from dairy and animal products if ur skinny cuz it's not what you are worried about, i guess you don't need to pray the agpeya everyday because i mean, come on 3 WHOLE HOURS in the liturgy makes up for it. Do you see how a simple thought like that will eventually begin to spread to other aspects of your life? Habibi, i am not getting upset at you and i am not trying to put you down or criticize you. I care for you as you are my brother in Christ and i want you to benefit from the Fast. It is only once a year, and if one can't learn something in the period of Great Lent, then it will be harder for him to learn things in any other time of the year. Now is the time of the year to come closer to God, to become a man in the faith.
May God take care of you and bless your Great Lent so that you may prosper. Amen.
I definitely feel the love. Thank you.
Like you, I also agree that fasting is not a joke. It is a deeply intimate and personal decision that one makes in their walk with God. What's great about the church is that we agree, as a community, to take a faith journey together. We agree that we change our diet and abstain from meat and animal products. This was a practice mainly put in place, because meat was more expensive, and eating veggie, could save money to be given to the poor. We also fast because we are giving up something for a season to help us increase our dependence on God, the practice of fasting creates a void that allows us to better connect with God. We also know that when Jesus fasted, he ate nothing, and lived in the wilderness, none of us are really doing this, as far as I know, but I don't think we're called to do THIS.
When it comes to things that are outside the community agreement, i.e. diet, the rest really has to do with the person. For a lot of people, television and entertainment is a controlling and dependent factor, for others, like me for example, who generally have NO time for that sort of thing, really enjoys the occasional break, but when it comes to fasting from distractions and things, you have to understand that some of us might be doing that in a way that's bigger than just giving up TV. At the end of the day, I have no right to tell you how to fast, and so I am not doing that. Fasting is not an endurance competition with ones self. It's a spiritual practice designed to bring us closer to God.
James Martin wrote a great article http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-james-martin-sj/bothering-to-love-one-pri_b_478984.html on the subject, and suggests that how we are all very much bothering to go without something for a certain time, for some of us, they are things we shouldn't be doing ANYWAY, there is no emphasis on bothering to LOVE. During the fast, don't pat yourself on the back for not eating a burger and getting a bagel with margarine. Or eating an expensive vegan dish, when you could have eaten a 99cent cheeseburger and given that money to a homeless guy. Take time to actively love people. Call a friend who is lonely. Spend time with a family member who you haven't called. Make peace with a friend who you got into a fight with. Give up the things that are actually holding you back from experiencing the fullness of a walk with God. Food is the baseline, but what's outside of that is deeply personal.
I'm not sure how the conversation on Glee turned into a thing about fasting. It's easy to dismiss a subject and say "well its the lent so you shouldn't be watching it anyway."
Just my two cents, eh?