News from the ekklesia Kurios

A Visual Diet

"Welcome to a world of sight and sound." Rod Serling.

      For this people's heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. (Matthew 13:15, 16).

      There are many things that we consume each day, that are not good for us. We know that a diet of candy, and junk foods are not good for us or our children.

      Parents, if they are doing their job as parents, watch what their children are consuming at meals and in between. The question occurred to me this morning, are they and we doing enough?..

      A story that appeared in Reuters by Janet Snyder brings our attention to the need to monitor the visual diets of our children..

      Cartoon Sickness Mystifies Japan TV Network 05:57 a.m. Dec. 17, 1997 Eastern..

      "Public broadcasting network NHK reported that 729 children were taken to hospitals. About 120 children, aged from three upward, were still in hospital more than 24 hours later.".

      "The blame was put on a scene depicting an explosion followed by five seconds of flashing red lights from the eyes of the most popular character, 'Pikachu,' a rat-like creature.".

      "Given that they collapsed with their eyes irritated, there is the possibility of photosensitive epilepsy or group hysterics...The children must have been totally immersed in the program,'' said Psychologist Rika Kayama..

      The children seemed to be "affected by glaring light that stimulated their nerve cells." Sounds like a drug induced reaction..

      It is very difficult for me to imagine that this was a result of group hysterics since the reactions were immediate in homes all over Japan. Children watching the news story replays of the scene lasting only a few seconds suffered similar responses.

      In this day and age with reports of subliminal and reverse messages hidden in recordings it is difficult to know what our children are consuming to say nothing of ourselves. Even if there are warning labels and the content of the program was posted, the long range and individual effects are not so easily determined.

      With any audio and visual media caution and scrutiny should be exercised. What should we do? What is enough? Total exclusion or moderation to the extreme?

      It is impossible to know what all the different ingredients mean on any package or what damage is being done by them. It is almost impossible to avoid taking in some of these different debilitating toxins and poisons.

      One rule of thumb we have coined is eat everything as close to the way that God intended and don't put anything in your mouth that you cannot pronounce.

      This rule applied to the media should eliminate shows about talking rats named Pikachu from your children's diet.

      It should also be understood that it doesn't mean that there is no ill effects just because your children don't go into violent convulsions after a few minutes of watching television or playing Nintendo..

      Blessed [is] the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. (Ps 89:15).

      There can be subtle and damaging effects that go unnoticed and seem unrelated. A steady diet of sounds including almost any kind of music is not natural. Obviously some sounds are more detrimental than others..

      It is also obvious that children are more susceptible than adults. Maybe? I have been told that if you are full of the Holy Spirit that music can't hurt you. But I ask, "If you are full of the Holy Spirit why do you need to listen to that music."

      Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; (De 4:9).

      From deep inside our mother womb we began to hear the sounds and see the lights of this world. Let not the sights and sounds made by the hands of man blot out those of the Lord of lords..

      Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed [are they that] keep my ways. (Pr 8:32)