TV is NOT the truth!

excuse a few swearwords in this excellent clip:

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18318.htm

Television is not the truth. Television's a goddamned amusement park! Television is a circus, a carnival, a traveling troupe of acrobats storytellers, dancers, singers, jugglers, sideshow freaks, lion tamers and football players. We're in the boredom-killing business. So if you want the truth, go to God. Go to your gurus. Go to yourselves! Because that's the only place you're ever gonna find any real truth. But, man, you're never gonna get any truth from us. We'll tell you anything you wanna hear. We lie like hell. We'll tell you that Kojak always gets the killer and that nobody ever gets cancer in Archie Bunker's house. And no matter how much trouble the hero is in, don't worry. Just look at your watch. At the end of the hour he is going to win! We'll tell you any shit you want to hear! We deal in illusions, man. None of it is true! But you people sit there, day after day, night after night. All ages, colors, creeds. We're all you know. You're beginning to believe the illusions we're spinning here. You're beginning to think the tube is reality and your own lives are unreal. You do whatever the tube tells you! You dress like the tube, you eat like the tube, you raise your children like the tube, you even think like the tube. This is mass madness, you maniacs! In God's name, you people are the real thing! We are the illusion!

Comments

[Billal wyman]

"IM MAD AS HELL N' IM NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!" that film is pretty good

As for tv, I use to mainly just watch the news, but now its just too depressing, especially for us Muslims

[Haneefa]

I remember years back listening to a tape of Hamza Yusuf and he's very anti TV. He said about the news specifically that it's a way of depressing the masses and keeping them down. He said that he sees more Rahma (Mercy and kindness) in the world rather than more oppression.

So I suppose it's very important to be wary of what we expose ourselves, our minds and our heart to. Of course we should be aware of the reality of the situation and whats going on, and at the same time see it in the light and context of Islam, which I find to be a very optimistic, hopeful and active way of living, which encourages the individual to be a benefit to the rest of the world!

Islam's the BEST man!!!!

[muslimah, mu'minah insha'allah]

This is absolutely AMAZING! I really needed this...

All I kept saying in my head was "true...true...true"

Ashamidly i'm in the process of weaning myself of the box (t.v) Can someone really be addicted? Longest i've been without t.v is maybe 5 days and then I lapsed back into watching ....

Subhaanallah! Cant get rid of it, I just pray Allah gives me the will power as well as dedication and commitment......Please make dua for me!

[Umm Rageh]

Assalamu Alaikum,

Absolutely LOVE this reminder about the 'idiot box'. Although I'd like to state that I only watch the telly for the news- that would be a lie!! I go through periods of total devotion to my Islamic studies in which I don't have time to sit and watch, but then there are the lapses where I just need to tune out and let 'something' mindlessly entertain me- ridiculous but true- working on it though!
However when I sift through all the negatives I do find a positive- the more I view the more I'am ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED that Islam is the way. Even when us muslims are being villified, ostracised and verbally 'bashed' on a regular basis it would seem these days, I find myself reafirming my Shahada and thanking Allah(swt) for giving me that peace of mind that I get whenever I think of Him and the Mercy He bestowed upon mankind. Alhamdulilah.

ARGcomment: The need to do something "mindless", or at least change the pace to a different mode exisited even with the Prophet saws. However he would find refuge in gardens or such quiet places. Ibn Taymiyyah woulddo the same. The TV is not the place though. Actually in my opinion the news is one of the most dangerous and worst aspect of the TV. If there is anything worthwhile its the nature programmes.

[Umm Rageh]

I ABSOLUTELY agree with you ARG!!! When my husband watches the news I get this sickly angry feeling and have to leave the room- I don't believe what's being reported and I become annoyed at the thought of what they're NOT reporting ie; all the positve and influential muslims out there who are doing good in their communities etc..which yet again reaffirms my faith.Although people have argued that keeping track of current affairs is an important part of one's religious practices in regards to Dawa. BTW here in oz we have to pay for nature tv, but I understand the sentiment

Salam

[Asif Riffat]

Brother ARG! I can't agree with you more. TV is very dangerous for the society, and the non believers have found the way to cajole Muslims all over the world into lie, illusion, and shameless behaviours and attitudes. Yes, I agree that news only causes depression and chaos among the people, every bad thing is reported in a very sensational manner. Nature TV is beneficial because one can witness the power, authority and creation of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'aala through that.

[Umm Zakariyya]

Assalamoalaikum,

I would think that its not just the tv but the internet too, Alhamdolillah we ahvent had a television in our home for more than 6 years now, but so what? There are so amny clips, dramas, entire films on youtube! Most fo us watch them..

The aim is not to reject the television but to eliminate the habit of wasting time and litsenning to unreliable , disbeliever sources for information.

Allah has created such a beautiful world, every terrain has its own beauty, and there are so many things we could ponder about, when we are "bored"!

SubhanAllah.
Therea re so many things that we could do, and there are so many people or things we could interact with.

May Allah have mercy on us and show us the right way, Ameen.

ARGcomment: so true about the internet! but the difference between it and the internet is that the internet involves much more of a decision process from yourself.
Still point taken!