As witnesses we were constantly bombarded with idea how movies are dangerous waste of time and that our time could be better spent. I know that is exterme view but I still feel guilty when just sitting there and watching a movie like that. I've spoken with few of my old friends and they feel the same. Did any of you experience something like that? Are movies really just waste of time or do they serve any useful purpose at all? When I think of it I can't honestly think of any other than to kill some time. What wold you say?
Movies, can you relax and watch them or are they just useless waste of time
by MariAruet 12 Replies latest jw friends
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Anti-Christ
Time spent relaxing is not wasted or useless because your relaxing and doing something you like. Probably the reason why you feel guilty is because of left over programing of the borg.(WT) They want you doing things that is for their benefit, they could care less about you.
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serendipity
Movies are great for relaxation and entertainment, if a person can allow themselves the time without feeling guilty. Being a single mother with a fulltime job, it was hard to justify time spent watching movies since there was always so much work to do. But my daughter wanted me to watch them with her, so I did. Now, I have a major project that's taking nearly all my free time, and I feel guilty about taking time to watch movies. (Sadly, I think all I've seen in the last 3 months are Casino Royale & Shrek3)
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Finally-Free
Movies are fine. The waste of time is in the warnings that the movies may contain adult situations, nudity, coarse language, violence, etc. Well DUHHHH!!! That's the whole reason we're watching! Why waste our time telling us something we already know?
W
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delilah
I'm not much of a movie watcher, to begin with. It has nothing to do with the society's brainwashing, I just find it hard to sit still....it drives my husband crazy, as he loves to relax and watch a good movie...regularly.
The last movie I saw, though, was Blood Diamond, and I really enjoyed it. I will wait until a movie is released on dvd instead of going to the theater. I don't find the theater relaxing...there always seems to be distractions all around me, like I'm a magnet or something.
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zagor
When I think of it I can't honestly think of any other than to kill some time. What wold you say?
Unless you are chronic workaholic your body and mind need some time to relax. But in my opinion movies have very important role. They help us to believe in our dreams and to dream it is possible. You will find many top notch scientists, engineers, doctors and others how had been inspired while still kids by watching a particular movie. Would you say that was a useless waste of time too? Before we do anything great in our lives we need to first dream and believe it is possible. That is where movies come in.
So I have have greatest of respect for movie makers and actors. Before movies people admittedly read books and got inspired that way but that was often as it is today a small niche of society.
Particularly kids, they are visual learners and to my belief skillfully crafted stories they can watch and relate to can work wonders for their imagination and dreams.
People need to be inspired, they need to have something in their life that fires up their imagination and make them feel that fire in their bellies. It has been so throughout the ages, people looked up to those who were able to inspire them to believe in something greater than themselves. Some of the greatest military leaders were that because they were able to inspire men not because they were mindless lunatics.
Heck, I was talking to some Egyptologist the other day and she said that overwhelming body of evidence now suggests that pyramids were not built so much by slave labor but by bands of whole communities of people who believed in the idea of their kind taking them to to stars after they die. They dreamed and believed. That was more potent than whips and any beating which were not as wide spread as we might believe, notion of which might have something to do with Hebrew supposed slavery in Egypt.
So even today movies and storytelling can wind people probably more than anything. Heck, even Jesus of Nazareth used storytelling to wind up masses. So movies have very important role to play in development of our moder society. Remove them and I bet many people would not feel inspired which would possibly even slow down the progress of society. Far fetched? I think not. Everything starts with dreams. Everything.
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MadTiger
Be an active viewer. Television and movies aren't bad in themselves. It's what you watch, and whether or not you participate mentally.
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ex-nj-jw
I think it's a way of relaxing and enjoying, having fun, leaving reality. As JW's we were taught that everything has to have a meaning, something behind it. There was no room for enjoyment at all IMHO.
I have a JW friend (we just started keeping in touch again) but it's like if he watches a movie he seems to think whatever is happening in the movie is somehow real, or has meaning to it. It's soooo strange. Or if I tell him I'm reading a book, he can't understand that's how I relax.
Crazy!!!
nj
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Blueblades
Sitting in meetings is a waste of time. Movies, mysteries, dramas, comedies, adventures, biographies, nature, science, all educate and entertain us.
Blueblades
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jaguarbass
I say movies are good entertainment. Then I say if you are over 30, you have probably seen all the movies once or twice. There are only so many good plots and situations then its just a repeat over and over with a new crop of actors.By the time you hit 50, you will be lucky if you ever see a good movie again, An interesting plot with a story that you cant predict that will leave you stimulated after watcing it for 2 hours.
Are movies just a waste of time? As far as I can tell thats what we do here on earth is waste time. Your here waiting to die. Hopefully you wont screw too much up in the meantime. The only useful purpose in life I can see is to try and feel good. Generate some endorphins.