LF: You said it like it is.
Sam2, why don’t you go to the actual engagments and weddings themselves? Do you really feel such long term simcha after seeing a picture of someone you don’t know all too well? We need to get things back in our hearts. Just by hearing about the simcha you should feel happy! Why do you have to see a picture?
And if you are close enough to the person you will go or be sent a picture privately. I will definetly be sending a few pictures through email to certain people who could not come telling them to delete it or not forward it to anyone afterwards.
I do beleive it is not proper but it’s not an aveirah. I think it goes against all we know. We are celebrating 2 souls getting together and you want to plaster pictures up of their bodies? And seeing that will give your true simcha?
Phil: It all has to do with sensitivity. Even if the TV is off, what do they talk about? What do the kids talk about? What shows up when they play “house” or “pretend”? What new ideas will your kids come home knowing. I don”tunderstand how anyone could be 100 spiritualy oriented with a TV. Everything on there is shmutz. Perhaps we have a different outlook here in ISRAEL, but a TV is just not acceptable.
The only time I would be okay with it if someone has it because they grew up that way, or are having a hard time spiritually but are working hard to grow spiritually so one day they can throw it out.
Of course there are people less frum by having a TV, and the rest of lives show they cut corners too such as not wearing socks, wearings hair out etc. Obviously I cannot tell such people it is wrong since it’s not my place and I’m sure they are doing their best.
But for a frum erliche yid, a TV is not something we should have or look at. Period.