As of today, 57.4 million people subscribe to Netflix. Out of the millions of subscribers, it is estimated that 61% of them binge watch shows every week. These viewers spend an average of over 1 billion hours a month watching their favorite TV shows and movies.
I searched “Netflix addiction” on Google and found millions of hits that included thousands of blog posts. Here are a few titles: 12 Signs That You’re Addicted to Netflix, Confessions of a Netflix Addict, and my personal favorite – “21 Signs Your Relationship With Netflix Has Gotten Out Of Control”.
Millions of people in our world have a relationship with Netflix. Do you have one too? Do you frequently binge watch on Netflix?
Galatians 5:16-25 explains how we either walk by spirit or by the flesh. When we walk by the flesh, we turn to other things to worship and find fulfillment instead of finding that satisfaction in God. This Sunday my pastor Aaron Proffitt explained this perfectly, “Our flesh makes good things “god” things and makes us think they will satisfy us.”
This statement is true for anything that we turn to for fulfillment besides God. This statement is also true for Netflix. Netflix is a good thing and watching TV can also be a good thing. How awesome is it that we can watch episodes of TV shows that are no longer on TV! If we watch Netflix every once and a while, it remains a good thing. The problem is that Netflix is easily addicting.
Once Netflix becomes an addiction, it becomes a “god” thing. This means that you are turning to Netflix to find fulfillment, satisfaction, joy, pleasure, etc. that only God can fill. If your life is marked by how many episodes you watch on Netflix each day, then you need to ask yourself a question – “Am I controlled by the spirit or the flesh?”
I want to challenge you to take the Netflix challenge. The Netflix challenge is 30 days of NO Netflix. Can you go a month without watching episodes of your favorite TV shows? If you think this would be impossible, you are suffering from the Netflix addiction.
Here are 3 reasons why:
1) We are choosing fictional friendships over real friendships. I have seen friends choose staying home and watching Netflix over hanging out with friends. I’m not saying this is bad every once in a while, but if this becomes a regular occurrence you could have a problem. We begin to feel so connected to fake people that we want to avoid real people to spend time with the fake characters on the screen.
2) We set unreal expectations on our relationships. When we constantly watch “fake” relationships in shows and movies we begin to think their characteristics are true of real relationships. This could result in disappointment or unhappiness in our real-life relationships.
3) Netflix is changing our standards. When Netflix is the source of refueling our energy and spirit and where we look for standards – we lose sight of Jesus. I know you are not intentionally watching Netflix in order to disobey Jesus, but if you are only being filled by the culture of our TV shows then you won’t be getting filled by Jesus. This not only effects our earthly relationships, but also our relationship with Jesus.
What we watch does effect our lives – especially our relationships. We like to believe this is not true. In order for you to see for yourself, I am challenging you to the 30 day Netflix removal challenge.
Stop watching Netflix and take back your relationships.
If you know someone who is addicted to Netflix, kindly send them this post and encourage them to join you in the 30 day challenge.
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Alecia Simersky
at (10 years ago)This is very interesting. I had no idea there was a such a problem with Netflix. Although I can easily see how. When we had it, it was very easy to sit and want to watch and entire season of a show in one sitting. It does become very addicting. Not good when you need to get things done!
Stopping in from the #bloggercaregroup!