News Links
The Blogs I Read
- The Hatemongers Quarterly
- The Mesopotamian
- Iraq The Model
- Tongue Tied
- Mark's Blog
- Jeff's Blog
- The Adventures of Sarah
- Huntress
- Jody's Nitty.Gritty.
- Deb's Diary (The Wifes Blog)
- Necromerica
- August 2000
- June 2001
- March 2002
- June 2002
- July 2002
- January 2003
- March 2003
- April 2003
- June 2004
- July 2004
- October 2004
- November 2004
- December 2004
- January 2005
- March 2005
- April 2005
- June 2005
- December 2005
- January 2006
- February 2006
- March 2006
- April 2006
- January 2007
- March 2010
- February 2016
- June 2017
- February 2018
- September 2018
- April 2022
Archives
Thursday, April 06, 2006
The Sweet State of Fat, Dumb and Happy
So here's an interesting by-product of my Lenten fast from TV:
As (all four) of the faithful readers of KeithRants know, I'm limiting my T.V. intake this Lenten season to no more than 2 hours a day. Now before you go getting all self-righteous on me...yes I know that may not sound like a big deal, but see my previous post for an idea of the amount of time I am around a TV that's on. What's more, my reading of on-line news papers and news sites has also dwindled to nearly nothing.
You see, I am a news junkie and a political addict. Now, being able to see more clearly as the media fog has lifted from my brain due to this recent fast, I can admit that. I would say I watched no less than 3 hours of cable news a day...on most days, probably an average of 6 hours of news between Fox, CNN and Network news. This does not include the time I would spend reading the equivalent of 4 daily news papers on line, in addition to catching all the latest headlines and angles from places like the Drudge and Huffington reports. And if there was something big going on that day in the political spectrum (a resignation, a character assassination, a speech from the President) those numbers could easily double. To say I am (or was) well informed would be an understatement.
(Now before you go wondering what kind of Husband/Father I am, back off! Nary a day passes without me playing at least 3 games of "Pretty, Pretty Princess, Dora Candyland or Go Fish" and my daughters NEVER go to bed with less than 3 "My First Bible" stories).
Anyhow...what's my point? I always wondered (with much envy) how one can be an "I don't give a $@#&" person. I've always wanted to be that guy. One that looks to dodge jury duty, who doesn't vote, who can mouth off and opine with out the albatross of knowledge and information hanging from his neck. I see it now...these people spend their media time watching, listening and reading only "entertaining" things. Because, in a nutshell, that's the only thing I've done with my limited media intake of late...and quite frankly, I don't have the first damn clue as to what's going on in the world.
It's a strange feeling. At first, one of inadequacy and quite honestly, it stressed me. But now, a couple weeks into this thing, I'm really growing quite fond of my newly found ignorance of current events.
Now this next point is heart felt, without any sarcasm implied. This has given me more time to spend in that which is truly (eternally) important. I've spent more time in bible study, reading books, listening to Christian broadcasting, etc. I mean truly...isn't this one aspect of what Christ and Paul meant by not being caught up in the ways of this world, since we belong to another? If we belong to God, shouldn't our focus be on that?
I am actually quite sure there is a balancing point...albeit elusive. We should be in tune enough to recognize and stand for those things the Lord would have us to do...without being so obsessed by happenings in this world, that we lose sight of the next. As a matter of fact, the tension point might be exactly that location where we are knowledgeable enough with this world to make us long for the next.
At any rate, it's been an interesting experiment. One I pray will give me a better perspective on my priorities.
As (all four) of the faithful readers of KeithRants know, I'm limiting my T.V. intake this Lenten season to no more than 2 hours a day. Now before you go getting all self-righteous on me...yes I know that may not sound like a big deal, but see my previous post for an idea of the amount of time I am around a TV that's on. What's more, my reading of on-line news papers and news sites has also dwindled to nearly nothing.
You see, I am a news junkie and a political addict. Now, being able to see more clearly as the media fog has lifted from my brain due to this recent fast, I can admit that. I would say I watched no less than 3 hours of cable news a day...on most days, probably an average of 6 hours of news between Fox, CNN and Network news. This does not include the time I would spend reading the equivalent of 4 daily news papers on line, in addition to catching all the latest headlines and angles from places like the Drudge and Huffington reports. And if there was something big going on that day in the political spectrum (a resignation, a character assassination, a speech from the President) those numbers could easily double. To say I am (or was) well informed would be an understatement.
(Now before you go wondering what kind of Husband/Father I am, back off! Nary a day passes without me playing at least 3 games of "Pretty, Pretty Princess, Dora Candyland or Go Fish" and my daughters NEVER go to bed with less than 3 "My First Bible" stories).
Anyhow...what's my point? I always wondered (with much envy) how one can be an "I don't give a $@#&" person. I've always wanted to be that guy. One that looks to dodge jury duty, who doesn't vote, who can mouth off and opine with out the albatross of knowledge and information hanging from his neck. I see it now...these people spend their media time watching, listening and reading only "entertaining" things. Because, in a nutshell, that's the only thing I've done with my limited media intake of late...and quite frankly, I don't have the first damn clue as to what's going on in the world.
It's a strange feeling. At first, one of inadequacy and quite honestly, it stressed me. But now, a couple weeks into this thing, I'm really growing quite fond of my newly found ignorance of current events.
Now this next point is heart felt, without any sarcasm implied. This has given me more time to spend in that which is truly (eternally) important. I've spent more time in bible study, reading books, listening to Christian broadcasting, etc. I mean truly...isn't this one aspect of what Christ and Paul meant by not being caught up in the ways of this world, since we belong to another? If we belong to God, shouldn't our focus be on that?
I am actually quite sure there is a balancing point...albeit elusive. We should be in tune enough to recognize and stand for those things the Lord would have us to do...without being so obsessed by happenings in this world, that we lose sight of the next. As a matter of fact, the tension point might be exactly that location where we are knowledgeable enough with this world to make us long for the next.
At any rate, it's been an interesting experiment. One I pray will give me a better perspective on my priorities.
Posted by: Me! / 11:24 AM 
Comments:
<< Home
I can appreciate this perspective. It is easy to become addicted to the news. But there’s also something insidious about it. There is so much negativity in the world that it can eat away at your soul. Not only that – we are getting only the news that the media wants us to get. And it is presented in the way they want us to see it. And it’s usually a lot of really horrible stuff – because that’s what gets the highest ratings.
But is this really an accurate picture of the world? I’m thinking, no. If you absorb too much of this stuff, it can overwhelm you. You feel like you should do something about it – but what? And how?
To me, it’s the little things that are important. The things we have control over in the world around us. We don’t have to change the world. We only need to do whatever good we can for the people and things in our life – and it will spread outward from there.
That’s how I see it anyway.
Post a Comment
But is this really an accurate picture of the world? I’m thinking, no. If you absorb too much of this stuff, it can overwhelm you. You feel like you should do something about it – but what? And how?
To me, it’s the little things that are important. The things we have control over in the world around us. We don’t have to change the world. We only need to do whatever good we can for the people and things in our life – and it will spread outward from there.
That’s how I see it anyway.
<< Home
