Plus ca change
I have decided, again, to quit paying attention to the news. I have even gone so far as to remove links to my favorite muck racking news sites from the front page of my
Web Site
The reason for this quite drastic step is simple. When I read or listen to the news I always, without exception, fall into various sins. What sins might be triggered by simply reading the news? In my case how about these from
Galatians 5?
...hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage...dissensions, factions...
That is pretty much my normal reaction to reading or hearing anything at all the government does.
Now, if my reaction to the news were these things, also from
Galatians 5,
...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control... then maybe it would be a good thing for me to follow, but, alas, that is not the case.
And so, in obedience to the spirit of
Matthew 5:29-30 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. I am setting that pleasure, and it is a pleasure for me to read and rant about the news, aside, until such time as I can do it without sin. Which will be after the resurrection I suppose because I really cannot imagine me being able to read about the evils of the governments of men without wild rage.