The Daily "news"

[irishman]

I have often wondered why so many preachers say we need to stay informed by reading the newspapers, and watching the news. I have never done so on a regular basis, and it has been to my advantage, I'm sure.

I had a preacher friend who was struggling in the ministry, and he read three newspapers a day! When I asked "Why?" He said we must stay informed of world events. Again, I ask "Why?" We can pray for the evil in this world without filling our heads with it!

the following is an excerpt from a Moody sermon, found on line, and in public domain: I have changed the title to suit the need.


The Daily News
(by D. L. Moody)
Excerpt from “Temptations” Preached in Chicago
Circa, 1900

Then there are the newspapers. I would not dare to ask how many of you read the
newspapers. You think you must have them to find out the news. They have sermons,
too; fine sermons. Some one took pains to look over seven of the New York Sunday papers awhile ago, and this is what he found in them:

Murders and assaults, twelve columns.
Adulteries, seven columns - [first-rate Sunday reading!]
Thefts, etc., twenty-four columns.
Sporting news, eighty-one columns - [splendid Sunday reading!]
Theatrical notes, forty-four columns - [must have that for Sunday reading, you know!]
Gossip and fashion, seventy-seven columns - [your soul would get fat on that, wouldn't it?]
Sensational topics, forty-two columns - [people don't like sensational preaching, but they like
forty-two columns of sensationalism in Sunday papers.]
Fiction, ninety-nine columns.
Unclean personals, eight columns - [think of a Christian man putting that paper before his
children!]
Foreign news, forty-seven columns.
Political news, one hundred and thirteen columns.
Miscellaneous news, ninety-two columns.
Editorials, thirty-nine columns.
Specials, one hundred and ninety-nine columns.
Art and literature, twenty-four columns.
Religious, three and a quarter columns - [splendid sermons in Sunday papers!]
Nine hundred and eleven and a quarter columns, and only three and a quarter columns of them religious. That is Sunday reading! Gabriel himself couldn't hold an audience whose heads were full of such stuff as that. I tell you what we want is a revival that will sweep these newspapers out of our country.

There was a time when a man used to lock up his store Saturday night, and have a rest on the Sabbath. It was a time of meditation and prayer and food for his soul. But now he locks up his store, and he puts a flaming advertisement in the Sunday paper, and does a bigger business than any other day in the week.

[John81]

I do agree spending too much time in the news isn't good for us. Too much evil flooding in and with the lying spins put on so much of the "news", there are also too many lies feeding our minds.

Our time would be much better spent in the Word of God and in prayer.

[irishman]

I do agree spending too much time in the news isn't good for us. Too much evil flooding in and with the lying spins put on so much of the "news", there are also too many lies feeding our minds.

Our time would be much better spent in the Word of God and in prayer.

that's right, John 81, I wish we would all take heed more to the Word than what the world calls "news". I can pray for the world affairs without a doomsday report! I can pray for an accident on the freeway without all the details; I do not need to know about the latest child molestation, I can take it to the Lord without trashing my mind.

[John81]

I used to love watching the news, and reading the news, but then we went without a TV for several years. When we got TV again after such a long time away from it, it was as if a current had been lifted and I could see just how twisted and vile so much of the news is. I don't need to spend hours reading and watching the news to know what's going on and I always have more to pray about than I actually get to.

[1Timothy115]

I assure you if the sensationalism and "news" were taken off our online Christian sites the membership would be very low.

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Edited December 25, 2010 by 1Tim115

[John81]

The flesh does love to be fed!