13 JULY 2015 :: What does the future hold?

It is hard for me to watch TV anymore because of all the "trending" references to same-sex marriage, fully illustrated.  I might be watching a favorite program and then all the commercials seem to be the same offensive content I can't bear to hear or see.  The information sources I use to seek out have become politically enthusiastic about the issue because it seems to be winning in the US and, now, the well-financed same-sex troops seem to be heading out toward all the other countries in the world.  I think they "win" by being so offensive... I think it's called "in your face" tactics, but I have other theories, too.

My response to all this has been to turn off the source of the offense. It has me trying to decide how to get my news and information when I can't watch commercial stations, listen to the radio, or visit some internet sites anymore.  This may seem like a radical statement, but it is true for everyone that disagrees with the same-sex theology.  We are heading into a cultural divide that will create separate worlds of people, activities, and I am wondering what else.

I suppose my turning off the radio and TV has its good side  ---  it has made life less cluttered, and helped me to focus on my thoughts, work, and rest.  I am less aware of minute-by-minute reports of the same topics on all the channels.  I don't know about all the crime and death and mayhem that is just outside my door, or in another place.  And the noise level is really down.  I really, really love being in the silence again... it is making me move toward a steady diet of no media.

I have lived without a TV voluntarily for many years in my past - for about the same reasons.  When I was homeless, the only media access I had was at a mission (if they had it) or somewhere else it was accessible. I have never had the "luxury" devices that others seem to have... that music thing you listen to with your earphones, a reader, a tablet, a DVD player... and whatever else there is.  When I lived in regular housing I would usually have a radio to listen to Christian programs, but didn't always have a TV.  It's been an sporadic adventure.  I would try to live with the world for awhile and then get so disgusted by all the misery, I just didn't want to participate in the process anymore.

I can't recall all the details just now, but I lived in a van for a long time, drove long distances in it, and didn't have a radio or tape player or CD player. I have tons of fond memories of those days.  Maybe I need to live in the middle of nowhere --  with a satellite for access just in case.  :-)


In those days I sometimes thought about the fact I was off the news grid.  I wondered what I was missing.  I seemed to be able to function fine as long as the world didn't end... well, I guess if the world ended, it wouldn't matter anyway.  :-)  When you are homeless, life is in survival mode.  There isn't too much you can do about the problems in the world even if you wanted to.

I guess I should say I didn't know about 9-11 for several days after it happened.  I wrote "America" after finding out what happened.  I didn't see any of the videos until many years later when I found them on the internet.  I cried when I saw the towers crumble. 

These are the facts of homelessness.  Your life is in survival mode when you are homeless, for as long as you are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless again.  You can't do anything about the state of the world even if you wanted to, so you don't really care about all the happenings on the news, you just want to find food and a safe place to sleep.

Whenever I did get back into the news loop, the media love-hate cycle begins again.  I haven't been able to find a good solution to this problem.  What is the right balance?  Where do you find out what YOU need to know?

All these emotional reactions to the same-sex issue has me wondering what the Church is going to do about this same problem.  How will we find the information we need, without all the offensive presentations of the facts and increasing attacks against peaceful people?  It is a serious issue that needs to be addressed by those who can do something about it.

The Bible tells us that the day will come when we will have to separate from the world in order to live with our faith.  I think that time is now.