As Christians, Is It Selfish to Not Watch the News?

Day by day the world is saturated with a lot of bad news, wars, earthquakes, fires, genocides, etc. And several spectators say that they are tired of this and, therefore, they decided not to listen to the news so they won’t hear anything negative or sad. They express it as if they were making a decision that they would have to applaud. The information that we receive is what is happening in the world in which we live, this is how we are, and with our eyes and ears closed we cannot be exempt from being affected, nor does it take us out of the environment. While we are alive, we are part of this universal community called the world.

Not wanting to find out what is happening in the world does not show more than a disguised selfishness and brings to collation, a poem written by Bertolt Brecht, which was widely used as campaign posters in the city where he lived where violence on the streets was constant and many people were indifferent to the situatio that was occurring at that time, the poem says:

 «First they took the Jews,

but since I was not a Jew, I did not care.

Then they took the Communists,

but since I was not a worker, I did not care either.

Then they took the workers,

but since I was not a worker, I did not care either.

Later they took the intellectuals,

but since I was not an intellectual, I did not care either.

Then they continued with the priests,

but since I was not a priest, I did not care either.

Now they come for me, but it’s too late. “

Poem Source: Bertolt Brecht

It seems that it is necessary to recall this poem, understanding that being informed of what is happening in the world, keeps us aware and vigilant, to see what we can do with any of these situations that we are being informed, at least we can pray. I remember with sadness a time when there was a tropical storm and the rain did not stop for days. You could hear in the news how difficult it was to help people who were being affected with so much rain. I remember the announcer finished with these words if you can pray, pray for the rain to stop; This action may be the start line to stop sitting in our chairs arms crossed and do something if you have the faith to do it.

We can’t justify ourselves by saying that we do not want to hear bad news because they are biased or because we can’t do anything to resolve the situation. On the contrary, this should move us to do something about it and seek ways to reach those who need help. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, is a great example of “doing something” she said:

” Sometimes we feel that what we do is just a drop in the sea, but the sea would be less sea if it lacked that drop”

Thought Source: Maria Teresa de Calcuta

All those people who refuse to listen to the news that we perceive as bad, can reflect if there is a real reason behind that thought and think that everyone can contribute their drop of water to this world where we are all a part of, nobody has the excuse that they can’t do anything, you just need to have the will to do it.