How Can Our Hearts Deal with it All?
@bagarad (14283)
Paso Robles, California
November 15, 2015 3:52am CST
Although there are many advantages to having almost instant communication with the rest of the world, sometimes I wish we didn't. I wonder sometimes if people are more depressed today than they were fifty years ago because fifty years ago people did not instantly know about every tragedy and natural disaster as soon as it happened. There were not replays on TV all day of every terror attack or mass shooting. Information came by radio and print -- not in a stream of images hour after hour.
Most news used to be local, and there was plenty in each community to absorb and respond to. It was easier to comfort a neighbor than someone across the world. It was easier to face the disturbances and try to solve the problems in one's own city without bearing the pain of every major murder or riot or war or terrorist attack around the world. Only Jesus was created to deal with all the sins of the world himself.
I listen to the news prayerfully because I can't handle it any other way. And then I turn off the TV and try to follow the biblical advice to occupy my mind with what is good, true, honorable, just, beautiful, etc. About all I can do to fix the problems of the world is to love the people God puts in my path and be kind and helpful to those who need help.
How do you deal with the pain of the world that you see in the news?
13 people like this
16 responses
@allknowing (135115)
• India
15 Nov 15
Whether far or near some like to know and some don't If there is an accident on the road one will find a crowd there. Why they are there is a question. It is human nature wanting to know what's going on and most are happy that we now have access to what is going on in the world.
2 people like this
@allknowing (135115)
• India
15 Nov 15
@bagarad And the same goes while choosing to watch movies where we find all what is discussed here and more.Yes. We choose.
And those that crowd the scene do not go there to see if there is anyone known is involved but as your said they go there just out of curiosity.
The scenes are repeated on channels as is done with other news as well and that is for the benefit of those who may have missed watching the news.
That we now get to know what is going on in the world is considered to be progress.
2 people like this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
16 Nov 15
@allknowing All progress is not helpful. Consider bomb technology, for example.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
15 Nov 15
It's true we are a curious people. It's one thing to see something and want to know how it happened and if anyone we know is involved. That is more local, wanting to know what's happening in "our territory." It's quite another thing to be constantly aware of all the pain in the rest of the world repeating on our screens over and over.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
15 Nov 15
I was just thinking along these lines earlier today. We can't react to everything the way we feel as if we should. The world is too much for us. There was a time before TV and radio, even, when people only had to deal with immediate and local news.
There are times when I simply cannot listen to or watch the news, and other times when I have to go and pray right now.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
16 Nov 15
hi@bagarad you make a good point. W hile I like to know what going on in t;if I ca nnot help those way off from me what good does it do for me to know all that far better if I ca n help those around me and live to be a good person caring and sharing. Let God tend to the masses off across the world
2 people like this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
16 Nov 15
The local communities around the world can best offer help to those who mourn. What happened in Paris is different than a natural disaster where another country can just send medical aid and emergency food and water.
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
15 Nov 15
That's how I was feeling when I had to write the blog I'm committed to posting to daily. It's hard to separate oneself from the pain of others -- at least for me. Sometimes, writing helps. Sometimes, though, At other times I need to grieve a bit before writing.
2 people like this
@Rationalwriter (1813)
• Lucknow, India
15 Nov 15
It hurts to see the world in such pain!! These animals in the name of their beliefs killso many innocent people!!
Humanity is lost!!
@Rationalwriter (1813)
• Lucknow, India
16 Nov 15
@bagarad Well then it's about time he comes to take revenge!!
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
16 Nov 15
@Rationalwriter I'm sure he will when the time is right. I think he's the best judge of when that will be. He hurts with his people, but he also sees the whole picture better than we can ourselves.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
16 Nov 15
I accept that life goes on and try to get back on track as quickly as possible - giving in to every distressing piece of news would totally incapacitate me - my writing allows me to express my feelings cathartically
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
18 Nov 15
@bagarad it is a very good way to explore our feelings
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
24 Nov 15
I do not deal with it well, either we have to suffer and feel sympathetic or get cold hearts and not care any more. I try to limit the number of times I listen to the news to twice and that is more than enough. I agree with you that this constant barrage of news is not a natural thing as it used to be a few years ago.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
27 Nov 15
It's nice to know I'm not the only one who feels this way.
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
27 Nov 15
@bagarad when the world news was confined to the radio and the local news to gossip between neighbours it was more easy to digest. Now we hear the full horror and see it too.
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
16 Nov 15
The truth is, we don't know what is going on in most of the world. We only know the stories the media wants to share with us and what we might learn in social media from those we follow. Many of the most important stories we don't hear because the media doesn't want us to hear those that may affect us the most. We hear about the tragedies, but not the political agendas in the international arena that make take away our ability to govern ourselves. That is already happening, but you really have to dig to find out about it.
@GreatMartin (23672)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
17 Nov 15
You change what you can--you do what you can. Life goes on and we have to do our best to help each other and care for each other even if our own small world.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
17 Nov 15
I don't think anyone can be expected to do more than one can do.
@just4him (317012)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
16 Nov 15
First I shake my head at the enormity of it all, then I do as you - pray. There is nothing else I can do. I agree, it was better years ago when we weren't inundated with so much more than our minds could handle and we could do something about on a personal level.
1 person likes this
@quarternoes (236)
• Indianapolis, Indiana
26 Jan 16
A lot to say about this, but I"ll try to keep it short. Personally, I look at our moments in time like i's going faster and faster. Our media coverage is just seconds, compared to what used to take days, or even weeks. At the same time, our response to these situations are becoming faster also.
I feel our innovations and inventions of today are also GOD-inspired, because everything belongs to him anyways, and we are stewards. It's only up o us as humans to use our media, as well as our inventions, to do good, or at least do right.
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
15 Nov 15
Luckily, we do not have a Tele at home.
Unfortunately we have Internet. And most of yesterday was on the Internet, searching and reading about the barbaric acts carried out. Definitely gloomy and saddening.
The Media has helped them achieve bigger targets today and the terror is spread faster and on a massive scale even if their cowardly acts only take the lives of a few.
1 person likes this
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
26 Jan 16
I find I need to get my first "news" of the day from the Bible and prayer. Then I can filter what news I need to respond to and how much time I should spend looking at news.
