Tuesday, 9 March 2004 03:21 pm
If your eye causes you to sin...
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deckardcanineI am observing Lent for the first time in my life. Too bad I got a late start (which is not to say I started in the last few days). In truth, I've never even made a New Year's resolution, so the experience is quite new to me. I figure the sacrifice should be major enough that I feel it, but not enough that I fail it. Ultimately, I chose to give up two things for good measure: (1) substantial quantities of sweets -- figure more than three Gummi Bears a day -- and (2) video/computer games.
It seems to be working. I have suffered on both counts without welching. On the other hand, hardly an hour goes by without me thinking about games. This doesn't seem right. Jesus would not want me to crave worldly things even more. The situation reminds me of Diogenes, who allegedly chose to live in poverty but hated it for making people greedy. What we really need is to detach ourselves both physically *and* emotionally from our obsessions. Isn't that closer to the point of the sacrifice?
The worst part is, I can't tell whether I had the thoughts more or less often before I put the games aside. Much as I hate to admit it, I must be a junkie.
It seems to be working. I have suffered on both counts without welching. On the other hand, hardly an hour goes by without me thinking about games. This doesn't seem right. Jesus would not want me to crave worldly things even more. The situation reminds me of Diogenes, who allegedly chose to live in poverty but hated it for making people greedy. What we really need is to detach ourselves both physically *and* emotionally from our obsessions. Isn't that closer to the point of the sacrifice?
The worst part is, I can't tell whether I had the thoughts more or less often before I put the games aside. Much as I hate to admit it, I must be a junkie.
