Fuel for thought

Garbage in, garbage out. It's a common phrase.

What you put into something directly affects its performance. It's a no-brainer, right?

It ought to be, and yet I find that the general population takes in their daily allotment of "garbage" without thinking twice. I'm not just talking about food either, although it's no secret that America boasts one of the unhealthiest societies in the world when it comes to diet. I'm also referring to mental and spiritual garbage.

Nothing turns me into a paranoid wreck faster than watching the news or reading the paper. Why is it the norm to "feed" our brains with mayhem, gossip, and consumerism? Where is the good fuel?
I resent the fact that I'm forced to ingest large amounts of poison just to stay current.
In fact, I've eliminated most "normal" news sources from my life completely.

But, the media is just the tip of the iceberg. We also have the "entertainment" industry which has convinced millions of people that horrible violence is, not only worth our time and money, but actually enjoyable! I had a coworker comment to me the other day about how she and her husband were watching the new "Saw" movie. Realizing that it probably wasn't my forte, she quickly added, "We both have a sense of humor about that stuff."

Sense of humor? About people being brutally mutilated? I guess I missed something.

I subscribe to a monthly newsletter from Voice of the Martyrs, an organization dedicated to persecuted Christians. This month's issue arrived with a cover that actually frightened me. It shows a woman, badly scarred from being burned for her faith, and she's smiling. She looks like a monster. I was moved beyond words to see what she has been through for her faith, yet I wonder how many of my fellow Americans would actually be moved by seeing her photo? I'm guessing that if I showed it to my coworker, she might wince but would ultimately find it a lot less frightening than the images in her "funny" movies.

I can tell you, being married to a Marine Veteran who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, that the images left behind from the atrocities of war are anything but entertaining. In fact, he no longer considers watching violent movies at all. Isn't it interesting how so many "patriotic" Americans spend countless dollars feeding their brains with Hollywood filth rather than putting the same money toward causes such as rehabilitation programs for those who have seen the real horror show?

It can be reduced to desensitization, I suppose. If you always eat junk, you won't know how good you could feel eating healthy food. If you always watch junk, you won't know how something like the woman's face on the magazine could change your heart.

If Americans were cars, I fear that our freeways would be full of sputtering, puttering, smoke-spewing jalopies who barely recognize the state they're in. We are running on bad fuel, folks.

I know there are many out there who, like myself, strive for healthier intake. There must be. Otherwise, what hope is there for future generations?

I didn't set out to slam everyone who watches mainstream television or movies when I started this post. I think, if anything, I wanted to raise a caution flag to those who might be feeling the effects of the bad fuel without realizing the source of their frustration.

My anxiety levels dropped dramatically after cutting out television and switching to commercial free-radio. I started attending a group which has helped combat a lot of the negative fuel I was conditioned to feed myself. I'm learning more about nutrition and making wiser food choices which will ultimately lead to better overall health.

Change is ALWAYS possible, and in our society, I fear it is crucial if we hope to be a people who truly live the way we are privileged to live in this country. With so much garbage being thrown at us from every direction, we need to learn how to live like we are free, not slaves to our daily intake of bad fuel. We need to put a stop to the force-feeding and learn how to care for ourselves, not live like zombie-slaves who ingest whatever is put before us and then pop pills to stave off the effects of our indiscretion.

Going back to the woman on the magazine cover. She opted for truth over lies, courage over fear, and pain over meaningless existence. She chose good fuel and it nearly cost her life. The best part is, she's smiling.