I’ve always remembered what one of my Bible teachers said: “Bible in one hand, newspaper in the other.” But with the decline of newspapers it’s more like, “One eye on the news channel, and the other on your Bible,” which I’m not sure is helpful these days.

While I don’t want to be misinformed, I’m growing weary of the pathetic so-called “journalism” of our day. We have few people doing hard news. Name the news channel, and I can name the political party they support. Some news networks look more like fan clubs for certain politicians than journalists who demand honesty and integrity in politics.

I’m tired of the rhetoric. I’m weary of people yelling into their microphones. I’m sick and tired of the shouting and the rude interruptions when other people are trying to talk. News is no longer news. It’s yelling, name calling, and cynicism. The media serves our country when it holds people accountable. The media does a disservice when the country needs to hold the media accountable, but has no way to do that.

We are no longer polite or civil. Whether it’s Keith Oberman or Rush Limbaugh, everyone’s opinions are causing us to shout at one another. We can’t have a civil conversation anymore. We just yell and point fingers. This is not healthy, and it sets a sorry example for our children.

We lack decorum. Arrogance has replaced humility, and cursing has replaced civility. Politeness has been trampled by rudeness.

David Brooks, columnist for the New York Times, writes, “Today immodesty is as ubiquitous as advertising. . . . This isn’t the death of civilization. It’s just the culture in which we live…”

The vicious attacks by pundits on Presidents (we forget how people talked about Reagan) has led to a lack of respect for the office itself. While President Clinton did inexcusable things, the attack dogs on both sides now act like sharks in the water. They smell blood no matter who is in office. Popularity today may be pillage and plunder tomorrow.

I was on a radio interview the other day and the radio host asked me about what was going on in our nation. As we were talking, she said, “For me personally, I’ve decided that I will never say anything about a politician if I haven’t prayed for him. Nor will I say more over the airwaves than I have said to God in prayer.” That would be the end of talk radio as we know it!

We are a rude, nasty, vulgar culture. Tiger Woods can’t hit a bad shot without lacing the air with four letter words while children stand within ear shot. Serena Williams, Kanye West, and a host of others are without excuse. Roger Federer was fined a pitiful amount for cursing. He will pay the fine and cuss the ones who fined him. College coaches blast four letter words on the sidelines, and we wonder why college athletes curse like sailors. Their coaches are their role models.

What’s the problem? We don’t believe things like “speak the truth in love” or “let your words be seasoned with grace.” The old saying goes, “Better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”

We lack class because we’re so crass. It seems like James, in his short epistle, said something about controlling the tongue. Maybe if we read the Bible more and acted on it, we might be a little more civil.