Bev's Question
Hey Team,
I have a question. It's something i've been perculating in my brain and i'd like another opinion. Is Procrastination sinful?
I have a question. It's something i've been perculating in my brain and i'd like another opinion. Is Procrastination sinful?
posted by Anonymous at Friday, November 18, 2005
7 Comments:
Is Jonah's travel's sinful or do we just call that procrastination now? "He really was going to go eventually, he was just putting off till the last moment then when it became critical he would go and tell the Ninevites they were going to die...." So that was a sarcastic point of view...maybe Jonah's story really has nothing to do with it(?)
I will have to ponder this and get back to you ;)
*puts on his theological thinking cap*
Ok back - I have come to this conclusion: maybe...
Okay... being the queen of procrastination - I just have to reply. Because without procrastination, I don't think I would have survived any schooling in my entire life! But, backing up for a quick sec - we must realize first define procrastination...
Procrastination as a verb (dictionary definition):
a. To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.
b. To postpone or delay needlessly.
But at the same time, we often refer to ourselves as procrastinating when we are doing something else while those with the same assignments are working on them. (Right now I have a 10-page psych paper due tues which I have yet to start but my friend in the same course has been working on hers for almost a week and is almost doe - therefore I must be procrastinating. Right?)
SO.... the question I come down to (and sorry Bev, I think that the response to yours is a big fat maybe) is:
What is it that you are doing with your time while procrastinating????????
Have you not started that 10-page paper because you had midterms, labs, and other papers OR because you were playing video games ??!! My opinion is that this is where the distinction comes in between procrastination as a sin or a tool. I prefer the latter distinction but there is room for argument!
Anyone memories anyone? http://www.eskimo.com/~spban/creed.html
Whoa, Jordan! Deep breath, that was not supposed to be a personal attack! Let's not make this a guys vs. girls thing! I don't think that Ashley was saying that video games are evil, simply that they are one example of something that is used to occupy your time when you ought to be doing something more important. I don't think she'd say that dutch blitz or for that matter reading a novel or watching tv are any different.
I think she's just trying to say that whether or not procrastinating counts as a sin depends on how you decide to define it. If you say that it's postponing or delaying NEEDLESSLY (ie by playing video games, dutch blitz etc), it may be a sin. However, if you've "procrastinated" because you were helping a friend with a problem, working on other schoolwork, or doing other "productive" (and this in itself is a subjective term) things, it is not a sin. Does that make sense?
Next, you need to watch your generalizations yourself, Jordan. Just remember that the guest house and the double wide and a-frame each had their own combination of procrastinators and non-procrastinators.
And finally, my opinion: I think that procrastination is not so much the issue as the fact that we are always supposed to be honouring God with how we spend our time. So when you find yourself "procrastinating", ask yourself, am I honouring God right now with what I'm choosing to do? And I believe that many, many different things can honour God at different times. The trick is being in touch with what he wants for you and what you need. Even having a nap can be a spiritual thing sometimes, remember? So yes, this is my thought. Feel free to tear it apart and disagree as you please!
Yes Julie, thank you for the clarification on my reply!
jordan... I think you may have read a bit too far into my reply.
I was simply trying show that it depends on how you define it - yes, I know there were two different definitions. That was the point.
So, don't stress over it! And yes, DB can be used as much as or more than video games as a tool for what we call "procrastination" - just ask some of last year's Kaleo about their Settler's!
I apologize. Did not mean to make it personal. It's easy to read into things and not know emphasis points when reading these comments.
Jordan
Thanks for the apology, Jordan. I'm sorry if I contributed to the confusion. Also, I think it's funny that you deleted your comment and now mine sounds like I'm a little crazy! Hehe!
HOW TO WRITE A RESEARCH PAPER
1. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a well-lighted place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.
2. Read over the assignment carefully, to make certain you understand it.
3. Walk down to the vending machines and buy some coffee to help you concentrate.
4. Stop off at another room on the way back and visit with your friend from class. If your friend hasn't started the paper yet either, you can both drive to McDonalds and buy a hamburger to help you concentrate. If your friend shows you his paper, typed, double-spaced, and bound in one of those irritating see-through plastic folders, drop him.
5. When you get back to your room, sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well-lighted place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.
6. Read over the assignment again to make absolutely certain you understand it.
7. You know, you haven't written to that kid you met at camp since fourth grade. You'd better write that letter now; that way you can concentrate.
8. Go look at your teeth in the bathroom mirror.
9. Listen to one song on your favorite CD and that's it, I really mean it, as soon as it's over you are going to start that…
10. Listen to all the songs.
11. Rearrange all of your CDs into alphabetical order.
12. Phone your friend on the other floor and ask if he's started writing yet. Exchange derogatory remarks about your teacher, the course, the university and the world at large.
13. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well-lighted place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.
14. Read over the assignment again; roll the words across your tongue; savor its special flavor.
15. Check the TV Guide to make sure you aren't missing something truly worthwhile on TV (like Monday Night Football).
NOTE: When you have a paper due in less than 12 hours, anything on TV from Masterpiece Theater to Sgt. Preston of the Yukon, is truly worthwhile, with these exceptions:
a) Pro Bowler's Tour
b) Any movie starring Don Ameche.
16. Catch the last hour of Soul Brother of Kung Fu on channel 26.
17. Phone your friend on the second floor to see if he was watching. Discuss the finer points of the plot, even if he wasn't watching.
18. Go look at your tongue in the bathroom mirror.
19. Look through your roommate's book of pictures from home. Ask who everyone is.
20. Sit down and do some serious thinking about your plans for the future.
21. Open your door and check to see if there are any mysterious, trench-coated strangers lurking in the hall.
22. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well-lighted place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.
23. Read over the assignment one more time, just for the heck of it.
24. Scoot your chair across the room to the window and watch the sunrise.
25. Lie face down on the floor and moan.
26. Leap up and type the paper on your computer.
27. Spell check.
28. Complain to everyone that you didn't get any sleep because you had to write that stupid research paper.
(NOTE: Number 28 may be sin. If so, don't do it. The rest? I think procrastination is often unwise, but most often it's just a symptom of something else - boredom, lack of excercise, fear, depression, exhaustion. Go take a nap and wait for dinner).
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