Is it wrong or a sin for a Christian to be a Sun Newspaper reader

[lilywhites]

Since becoming a christian recently I am surprised that a few of my christian female friends at Church read this and also my new christian boyfriend. Personally I feel that it is not appropiate reading for a christian and feel a bit uncomfortable about my boyfriend reading it. He is a lovely guy, very active in the church but this makes me see him in a bad light. Would be interested to hear what other christians think, Thanks.

I don't read it personally, or any paper for that matter, bt don't see how it's a sin.

It is a crime against your intelligence. So, on that basis, I call it a sin.

Strange one.

There are lots of reasons not to read the Sun, but it being a sin isn't one I've heard before.

Of course it is a sin, your body is god's temple and putting that crap, full of gory details, through your brain cannot be right.

Fortunately, God is love and a merciful father so he will see to forgive the morbid for reading the Sun, the ignorant for reading The Mail, the atheists for reading the Guardian, the greedy for reading the Financial Times, and myself, for wasting so much time, I should be devoting to the sacred labour of raising my child, reading Mumsnet.

Really?
Your friends are your friends ..... We all (even you) will have faults and foibles that we don't agree with, or personality traits we don't like in others. Whilst I'm not the Sun's biggest fan either ..... If being a Sun reader is the biggest fault your friends or boyfriend have, then they're probably an OK kind of person.

I know everyone is finding this post a bit strange but actually I have heard the reading of those type of newspapers (i.e. the ones with semi naked women, and endless stories of footballers having threesomes), and also the reading of trashy celebrity gossip magazines etc preached against many times in church so tbh a lot of Christians clearly do consider them sinful. The Sun etc would certainly have been a big no no in my house growing up, for exactly those reasons.

My vicar reads the sun. And the guardian. And the times I believe. At least that's the papers I've seen him with.

The word sin comes from the Hebrew word for an arrow missing its target. So sin is what makes us miss the goal of loving our neighbour and loving God and of the loving kindness, justice and mercy that is at the heart of faith. Another sin, one to which I know I'm prone, is judging others as no one knows what is in the heart of another.

One thing that is hard as a new Christian is to work out what is cultural, what is denominational and what is a core element of Christianity. We all have to work that one out.

This priest only reads newspapers online so no one knows if I am really reading a deep and meaningful article or looking at pictures of cute kittens....

Sins are the things that separate you from God.
Do you think that is the effect that reading the Sun has on your boyfriend, and friends?
If so, then I'd probably try to (gently) challenge the attitudes that you think are problematic, rather than specifically starting to tell people that they can't do x or y and be a Christian - Christianity is about relationship, and isn't about a simple set of rules, so we can't say "Oh, no proper Christian would ever read that drivel"

I read everything if only to know what different readerships and sections of the public think. This includes the Sun and the Daily Mail on rare occasions :D even though I do find news about footballers' orgies rather tiresome.

I wouldn't call it a sin - but it is a strong indication for you of how to help the species.

if his reading level and interests are that low, you can do better.

There is a Christian journalist on the Sun.

If he's READING the Sun, then no, not necessarily a sin. It all depends on his motivations. If he's looking at the page 3 girls then I'd say YES!

Which bit is it that you're uncomfortable with?

As Christians I don't think we should hang on the every word of ANY Godless institution. Not saying he's doing this, but some people really do lap up everything 'their' paper prints. So if it's light reading and he avoids pg3, fine.

The comment suggesting that you could do better if the 'Sun' is his reading level seemed a bit cruel; it's not our intelligence that makes us worthy but our love for God and fellow people. And none of have enough of that!

oops - none of US have enough of that.

no, it is not our intelligence that makes us worthy - it is our attitudes. And someone who pays for this crap needs to take a long hard look at themselves.

if the guy just wants to read, this country is full of libraries with books for all levels.