Research published in this month’s Journal of the American Heart Association reveals that:

* the average Australian watches television three hours  per day

* every extra hour a day spent watching television increases one’s risk of death from heart disease by 18 percent

* those watching four hours a day have an 80 percent higher heart death risk than those watching two hours or less.

Most people wouldn’t be surprised by these figures — we know television is bad for us.

Why do we watch it then?

Are we addicted to it?

* * *

In a 1970s study, 182 German families agreed to stop watching television for a year and were offered money if they succeeded.

None lasted beyond six months. All suffered anxiety, depression etc., and had to start watching again, just to feel “normal”.

That’s true addiction — compulsive, self-harmful behaviour, without which the user can’t feel normal.

And there’s a side to every person which enjoys seeing human nature at its worst. Television brings this tendency to the surface.

Health problems and physical death aren’t the worst aspects of television.

* * *

The answer is never to watch television at all.

That would make your day three hours longer.

You could comfortably fit in an hour of praying, an hour of useful reading and an hour of silent contemplation in God’s presence.

If you could teach yourself to do that, you might increase your chances of being an unselfish and loving person here on earth by several hundred percent.

And improve your chances of being found fit to spend eternity with God by an infinite amount.