Christian News Consumers Handbook

Events occurring and how they relate/affect Anabaptist faith and culture.
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Bootstrap
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Christian News Consumers Handbook

Post by Bootstrap »

Some thoughts on how we consume news, inspired by the On the Media Breaking News Consumer's Handbook.

I'd love suggestions for improvement. I think our response to the news can really affect (1) our ability to focus on the things God has called us to, and (2) our ability to be credible peacemakers.
  1. Breaking headlines are only the first draft of the news. They get it wrong. Facts dribble in over time, and it is especially hard to know what is true at first.
  2. A lot of news stories are manipulated to make them more sensational. When you feel that sense of outrage and anger, be especially careful about the facts. (The On the Media guide, referenced above, is useful for that.)
  3. The news does not drive our lives as Christians. Jesus and the disciples lived their lives in a military occupation and surrounded by injustice, but chose to focus on building the Kingdom.
  4. We don't have the responsibility, authority, or knowledge to solve every problem. We often don't even know if something is true. Before responding, ask (a) do I have direct and reliable knowledge? (b) is this something I have responsibility for? (c) is this something I am called to?
  5. Asking "is this true" is always appropriate. Asking "is there some kind of hearing that will bring out the facts" is always appropriate. Asking "is this really our problem" is always appropriate. Some people get offended by this kind of question. We cannot allow their offense to stop us from asking these questions. We need to keep asking.
  6. When we do get involved, that usually means really getting involved and doing something concrete in Kingdom ways. Often that means finding ways to help and serve people.
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TeleBodyofChrist
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Re: Christian News Consumers Handbook

Post by TeleBodyofChrist »

In this country we have freedom of press, but I really feel there should be some responsibility for people. This post brings up so much I have noticed that our media gets wrong. In the rush to get the story first things are reported wrong. This lives forever on the internet and ruins people's lives. More effort is made for ratings/clicks with sensational headlines but the same effort is not given to correct a wrong. Therefore, people are never informed when someone is found innocent in the same way they are informed of possible guilt. In the case of a public trial where the verdict does not come back guilty the first thing people say is, "Well, it does not mean they did not do it. It just means they did not have enough evidence to convict."

What has happened to us? Why are people guilty until proven innocent? Why aren't there any repercussions for the media when they destroy lives, or people when they act on the news to destroy lives?

Do we need some kind of law to stop the news from releasing names of all involved until after trial and verdict? Must the government police everything? That brings up another point. Even with a guilty verdict it is not 100% because you see people wrongfully convicted released from prison 25 years later. Can you imagine? The sad thing is people still think they are guilty and make it hard for them to pick up their lives.

The problem is society and our rush to judgement. The news only fuels this sinful nature. Until we change, the news will not change. After all, they are only giving us what we tell them we want.

I really wish people would keep an open mind and not jump to judgement about everything they see or hear. You just never know.

I also wish people could forgive when someone is guilty as well but that is a whole different topic.
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Josh
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Re: Christian News Consumers Handbook

Post by Josh »

Nearly everybody charged and convicted really is guilty, tho.

Go sit in a courtroom and watch the defendants and listen to the verdicts. The average case is domestic violence or drug use. When I've had to sit in a courtroom, I walk away saddened at the brokenness of the people caught in grave sin. And usually I also see judges and police and prosecutors being quite lenient - special programmes set up for drunk driving offenders, for people with DV problems, for drug addicts.

If we want to encourage better journalism we need to subscribe to and support good newspapers. One choice is Mennonite World Review. How many of us here are paid subscribers?
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