Handling Media 2

[HKHaugan]

Handling Media 2

As I was writing this article I noticed a shift was taking place and I want to identify that and see if you pick it up as you read it. Your reply could be your comment at the end or an email note. The article is addressed as much to me as it is to those who read it. The Lord has way of doing that. He’s great isn’t He?

Not to belabor the point about media biases that give us the ‘news’, but it does beg the question, “Who vets the reporters, journalists, photographers and staffers that are supposed to give accurate accounts of what is happening in our world?” Just their employers? Who are they? How do we know we can trust them and what they have to say? All we see is an occasional byline. Most of what we read is taken as fact. Even the so-called ‘fact checkers’ like Snopes, Fact or Fiction and so on, could very well be choosing their results from a biased viewpoint. It seems the press in general have a bent toward personality fascination as though the greater issues of a nation are an extension of only one person’s mind. This is precisely why we have a judicial, legislative, executive channeled democracy. Representatives from every state elected by citizens temper the actions of any one person or group. In essence the press’s aggressive personality attacks work against the very democratic process they claim to uphold. Their biases are a kind of totalitarianism in reverse. Hiding behind the principle of “the people have a right to know” they assume whatever they say is going to be accepted. I would say much of the unrest and rioting can be laid at the feet of a biased press whose abuse of freedom is that they work first from their like or dislike of a person. Cynicism is the spirit of the press in general.

I fully believe in freedom of the press which is a Constitutional guarantee. However, that freedom must be responsibly used like any of our other freedoms. It seems media reporters are the groups held least accountable to the larger public. It’s interesting that those choosing the medical profession have to follow the Hippocratic oath, a code of ethics that lies behind their patient treatment. Almost all professions have like codes of ethics, vows they take and a prescribed set of standards they sign. Businesses have job descriptions. Where is this true in the field of journalism? Why can’t there be a prescribed oath for journalists in the major TV, printed and on-line groups? The only time we have seen major news outlets suspend a reporter recently, is when several TV talking heads were exposed for falsely reporting their own wartime experience, another embarrassing a network and another in the manipulation of background material about a former President.

In the recent Presidential campaign, one Washington, D.C. newspaper hired 20 reporters, by their own public statement, to specifically find all the bad stuff they could about now President Trump. My question would further the process by doing background checks on those twenty reporters, publish them for all to see. Do the same with the owners and editors of the paper in question. Dig into each of their lives and see what biases drive their work. Let this be the story so that we all know the validity of the authority by which they present the ‘news.’ How many exposes do you ever see about those who report the news?

It may also be noted that the coverage for the Women’s March got considerable coverage but the Pro-Life March following it was subtly reduced by mainline media. When you begin comparing media coverage it becomes quite clear that the media have political goals. The ‘Fourth Estate’ needs to rename itself the ‘Third Party.’ Now here’s the problem. The ‘Press’ needs to ‘decompress’ in order to ex-press it’s dis-tress. The ‘Press’ has become the mistress of bi-ess (bias) fueled by the spirits of ego-ess, cynicism-ess and greed-ess. Underneath lies the glee of media ownership. They are seeing their profits soar. Tell me this is not the work of the evil one whose sole task is to divide, isolate, separate and use suspicion to keep people upset. This is the heart of the secular world. When Paul talked about the real enemy not being flesh and blood but the principalities, powers and forces of evil from the dark world, no more accurate assessment could have been made. This is why Paul counseled believers to put on their spiritual armor and continue to stand in Jesus regardless of what forces surrounded them.

But Paul doesn’t stop there. He goes on to say, “Pray for me that whenever I open my mouth. Words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should (Eph.6:19).” Paul had a 3W mission; a whatever, wherever, whoever mission.

Paul’s mission is our mission. In it you have three principles the Holy Spirit leads us in and through:

First, prayer causes us to stop so we can see everything from a spiritual perspective. Whatever.

Second, he prays for a conscious awareness of his physical location, where he is. Wherever.

Third, he prays for an awareness of the people to whom he speaks. Whomever.

The media want you to get all riled up about what is going on in New York City, Germany, the Middle East and the ‘world’ out there. As believers, we know who the real ‘distractor’ is. The evil one wants to distract you from your focus on Jesus, from what your real mission is. Distracting you from your focus on Jesus in the physical location where, in reality, you have the most effect. Distracting you from your focus from who? The people you live with, the people you meet everyday and the events every next moment brings.

Paul’s closing remarks in his Ephesians’ letter underscores this threefold whatever-wherever-whoever mission. Notice, to begin with, how he doesn’t concern himself or others with who imprisoned him, Rome’s injustice, past government conspiracies. Embrace his personal concern for the Body of believers in Ephesus and the sending of a close associate to be personally involved in their concern for him and the encouragement to remain faithful to and in the Lord. Embrace this for yourself where you are.

"Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am

and what I am doing.  I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he

may encourage you.  Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Grace

to all who love the Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love (Eph.6:21-24)."