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Christians and the media
- Thread starter ChristAlone
- Start date
As a member of the local "media," I defend myself.
http://www.lawton-constitution.com/art/sp091101.pdf
http://www.lawton-constitution.com/art/sp091101.pdf
Christians are portrayed more unfavorably than favorably in the national media. Local media is more often favorable, though. Or at least less unfavorable.
TV is all about "me." It's not very often about "you," and only sometimes is about "us." There isn't any "him." Christianity is all about "him," very often about "us," sometimes about "you," but rarely about "me," at least not publicly.
TV, news especially in almost all markets, likes flashy, glaring, obvious, rapidfire, quick, base, and immediate, and it appeals to the lowest common denominator, for the greatest portion.
Christianity doesn't fit into the entertainment box TV wants to fit things in. It's way bigger, way wider, way deeper. You have to think a lot, not just sit down and be entertained. Christian things aren't settled in twominute packages with an ENG crew and an editor. [Maybe if we could package them up like that for the news stations, they'd begin to use them....
] Some things you can only begin to understand through trials and experiences and learning, which isn't what a lot of people want to do.
We're held up to a higher standard, as it should be. So when one of us makes a mistake, the difference is more glaring and obvious, so it gets pointed out more often than someone who hasn't claimed to have a higher standard to reach. TV news likes glaring and obvious, not subtleties, unless you're talking about "pushing the envelope," which they seem to delight in.
Because of the nature of news cycles and news itself, Christians often don't get a chance to refute any little side comment that someone on the outside makes [like saying James Dobson is a right wing wacko,
I tried to let it slide but I couldn't, I know it had to be a mistake. You can factor in how "on the outside" applies here on your own I've never seen Dobson labeled a rightwing wacko by ANYBODY].
The opposition can say whatever they want, and it sticks in the mind of the viewer; we can say what we want, but for us to prove the statements wrong takes time and effort and evidence that what we say is true. TV isn't interested in time and effort, they want right now sound bytes, and by the time enough time passes that our claims would be proven, the media is on to another hot story.
Blanket statements like "right wing wackos" and "fundamentalists" and other charged terms get bandied about, and they stick WAY too often. It's like they say, you always hear "devout Christian senator" you never hear "lousy, rotten scoundrel heathen humanist senator" or "liberal communist senator."
As for the radio and newspapers and local television stations (outside the news departments), they answer to more local, less homogenized, genericized audiences. They have actual experience living near and with the people they cover, so they are less biased against Christians, or at least more willing to present a Christian perspective without imposing their own perspective.
Whew. "Christians and media" is one of my hotbutton issues...
TV is all about "me." It's not very often about "you," and only sometimes is about "us." There isn't any "him." Christianity is all about "him," very often about "us," sometimes about "you," but rarely about "me," at least not publicly.
TV, news especially in almost all markets, likes flashy, glaring, obvious, rapidfire, quick, base, and immediate, and it appeals to the lowest common denominator, for the greatest portion.
Christianity doesn't fit into the entertainment box TV wants to fit things in. It's way bigger, way wider, way deeper. You have to think a lot, not just sit down and be entertained. Christian things aren't settled in twominute packages with an ENG crew and an editor. [Maybe if we could package them up like that for the news stations, they'd begin to use them....
We're held up to a higher standard, as it should be. So when one of us makes a mistake, the difference is more glaring and obvious, so it gets pointed out more often than someone who hasn't claimed to have a higher standard to reach. TV news likes glaring and obvious, not subtleties, unless you're talking about "pushing the envelope," which they seem to delight in.
Because of the nature of news cycles and news itself, Christians often don't get a chance to refute any little side comment that someone on the outside makes [like saying James Dobson is a right wing wacko,
I tried to let it slide but I couldn't, I know it had to be a mistake. You can factor in how "on the outside" applies here on your own I've never seen Dobson labeled a rightwing wacko by ANYBODY]. The opposition can say whatever they want, and it sticks in the mind of the viewer; we can say what we want, but for us to prove the statements wrong takes time and effort and evidence that what we say is true. TV isn't interested in time and effort, they want right now sound bytes, and by the time enough time passes that our claims would be proven, the media is on to another hot story.
Blanket statements like "right wing wackos" and "fundamentalists" and other charged terms get bandied about, and they stick WAY too often. It's like they say, you always hear "devout Christian senator" you never hear "lousy, rotten scoundrel heathen humanist senator" or "liberal communist senator."
As for the radio and newspapers and local television stations (outside the news departments), they answer to more local, less homogenized, genericized audiences. They have actual experience living near and with the people they cover, so they are less biased against Christians, or at least more willing to present a Christian perspective without imposing their own perspective.
Whew. "Christians and media" is one of my hotbutton issues...
What gets me is the media reports on "THE CHURCH". The only authority in the media on any subject is THE CHURCH. The Roman Catholic church is NOT THE CHURCH but the secular world believes that is were they need to go for the pulse of Christians!
The Pope has no influence in my life Christ does!
Jon
The Pope has no influence in my life Christ does!
Jon
As a journalist, let me give you this advice: Support your local media. (Yes, this is self serving, but what the hey.)
Our newspaper devotes two pages to religious news each Saturday, almost all of it favorable to Christianity, because that's what the community expects and wants. It's a reflection of the community.
Jewish and Muslim events are covered, but the vast majority of coverage is about Christian churches, just because that involves most of the community that's interested.
This is part of a larger issue: If you expect a network or cable channel or out-of-town outlet to really care about your town or city, you're deluding yourselves. They don't live there; they may come in and do a story, but then they're gone. The folks at the local newspaper or TV station (radio has become so automated that there's seldom a real person on the air in smaller markets) live with you and care about your concerns.
Commercial over.
Our newspaper devotes two pages to religious news each Saturday, almost all of it favorable to Christianity, because that's what the community expects and wants. It's a reflection of the community.
Jewish and Muslim events are covered, but the vast majority of coverage is about Christian churches, just because that involves most of the community that's interested.
This is part of a larger issue: If you expect a network or cable channel or out-of-town outlet to really care about your town or city, you're deluding yourselves. They don't live there; they may come in and do a story, but then they're gone. The folks at the local newspaper or TV station (radio has become so automated that there's seldom a real person on the air in smaller markets) live with you and care about your concerns.
Commercial over.
tiggertoddy
New Member
I HAVE a question: While God IS important, nay VITAL to all, (please bear with me on this, as I ask this question out of CURIOSITY, NOT out of criticism.): The name God can be identified in so many ways to so many different religions(i.e.: Buddhism has a god or gods, Islam has a god, Catholicism has many gods, so on & so forth.). Some of these people may believe in A god, BUT, are they believeing in THE God, the author of creation?
Are people so de-sensitized that they seem to forget that JESUS is the one who saved their sorry butts? That woman was blessed, whether she knows it or not, by JESUS. Had she ever read the book of Romans, especially the part that states that "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ"? Jesus ALSO states that we should NOT be ashamed to profess Him as our Saviour?
This is my point: Are some of us, as Christians, so ashamed of professing Jesus' name? Not that I am special over anyone, but, I am NOT ashamed of professing Jesus as my Saviour.
When we, as Christians, are ashamed of Jesus, or speaking His name in love and in witnessing, He, Jesus, is ashamed of us. We OWE it to Him to be bold, unafraid of the worldly system, and we should REFUSE to back down when some worldly system tells us to shut up. Jesus defended US when He was crucified, why shouldn't we defend His Name?? To those who are ashamed of speaking Jesus' name, or giving JESUS the credit for blessings, SHAME ON YOU!!
Are people so de-sensitized that they seem to forget that JESUS is the one who saved their sorry butts? That woman was blessed, whether she knows it or not, by JESUS. Had she ever read the book of Romans, especially the part that states that "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ"? Jesus ALSO states that we should NOT be ashamed to profess Him as our Saviour?
This is my point: Are some of us, as Christians, so ashamed of professing Jesus' name? Not that I am special over anyone, but, I am NOT ashamed of professing Jesus as my Saviour.
When we, as Christians, are ashamed of Jesus, or speaking His name in love and in witnessing, He, Jesus, is ashamed of us. We OWE it to Him to be bold, unafraid of the worldly system, and we should REFUSE to back down when some worldly system tells us to shut up. Jesus defended US when He was crucified, why shouldn't we defend His Name?? To those who are ashamed of speaking Jesus' name, or giving JESUS the credit for blessings, SHAME ON YOU!!