Recently, a debate about news outlets erupted on my social media page.
I had posted an article that interested me written by Uri Berliner, a reporter at NPR, about his observations of bias that has become (in his opinion) more pronounced in the last decade.
Little did I know this post would set off a firestorm.
In the midst of the criticism that flew, I was repeatedly asked questions about FOX News. Clearly, because of my faith, some people assumed they knew my preferred news channels.
I explained that, in fact, because I write, I am intentional about regularly tuning into a variety of news sources that include NPR, FOX, NBC, AP News, PBS, BBC, and multiple email and print sources. I’m an admitted newshound and I’m painfully aware how easy it would be for me to live in an echo chamber.
Last week, I was interested in the reporting on the pro-Hamas protests happening on college campuses so I watched the headline reports of three different morning shows. They all reported on the protests but the reports were told from very different angles and at different slots in the lineup.
One station made it the top news story. The other two had it further down in the lineup. One station referred to them as Pro-Hamas protests while a second mentioned simultaneous Pro-Hamas and Pro-Israeli protests. The third zoomed in to show that a handful of people draped in Israeli flags had walked through the Pro-Hamas protest.
It’s strange living in a world of Unfair and Imbalanced reporting. That’s when the Holy Spirit starting working on my role as a reporter of the headlines of my faith.
Do I deliver fair and balanced news about the good news of Jesus?
In my experience of viewing many news sources, there have been reports that were major stories on some stations but were never even mentioned on others. What am I silent about regarding the gospel? What do I feel so uncomfortable about in my faith it never even appears in a column below the fold?
Do I spend all my time on how much Jesus loves and how he ate with sinners but downplay his parables on being prepared for judgement or deemphasize the reality that Jesus talked about hell more than any other person in the Bible?
Proverbs 20:10 NASB says, “Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the Lord.” Am I using a different measure to judge mainstream and cable news than I am willing to use on my own reporting of the headlines that truly matter—some for eternity?
I once frequented a lovely coffee shop and often had spiritual conversations with the owner. One day he said to me, “You’re the kind of Christian I can get behind. Not like my sister who told me I’m at risk of going to hell.”
Suddenly, I felt I’d done him and his sister a disservice so I asked him, “Well, do you have a relationship with Jesus? Do you recognize you’re sinful and unable to save yourself? Do you want to receive the forgiveness He died for you to have?”
“No,” he said waving his hand, “there’s nothing wrong with me. I’m not into that nonsense.”
“Oh, then I agree with your sister, I’m afraid. To be fair to her, she’s loving you better than I ever could because you are, in fact, at risk of spending eternity separated from God who is love, light, beauty, truth, justice, mercy, and peace. That’s hell.”
He was taken aback but it clearly started him thinking. I encouraged him to talk more with his sister.
The next time you complain about the imbalanced reporting happening in world-wide media, ask the Lord if perhaps you’re guilty of the same crime regarding the truth of Christ. I did and I didn’t like what I learned so I’m seeking His help to remove the log from my eye.
The entire Bible is full of God’s love. Even the parts that cause us discomfort are a testament to God’s love and if we don’t understand how to communicate them as such, we need to dig in, do the work, and figure it out.
We have the Holy Spirit, ready to instruct. We have one another, ready to support. We have the news that matters forever.
There are many things about our times I cannot control but I can control my own choices, my own actions, my own way of interacting with others. I can decide to be fair and balanced when telling what I know of Jesus.
What about you? Thoughts? I love to hear from you and I read and reply to every comment and every email.
“We owe Martha an apology.” This is the opening line of my new book on the power of our influence based on a study of choices made by over 100 women in the Bible. It’s ideal for individual or group study and will make a great gift for Mother’s Day, graduations, or whatever you have on your calendar. Check it out and pick up a couple copies today! If you’re one of the many readers enjoying, please consider leaving a brief review on Amazon! Thank you for spreading the message.
So well said!
Well...this hobbit is disturbed. ;) And that's okay.
Too many Christians have been living their lives under rocks, preferring to let the pastor say the hard stuff...or not. It's about time we live honestly and righteously in this world. Not of it, but in it for Christ's sake. We've been commissioned to share His Good News story without being unfair to Him and balancing our words with truth and love.
Thanks for this thoughtful post, Lori.
God bless!