The Jericho Road

     The thoughts of the previous post were motivated by the negative polarization of ideas and groups so common today. Both religious and secular spheres seem plagued by cajoling, dividing interests. “Special” self-interest groups chronically promote their own agendas through various forms of media. Once their message is ensconced in print or digitized on disc, it takes on an air of authority and credibility easily digested by pre-programmed members of the group. Truth and legitimacy are assumed without facing the rigors of careful examination. The media is the message and the message of modern media is not very open to examination.

     Such testing is much more difficult with digital media. Documentation is often replaced by assertion and insinuation; evocative, emotive pictures take the place of reason. It is very time consuming to even locate and record, let alone check, the sources many media-mad teachers and preachers offer.

     An example of this dilemma is the chronic, pervasive gullibility perpetuated by religious conspiracy theorist. “Evidence” is contrived out of suggestion, innuendo, and hear-say “sources” from other like-minded theorist. This is often done without revealing the nature of the quoted source. Old, widely disputed sources are used as “evidence” or “proof” without disclosing the disputed nature of the source. Distrust and fear are repeatedly appealed to. Scripture is forced into a ready-made mold, separated from it’s original context, then used as “proof” to support the most twisted reasoning. Bigotry soon comes to be seen as spiritual power. And all this is heartily consumed by those pre-conditioned with a fear of any authority, institution, or organization.  

     Today,  Powerpoint, Keynote, and other media presentations are often used to foster the feeling of legitimacy without providing the viewer time to weigh each “truth” or fact. Images are juxtaposed against one another while in the background we are expected to accept uncritically the interpretation of the speaker. Signs and symbols and images and words are piled on one another until, by sheer weight, they take on the aura of “truth”. After all, how could “all of this” not add up to something? It must be meaningful if someone with a Ph.d has taken the time to assemble such a quantity of material. After all, they can be trusted to use it all properly because they have the ordained authority of the church behind them or they hold a high position in their university or they are the leader of a large, profitable company. They must be credible. 

     Perhaps they are. But how will we know? I have come to distrust any presenter and presentation that asks me to suspend my reasoning faculties, that does not allow me the time to carefully weigh their argument or test their facts. More so, I distrust these media mechanics who will not put their teaching in print where it can more easily be evaluated.

     Technology is merely a tool that extends our abilities to work, to achieve, to accomplish our goals. Used well and wisely it serves a good function. Technology or other tools in teaching are useful if they are not used to violate the humanity they were created to serve. But it takes time and forethought, it takes a sound ethic system to keep our teaching and our tools from doing more harm than good. It also takes time to continually submit our methods and our messages to the carefully scrutiny all truth-claims should expect. 

     I choose to test every word offered as “the way of life” for my instruction or salvation. I hope you will choose to do the same.