Whether you’re following the presidential election or not, you’re being inundated with political media. Whether in the form of news coverage, an “I approve this message” commercial during your favorite TV show, or an email forward in your inbox, you can’t get away from it. While I couldn’t care less about sharing my political views with you, I feel compelled to share a bi-partisan lesson: Media is dangerous.
Media–be it print, electronic, or other–can manipulate people. In my Editor’s Letter in the most recent issue of COLLIDE, the examples I gave were charismatic cult leaders and duplicitous televangelists. While those both have a religious affiliation, I think a more current and pervasive example displays itself every election season.
Rumor-mongering and deceptive emails, commercials composed of sound bites out of context and half-truths, and sinister background music are just a few of the ways in which media- and technology-savvy politicos embrace the Dark Side of the Force.
Email, the Internet, video, music, print design … all powerful tools with the capacity to do great things when used properly. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who aren’t above using those tools to attack, slander, intimidate, and mislead. Frankly, what do we expect from the political arena, where folks in $4,000 suits and $700 eyeglasses scratch and claw their way to the finish line? (The prize for which they compete? The title of Leader of the Free World, and all of the prestige, power, influence, and accolades found therein. Woo hoo.)
My sincere hope (Soapbox/Manifesto Alert!!!) is that we, the Church, in order to participate in a more perfect Kingdom, establish justice, insure tranquility through Jesus Christ, provide for the defense of the defenseless, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of the liberty that comes through knowing God, refuse to take our cues from the world, regardless of our personal political affiliations.
In other words, I hope we never use media to attack, slander, intimidate, or mislead. We don’t need to manipulate people into the voting booth or the Kingdom of God; we’re called to a higher standard. The rules of the presidential race–or any arena in which the ends justify the means–will not suffice here.