The Christian Hawk
The Media Nonsense About the Pope's Comments
Islamic Frenzy is Media-Driven
September 16th 2006.
The furore has still not died down because of the Pope's perceived criticism of Islam, but truthfully, this whole story is a nonsense and a news hype. The western media themselves could have allowed this story to disappear overnight if they had not chosen to focus upon it in a manner which is out of all proportion!
First of all, are Islamics seriously suggesting that they themselves are never critical of Christianity in their various in-house doctrinal discussions? Because that is all this was. If they themselves are critical of Christianity and Christian claims (which they most certainly are) then this over-reaction to the pope's comments is clearly just hypocrisy. Perhaps it should not surprise us that they would seek to destroy freedom of speech because freedom of speech has been destroyed in every land where they have governing authority.
Yet the media remains largely to blame for keeping the current frenzy at the top of the news. Why have we been presented with news pictures of Islamics burning effigies of the pope in several Arab/Islamic countries? Because news cameras were there to film it, and to assure these crowds that the pictures would go around the world! Would there have been any point in carrying out such an act if no cameras were present? Highly unlikely! Here in Britain, it was predictable that the Muslim Council of Britain would be asked for a “comment” - but why? Do we really need to know what they think? The whole tactics of news and television has been to help perpetuate “a story.” In this way, a totally out of proportion frenzy has actually been encouraged by the media.
The pope's remarks should, of course, have been ignored. The media has no interest in theology or in the theological point which the pope was making. But “Islamic Frenzy” ? Wow! Now that really is news-worthy!!
It would really be nice to see the news media across the world start to apply some responsibility and also to apply some moral principles to the things which they report - instead of continually being on the watch for sensationalist reporting but I don't think things are about to change.
For my part, I have long since learned to be discerning about “world news” and about the way it is handled. Television news in particular will give prominence to items which carry good emotional images but this often actually distorts what is really newsworthy. For example, If I see pictures of crowds who have obviously just been stirred-up by somebody off-camera or by the very presence of cameras to burn an effigy of somebody I immediately reject that as being something of no importance or significance to anything on this planet. The news media insult our intelligence by these artificial and misleading images.
Iraq is a particularly good example of news media distortion. Because most of the news media is controlled by liberals (especially among reporters), we sometimes get a more negative view towards the United States (and especially towards George W. Bush), than would seem to be merited. Bomb explosions, anti-American demonstrations and the general hostility towards Britain and America seem to be what reporters are most looking for in Iraq, and yet I have frequently had pictures sent to my desk of American troops engaging with little Iraqi children with big hugs and smiles all-round. I have had pictures of American soldiers inside Iraqi schools talking to teachers and playing games with children but I can guarantee one thing: THESE PICTURES WILL NEVER MAKE THE TELEVISION NEWS! Reporters only want the vicious and the sensational and quite a few of them only seem to want to undermine President Bush so they are not even interested in some of these images!
The Christian Hawk
September 16th 2006.