The Collapse of Journalism

I admit, I don’t have cable. I’m not a Luddite, but just don’t need it. Once while traveling through BWI, I looked up to the ubiquitous television monitors, which were broadcasting a live press conference by the head of the World Health Organization. The amount of scrawl and moving images superimposed on the presser triggered in my head the thought ‘wow, this must be something very important.’ After watching it for a little while, I realized that I had been suckered…
The passing of Walter Cronkite on July 17th, 2009, brought about the predictable laments of modern day news organizations. Mark Bowden’s piece in the October 2009 Atlantic must be one of the finest explanations of the shift that is occurring within most American newsrooms. He uses the Sotomayer coverage as an example of the propagandizing of modern day news media. Read his full article HERE.

Haiti: Pat Robertson's Hell

Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake on Tuesday, January 12th, 2009. The global community responded with significant amounts of aid, resources, prayers and assistance. Predictably, within a day of this tragedy, religious conservative Pat Robertson, television host of The 700 Club, claimed that Haiti was ‘cursed, because it swore a pact with the devil.’
Tragic remarks to say the least… let me offer a few thoughts…

1. Consider the source. Robertson blamed 9/11 on ‘Democrats, Feminists, and the ACLU.’ The Indonesian Tsunami was ‘God’s punishment.’ Hurricane Katrina the result of a city that had ‘turned its back on God.’
2. The Bible does speak of judgment, but judgment that is directed toward the individual that rejects God, rather then a political entity.
3. Robertson’s comments increase the calamity for regardless of the source of tragedy, Christians are called to care, love and to provide compassion.

It is difficult to be charitable and model Christian love to someone who is so brashly nothing more then an opportunist garbed in religious clothing.

Human nature constantly draws us backwards, searching for an answer to the great ‘why’ questions in life… Jesus constantly pulls us forward, reminding us that each positive event, each devastating tragedy can be redeemed if it draws us closer to Him.

Update: best response so far: author Don Miller... Read it here