From “Wired to Lead: Being the Leader the Church Didn’t Think You Could Be” by Suzanne Nadell
One of the saddest things I’ve experienced while working in the media is how quick fellow Christians have been to make assumptions that are not true. These assumptions have been judgmental and plain mean. In fact, I cannot count the number of times I have been yelled at, written to, and addressed in an unkind tone assuming that because I am in the media I am not a Christian and cannot understand their viewpoint. This couldn’t be further from the truth – if we are using a right interpretation of the Bible when defending those views. As a fellow believer, though I often understand their point. I’ve also found the Word of God being twisted and maligned to defend attitudes and perspectives that I’m certain grieve the heart of God.
The things these same Jesus-believing people have said about victims of crime or even news anchors and reporters have also been very cruel. When describing other children of God, I’ve heard everything from racial slurs to “I hope he rots in hell,” from “Everyone in media is a tool of Satan” to “They got what they deserved.” When Christians make these unloving and thoughtless comments, they tend to make them as justifications for their judgmental ideals and philosophies, which is not representative of Christ’s attitude toward those in need of healing or saving. Jesus responded to adversity and the sin of man with tenderness, compassion, hope, and grace. I can only imagine that this sense of self-righteousness by judgmental Christians criticising and spewing hatred toward others is also grievous to God, and it certainly causes the unsaved who are listening to forgo embracing a relationship with Christ. Not only is this sad to my heart, but it is also ignorant about what actually takes place in the minds of those of us who report the news happening in communities across the country. To help you understand the true ethos of newsrooms and their employees, let’s look at the Society of Professional Journalists, of which I am a member.