FIGHTING MEDIA ASSAULT -  By Dr. Blesson C.S.

Media is being effectively used by many to captivate the audience. Businessmen and politicians use them for their own advantages.
 

Now is the era of information revolution. We are flooded with tonnes and tonnes of information through various media. Whether we like it or not media has a substantial influence in our lives. It is able to modify our perception and our decision making process. Gone are the days only one media mode was used. Now, we are in the world of multimedia revolution. Media influences us tremendously. As youngsters we are exposed to the world through the eyes of the media. It is being effectively used by many to captivate the audience. Businessmen and politicians use them for their own advantages. Reading and listening has become old fashioned! Now we want to see and feel. The ever-growing popularity of the internet has made the world much smaller and information reachable to all.

A few years back a boy in U.S. changed his name officially to “Dotcomguy.” He went into isolation and his only contact to the world was through the Internet. Many of us though did not change our names; we are also crazy of the ‘Net’. Internet is a powerful tool and is helpful for us in many ways. But the problem is that it is so adulterated that picking the true and right information is often a difficult job.

Without proper guidance one can end up taking wrong decisions. Many of our young friends are caught in ‘chats’ with unknown individuals for hours in chat rooms. It appears to do more harm that good. A faceless stranger is conversing with you and you are either lying or giving information to him/her about you, which can be used in any way they want.

There are several sites in the web that gives us unwanted information. They even lure us to perform things that are illegal and immoral. There are sites that encourage murder and suicide. They even give step-by-step plans to commit a murder or suicide. They also teach how to escape from the law of the land.

There are plenty of pornographic sites, which encourage youngsters to lead an immoral life. So many ‘Christian’ youngsters have been caught in this web!

Watching Television is another great addiction. Many cannot imagine a world without TV. Though it is a very useful medium, too much of it can cause trouble. Most of the girls are bent upon watching serial after serial. For many, the day’s schedules depend upon the TV programmes. Most of the serials glorify revenge, sorcery, adultery, violence and corrupt life.

Many also give wrong ideas about the relationships within the families and can cause misunderstandings within the family members. My friend, how many hours do you spend in front of TV everyday? Do you feel crazy if the power goes off? That means that you have been addicted to watching TV programmes.
 

Music is very powerfully used to convey many messages to the audience. The opening of many FM stations in the cities has made many to get addicted to these music programmes. Have you ever listened carefully to what the anchors of these programmes have to convey? They always say “Do as you please” but “Do not get caught!” All the songs played are like ‘whitewashed tombs’ having nice tunes with filthy words. Most of the rock songs that are played have words that are so filthy that one cannot even think of these. Since that words are not clear, our young friends enjoying them and dance for their tunes. Most of the rock songs are written and sung to glorify Satan by his worshippers. We say Christ is the head of this home and play songs in praise of Satan in our homes! What an irony! Have you ever thought about this?

Even print media is falling in line to the ‘taste’ of the people. Newspaper front pages without a photograph of ‘glamour girls’ is a thing of the past. Novels, shortstories, cartoons and articles are all ‘spiced’ with violence and sex. All the latest breed of stories have a sort of magical characters….the Harry Potter style. All these glorify sorcery and witchcraft and typically draw people into ‘black arts’. All these characters in the stories reveal the nature of the characters but not the nature of the ‘Master’ behind these.

In this rushing hour everything is moving at a great speed. My Friend, where do you stand as a Christian? You might ask that all these media are doing good for all as well, then why to bother. Well , may be you are right, but what should bother us is not the media but the message that is being conveyed. They can cause havoc in our lives. Are we going to be indifferent or to get conformed to this pattern the world follows? In my opinion both are sins but in opposite directions.

As Christian youngsters we need to take a stand in the light of the word of God. When we compare the time we give for God to the time we spend for media, we will get a measure of our shameful state.
Bible clearly talks about this. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)

Friends! Where do we stand? Are we changing ourselves to the pattern of this world or are we changing the world into the pattern of God?

Dr. Blesson C. S. M.Sc., M.Phil., Ph.D. is working as Research Scientist in the Division for Reproductive Endocrinology, Department of Woman and Child Health, Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden.