Too Much News?

By Pr Evangeline Cheong

Recently I was struggling with my social media and news apps. With all the news coming in from here and there, there were times that I wish that I could turn off my phone and stop watching the news. Much of the news sensationalizes wars, disasters and scam warnings, but also I find myself struggling to keep up in processing the amount of news that comes through our phones. At other times, I am not sure if the information I receive is accurate, or if I even have the full picture about an event due to the algorithms of the apps I use or the biases I have? How can I respond as a Christian to all those forwarded messages on the latest way to avoid cancer or the articles sent to me about the wars, or the watercooler talk about the new lineup for the government?

Yet shutting myself up in my own world is not the solution. So I’ve found the following questions helpful in my struggle with the deluge of news each day, in my attempt to be biblically discerning of the world around us. 

What other questions do you ask? Let me know what they are so we can all grow in discerning the news together.

EVALUATING THE WORLD’S NEWS

1.            Is this information or news accurate? Is it fake news? How can I tell?  

2.            Am I only using one news app as my source of information? Are there 

               other sources of news that can help me think more clearly about this

               news? What do I need to learn about?

3.           What are the other opinions of people around me? What are my

               biases? 

4.           What is the agenda of the person/organization presenting this set of

               news? Do they want me to buy something? Buy into something? 

SEEING GOD’S PERSPECTIVE 

5.          What does God’s word say about this piece of news? 

6.          What are the eternal consequences or perspectives regarding this

             news?

7.          How can we react to this news with the hope of Jesus and the gospel?

ADJUSTING OUR RESPONSES

8.          Does this news make me angry, fearful or anxious etc? Why? What

             promises has God given to us that help us see beyond the fear and a

             nxiety today?

9.          What can I see God already doing in this situation? Can I be part of that

             work?

10.        Is there something or a group of people I can pray for or help today?

             How can Iove others in my actions and reactions to this news?