Dear
Parishioners,
A few year ago when I was in the midst of a wedding rehearsal,
I began to prepare for the exchange of
vows with the couple and the wedding party.
At that point someone questioned me: when do you ask if there are any objections to this marriage? I explained that this is not actually part of
the Catholic wedding ceremony. “But I
saw them do it on TV!” came the quick retort.
They saw it done on TV. Hmm.
Not too long ago, someone tried to post a “news” story to my facebook page that was a
complete and utter lie. Fortunately, I
recognized it immediately and removed it.
Lies, distorted truth, slander, gossip, ignorance, prejudice, and many
other “problems” are all far too
prevalent in our modern world of instant communication. And unfortunately, once it’s out on the
internet, there’s no taking it back.
I have been interviewed by reporters for a newspaper article or
television segment on various occasions.
Most of the time, the
reporting was accurate. However, there
have been times when I was slightly misquoted
or what I had to say was taken somewhat out
of context. (Can you imagine how
difficult it is for any public figure today to avoid saying something that he
or she might seriously regret because it may be repeated continually in the
media?)
In addition, there have been
times when I was present at an event as an eyewitness,
and what I saw was not reported the
same way in the media. (Specifically, I
witnessed the secular media inordinately focus on a rather small group of pro-choice people—maybe about a dozen—during
the March for Life in Washington, DC
while underreporting the tens and tens of thousands of people who were
present to support human life. I suspect
the reporters were trying to promote a specific pro-choice, pro-abortion agenda.)
Whenever I watch television, go to a movie, listen to the
radio, read the newspaper or look at something on the internet, I have learned
to approach matters with a serious, critical
eye. Maybe I’m a bit like Thomas in
the Gospel (see John 20: 24-25).
I often need to see or experience something for myself and be able to
validate it before I give it any credibility.
Accepting everything at face value
without some critical thinking or reasonable investigation can be very dangerous. Not everyone
is truthful or is everything written or
reported going to be completely accurate.
Everything we see or hear on TV, in the newspapers, on the radio or the
internet needs to be evaluated. Facts
are distorted, words are parsed, people lie or exaggerate, sometimes various
agendas or causes are promoted, etc. It
can become very, very confusing. I feel
especially sorry for our impressionable young
people who may not yet have fine-tuned any critical thinking skills.
Just who or what should we believe? Where do we find truth?
“I am the way, the truth and the life.” (John 14:6) What Jesus
says truly matters. The truth found in
the Bible is timeless and for all
ages, cultures and peoples. The official
teaching of the Catholic Church has been a continual, counter-cultural voice crying out and offering guidance in world of
deafening secular, materialistic values.
If we let television, pop culture, the abyss of the internet,
the secular media, etc. influence the way that we think and act, then the path
is one of ultimate unhappiness and probable self-destruction. I can almost guarantee it.
Without the supernatural, God-given help that we have received from Jesus Christ and His Church, we will be like sheep without a shepherd (Mark 6:34) wandering around aimlessly, susceptible to many deadly predators.
Allow Jesus and
His Church to guide and influence your
every thought and action. Don’t just
take my
word for it. Check it out for yourselves!
Fr.
Ed Namiotka
Pastor
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