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I’ve been following the news about the Germanwings crash. It seems that about 80% of the coverage is about the young copilot who purposefully flew the plane into the mountain, killing himself and 149 other souls. So far, there’s been talk about a depression he had many years ago, about possible eye problems, about a little bit of emotional-mental instability. Most recently, they say he researched suicide and cockpit safety online. The real motive for mass murder hasn’t been revealed at all.
What bugs me is that he’s
getting all the attention. It seems to me that the victims deserve attention. It seems like the pilot deserves
attention for trying so hard to get into the cockpit again—with an axe.
Why is the media so fixated on the bad guy?
It’s often that way.
Murderers, robbers, traffickers, embezzlers, rapists, terrorists, swindlers,
and all other kinds of criminals get the spotlight while their victims languish, suffering
horribly. Is this fair?
Life isn’t fair. We know that. I just wish the media
spotlight would refuse to shine on the bad guys. Why glorify the actions of the
wrong side? It only makes crime appeal to vulnerable young people (and old
people, for that matter).
I have a few more beefs. (Stay with me. There’s also hope.)
- Why do video games have to be so violent? Why do you have to “kill” people, sometimes gruesomely (as if murder could ever be clean).
- Why are music videos practically pornographic? And, why are the lyrics so raunchy? Why are they so demeaning to women, objectifying women? Do people really think this is okay?
- Why does pop culture lean towards everything sinful, and why can’t pop divas ever dress modestly?
Well, the answers are in the Bible. Carefully read this list. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).
Thankfully, there’s hope in the
Lord. A personal relationship with Him makes all the difference. These verses
come right on the heels of the verses you just read: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no
law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections
and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit
(Galatians 5:22-25). What a contrast!
Here are a few more verses that
might encourage you:
- If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world (John 15:19a).
- Jesus said, I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world (John 17:14-16).
- That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world (Philippians 2:15).
- Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever (1 John 2:15-17).
So, when we’re overwhelmed with the bad guys’ fame and the popularity of lust, evil, and darkness, let’s keep our focus on the complete victory we have in Christ. What a blessing!
Ye are of God, little children, and have
overcome them:
because greater is he that is in you,
than he that is in the world.
(1 John 4:4)
Ah, Lou Ann, how right you are! Why indeed... but the world glories in the terribleness of it all. :( Many people would prefer to see the spotlight on something different, but the bad news, and the bad guys, still sell news... :(
ReplyDeleteTo God be the glory... one day soon it will be over. :)
Thank you, HeidiAnn! God bless you!
DeleteI have been thinking about this as well...so sad...
ReplyDeleteThank the Lord, there's victory! Thank you, Susan, for commenting. God bless!
DeleteI think maybe one reason newspeople seem to focus on the bad guy is that people wonder what made him like that - I think maybe they think that if there is some reason, some aberration in his case, then they can rest in the fact that it is unlikely that scenario will happen to them next time they fly, or whatever. But if he seems "normal," well, then, any normal-looking person can be dangerous. Unfortunately, that's true - so often when interviewers talk to friends, neighbors, loved ones, they'll say, "This is so shocking - he seemed so normal," "I never thought something like that would happen here," etc.It's enough to make one stay home behind locked doors except for knowing that our safety is of the Lord.
ReplyDeleteBut I do think there is a morbid fascination with evil as well. We used to watch some of the evening news programs like Dateline, but eventually stopped because it seemed like all they were doing was scare-mongering (what's wrong with the iced tea in your local restaurant? What deep dark secrets are lurking in fast-food kitchens, etc.) Nowadays they seem to only discuss crime cases in lurid detail. Bah! Enough! Enough, too, with the antics of celebrities gone wrong. I feel sorry for some of the young people who make headlines by what outlandish thing they've done NOW, but I also think if people stopped giving them so much attention for it, it might help.
It's such a sad world. But there is such hope in Jesus if only people would turn to Him.
Yes, I think it's something like "evil sells." A little sad, but true. About the copilot, I think there's a real reason, and I hope it comes out. I loved your point about safety being from the Lord. It's so true that the Lord is in control. I am so thankful. Thank you for your very thoughtful comments. God bless you!
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