Living in the World
What is newsworthy?

Today is August 22. Some experts of Islam say this equals the 27th day of Rajab. On that day in 1427 it is said that the Prophet Mohammed flew on the winged horse Buraq first to the farthest Mosque [usually identified as Jerusalem] then to heaven and back. Others say it is the day that commemorates the return of the Hidden Iman, the final victory of good over evil. Maybe it is both!

In any event, this date is of concern because of Iran and its new media star leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. This may be a day he launches an attack on Israel or other western targets in commemoration of any or all of the above. This is the millennial madness of the media. It is what passes for news…Islamic history and prophecy which westerners do not understand, in or out of context.

But our news is worse than that. Witness the fuss over a ten year old murder and the unbalanced person who claims he did it…sort of. He was there when she died. What a carnival atmosphere…coverage in Thailand, cameras on the plane, detainment in LA, and thousands of reporters waiting in Boulder where the suspect has not even yet arrived! Western news as sensationalism at its best [worse!].

How many people have been murdered in the ensuing 10 years? While any cop would tell you how satisfying it is to clear any homicide, we are not at that point yet. The confessor is merely a suspect and certainly does not warrant the attention given to him. He may be guilty of the crime, but one cannot help but believe he was after the attention he has received.

This circus has knocked the London terror plot onto the back pages. It has preempted the Iraq war coverage. In Washington, DC, this summer there was a homicide every day for, I believe, 21 days. Do we know the names of the victims? Why not? The Ramsey case has always had a high profile because of the idea of the victim being a “glamorous child”. Now add the idea of a perverted potential killer and voilà, you have a newsworthy story, ten years after.

This is far more palatable than the possibility of blowing folks up in airplanes. That could be you. And, it is preferable to the partisan killing in Iraq and the genocide in Sudan. After all, we have nothing in common with those folks. Actually, the Ramsey case allows us all to be voyeurs of a civilly responsible type. Sure it is about sex and violence, but it is newsworthy and we should know every detail.

What is newsworthy in a sin soaked world? Anything that appeals to the corrupt nature of man. In all the ranting and raving over this case in the coming weeks, pay close attention, if you can stomach it. Mark down how often there is an appeal to the real culprit here…sinful man. Post here any such references. I think they will be non-existent. And, if you are a Christian, what is your responsibility in this matter? Sin is newsworthy only when it can be used to turn folks from it. Do not be a witness to the salacious details of the case but use this case as a witness to the grace of God.